How to get into Drew University
How to get into Drew: a small New Jersey liberal arts university with NYC access and meaningful merit aid
67.8%
Acceptance rate
$47,100
In-state cost
What makes Drew University admissions different
Drew University is a small (~1,500 undergrad) private liberal arts university in Madison, New Jersey — about 30 miles from Manhattan with NJ Transit service into Penn Station. Drew admits around 68% of applicants. The school has a distinctive Forest campus, semester programs in New York (Drew Wall Street, Drew New York Semester on the Arts, Drew Communications and Media), and a substantial merit-aid pipeline. The honest story at Drew is small-liberal-arts fit, NYC proximity, and the cost calculation.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply through the Common App by Drew's Early Action or Regular Decision deadlines. EA is non-binding and gives earliest decision plus scholarship consideration.
- 2.
Engage with Drew's distinctive semester programs in the supplement when relevant — the Wall Street Semester, the Drew New York Semester on the Arts, the Semester on Communications and Media, or the United Nations Semester are real differentiators.
- 3.
Apply for merit scholarships. Drew's Baldwin, Civic, and named scholarships substantially reduce sticker price for most admits and are pulled from earlier applicants.
- 4.
Schedule a campus visit. Drew values demonstrated interest and the Forest campus is genuinely part of the pitch.
- 5.
Pre-health and pre-law applicants: Drew has established advising and post-grad placement programs — engage with them in the supplement.
- 6.
Run the net price calculator. Drew is full-sticker private but merit aid is meaningful — published net costs after aid are typically dramatically lower than sticker.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Treating Drew as a generic small-LAC backup. The NYC semester programs and Forest campus are distinctive — engage with them.
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Skipping Early Action and the priority scholarship consideration.
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Ignoring cost. Sticker price is high; merit aid is the main lever and applies more reliably to early applicants.
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Missing the campus visit when you can do one. At a small school, demonstrated interest matters.
The specifics for Drew University
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Drew offers semester-long experiential programs in Manhattan: Drew Wall Street, Drew New York Semester on the Arts, Drew Semester on Communications and Media, and the United Nations Semester — each combining coursework with structured industry placements.
Forest campus and NJ Transit access to NYC
Drew's 186-acre wooded campus in Madison, NJ is on the NJ Transit Morristown Line with direct service to Penn Station — combining a residential liberal arts setting with NYC proximity.
Civic Scholars Program
A merit scholarship cohort focused on civic engagement and community service, with dedicated programming and an annual community-impact project.
What graduates actually do
Drew, a small liberal arts university in Madison, New Jersey, sends graduates into NYC media, finance, theater, and law, leveraging its New York Semester programs (Wall Street Semester, United Nations Semester, Contemporary Art Semester). The Theological School and graduate divinity programs also feed a steady stream into religious leadership and academia.
Notable alumni
- Connie Chung — Television journalism
- Bret Schundler — Politics (former Jersey City mayor)
- Dave Garroway — Television (original Today Show host)
Transfer pathway
Drew accepts transfer applications on a rolling basis for fall and spring. The university has articulation agreements with several New Jersey community colleges including County College of Morris, Raritan Valley, and Bergen. A 2.5+ GPA is typically required, and Drew accepts up to two years of transfer credit.
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
If you have a B+ transcript and an honest interest in a small liberal arts college within reach of New York City, Drew is a likely admit and likely affordable after merit aid. The decision is fit (small, residential, forested suburban campus with NYC commute access) and net cost.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.