Rutgers University-New Brunswick Top Questions

My major is professional physics at Rutgers. It has many professors who graduated from elite universities and top notch researchers. Rutgers offers more than $700 million in research funds, and many research opportunities are available to students. Rutgers also require a core curriculum for arts & science students so we can explore the many different tastes of the world and history.

Courses are challenging, transferring into the SEBS Landscape Architect program this past fall has had its late nights. Looking back in just 6 months I have developed relationships with professors and students, skills that seemed impossible and an entire new language. Overall the challenges have been met because I have also been given tools and guidance in order to succeed.

Very Diverse

The academics are generally extremely interesting, yet intensive. As an english major, the majority of my classes have less then 30 people in the class, allowing all of my professors to know me by name, which allows for a personal relationship, and advice during office hours. The students aren't competitive with each other at all, we just attempt to help each other learn new things by asking questions and pointing out things that someone else might not notice. There is a variety and range of classes in the english department that i've taken ranging from Black Writers in the 1960's to creative writing to a class based on Charles Dickens and George Eliot. I haven't enjoyed all of the required classes i've had to take, specifically the classes in which the readings are in middle english. I did have a class last semester, medieval drama which I was skeptical about, but ended up with a great professor, Sarah Novacich who made the class interesting and even fun.

As I have said before the academics at Rutgers is outstanding. Unfortunately, due to our label as a state school, our academic level is underestimated by many prospective students and current freshman. The harsh reality is that many freshman focus too much on the social aspect of college and forget that professors aren't going to be able to memorize your name when you're just 1 out of 300 students in a lecture hall. You need to make a name for yourself and connect with the professors any way you can. By doing that and taking advantage of study groups and networking with such a large class size, you'll be able to excel in the work heavy courses. There is definitely a sense of competitiveness in most of the introductory science and math courses as the university is siad to use these classes to "weed out" the unmotivated kids. In my Introduction to Sociology course, the professor told the class about an interesting label for our university. Rutgers is a "Research I" university which means that all members of staff are actively performing their own research in their respective fields. I tok advantage of this by doing a year of research in the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center on campus under the School of Psychology graduate students. This was an amazing experience that not only looks fantastic on a resume for post undergraduate studies, but lets your immerse yourself into the field of your choice and see what goes on behind the scenes. The Rutgers environment is definitely geared towards the career world with many emails weekly detailing seminars and places to connect with employment opportunities. Class participation is always present, but in my opinion promotes much more intellectual discussions in the smaller classes.

I have been in a few different types of classes at Rutgers. There are big lectures, small recitations, and in between classes of maybe 20 students. No matter the size of the class, if you participate in class or see your professor at office hours, he or she will know your name. At this school, it is all about personal determination to make yourself known. Professors and TAs are there to help you, but as with any college, no matter what the class size, it is your responsibility to ask questions and voice your opinions. Class participation is common and often factored into final grades. The most unique class I have taken at Rutgers was a philosophy class called "Eating Right: The Ethics of Food Choices and Food Policy" taught by professor Andy Egan. The class consisted of two weekly lectures of about 200 students, and one weekly recitation led by a TA. The lectures were fascinating and often featured guest speakers. We read recently published books by prominent and controversial authors. The conversations held in my recitation were engaging. Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences offers "Signature Courses" each semester that are designed by Rutgers professors to provoke the curiosity and interest of Rutgers students, while filling requirements too. The School of Arts and Sciences has a foundational core curriculum that all students must complete in addition to at least one major and one minor. These requirements will provide graduates with a liberal arts base and a diverse body of knowledge, and keeps them busy at the same time. Students are at an advantage if they know what they wish to major in early, but for those who are unsure, the liberal arts requirements are a great place to start the first few semesters. It is no lie that taking a class for a requirement might spur a passion or interest. I took Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies my first semester of freshman year to fulfill a requirement, and the class was so inspiring that I continued to take WGS classes, and I am working toward a WGS minor in addition to my English major.

