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Seton Hall University Profile

South Orange, New Jersey

The Basics

Seton Hall University was established in 1856 as part of a Roman Catholic educational complex that includes a liberal arts and sciences school as well as a theological education program. Seton Hall University is unique because it offers students the ability to enjoy a park like setting within an hour from New York City. I think this issue is important to students who want an exciting cultural experience without having to live in a city. The university is located within the City of South Orange New Jersey. The footprint of the site is normal for a large private school located within a small city. The school’s footprint is approximately 58 acres in size, which extends through South Orange.

The campus has approximately 33 buildings including lecture, sports, performing arts, and student housing facilities. Seton Hall is a beautiful tree lined campus that offers students excellent academic resources while still providing a modest amount of student housing. The issue of student housing on campus is a challenge for Seton Hall due to it’s relatively large student population. The university does not provide guaranteed housing for undergraduate students according to school officials. The challenge to provide housing on college campuses isn’t a unique situation for institutions across the country but the need for resources within city areas are obviously more difficult.

Seton Hall University Demographics

Seton Hall is home to approximately 2243 male, and 2558 female full time undergrad students. The university also has approximately 229 male, and 305 female part-time students enrolled. The graduate school has 1986 male, and 2316 female students on the Seton Hall campus. The average age of a freshman is 18 years old; all undergraduates are 22 years old. 73% of students are state residents with the rest coming from 44 other states, and 53 foreign countries. 51% of students are white, 9% are Hispanic, and 12% are African American, and 7% are Asian. The university reported 20% of student demographic was unknown. The total number of students on campus is 9,637 according to published handouts.

Seton Hall University offers a Liberal Arts and Sciences programs for undergraduate students. Below is a list of specific admission requirements for admission.

Student Housing

The purpose of student housing is to provide safe and reasonable accommodations for students living away from home. The issue of housing and dormitory life is a critical element of overall campus life because students spend a large amount of time in their rooms. Student housing units historically come in 3 different styles including traditional corridor, suite, and apartment style units.

Seton Hall University does not guarantee housing for all undergraduate students. Students who have filed their intent to reside on campus by March 1st, and who have continuously registered as full time students normally can receive student-housing resources according to university officials.

Off Campus Housing

The City of South Orange has been described as a small urban residential community within driving, and commuter distance to New York City. The reason I have mentioned the overall community of South Orange is to re-assert the point that SHU is situated in an urban setting with a high number of homes that are privately owned. The city does have a good number of multi-family residences and apartment buildings within commuter distance to the school but the issue of renting to students is a challenge because working families who want the South Orange school system for their children are competing for the available housing.

Campus Life

Seton Hall is an active private university environment that provides students with an outstanding social, cultural and educational atmosphere. The school itself could be considered a religious community due to it’s education requirements but the overall campus culture seems to be neutral because some students go to mass on a regular basis, and some don’t. The admissions demographics paint a picture of a local educational community with a mixed number of in state residents on campus as full time students. The local community of South Orange is a short distance away from the school by car or foot and is very supportive of the schools mission to provide educational opportunities to local residents and on-campus students. The town itself has a main street feel to it due to the restaurants and shops along South Orange Avenue.

The physical environment is reasonably clean and well maintained and the economic conditions are favorable to students and local residents due to the available services in driving distance to the school. The emotional climate of the entire community is also positive because students have the opportunity to volunteer with organizations on the weekends or to get involved with local community groups through the division of student development and campus life programs during the week. Seton Hall also requires students to give back to the community by requiring students to perform service hours each semester.

The emotional climate of the entire community is very relaxed and social in my opinion. Seton Hall University is an attractive institution because it offers students natural beauty within it’s large campus footprint while allowing the flexibility to enjoy historic, cultural, and social venues within the suburbs of New York City. SHU is also located within driving, and commuting distance between two major cities for students to enjoy. Having New York City, and Philadelphia, not to mention the Jersey Shore down on Garden State Parkway makes the physical campus enjoyable to several different types of social interactions. The school also has division I sports to watch, and enjoy while on campus.

This issue of school culture is also a very important part of campus life because everyone wants to have a connection and emotional fit to their new school and community. SHU has done a great job developing positive social systems with it’s students by providing a series of coordinated programs including workshops and seminars for freshman students to advance these studies. This type of process provides a foundation for learning and personal growth providing over 100 academic clubs, student organizations, and over 40 intramural sports activities. Seton Hall is also home to a substantial Greek population with 8% of students belonging to 12 national fraternities and 8 national sororities.

Campus life at SHU is more than academic excellence; it’s about building personal relationships with students and facility that continues throughout each student’s career. The school also offers students the ability to enjoy school sports, performing arts, history, cultural events, Greek life, restaurants, and local museums. For example, New York City. has hundreds of venues to enjoy the previously stated activities throughout the year. The university also has several global education centers within it’s campus network for students to learn, and gather information about international careers.

