One of the best ways to take time between high school and college is a gap semester with the January Freshmen Program. Instead of delaying college a full year, you can start on our Santa Fe campus in the spring semester. The best part: you will have seven months between high school and college, but you won’t fall behind, and you’ll still graduate on the same timeline as those who began in the fall semester.
January Freshman Program
If you have taken a gap year, are graduating early, or perhaps just can’t wait to start at St. John’s, the January Freshman Program at our Santa Fe campus may be for you. Starting in January allows you to complete your freshman year before August and start with the rest of your sophomore class the following fall. You will also benefit from our reduced tuition and have generous financial aid options.
The “January freshmen” in Santa Fe start their school year in January, continue through the summer term, and become sophomores in the fall. This accelerated schedule allows mid-year entrants to graduate in three and a half years, and is an excellent option for transfer students or anyone who does not want to wait until the following fall to enter the college.
Many students count the small size (usually 20 to 40 students) and the closeness of the January freshman class as its greatest advantage. Students get to know their classmates quickly and work closely with the faculty inside and outside the classroom. The program offers an intense and vibrant learning experience, and students make great strides in the first few weeks. With such concentrated studies, the words of Frank Bruni’s recent article in the New York Times about St. John’s ring even truer: “If digital devices and social media yank people from one trumpet blast to the next, St. John’s trains them to hold a note—to caress it, pull at it, see what it can withstand and what it’s worth.”
Being on campus for the summer semester is an added bonus. It’s a lively time on campus: the Graduate Institute is in session, as well as other on-campus summer programs. One of the nation’s top tourist destinations, Santa Fe is at its best this time of year—the world-famous opera house, lively downtown scene, and serene mountains that surround campus blend to a rich summer experience outside of the classroom.