St. Lawrence University (SLU)

The mission of St. Lawrence University is to provide an inspiring and demanding undergraduate education in the liberal arts to students selected for their seriousness of purpose and intellectual promise.

Nestled in the small upstate New York town of Canton that’s closer to Canada than it is to Manhattan, St. Lawrence is a liberal arts school with a strong sense of community and a dedication to academics. For one history major, St. Lawrence is “a university that pushes me to pursue my dreams,” a place where “it felt like I was coming home, not leaving home.” With roughly 2,400 students and a student to faculty ratio of 12:1, St. Lawrence prides itself on small classes and a tight knit environment where students and professors know their fellow Laurentians by name. With interdisciplinary studies encouraged, the most popular majors at St. Lawrence include economics, biology, government, psychology, and mathematics. Even though its location might be considered remote, the school’s proximity to the Adirondacks is a huge draw and, as one anthropology major jokes, “St. Lawrence manages to be a place with countless opportunities and things going on despite being in the middle of nowhere.”

All first-year undergraduate students are enrolled in St. Lawrence University’s nationally-recognized First-Year Program, which places approximately 30 first-year students in small communities that live and learn together.

Once they achieve upper-class status, students may choose to live in traditional residence halls, interest-based theme suites, theme cottages, Greek houses, or senior townhouses.

St. Lawrence provides a full range of services to students, including comprehensive career planning as well as graduate and professional school guidance.

Students seeking co-curricular activities can choose from over 100 organizations, including everything from student government to interest groups, to arts and culture.

St. Lawrence boasts 34 intercollegiate teams including NCAA Division I teams in men's and women's ice hockey. All other teams compete in the NCAA's Division III. Club sports are also available, as is participation in a broad range of popular intramural sports.

St. Lawrence students "wear many different hats and are involved in almost all aspects of the school community and culture," including the "large student-athlete population." Undergrads describe this society as "tight knit," such that "even if you don't know someone, you treat them as if you do," and they speak warmly of the "extremely positive and loving" atmosphere this creates. Peers are seen as "a welcoming family in which everybody can find friends," something that's only enhanced by "very low-key people who work very hard in the classroom as well as [at] athletics, but [who] treat it like it is no big deal." One student posits that it might be the cold of being so close to Canada, which "brings a level of closeness and different atmosphere," but based on responses, we think SLU just chooses warm students.

Ninety-nine percent of students live on this "walking campus" and "have the opportunity to live in theme houses or Greek houses, which support high-quality residential communities." There are over 150 clubs and organizations, and "skiing, hiking, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities are popular" among this nature-loving group. "The incredible outdoors that SLU has around us is [wonderful]," says a student. And while remote Canton "is a small and rural town" where "there is not a hopping night scene," students actually appreciate knowing "where everyone is going to be on a Saturday night." This means that "sports events are popular," as is "spend[ing] time in the student center to talk and grab coffee, go outside and sit in hammocks if the weather is permitting, and do homework in the library."

St. Lawrence students are fortunate in that they can both tap into a “great alumni network” and take advantage of a stellar career services office. In fact, undergrads here make a point of mentioning that the office does “a good job with providing resources for students,” and it is one of the school’s “greatest strengths.” The SLU Connect initiative reinforces the idea of using the Laurentian alum network as a source of mentorship and industry insights and offers programs and events in locations ranging from Montana to Boston. The center centralizes resources, workshops, and events on Handshake, just one of the many ways it simplifies access to career development tools. As one impressed undergrad attests, “Sophomore year at St. Lawrence offers a career boot-camp [in which] a very large [number] of students participate. This career boot-camp made sure my resume, LinkedIn [profile], and networking skills were on point.” And best of all, “the career services advisers go out of their way to make sure as many students as possible are taking advantage of the panels, networking events and internships available.” Students visiting Payscale.com report a median starting salary of $66,200, with 55 percent noting high job meaning and satisfaction.