College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Frequently Asked Questions

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1 College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Frequently Asked Questions General University Information: In what year was the University of Connecticut established? How many Colleges/Schools are there at the University of Connecticut? How many undergraduate students at UConn in Storrs? Are there sororities and fraternities? How is UConn ranked? Is there an Honors program? What are the dormitories like? What is the average class size? Though technically at that time UConn was known as the Storrs Agricultural School. 14 Approximately 17,000 Approximately 13% of all UConn students participate in Greek Life. The Sigma Alpha Sorority and Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity are comprised largely of students from CANR. It is consistently the #1 ranked public state university in New England. The University Honors Program provides opportunities for qualified students from all colleges and schools to pursue an Honors degree within their desired major. Students in the top 5% of their high school graduating class are invited to participate. UConn Honors students take Honors courses in selected disciplines and pursue independent research/creative activity that leads to an undergraduate thesis. a. Mention opportunity for LLCs b. 96% are co-ed c. 19 residential areas including dorms, suites and apartments d. UConn houses the largest % of students of any public university (74%) The average class size is 26 students. Although there are larger lectures in some lower division introductory courses, many upper division courses may be as small as students. General CANR Information: How many students are in the School and College What are the 8 Departments in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources *(See separate handout for more information) Which one of these does not have undergraduate majors? Approximately 70 undergraduate students enrolled in the 2-yr program, and 1,800 undergraduates in the 4-yr program. Agricultural and Resource Economics Allied Health Sciences Animal Science Extension Natural Resources & the Environment Nutritional Sciences Pathobiology and Veterinary Science Plant Science & Landscape Arch. Extension

2 How many majors are offered in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources? What are the 16 majors? *(See separate handout for more information) What is a minor? Do you offer them? What are the minors offered in/by CANR? Can a CANR student Study Abroad? What are the selling points of the CANR/RHSA? What is FYE and are there FYE courses in CANR and RHSA What is the best website to access information about CANR, RHSA and even UConn What sorts of activities can students participate in? 16 Agriculture & Natural Resources Allied Health Sciences Animal Science Diagnostic Genetic Sciences Dietetics Environmental Science Environmental Studies Horticulture Individualized Major Landscape Architecture Medical Laboratory Sciences Natural Resources Nutritional Sciences Pathobiology Resource Economics Turfgrass and Soil Science (Ag Ed is not technically a major within CANR) A minor is an area of study that permits students to pursue additional areas of interest. Yes, CANR offers 13 minors. Agribusiness Mgmt; Ag Biotechnology; Animal Science; Dairy Mgmt; Environmental Economics and Policy; Equine Business Mgmt; Food Science; Landscape Design; Nutrition for Exercise and Sport; Ornamental Horticulture; Therapeutic Horsemanship Education; Turfgrass Mgmt; Wildlife Conversation Yes and many do. There are UConn programs in approximately 65 countries. Each May/June, students from NRE travel to South Africa for 3 weeks for a wildlife study; during the fall semester, there is a program in Florence, Italy, coordinated by the AHS and/or ANSC depts. Relatively small college; 15:1 student:faculty ratio; major facilities all within walking distance of academic buildings; significant scholarship opportunities; lots of student activities; solid advising FYE=First Year Experience (College Survival 101); RHSA and CANR faculty do teach several sections of these. See list of CANR student activities at: General RHSA Information: What are the origins of the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture What degree is earned from the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture? Mr. Ratcliffe Hicks was a resident of Tolland, Connecticut, and upon his death he left money for the establishment of a 2- year School to encourage and support farming in New England. The first class graduated from the Ratcliffe Hicks School in Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

