How’s the food?
Dining hall food isn't like Mom's home cooking … dare we say it’s better? With a deli bar, omelet station, salad bar, made-to-order stir fry selections, hot dogs and hamburgers, and two to three entrees an evening, students are never without options. Vegetarian menu items are also available along with meals for individuals with special dietary needs.
The Albright cafeteria features a wide array of desserts, an organic food section and a variety bar changing each night at dinner. Students who are on the run can take advantage of Albright’s “Grab-and-Go” line – a place to prepare a custom-made bag lunch for those busy days!
Finally, students have three alternative options to the traditional cafeteria. Jake’s Place is a snack bar located in the lower level of the Campus Center which offers a wide variety of made-to-order choices. Jake’s Java is Albright’s coffee bar providing students with everything from coffee to smoothies, pastries and more! Peg’s Café is an eatery located in the Schumo Center for Fitness and Well-Being and offers a variety of healthy options.
“Where else can you go and have the catering coordinator of the school remember that you are a vegetarian and an oil painter? Every time I see Mike in the cafeteria he is checking up on me to make sure I’m eating enough and to see if I have any new paintings in progress!”
-Tricia Falco ’11, Art & Education, Schwenksville, PA
What is social life at Albright like?
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved at Albright. With more than 80 student clubs and organizations (including community groups, student government, social and academic groups, and the performing arts) the options are endless. The Albright College Activities Council (AC2) provides an array of experiences for students to attend, including comedians, hypnotists, concerts and BINGO!
Approximately 15 percent of our students are involved in the Greek system on campus, with three national fraternities and three national sororities to join. Many of our students are active in athletics as well. Albright is an NCAA Division III school that offers 10 varsity sports for men and 11 for women. Students can also join intramural sports for fun too.
Eighty-five percent of Albright students reside on campus and the majority generally stay on the weekends, so there are always activities going on around campus.
What is there to do in Reading and the surrounding area?
Reading is the home of five minor league sports teams and three large recreation facilities. The Sovereign Center and the Sovereign Performing Arts Center host many concerts, sporting events and speeches. Reading is also home to the Vanity Fair outlets for all those who live to shop and a fabulous comedy club. Close to campus are two shopping malls, a brand new IMAX theater and several restaurants. Also nearby is the Goggleworks - an old factory building in the heart of Reading that has been restored as an arts venue.
Is the campus safe?
At the base of Mount Penn and surrounded by residential areas where approximately half of our faculty and staff live, Albright is in a very safe area of Reading. The Public Safety office is located across from the residence halls and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Campus security officers also patrol the campus 24-hours a day on foot and by car. An escort service is available and emergency phones have been installed around campus for direct access to security.
Access to residence halls is granted through an ID swipe system and is limited to the students who reside in that building.
Albright College also provides an emergency text messaging system. Students are encouraged to sign up for this alert system so that in any case of an emergency, they will immediately receive information via a text message on their cell phone.
Is Albright a suitcase college?
Definitely not! Approximately 85 percent of students reside on campus, and a large majority choose to remain on campus during weekends. There are various activities going on every weekend on campus. The Albright College Activities Council (AC2) plans events each semester, ranging from dance parties to sports nights, from trips to NYC to X Box competitions. Athletics are in full swing on the weekends and other campus organizations and performance groups are always busy.
What is dorm life like?
There are varied options for our residence life. The “Quad” is made up of four co-ed residence halls - three all-freshman halls and one freshman through senior hall. In addition, there is an honors residence hall, Albright Court, suite-style living in North Hall and apartments (for our upperclassman). All rooms are air conditioned and come with a microwave/refrigerator combo. There are laundry facilities in every dorm that can be used at no cost to the student. All of our residence halls are co-ed, but there are single-sex floor options as well.
Each dorm has a resident assistant who is responsible for overseeing all aspects of dorm life. These “RAs” are students who plan various programs for all students living in the dorm. Programs range from study skills workshops to free pizza nights, and movies to video-game tournaments.
What are Albright students like?
Students at Albright come from diverse backgrounds. The majority of our students are from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but our students represent 28 states and 24 countries. Also, 26 percent of our students are students of color.
What is the size of campus?
Albright’s student body is approximately 1,670 students. The campus is 118 acres.
