Aylssa Serrano, a 2024 graduate of Rowan University, discusses the benefits of the 3+1 program at Rowan College of South Jersey during a March 6 open house at the college’s Deptford campus.
High-school students and their parents, and adults who want to change careers, are often discouraged by soaring college tuition costs across the country. But in South Jersey, they heard some good news last week.
Through the 3+1 program offered by Rowan College of South Jersey and Rowan University, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in select majors for less than $30,000. During a special information session as part of an open house on March 6 at the college’s Deptford campus, students and their families learned how to fund their education and become familiar with free support services, and discovered paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
“Spring open house is one of RCSJ’s largest recruitment events of the year,” said Megan Ruttler, the college’s associate vice president of the Center for College and Career Readiness. “The evening is full of energy and excitement as college faculty, staff and administration roll out the red carpet for prospective RCSJ students and their families to provide guidance, share opportunities, and answer questions.
“This year,” she added, “we hosted a special breakout session on our 3+1 Program – offered in collaboration with Flagship Partner Rowan University – which enables students to earn a bachelor’s degree in select majors for less than $30,000.”
“My experience in the 3+1 program has been tremendous,” shared guest speaker Alyssa Serrano, a December 2024 graduate of Rowan University who now works with the Rowan College communications and marketing team. “Working with businesses to create materials they will use to promote and foster engagement for their brands has been so rewarding.”
The 3+1 Program is an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in the following majors: Applied Professional Communication, Computing and Informatics, Data Analytics, Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Fitness Management, Global Business and Leadership, Inclusive Education, Law & Justice Studies, Nursing, Psychology and Radio/Television/Film.
All of Rowan College’s majors are eligible for traditional transfer into the university, provided they meet the GPA and prerequisite requirements for the desired academic program. Academic advisors are available on campus to help ensure students are prepared to meet those requirements, or those of the school’s other transfer partners.
A chart of what majors at RCSJ align with each 3+1 bachelor’s degree option is available at: https://rcsj.edu/3plus1.
Besides the special presentation about 3+1, the packed open house had information about student organizations, honor societies and clubs, and volunteers gave campus tours. Parents and students also learned about exclusive benefits, cost-saving programs, resume-boosting experiences and employment opportunities Rowan College’s premier partners, Inspira, Acenda Integrated Health and Rastelli Foods.
The benefits of an open house include one-on-one interactions that prospective students have with staff, as well as the knowledge they gain in the enrollment process – all housed in one location, college officials said. There are tables about admissions processes, financial aid, scholarships opportunities, athletics and student clubs, and college employees answer questions and provide information about next steps.
Prospective students at the March 6 open house also learned about student employment opportunities on campus and paid internships with industry partners and other community organizations. There were representatives from Inspira and Acenda on hand, as well as the Rastelli Entrepreneurship Center, an initiative designed to inspire and support the next generation of business leaders.