Class sizes are large, especially for introductory-level classes, but that is to be expected. As one goes farther along one's major, one will see familiar faces and shrinking class sizes. If one participates and goes to a professor's office hours, they will know who you are. Studying seems to be contingent on what classes one takes. For instance, a roommate of mine does biology/chemistry, and he studies so often that seeing him becomes a rare occurrence. On the other hand, majors such as mine (political science) require that I read and understand concepts, along with utilizing my critical thinking abilities. Class participation is also contingent on the class. If a professor encourages participation, then it is more likely to happen. If a professor simply lectures for an hour and twenty minutes, then students are less likely to participate. Intellectual conversations is dependent on who is talking. If the people discussing aren't in the same field of study, then typically conversations won't be deeply intellectual, unless there is an interest in one's field of study. My most unique class was probably my political science seminar this past semester, European Union Law & Politics. Instead of a lecture, we had what could be described as round-table discussions about the formation of the EU, its legal foundations and its current predicaments. I liked that it encouraged participation from every student, and that it was interesting. At Rutgers, unfortunately there is no international relations department, so all classes that would otherwise be dedicated to international relations are fitted under political science. The major itself has many interesting classes, and if I had more time, I'd honestly take more of them. I personally don't spend time with professors outside of class, but that's mostly because I don't do research with them. The school's academic requirements are decently high, though Rutgers has a very high acceptance rate. What is more important to look at is the amount of students who continue on to their second and third years at Rutgers. The education (at least in political science) is geared towards giving information on the field of politics and international relations historically, theoretically, and pragmatically.

The academics at Rutgers are unique. As a freshman, most classes are in giant lecture halls that hold about five hundred students at a time. These giant lectures are mainly for introductory courses. I would be lying if I said that students weren't just a number in these classes, however, if students want to talk to their professors or get involved, it is greatly welcomed. Professors always stay after class to answer questions students may have, or even just to chat about related topics. As you walk through campus, you will undoubtedly hear students discussing or debating about current events or topics discussed in their courses. As students progress through semesters, they will notice that their classes shrink drastically in size, dropping from four or five hundred to under thirty. This is because as students get farther into their majors, classes become more specific and individualized. For example, as an English major, instead of Introduction to Creative Writing, I have moved on to classes dedicated to single authors, such as Henry James, in a class of twelve students. My favorite class was a course called, Creative Non-fiction. In this course I practiced writing non-fiction articles and stories on topics of my choice, an idea in which I am extremely interested. I make use of office hours with professors; it is at these times where I can meet with a professor one-on-one and discuss my assignments, issues in the course, or even material outside of the course that is related to what we are discussing in class. As for the academic requirements, each school at Rutgers has different graduation requirements. Students are set on a path to graduate within four years, and this goal is very do-able. The average semester includes five courses, or a total of roughly fifteen credits. Internships are a requirement for most majors, so while most of your college career you are focusing on education, the later years focus heavily on getting a job in the real world. There is a very healthy balance between education and experience.

Most of the professors know my name. My favorite class through out the 3 years i have been here was Social Informatics. The professor always had good topics to discuss and the projects were fun and interactive. My least favorite class right now is Networking and Internet Technology. Students that are in my class always tend to study when necessary. Class Participation is always common, especially in my major. Our discussions about the impact of technology and social media on the society are always thought provoking and intellectual. We sometimes leave the class discussing about the same thing, but we quickly switch over to recent events, parties, and talks of movies. Students are fairly competitive. It mainly depends on the class. The most unique class i have taken is Social Informatics. It was the one class i always looked forward to go to. I am an Information Technology major. The ITI major places emphasis on the evaluation, implementation, use, and management of information technologies for a wide range of organizations and corporations, as well as the social and organizational aspects of information and communication technologies. I don't usually speak to the professors outside of class unless it's a question about an upcoming test or a project. The school's academic requirements are not easy and not too difficult. They keep the students busy and striving to excel. I think the education at the school is geared at getting a job, and learning for it's own sake. Learning and having a thought of your own will better help you in finding a job. It set you apart from the others

