“Saint Peter’s University believes in innovation in higher education, and the APEX initiative is a testament to the University’s commitment of providing value to its students.” – President Hubert Benitez, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Redefining the speed of success
Getting your associate degree while you’re still in high school? Okay, we see you striving!
Saint Peter’s University was built for students like you– the ones who can envision their bright future ahead of them and put in the work to make things happen. You’re ambitious, motivated and tenacious – the definition of a Saint Peter’s Peacock! That’s why we created APEX – the Academic and Professional Excellence Experience, an initiative designed for driven students just like you.
By getting your associate degree before you finish high school, we know you’re looking to enrich and accelerate your college education without missing out on the important part of this journey – the experience. You’ll meet faculty, staff and peer mentors who lift you up. You’ll work with our Professional Experience Partners to equip you with workplace exposure you can’t get in a classroom alone. By the time you’re finished, your resume will be stacked with degrees, credentials and experiences that truly mean something to future employers. You already stand out, we’ll help you stand out even more with APEX!
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Value of APEX
Own Your Timeline
The Value of APEX
An incredible experience like APEX doesn’t have to break the bank, either. We’ve structured the initiative so that students are able to maximize their state and federal financial aid eligibility, and APEX at Saint Peter’s University is guaranteed to cost less than the tuition and fees of New Jersey’s flagship state university.
As a future APEX scholar, we already know you have the academic credentials to have earned a merit-based scholarship. That’s why all APEX scholars are guaranteed an academic scholarship award of at least $25,000 per year, with the potential to earn a full-tuition merit award.
| Cost | Rutgers University | Saint Peter's University |
| Tuition* | $14,222 | $41,152-$25,000 scholarship = $16,152 |
| Fees* | $3,707 | $1,400 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $17,929 | $17,552 |
*Tuition and fee rates quoted are from the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Get a Degree and Prepare for your Career - Without the FOMO
Accelerating your pathway through higher education doesn’t mean you have to give up a traditional college experience.
Most students pursue a dual enrollment associate degree because they want to save money and complete their bachelor’s degree faster. Check and check! APEX enables you to do that by maximizing your financial aid and guiding you through your undergraduate degree on an expedited timeline.
APEX is more than simply a quick route to your bachelor’s degree though. The full APEX initiative is a four-year experience where you’ll earn your bachelor’s, two professional certificates and a master’s degree. You’ll also complete a year-long paid internship or co-op with one of our Professional Experience Partners. And you’ll do it all with the traditional supports and extracurriculars of an established University behind you. APEX students can live on campus, participate in clubs and organizations, and experience the same sort of social and academic life as any other college student would in four years. The only difference? You’ll be miles ahead of the rest!
Part of Jersey City’s bright future.
Jersey City is having its own moment now: the most diverse city in the nation, it’s a sought-after place to live, a growing arts destination, a new outpost for Hollywood film and TV production and a financial center in its own right. Talk about companionship – we’ve grown with Jersey City, having called this city home for 150+ years.
We’re expanding our role as an anchor institution by bringing those on the margins to the center through community initiatives like our Campus Kitchen, Food Pantry and Clothes Closet through Campus Ministry providing needed resources to the homeless. We’re also partnering with local businesses by developing a highly trained workforce, and APEX is at the heart of that effort.
As an APEX scholar, you’ll be connected with a network of mentors, faculty, professionals and fellow students who relate to your experience. Across a number of industries– from corporate to non-profit, government agencies to Wall Street– our connections to the working world run deep, and we’ll teach you how to leverage them as you cultivate your professional self through this innovative initiative.
Faculty will guide you through your Professional Experience as you explore two professional certificates where you’ll expand on your analytical thinking skills, professional communication, leadership development and more. You’ll have the chance to network with industry professionals through formal learning experiences as well as informal events designed to help you visualize your path after graduation. Plus you’ll connect with other APEX scholars who are farther along in the initiative to serve as peer mentors! They will understand this journey better than anyone else and give you the guidance you need to be successful.