3 What are the 2 majors in the Ratcliffe Hicks School? Can students transfer from the Ratcliffe Hicks School to the 4-yr program? What are the differences between being a student in RHSA and CANR? Are there RHSA programs available at the UConn Regional Campuses? Animal Science (w/ concentrations in Equine Science or Dairy/Livestock) Ornamental Horticulture and Turfgrass Mgmt (w/ concentrations in Horticulture or Turfgrass Mgmt) Yes, after completing the 2-yr program and earning the AAS. Students must also earn at least a 2.7 GPA to be considered for transfer. Approximately 60% of students in RH transfer to the 4-yr program. Students in both programs pay the same tuition, have access to the same room and board options, and can participate in all of the same co-curricular activities. The only thing that RHSA students cannot do is participate in Division 1A Varsity Athletics. Several courses are joint-taught with 2-yr and 4-yr students in the same room. No Pre-Professional Program Information: Where is the Pre-Vet Major? Is it better to major in ANSC or PVS to prepare for vet school? What is your % success rate with students applying to Vet School? How do I study Pre-Med? What about Pre-PT? How do the Professional majors in AHS differ from the general Allied Health Sciences major? Students wishing to prepare for admission to veterinary school can pursue any one of several majors. The two most common majors are ANSC and PVS. Each of these majors has faculty advisors dedicated to working with Pre-Vet students. Both majors prepare students equally well. In order for a student to be competitive to enter Vet School, they must (1) take the right courses, (2) get the right grades, and (3) gain practical experience working with animals to include working with/for a veterinarian. Very high. Students need to do 3 things to gain admission to vet school, (1) take the right courses [our advisors help ensure that]; (2) get the right grades [that s up to the student]; and (3) gain practical work experience with animals to include work under the supervision of a veterinarian [all vet schools require a letter of recommendation from a vet]. Students who do these 3 things get into vet school. The most common majors in CANR for students interested in attending medical school are NUSC, AHS and PVS. This is true for PA (Physician s Assistant) programs as well. Most Physical Therapy programs have developed into DPT programs (Doctor of Physical Therapy) and require applications from students that have completed a 4-yr B.S. degree. The Department of Allied Health Sciences has extensive experience preparing students for DPT programs. The Professional majors are Dietetics, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Diagnostic Genetic Sciences. Students enter these majors through a competitive process after completing the first two years of science pre-requisites. Students tracking toward a professional major may chose to major in Allied Health Sciences during their freshman and sophomore years.

4 Other Majors/Programs: What about Dietetics? Do you have Agriculture Education? How do students declare the Landscape Architecture major? What facilities support the PVS department? What are the options that ANSC majors pursue? Students wishing to become registered dietitians can pursue the Dietetics major (coordinated program) in AHS, or pursue the didactic program in NUSC. In general, students in AHS complete their clinical rotations within 4 yrs while students in NUSC complete the required clinical work following graduation. Yes. Agriculture Education (AgEd) at the University of Connecticut is offered through a partnership between the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AgNR) and the Neag School of Education (NSoE). Students select a disciplined-based undergraduate major in the CANR and complete education courses and certification requirements in the NSoE. Contact Dr. Patricia Jepson for additional information. It is a competitive process. Students are evaluated after they have taken introductory gateway courses: LAND 2110 and Min. requirements for continuance are a Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better, and a grade of 3.0 (B) or better in both introductory courses. For students meeting these requirements, faculty evaluation of portfolio of work produced in introductory courses, student essay, and cumulative GPA will determine final acceptance into the Program. The Connecticut Veterinary Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory; many undergraduate students work here and learn valuable techniques Pre-vet, pre-med; Business; Equine Science; Food Science; Ag Biotechnology; Animal Production/Mgmt Career Information: Are Internships available? Can I get involved in research with a faculty member? Is there career counseling? Yes. Each department has a faculty member assigned as the Internship Coordinator. Internships are generally done over the summer. Students in the Turfgrass and Soil Science (specifically the turfgrass concentration) major are required to do an internship. Yes. Many students do. The key is to learn what different faculty members are doing and then approach them about the opportunity to pursue some independent study credit with them. Yes. In addition to faculty and staff advising, CANR/RHSA has an annual Career Night in which more than 100 professionals (mostly alumni) visit with more than 300 students to discuss career preparation. The University also has a Department of Career Services to assist students, and a Career Representative specifically for CANR.

5 Admissions/Financial Aid Information: What is the average SAT score for CANR and RHSA? What is the average class rank? What is the admissions process? When is the deadline for applications? What is the New England Regional Program If a CANR student begins their UConn education at a Regional Campus, how long is it before they can transfer to Storrs? Where are the 5 Regional Campuses? Is there Financial Aid Are there scholarships available? I will need to work at College. What types of jobs are available? For CANR the average SAT score of entering freshman was approximately 1220 (for M & V), and for RHSA it was 975. For CANR, approximately top 25-30% of class a. Complete the on-line application b. $70.00 application fee c. Official high school transcript d. SAT or ACT scores e. Personal statement January 15 For students living outside of Connecticut in one of the other New England states, there is an opportunity to attend UConn at lower rate than out-of-state tuition for majors that are offered by UConn but not the home state University. Check the website. One year. Note that for most majors outside of CANR, students must stay at the regional campus for 2-yrs before coming to Storrs. Avery Point, Greater Hartford, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury Yes. More than $200 million is awarded in financial aid. Applicants must complete a FAFSA form to be eligible. See your High School counselor. The College and School awarded approximately $550,000 in scholarships during the 2011/2012 academic year. These are competitive awards for which students must submit an application. The University screens prospective freshman applications for awards appropriate for entering students. Apply for everything you can locally as well! There are many jobs available in the College and School and these can provide valuable work experience that has relevance to your major. These include working in the facilities that support teaching and research; academic offices, or working for faculty on specific projects. At the same time, many other opportunities exist across campus (e.g., the Reserve Desk in the library; Jorgensen Theater ticket office). Many of the student labor jobs are competitive so apply early.