University College Utrecht (Netherlands)
University College Utrecht (UCU) was the first university college in the Netherlands.
Founded in 1998, it's one of two honors colleges affiliated with Utrecht University.
In this liberal arts degree, students combine at least two disciplines from humanities, science and social science.
Here are some of the highlights from my visit!
Campus and academics
First things first -- I must say that Utrecht is by far my favorite city in the Netherlands.
For more on the city, which is a short train ride from UCU, check out this post here.
UCU's campus, however, used to be a military base and resembles that of a traditional liberal arts college in the U.S.
It's made up of 760 students, half of whom are Dutch, and the students can be described as 'social nerds.'
They're passionate about learning and engaging in academic discussions, and although the max class size is 28, most classes are 20 or fewer.
Students build their own curriculum, but they can do at most a quarter of their classes in one subject.
They must also do at least one class from humanities, science and social science to meet breadth requirements; for example, the ’Mathematics for Poets’ class.
Everyone also has to take the 'Research in Context' class, learn another language (Dutch, French, Italian, Chinese, Latin or Arabic) and write a final thesis.
However, students don't need to declare their major until the end of the first year.
Nevertheless, there are a lot of optional activities that can really add to a diverse and vibrant student experience.
There are free summer classes, a cultural Heritage Internship program at places like the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, a summer program in East Africa or a field research program in Aruba.
Students can also go on exchange for a semester (the University of California campuses are the main partners).
Whilst on campus, there is a bar and lounge area.
Housing is also guaranteed for all three years of the degree, which is a huge benefit given the housing crisis in the Netherlands.
Each hall is divided into units for six or 12 students.
Upon graduation, most students go straight into a master's program, about 26 percent of students go into teaching and research and the rest work in management, government or policy-making.
About 60 percent of all students do end up staying in the Netherlands, too.
Admissions to UCU
As a university college, UCU is selective but holistic when it comes to admissions.
For example, it receives about 1,200 applications for 250 spots.
There is also an interview component, and about 400 of the 1,200 applicants will make it to the interview stage.
Students are required to have at least four AP exams with a minimum score of 4.
Summary: University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht offers a true honors college experience; students really learn the value of time management.
With four classes per semester, there is also continuous assessment, so students can't really afford to fall behind.
But this is also why it's so selective; UCU wants to make sure they find students who are not only academically capable, but also the right fit.
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