Academics at Rutgers are almost as varied as the students. Rutgers offers over 100 undergraduate degree programs, and is a great school for a variety of different majors. I personally, am coming to Rutgers as valedictorian of my high school to become a Philosophy major. Rutgers is consistently one of the top 2 or 3 Philosophy programs in the nation, along with NYU and Princeton. Students in Rutgers are generally a pretty good mix between those that are committed and those who are just there for the ride. The best classes are those in your major at a higher level. That's where deeper discussion emerges. Unfortunately, there are a lot of large lecture classes where it may be difficult to pay attention, but those classes are generally 101 level, and as you advance, things only get better. The majority of my classes are about 20-25 people large, with engaging professors that make the material interesting.

The academics at Rutgers are unique. As a freshman, most classes are in giant lecture halls that hold about five hundred students at a time. These giant lectures are mainly for introductory courses. I would be lying if I said that students weren't just a number in these classes, however, if students want to talk to their professors or get involved, it is greatly welcomed. Professors always stay after class to answer questions students may have, or even just to chat about related topics. As you walk through campus, you will undoubtedly hear students discussing or debating about current events or topics discussed in their courses. As you progress through semesters, students will notice that their classes shrink drastically in size, dropping from four or five hundred to under thirty. This is because as students get farther into their majors, classes become more specific and individualized. For example, as an English major, instead of Introduction to Creative Writing, I have moved on to classes dedicated to single authors, such as Henry James, in a class of twelve students. My favorite class was a course called, Creative Non-fiction. In this course I practiced writing non-fiction articles and stories on topics of my choice, and idea in which I am extremely interested. I make use of office hours with professors; it is at these times where I can meet with a professor one-on-one and discuss my assignments, issues in the course, or even material outside of the course that is related to what we are discussing in class. As for the academic requirements, each school at Rutgers has different graduation requirements. Students are set on a path to graduate within four years, and this goal is very do-able. The average semester includes five courses, or a total of roughly fifteen credits. Internships are a requirement for most majors, so while most of your college career you are focusing on education, the later years focus heavily on getting a job in the real world. There is a very healthy balance between education and experience.

The academics at Rutgers, from what I've experienced, have been very good. The professors are always willing to make time for you, especially if you're struggling, and the grades are very fair. I am double majoring in English and Psychology and I find these to be two vastly different experiences. English classes are generally small with high student participation, whereas Psychology classes tend to be large lectures. However, every psychology class I've taken has actively encouraged student participation and questioning of the validity of experiments. I find this to be beneficial because it encourages students to question experimental results, which is the basis for progress in scientific fields. Rutgers also offers a great deal of unique classes that often fulfill requirements for graduation. There are also many resources, including deans, that are available for help in deciding what to major in, what to take, and to help you find out if you are on the right track, academically.

As George Washington once said, "I cannot tell a lie", I too must not lie when I say that the academic aspect of Rutgers is challenging. It is challenging, but it is worth it; students here will use self discovery of information, allowing them to take so much out of thier studies. Students here either study numerous hours on end or very few; the students that study very few hours a week find that their system just does not work. Diligence in one's studies is crucial and, yes, there is time for casual relaxation, but when it is time to buckle down and do work, it is time. The educational goal here can be career spacific, such as an engineer major, which will prepare a student for getting a job. There are also courses that are geared to learning in its own respect, such as a global diversity class; students may not be directly prepared for a job through courses such as these, however, they will take so much from the courses into the workfield with them.

The academics at Rutgers are great. There are so many options in majors and minors that there is something for everyone. I spent most of my first year and half taking so many different "Intro" classes until I finally found what interested me. I decided on joining the Rutgers School of Communication and Information (SCI) to be a Journalism and Media Studies major. I absolutely love it. It is amazing to have a smaller community within Rutgers. The SCI administration is extremely helpful in planning schedules and giving advice on what classes to take. The classes are small and the professors really know what they are doing. SCI also has a great internship program that I am currently participating in and they send daily e-mails on internship and job listings in the area. I also really enjoy the media classes because we focus on current issues and learn skills applicable to any job. My minor is English, another great academic community at Rutgers. I like the requirement of a minor because I am able to learn a great deal in more than just one subject. I have friends in so many different academic areas of Rutgers its hard to believe we all go to the same school! But, that is part of the reason I love it so much.

