Salisbury University has been in the national spotlight recently, as U.S. News & World Report ranked SU 47th among the north region’s “Best Value Schools” for 2020.





Student outcomes, faculty resources, financial resources, student excellence and standardized test scores are just a few of the criteria used to determine academic quality.





SU has been ranked as a “Best Value School” in the past.





Recently, funds have been put toward new projects such as undergraduate research, and this semester, gym equipment in the weight room and other exercise room has been upgraded.





Some other upgrades include the presentation practice room and the 3D printer in the Guerrieri Academic Commons.





When potential students visit SU for tours, they see many of the new, upgraded facilities in buildings.





For freshman Julius Kennedy, finances were one of the biggest determining factors that led him to go to SU. He also considered Syracuse University in New York and Seton Hall University in New Jersey.





“It’s hard paying for college,” Kennedy said.





Once Kennedy moved in on campus for the first time before classes started, he felt like SU did a great job helping new students.





He appreciated the care that SU went into helping new freshman students feel at home on their new campus.





“During the move-in day and the orientation week and all that weekend, I think that was actually a really helpful transition from coming from home to coming to college,” Kennedy said. “We had a cluster group. I think that was a really smart thing to do, and it was really … it made us really comfortable. Get assimilated into college.”





There are other types of colleges besides public universities where tuition is dramatically higher, like private colleges, art schools and music conservatories. Syracuse and Seton Hall both happen to be private universities.





One factor that makes SU stand out from other institutions is that it offers transfer scholarships for students who are transferring from community colleges. This can save students thousands of dollars.





Veteran student Caleb Mayers, who works in the veteran’s office on campus, agrees that SU is a great school to get the most of your money.





Mayers is also a native of the Eastern Shore, and he felt like SU helped him transition well from the service world into higher education.





He likes how SU is in the same university system as the University of Maryland, College Park, which means that students have access to the same library resources and other materials even though College Park is more expensive.





Some of his friends decided to go to College Park and private schools, but Mayers is content with his decision to come to SU.





“I have some friends who have gone to either private universities or even places like College Park, which is in the same university system within Maryland, where tuition and fees are so much more expensive,” Mayers said. “Don’t get me wrong, [a] college education is an expensive investment. However, for the value you’re getting, it is a decent deal here.”

Mayers said that SU does a great job at helping veterans understand how to find out what their benefits are when applying to SU. The veterans’ office can walk potential students through the entire application process.





Mayers likes that much of the staff who work in the office are veterans themselves, meaning they are better able to assist students.





When there is someone able to relate to what the other person is going through, it makes it easier for that person to get things done.





Student Jahlissa Bell did not feel like college rankings played a major factor on her decision-making, but she found that finances were a stronger component to choosing a school.





Bell is from New Jersey, and she compared the types of schools in that state to SU.





“Salisbury is one of the cheapest schools cause I’m from Jersey, and Jersey schools are way more expensive than this would have been,” Bell said. “A lot of Jersey schools are private, so they’re more expensive. They do have public schools, but they’re the big ones.”





The cost of college plays an important role along with how well students are able to find the help they may need. Below is more information about SU’s rankings:

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/salisbury-university-2091

https://salisburyindependent.net/special-reports/su-achieves-top-ranking-from-u-s-news-raters/









By BENJAMIN LAW

Staff Writer

Featured image: Amy Wojtowicz graphic.