Rutgers - Come Visit!

Introduction
The biggest piece of advice I would give to a high school student considering Rutgers would be to definetly come visit the school before you make your decision. It is extremely important to get the feel of the university, especially since Rutgers (New Brunswick) is huge. Many high school students might not know that Rutgers University has many colleges that are focused in particular areas such as Rutgers College which is the libral arts college or Cook College which is concentrated on agricultural sciences. It is vital to look into the colleges and go visit each of the colleges' campuses to get a better idea of where you might want to live and which college would be best for you. If your a student from a small high school and are used to small classes Rutgers might be a big change for you. Intro level classes are usually in huge lecture halls with at least 200 people in them, so if you need special attention or help this school might not be for you.

Campus Life and Social Life
I would say the Rutgers social life is largely based around "Frat Row" on College Ave. Frats usually throw parties over the weekend that many students go to unwind. Rutgers is known for starting its weekends on Thursday night and you'll see almost everyone out. The bars in downtown New Brunswick are also really popular with upperclassmen (21 and above) because they are only a 5 minute walk from College Avenue. Rutgers students are also known for being extremely school spirited going to all types of sporting events from basketball games to football games and tailgating before games. I would say if you want to be in the heart of the party you should live on College Ave Campus whereas if your not really into going out as much Busch or Livingston campus might be better for you since its more low key. Advertisement
Academics
Even though Rutgers is the state university of New Jersey don't underestimate the school because it is a nationally acclaimed university especially in its breakthrough research efforts. The pharmacy and engineering programs are amazing but entail a lot of dedication in terms of work (You must apply for these schools in your inital application). Whereas you can apply to the Rutgers Business School your sophmore year of college and start taking business classes in your junior year. To apply for the business school there are about 5 prequisite classes that you must take and you must have a GPA of at least 3.15 or higher. It may seem like alot but the professors and TAs are really helpful but if your lost you must go see your professor and make an effort (its not like high school where the teacher will pull you to the side and ask you why you are doing poorly). There are many other departments at Rutgers but I do not know extensive information about them but you can definately check it out on the Rutgers University website, Rutgers.edu .

Student Body
The typical student at Rutgers usually is from New Jersey, since it is the state school. I would describe a Rutgers student as being smart and concerned with doing well in school but also having a good time as well. Many students join fraternities or sororities to get more involved but there are thousands of different clubs that catch peoples attention (Habitat for Humanity to the Group of Medium writers -a gag newspaper that is issued every week). There are also intermural sports teams that people join to just have a little fun but still be on a team and play some games without being on the official school football or soccer team, which a lot of students take advantage of and enjoy.

In Closing...
Honestly, Rutgers was my last choice school when applying to colleges and I was upset that I was only half an hour from home but I ended up loving it here. I've made so many great friends especially in my orientation week of my freshman year. The people I met during that week are still some of my best friends now in my junior year. I would say before you cross off Rutgers from your list of schools research it a little bit maybe come to visit or go to a party or football game to see if you like the vibe you may surprised to see what you find.