While most students have less time to visit the beaches during the school year, some college campuses are right on the beach. Hence, giving you the frenzied feeling of staying close to the waters.
However, there may be better options than attending a school near the beach for some college students. Students who struggle with time management or are prone to overindulge in the vibrant social scenes on some beaches may benefit from attending a landlocked campus.
If you want to go to school near the beach and are thinking of the best colleges on the East Coast beach, then this article is for you.
Table of contents
- How did we Rank the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
- Why should you attend the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
- What are the Admission Requirements for Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
- What is the Cost of the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
- 10 Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast
- #1. California State University Long Beach
- #2. Coastal Carolina University
- #3. Eckerd College
- #4. Florida Gulf Coast University
- #5. Monmouth University
- #6. Salve Regina University
- #7. St. Mary’s College of Maryland
- #8. Pepperdine University
- #9. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
- #10. University of California, Santa Barbara
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
- Recommendations
How did we Rank the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
We ranked these colleges on the beach east coast using the following criteria:
- 50% proximity to the beach
- 30% Marine-specific educational centers, degrees, or research facilities
- 20% Opportunities for seaside recreation.
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Why should you attend the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
The best study break is a trip to the beach. The waves, sunshine, and sand create the ideal setting for relaxation and unwinding. If the beach is nearby, you and your friends could grab your beach towels and relax on the sand in less than an hour.
There is plenty to do outside, whether you are an experienced outdoor adventurer or a novice. The areas surrounding most beaches provide a wealth of outdoor activities that are not available elsewhere. Many opportunities to hike, camp, fish, or rent a kayak for the day abound.
It’s an excellent place to study water-related disciplines or other geography-related majors. Being near water is essential for studying a variety of subjects. Here are a few examples:
- Meteorology
- Marine biology and sciences
- Coastal engineering and the environment
- Water resource management and coastal engineering
- Archaeology
- Geology
You won’t get cold while walking to and from classes. The mild winters are a big plus for those who go to college near the beach. The Gulf of Mexico keeps the winter weather calm enough that you only need a light jacket.
The fresh seafood is excellent. You’re missing out if you’ve never tried freshly caught seafood. Students who attend colleges on the east beach coast can dine at one of the many delicious seafood restaurants.
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What are the Admission Requirements for Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
Admission to colleges on the beach east coast typically requires a high school diploma or GED, specific high school coursework, and minimum aptitude test scores. The specific courses and minimum test scores vary by school.
Entrance requirements also include the ability to pay for college, though many applicants can do so with student loans and financial aid.
Requirements for a Diploma
Official transcripts from your high school and any other colleges you have attended are a requirement by the 4-year college to which you apply. 4-year colleges are increasingly welcoming of home-schooled students.
If they register with an accredited school that monitors curriculum and provides a diploma, or if they can provide a portfolio of high school work, they may find the diploma part easier. Proof of a GED diploma is also acceptable.
Many colleges will waive the high school diploma required if you have an associate’s degree or at least 60 college credits.
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Coursework Required
Almost all colleges on the beach east coast have specific educational background requirements. You should have completed the following high school courses:
- English classes for four years
- Mathematics for three years (specifically algebra I, geometry, and algebra II)
- Unless you can show fluency, three years of a foreign language.
- Science courses for three years, including at least one laboratory science course
- Some history or social sciences
Standardized aptitude tests
The SAT or ACT is a traditional four-year college and university entrance exam. School descriptions in books such as Barron’s Profiles of American College include the average or suggested minimum scores for each college’s entering class.
Some colleges emphasize standardized test scores less than the rigor of applicants’ high school coursework and grade point averages.
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What is the Cost of the Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast?
The average cost of attendance at a 4-year college on the beach east coast for a student living on campus is $25,707 per year or $102,828 over four years.
Out-of-state students pay $43,421 per year, for $173,684 over four years. Students at a private, nonprofit university pay $54,501 per year or $218,004 over four years.
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10 Best Colleges on the Beach East Coast
Although many students prefer to spend their university years in the bright lights of the big city, there is a lot to be said about going to the beach.
If the hustle and bustle of city life aren’t for you and you’re looking for a university location that will benefit your health and your CV, then check out the best colleges on the beach on East Coast.
#1. California State University Long Beach
California State University-Long Beach has over 3,200 peach trees and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Pet owners can take a short walk from campus to Rosie’s Dog Beach.
Students at CSULB enroll in one of the eight colleges, which include arts, engineering, education, liberal arts, business, health and human services, professional, and international education, and natural sciences and mathematics.
Students who want to compete in college sports can join a club team in one of five “marine” sports: crew, dragon boat racing, fishing, sailing, or surfing.
For those who can’t get enough water, the university has on-campus outdoor pool students can use for free during the school year. Undergraduate tuition and fees for 2024-2024 were $6,846 for in-state students and $17,142 for out-of-state students.
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#2. Coastal Carolina University
After beginning as Coastal Carolina Junior College in 1954, Coastal Carolina University awarded its first four-year degree in 1975. CCU leverages its proximity to offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in marine science.
Students can choose from over 150 campus organizations, and those who want to see as much as possible can alternate beach trips with rounds at the university-affiliated golf course. It is one of the best beach colleges on the East Coast.
Undergraduate tuition and fees for the academic year 2024-2024 are $11,640 for in-state students and $27,394 for out-of-state students.
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#3. Eckerd College
Beaches may be a more significant part of Eckerd College’s daily life than any other East Coast college. Eckerd’s waterfront campus, home to abundant native plants and wildlife, overlooks Boca Ciega Bay on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The private school owns a 100-yard white sand beach, and students can check out sailboats, paddle boards, and water ski equipment with their I.D.s.
