What if you could reduce the cost of college while still enjoying the full university experience? Rowan Choice gives students the opportunity to live on Rowan University’s campus, participate in campus life and save thousands on tuition through a unique partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey.
What Is Rowan Choice?
Rowan University’s premier partnership with local community college Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC) is an innovative collaboration that offers a variety of pathways to earning a college education. One such pathway is Rowan Choice, a program that a few hundred students enroll in each year, with the goal of making college more accessible to South Jersey families.
To learn more about the program, I spoke with Dr. Steven C. Farney Sr., a three-time Rowan alum and the senior director of administration for the Division of Student Affairs.
“One of the pillars of the strategic plan for the university is access. Parents are concerned about money, but students are still interested in the college experience. They want to eat in the cafeteria and join clubs,” Steven said.
At the corner of affordability and opportunity is the Rowan Choice program, where students enroll as RCGC students while living on Rowan University’s campus. This innovative experience can help families save thousands while their students maintain the full college experience. Interested? Let’s find out if Rowan Choice is right for you.
Is Rowan Choice Right for You?
Answer the following questions:
- Are you eager to start your journey at Rowan University?
- Is your family concerned about the cost of college?
- Would you consider starting your journey at a community college if it weren’t for the lack of activities or student housing?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Rowan Choice may be the right fit for you. Let’s dive into the details of this first-of-its-kind program.
How the Program Works
Rowan Choice admits a small group of students each year, usually around 250 people. These students apply through the regular Rowan University application process. Upon being accepted, they are offered a place in the Rowan Choice program, where they will attend classes at RCGC (a 14 minute drive away, provided by a free shuttle service) or the Enterprise Center and earn credits through RCGC for their first year. Of course, all of those credits are fully transferrable to a Rowan University degree thanks to Rowan’s unique college partnership agreements.
These students live on Rowan’s main campus and participate in all of the same activities as the average Rowan University student. With the exception of Division III collegiate sports, Rowan Choice students are fully acclimated into life on the main campus. They just take the short, complimentary shuttle to RCGC for some of their classes. Following their first year in Rowan Choice, the students will complete the rest of their Rowan career as traditional students, completing courses on the main campus.
Saving Money Without Missing Out
You’re probably thinking, but why would I leave and take classes somewhere else? Rowan Choice students pay the standard RCGC tuition rate. That means they save an average of up to $10,000 over peers who take their freshman level courses in Glassboro.
The magic of Rowan Choice is receiving all of the financial benefits of attending a two-year school, while still living independently and enjoying the impressive array of student activities that come with being part of the Rowan University community.
Do you think Rowan Choice might be the right fit for you? Seats are limited so make an appointment with an admissions counselor today.
About Rowan
Since its founding in 1923, Rowan University has evolved from a teacher preparation college to a public research institution ranked among the top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees and professional certificates in person and online to nearly 25,000 students through its main campus in Glassboro and its eight other locations in southern New Jersey. Rowan focuses on practical research at the intersection of health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. The University has earned national recognition for innovation; commitment to high-quality, affordable education; and the development of public-private partnerships. A Carnegie-classified R2 (high research activity) institution, Rowan is the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2025, Rowan opened New Jersey’s only veterinary school and is one of only two universities in the nation to offer M.D., D.O., and D.V.M. medical degrees.