Finally, Seton Hall has a strong athletic footprint on campus with several venues for students to participate in, or to cheer for fellow students. Local residents and SHU students can walk over to the sports center to watch the school’s teams play several sports including basketball, and women’s volleyball during the year. Finally, the overall up side of exercise facilities within the campus are fantastic with students enjoying them on a daily basis, SHU participates in 17 NCAA Division I, Varsity Sports for Women and Men. The university also has a radio station (WSOU 89.5) to broadcast on, and off campus activities for students to participate in. Seton Hall University participates in the Big East NCAA Division I Varsity Sports for Women and Men. Information about clubs and student activities can be found at: www.shu.edu/campus-life/index.cfm

Public Transportation

University transportation resources for Seton Hall are available through (SHU-FLY) which is the school’s shuttle program. Students who are campus residents can use this service by swiping their Pirate Card on the shuttle bus. Students who live off campus or commute can use this service by purchasing a monthly metro card. This valuable service links students to several important areas including the South Orange Train Station, off campus housing, town shopping, and local malls. This service is great for students who don’t have parking privileges. Parking is not readily available at SHU and public transportation is limited.

The public transportation for the university is served by The New Jersey Transit’s Morris & Essex line, which serves the residents of South Orange. This specific line connects with several other transit lines within the overall system including the Northeast Corridor, and it makes one stop near the university at South Orange station. New Jersey Transit has bus service called the Essex County Metro Line that travels past the university on South Orange Avenue. The issue for public transportation with the bus and train is local commuter timetables, and walking distance to the physical campus.

Community Profile

South Orange New Jersey is a suburban town that feels like a small city with 16,994 residents in Essex County. The town has been described as a working class, family centered residential community within striking distance to New York City. South Orange also has an intellectual side due to its historical neighborhood architecture and close physical relationship with Seton Hall University. The town has a local pedestrian walkway on South Orange Avenue, which links local residents to a large number of restaurants and local shops within the eastern edge of town. South Orange Avenue is a main thoroughfare that travels East to West connecting several local towns to the university.

The community has a real small town feel to it when you are walking to neighborhood eateries on the eastern edge of town. Residents and students enjoy several social destinations when walking east on South Orange Avenue including coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and the South Orange Performing Acts Center (SOPAC), which is adjacent to the town train station. The walk is approximately 15 minutes from the campus. Students and residents who walk off the campus and make a right turn to the western edge of South Orange Avenue will find less shopping and gated communities including Tuxedo Park which is 2 blocks from the campus. This section of real estate becomes the City of Newark after 3 blocks west of Seton Hall on South Orange Avenue. This area is more of a challenge in regard to social and economic resources but local residents revere the area due to its affordable housing. This area is called the Vailsburg Section of Newark.

The city itself is located within the northeastern area of the state, which makes it convenient to several suburban communities and highway networks. New Jersey Transit provides local rail service in the area with the Montclair-Boonton Line. This rail corridor links to Newark Airport, and N.J. Penn Station for Amtrack northeast rail service, and connecting trains to New York City. The main airport to Seton Hall is Newark International airport. The City of South Orange also has several main roadways that connect the community to major state highways including Route 280 that links to the Garden State Parkway, and several western roadways including Route 80. Shopping, restaurants, and hotel chains can be found within these major transportation networks after a short drive from the campus.

Community demographics

The following demographics for South Orange New Jersey describe a multi-cultural community within a total population of 16,994 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The survey highlights several characteristics to describe the population including: 8,142 residents are male, 8,822 are female. 60% of residents are white, 31% are African American, 5% are Hispanic or Latino, and 4% are Asian. The median age of population is 34.7 years old. 78% of residents are 18 years old, 67% of residents are over 21 and 12 % of city residents is over the age of 65. The issue of housing in South Orange is also interesting. 97 % of all housing units within the town are occupied. 28 % of housing units are renter-occupied, while 72 % were owner-occupied.

Local weather

Weather is also an issue to consider for students preparing for a college experience. New Jersey enjoys all four seasons of weather including rain and snow. Northeast weather patterns sometimes allow for temperatures to drop below 32 degrees for a considerable amount of time during the winter. New Jersey also gets it’s share of rain during the spring and summer months as well. A strong indicator of pedestrian traffic around the university can be identified by the northeast weather patterns. Student parking within close proximity to university buildings and student services help reduce the exposure literally and figuratively.

Seton Hall University Hotel Quick Links

Ramada Inn East Orange
120 Evergreen Place
East Orange N.J. 07018
Hilton Newark Penn Station
1 Gateway Center/Raymond Blvd
Newark N.J. 07102
Best Western Robert Treat Hotel
50 Park Place (Downtown)
Newark N.J. 07102

Below is a list of hotel accommodations within a 20-minute drive to the campus.

Holiday Inn Newark Airport
160 Frontage Road
Newark N.J. 07114
Wyndham Garden Airport Hotel
550 Route 1 South
Newark N.J. 07114
Marriott Newark Airport
Newark International Airport
Newark N.J. 07114
Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel
901 Spring Street
Elizabeth N.J. 07201
Sheration Newark Airport
128 Frontage Road
Newark N.J. 07114
Hampton Inn Newark Airport
1128-38 Spring Street
Newark N.J. 07207

Below is a sample list of local restaurants in South Orange & Newark N.J. National restaurant chains & shopping resources can be found on Route 1 & 9 in, and around Newark Liberty Airport along with the Jersey Gardens Mall in nearby Elizabeth N.J.

The Your College Profile web site also contains an “Everything in New York City” document for families who wish to explore the NYC while visiting Seton Hall University. This site contains a full list of hotels, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment, and tourism resources for families enjoying the region.

Seton Hall University Quick Links

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