The academic calendar at the college is 4-1-4, which encourages students to study abroad during the one-month January term that follows the four-month fall term and precedes the four-month spring term.
Undergraduate tuition and fees for all students in the 2024-2024 academic year were $47,704.
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#4. Florida Gulf Coast University
Another college in a popular vacation destination is Florida Gulf Coast University. Even the busiest FGCU students may need help to make the 45-minute drive to the coast regularly, but they can leave campus to visit the school’s beach on an 80-acre lake.
Upper-class students can live in beachfront apartments or two miles inland in a gated community with amenities like a sand volleyball court, swimming pool, and barbecue grill.
The school has an honors college and The Water School, which provides primary, minor, and graduate school degree options in global water issues.
Undergraduate tuition and fees in 2024-2024 were $6,118 for in-state students and $25,161 for out-of-state students.
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#5. Monmouth University
Monmouth University provides the best of both worlds for students who want to mix beach time with city trips. It’s on the Jersey Shore, less than a mile from the Atlantic Ocean and only an hour from New York City and Philadelphia.
Monmouth, a small, private institution with a student-teacher ratio of 12:1, provides students with various extracurricular activities. Over 125 clubs and organizations are on campus, including 14 fraternities and sororities and over 20 Division 1 sports teams.
Students can choose from over 200 five-year “Bachelor’s + Master’s” program options, which typically allow them to earn graduate degree credits during their senior year of undergraduate study. Tuition and fees for all undergraduates in 2024-2024 were $41,680.
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#6. Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University, a Roman Catholic institution, is on the waterfront of Newport, where students can walk to Belmont Beach. This school is one of the best beach colleges on the East Coast.
Salve Regina, which translates to “Hail, Queen,” offers over 40 majors and eight bachelor’s-combination master’s programs to its small student body, typically taking five or six years to complete.
Upper-class students get drawn to the large, colorful residence halls scattered across the 78-acre campus, which houses more than half of the undergraduate students. In 2024-2024, undergraduate tuition and fees totaled $44,200 per student.
#7. St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland have free access to kayaks, paddle boards, and windsurfing equipment on campus. The school’s sailing team has won 16 national championships; anyone interested can try out for free.
Elm’s Beach Park, which covers over 500 feet of shoreline and feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, is less than five miles away for students seeking more immense sands.
All students get the guarantee for an internship, research, or international experience such as studying abroad. In 2024-2024, undergraduate tuition and fees will be $15,124 for in-state students and $31,200 for out-of-state students.
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#8. Pepperdine University
Students at the highly selective Pepperdine University, nestled in the foothills of Santa Monica Mountain, can easily find nearby sand. The campus is far from Malibu Lagoon State Beach and Zuma Beach.
With downtown Los Angeles less than an hour away, students have plenty to do in a year-round warm climate. Those looking for a thrill from the waves can join the school’s club surfing team.
Undergraduates at this Christian school attend the Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, where they must take three religion courses as part of a traditional liberal arts curriculum. All undergraduate students’ tuition fees in 2024-2024 are $59,702.
#9. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is the only university in the country with its island, according to its website. Its campus, along the Gulf of Mexico, provides students with an ideal location for relaxation.
Through the university’s Outdoor Adventures initiative, students can attend workshops and clinics for water activities such as kayaking and surfing. They can also explore the campus hike-and-bike trail. It is one of the beach colleges on the East Coast.
TAMU-CC offers a variety of online courses and degree programs, but those who live on campus benefit from the sight of palm trees as they walk from class to class. In 2024-2024, tuition and fees were $10,533 for in-state students and $23,367 for out-of-state students.
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#10. University of California, Santa Barbara
Campus Point Beach, a popular surfing spot with calm summer tides and gorgeously eroded rocks, is owned by the University of California-Santa Barbara. Students who venture out on shore walks may end up at nearby Goleta Beach or Depressions Beach.
The school provides scuba diving courses for those interested in exploring the Pacific Ocean and skiing and snowboarding clubs for those who prefer to get their adrenaline fixed on land.
UCSB is one of the U.S. News 2024 Best Colleges in California, with courses ranging from computer science to zoology and over 400 clubs and organizations. In 2024-2024, undergraduate tuition and fees will be $14,442 for in-state students and $44,196 for out-of-state students.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Overall, going to a distant school incurs more logistical costs than staying close to home. Finally, if an emergency occurs while you are attending a college far from home, it will take longer to be reunited with your family. The costs of traveling home unexpectedly may be high.
Berry College in Georgia
The University of Notre Dame du Lac in Indiana.
Rice University in Texas.
The University of Virginia in Virginia.
Pepperdine University in California.
Vanderbilt University, the ‘Harvard of the South,’ is looking to change its identity.
Here is our list of the top ten non-Ivy League schools in the United States.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Stanford University
Chicago University
California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
University of Johns Hopkins
The University of Northwestern.
The Duke University
University of Vanderbilt
The Magnolia Conference, which included Vanderbilt, Emory, Rice, Duke, and Tulane, was formed to compete with the Ivy League in areas other than sports. Even though the athletic conference never took off, these prestigious Southern schools are the “Southern Ivies.”
Conclusion
When deciding where to pursue higher education, one must consider the environment. There is so much more to college than classes and degrees because it is where students spend some of life’s most vital years, and location is critical.
Living near the beach can provide recreation, beauty, and education opportunities. We’ve compiled a list of the best seaside colleges and universities.
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References
- bestcollegereviews.org– Colleges on the beach East Coast
- usnews.com– 10 colleges near the beach on East Coast
- collegeconsensus.com– East coast colleges
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