Curry College

Curry College sits on a campus of 131 wooded acres 7 miles from downtown Boston in Milton, Massachusetts. Curry is a small college of 1600 undergraduates with a strong focus on pre-professional majors and minors. 75% of students live on campus, and the rest commute from home. Fun fact: Alexander Graham Bell was the college’s first chancellor!

Nursing the only direct-admit program, but if not admitted for nursing, students can start in Exploratory Health Professions and take the same classes as first-year nursing students. After receiving acceptable grades in the B-/C+ range in their coursework, they are allowed to transfer into nursing. The first-time NCLEX pass rate is 93%. Some other majors offered are Media and Communication Arts, Graphic Design, Forensic Science, Entrepreneurship, Transformative Justice, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Public Health & Wellness, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Public Relations, Sport and Recreation Management, and Exercise Sciences. Minors include Art Therapy, Business Analytics & Information Systems, Creative Writing, Forensic Investigations, Music, Photography, Law & Society, and Coaching. 81% of the faculty hold a terminal degree in their field, and while the average class size is 20, all classes are capped at 34.

Every student here is assigned an academic success coordinator, but for those who need more support, Curry goes above and beyond. As they said during our visit, “We were supporting students before the law told us we had to.” Their PAL program  (Program for Advancement of Learning) has been in place for over 55 years – it does, in fact, pre-date ADA laws. About 15-20% of Curry students participate in this fee-based, comprehensive support program, and a neuropych evaluation is required when applying to PAL. In addition to regular coursework, students in this program take at least one class with PAL faculty, focusing on the college transition. The goal is to provide a personalized learning experience to students with learning differences and foster a culture of responsibility, initiative, and belonging. Faculty in this program are trained to treat each student as whole individuals, with equal commitment to their education and their well-being. This program costs $8700 per year.

Curry has recently added a new program called SAIL (Social Achievement in Learning) for neurodiverse students – which focuses on social support. SAIL students receive individualized and group coaching on social cues, non-verbal communication, sensory processing, time management, self-advocacy, and more. The cost is $9300 per year. Students can apply in either or both programs.

The all-in price of Curry is $69K, and merit scholarships range from $15K to $34K. With the Curry Commitment - if a student doesn’t have a job within 6 months of graduation, Curry will pay up to one year of federal loans or provide a paid internship for up to one year or offer 6 free credits toward a Curry graduate program – Curry is a great value.