It doesn’t have great name recognition yet for a very good reason: it only got its current name in 1996! Thus older people often aren’t familiar with the name unless/until they know someone young who is considering attending. However, TCNJ is clearly a school on the rise. Rankings** are beginning to reflect this. For those looking for a smaller, LAC-type environment in a public school, it is a great choice.
See this original story: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/28/nyregion/trenton-state-gets-new-name-and-a-battle.html
*[size=2]See, e.g.,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_College_of_New_Jersey#Rank[/size=2]