The academics at Rutgers are great. There are so many options in majors and minors that there is something for everyone. I spent most of my first year and half taking so many different "Intro" classes until I finally found what interested me. I decided on joining the Rutgers School of Communication and Information (SCI) to be a Journalism and Media Studies major. I absolutely love it. It is amazing to have a smaller community within Rutgers. The SCI administration is extremely helpful in planning schedules and giving advice on what classes to take. The classes are small and the professors really know what they are doing. SCI also has a great internship program that I am currently participating in and they send daily e-mails on internship and job listings in the area. I also really enjoy the media classes because we focus on current issues and learn skills applicable to any job. My minor is English, another great academic community at Rutgers. I like the requirement of a minor because I am able to learn a great deal in more than just one subject. I have friends in so many different academic areas of Rutgers its hard to believe we all go to the same school! But, that is part of the reason I love it so much.

As far as I know, majority of Rutgers professors have a fairly strict attendance policy; if you miss a certain amount of classes per semester, you automatically fail. Now, for certain classes, I think this is fair but for others, I think the professors needs to give a bit more leeway; if you are attending a college/university, you are old enough to decide if you want to go to class and it shouldn't take an attendance policy to make you want to go to class. I also think it's hard for professors to get to know everyone because some classes are just too big (we're talking 300-400+ students in some classes). I am an English major so for the most part, my classes are relatively small and because I tend to be more outspoken, my teachers get to know me. I also take advantage of office hours because I like to know how I'm progressing and I like to know that I'm getting a lot out of the class (most of the English teachers are very helpful during office hours and are very open to setting up a meeting time if you can't meet during their given office hours). My only complaint is what the English teachers are preparing us for. I think most of the English classes I've taken have been more geared towards learning material, rather than what English is really for and that is analysis. I have only come across one English professor who taught us to be more open-minded and expand our thinking when reading a text and being able to apply it to other things (we weren't just learning about 18th century authors and the books they wrote). Overall, I think the school's academic requirements are fair; My complaint, although many might not agree, is that I felt like I had too many general requirements to fulfill. I entered college knowing what I wanted to do and I spent a good amount of time taking classes I was completely bored and uninterested in and failed many (obviously others factors played into this but I probably would have had a better time if I got to study what I was interested in). There is no option, however, for someone like me, who wants to be an English major, to go directly into an English program; I had to go through all the math (even after placing into a college level math course) and science courses still. I understand why colleges do this; they want to give students who don't know what they want to do in the future an opportunity to explores their options and take courses in different areas to see what interests them. Direct programs at Rutgers generally help students in only a few areas, such as pharmacy or nursing. It would be nice if Rutgers expanded this options to others who don't feel a need or want to take courses that will never help them in their future career.

Rutgers is a huge school the largest class I had, had about 300 kids in it. In a case like this teachers do not know your name you are simply a number. It is your TA that has a more personal relationship with you-they give you grades, they answer your questions, and they write you your recommendation letters. The smallest class I did have was like 7 kids, but this was like a Freshman Interest Group (FIGS) - it's just a easier way for freshman to meet each other and discuss topics that pertain to that class, meeting people who might be majoring in the same thing as you. My least favorite class was Planet Earth, at Rutgers if you are apart of the SAS program (School of Arts and Sciences) you have to completely 2 science requirements. They say Planet Earth is one of the easiest science courses here but honestly, I was struggling to even pass. It depends, if youre in a program, kids have to maintain a certain GPA to stay in the program and other kids just do what they want when they want - depends on one's own study ethics. If you're passionate about something, at Rutgers you will find someone who believes in the same thing too - just join a group or go to the Club Fair and see what the school has to offer. Students are competitive but it just matters what department, Science is more competitive than communications. The most unique class I have taken was a Public Service class in which you mentor New Brunswick High School students. Working with them closely academically and helping them graduate high school and move forward to college (Rutgers University) My major is Political Science, and I have had many TA's - but there was one professor who taught so well, that I am now a research assistant for a database he's working on. There are so many opportunities, student's just have to go to office hours and really have a strong interest in it because Professors are helpful in any aspect and are willing to talk and compromise about a grade, recommendation letter or even research assistant. the Requirements for classes vary it depends which program you're in or what school you're in but the deans are no help - I have heard from many people that the deans are not helpful and put your down if you are not Einstein. I've heard from various people that there's only a couple of good deans who really want to help. There are many internship, co-op, leadership programs that can further your career interests. There is also the career services which is just based on the transition from college to post-college (JOBS)

