Connor Lenfest was worried about the cost of college when it came time to apply.
"I think one of the big determinants for me, and for a lot of college age students, is finances," Lenfest said. "New Hampshire has one of the highest rates of in-state tuition, and it's very difficult to afford most of the colleges."
With that in mind, he decided to restrict his search to commuter colleges.
"When I found UNH Manchester, I decided to go even before I knew what the tuition was going to be," Lenfest said. "I wanted to see what the campus was like and get a feel for the environment, and I was just really surprised. Because for a commuter campus, I think I had a sort of bad expectation of what goes with them, but it's a great campus."
Lenfest, a Salem native, said once he looked into the tuition cost for UNH Manchester, it was a no brainer.
"I was really amazed at how affordable it is, they have a lot of different plans that families can work with,” he said. “I think finances were the first determinant, but once I actually got there and got to meet the people, I was really blown away by just how involved the students were and just how much they really enjoyed being there."
Having that sense of community was important to Lenfest, who graduated from Salem High School in 2013. Saving money is one thing, he said, but not at the expense of missing the full college experience.
"I still get the campus life feel," Lenfest, 19, said. "I usually go to my classes and then I'm there for a few hours after because it's a very social environment."
He said adding to that sense of camaraderie is the fact that, since it’s a smaller school, students end up having multiple classes together over the course of their academic careers at UNH Manchester.
"You get to know these people, become involved with them, and they participate on campus. It's a really social environment, which is great," Lenfest said. "You don't really miss out on that traditional college experience, because even though I don't sleep on campus, I'm there probably 60 to 70 percent of my week."
Lenfest said another unique trait of the close-knit community is that professors take the time to get to know their students.
"The professors are really great, and some of them serve double duty so they are also advisors also,” Lenfest said. “You really get to know the people that teach you, not just while they are teaching you in class."
Lenfest, a psychology major, plans to graduate in 2017 and pursue a career in public education as a teacher or school counselor. Already, he said, UNH Manchester is helping prepare him for that next step.
"Socially it's a great experience, but in terms of education, I see it as top-of-the-line," he said. "I'm not even finished with my second year and I already feel more experienced and more comfortable with my education and my career choices.”
Lenfest said UNH Manchester is a great choice for New Hampshire natives looking for an affordable, first-class education close to home.
"There's a lot of opportunity, and it's a very diverse course offering for a very smart price,” He said. “It’s one of the best choices for college for staying in state."
