If you look for a university near Palisades Park, there is a good one. Its name is Fairleigh Dickinson University, commonly referred to as FDU.

It takes about 15 minutes by car from Palisades Park to the Teaneck/Hackensack campus. It's a distance that allows for a daily commute.

It is also connected to the New York metropolitan area, so it doesn't feel like a completely rural school. It is literally a university located next to the city.

https://www.fdu.edu

FDU has two main campuses in New Jersey. One is in Teaneck/Hackensack, and the other is in Madison/Florham Park.

There is also a campus in Vancouver, Canada. In terms of scale, it may not compare to Ivy League or large state universities, but it is a practical university.

Especially for areas like Palisades Park, it fits the position of being a "realistically accessible four-year private university."

The Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck/Hackensack has a distinctly different atmosphere. The student body is very diverse.

The ratio of international students is also relatively high, and when you walk around the campus, it strongly feels like it is not just an English-speaking school.

There are also consistently Korean students, and student council activities continue. It serves as a suitable buffer for students who might feel overwhelmed by being completely immersed in American culture.

The majors are also focused on practical fields. Business, nursing, psychology, communication, hotel management, and computer science are the main areas of study.

In particular, the Silberman College of Business is relatively well-known among private universities in New Jersey.

While it is not a target school for large corporations, it plays a sufficient role in connecting students to jobs based on the local area. In simple terms, it is focused on practicality.

The real strength of this school lies in its living structure. It is not a type where you enter a dorm and live completely independently; it is possible to commute from home while earning a degree.

Considering the tuition of private universities in the East these days, the costs at FDU are relatively accessible.

With scholarships or financial aid, the perceived cost can decrease even further. From a parent's perspective, it is quite a realistic option.

In 2024, there was a significant event that brought the school into the spotlight. The FDU basketball team achieved the unexpected by securing a number one seed in the NCAA tournament.

Those who know about American college sports were all surprised. This event helped the school's name spread nationwide.

Of course, this does not fully explain the school's level, but it certainly adds to brand recognition.

When considering college options based on Palisades Park, it usually splits into two paths.

One is aiming for top-tier universities like Ivy League or Princeton University through a high-level track like Bergen County Academies.

The other is looking for a university that is realistically commutable and has lower costs. FDU fits perfectly into the second category.

It is especially suitable for students with clear majors. This includes fields like business, nursing, and psychology, which can be utilized immediately after graduation.

The tuition and mandatory fees for the 2025-2026 academic year total about $38,000.

This is for domestic students, and international students will see a slightly higher amount. For international students, including insurance, it is estimated to be around $41,000.

When including dormitory and meal costs, the total can rise to about $58,000. Just looking at the numbers, it immediately seems "expensive."

However, there is an important point here. In reality, it is rare for students to pay this amount in full. FDU is quite proactive in offering scholarships and financial aid. Over 90% of incoming freshmen receive some form of assistance. Therefore, on average, the amount students actually pay can drop to around $17,000.

The graduate programs are a bit different. Unlike undergraduate programs, the costs are not fixed but vary by program. General graduate programs are roughly around $27,000, while specialized programs are higher. For example, health-related fields like Physician Assistant (PA) are about $20,000 per semester, and the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) is about $15,000 per semester. Since this varies greatly by major, it should be looked at on a case-by-case basis rather than as an average.

In summary, here it is.

The visible tuition is in the $30,000 to $40,000 range.
Including living expenses, it is around $60,000.
However, with scholarships applied, the actual burden can drop to the mid-$10,000 range.

In conclusion, FDU is not a flashy school. Instead, it is a school that makes sense financially. The distance, costs, majors, and lifestyle are all structured realistically.

If you are a family considering college near Palisades Park, it is worth taking a serious look at.

Ultimately, when choosing a college, what matters more than the name is whether it fits "your situation." By that standard, FDU is definitely a school worth considering.