Sometimes people equate "state school" with "sub-par education". Not at Rutgers! We have some of the best academic programs in the state, and even the country. Our Philosophy department is always heralded as being one of the best. The Business and Pharmacy schools are also renowned. And Rutgers is known to have one of the greatest English departments in the state. We also have some awesome professors. I've enjoyed the majority of my professors so far at Rutgers. Most of them take the time to learn your name, and some even request mandatory office hours meetings in the beginning of term in order to get to know the students even further. I'm and English major, and so far I've been pretty impressed with my department. The other kids in my classes are great too. It's easy for us to get into passionate debates about books we're reading, or to really push the envelope of analyzing the text. The most unique class I've ever taken at Rutgers was one called The Apocalypse in Film and Literature. The class was discussion based, which means we had no papers, midterms, or finals, only short quizzes at the beginning of class to make sure we were completing the reading. We concentrated on the various ways the "apocalypse" could happen and how they are portrayed in class. An interesting tactic the professor used to get us to participate was making us all stand up, and only allowing us to sit down once we contributed something to the discussion. One thing to know about Rutgers is that they do have general requirements. As a student in the School of Arts and Sciences, I'm required to complete two science courses, two math courses, and a variety of humanities courses. I'm also required to complete a minor (mine is American Studies). Even though it's a state school, the education at Rutgers is still amazing. We're well known for our academics, and you will definitely be challenged to learn as a student here.

The academic experience definitely depends on what classes you take. The entry and beginning level courses are usually packed regardless of major, but can definitely shrink in size at the higher levels. My Industrial Engineering graduating class was approximately 30 students where everyone knew each other. Classes (even non-engineering) are generally rigorous and require more than a half-hearted approach. Libraries and student centers will be filled by students studying even outside of midterms and finals. Student competition is fairly low, but again could definitely depend on your major. I found professors generally accessible, though there are always those certain ones who are hard to find or unhelpful either intentionally or not. I think this should be expected in a school of this size. For each poor professor there is a good one, and finding out which is which will not be hard. Career Services does a tremendous job in helping students find internships, co-ops, and full-time jobs. There are many workshops, seminars and networking opportunites for all majors. These events are organized at all levels: Career Services, your individual school, your major, your department, and student organizations. Like extracurriculars, you get whatever you put into it, but the opportunities are there. Many study abroad opportunities to many different places. There are even programs offered by individual departments in addition to the overall Rutgers Study Abroad program. Some courses and the Industrial and Systems Engineering curriculum in general leave a lot to be desired. It's in that transition phase from teaching older traditional concepts that pertained to manufacturing and machining to newer, more modern topics such as supply chain, computer simulation, Six Sigma and modelling. Most if not all students prefer the newer concepts and don't see the broad usefulness of the older ones, myself included. However, it is a very strong academic experience which teaches work ethic, time management, and professionalism along with the book material.

First and second year classes are huge regardless of major. More difficult majors will whittle down to maybe 15 person class sizes by senior year. The math department is fantastic with a few exceptions but the economics department is pretty awful despite having such a high enrollment. Professors in the math department are very helpful outside of the classroom and the students are eager to work with each other. Rutgers really offers a world class education at a bargain price but just as anywhere else you really have to work for it.