What is the typical class size at Albright?
The student to faculty ratio at Albright is 13:1. Class size varies, but the average is 15 – 25 students. Some introductory courses may be slightly larger with up to 30 students while upper-level courses may have as few as 8 to 10 students.
What majors or programs of study do you offer?
Albright offers more than 50 academic programs of study. More than 50 percent of students graduate with dual, interdisciplinary or individualized majors. Most popular majors include business, education, psychology, biology and sociology. For a full listing visit our Academics page.
What is tuition?
Tuition (including room and board) for the 2011-2012 academic year is $43,190. Please note that the average financial aid package for the 2010-2011 year was $34,762. (These awards were made up of a combination of gift aid, loans and on-campus jobs.)
For a full summary of college expenses and information about paying for college, visit our Financial Aid page.
When do I apply?
We are on rolling admission, so whenever an application becomes complete, we will review it and reach an admission decision within two weeks. Application deadline is March 1.
Are there opportunities for students to study abroad?
Yes, students participate in study abroad programs during the fall and spring semesters as well as over the summer. Albright also offers unique travel opportunities during an Interim semester in January. The Interim semester allows students the opportunity to take a three-week course abroad. Students have studied in Costa Rica, Thailand, France, England, Spain, Mexico, Australia and Hawaii, to name a few.
Is there an opportunity to intern while at Albright?
Internships are highly encouraged and often required as a component of study at Albright. Frequently, students are eligible to receive credit for their internship, and some even receive pay for their work. Students can intern during the academic year, over the summer, or during the Interim session in January. Students are welcome to pursue local internships in the Berks County area or opportunities in their hometown.
The Experiential Learning and Career Development Center staff is happy to connect students to valuable internship experiences. A few of the companies and organizations Albright students have interned for include:
- ABC
- Environmental Protection Agency
- The Reading Hospital
- Berks County Living Magazine
- Bayer Corporation
- Bad Boy Entertainment, NYC
- Penn State University Veterinary Science Department
The Experiential Learning and Career Development Center is an excellent resource for all students. The center provides everything from assistance with the job and internship search to workshops on resume writing and interview skills.
What’s new this year at Albright?
Marine and Aquatic Science Program
Albright College has developed a new Marine and Aquatic Science Program. Students will complete courses in areas such as aquatic ecophysiology and aquatic and marine ecology. Students are also recommended to complete a field station experience. This can be accomplished through participation in an approved off-campus study or research program. Examples of these programs include participation in the Peru field study course, the Hawaii field course or research with a program emphasizing marine and aquatic science.
Lacrosse Program
Albright College received a $1 million gift from the John K. Roessner III Trust to build a new multisport practice field and to launch the College’s new men’s and women’s varsity lacrosse programs. The gift will create a new practice field for lacrosse, other sports, and recreational activities, as well as underwrite the operational costs for the first three years of the lacrosse programs, including personnel and equipment.
New Science Center
Albright College began construction on its new Science Center in the spring of 2008. The new $33.4 million Science Center has added 41,635 square feet of state-of-the-art lab space to the 37,019 square feet of the existing Science Center, for a total of 78,654 square feet. The construction is now completed, and the renovation of the original building is underway.
Science at Albright has been one of the College’s pillars of excellence for a century and a half, and Albright has produced more than 1,000 physicians, researchers and teachers in the sciences.
Are there health services available on campus?
The Gable Health Center is located on campus and open between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Gable Health Center provides comprehensive care to students. The physician and nurse practitioner are available by appointment for counseling, evaluation and treatment of common medical problems. Any medical problem you would normally see your primary care provider for, would be something that can be seen by the health center staff. For complex problems beyond our scope of care, students will be referred to a specialist, with guidance and coordination of care provided by The Gable Health Center staff.
What makes Albright unique?
Albright College values an interdisciplinary approach to college education. Students will not only take an array of general studies, but will also be given the opportunity to take courses with viewpoints from multiple disciplines. In addition to work in the classroom, Albright College also values the importance of experiential learning. Students are both encouraged and expected to take part in hands-on learning opportunities throughout their four years on campus. Whether through experiences such as studying abroad during the Interim semester, participating in an ACRE project or interning, students are given the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real life situations.
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