Second what RayManta said about URoch’s reputation confusion. As an initial matter, make NO mistake: U Rochester is way, way, way better in quality than Penn State, to the point that these two shouldn’t even be compared unless finances are a major issue. U Rochester offers courses and research on par with the highest caliber institutions, and there is a true intellectual vibe on campus that Penn State could never hope to match. It also enjoys a collaboration with the prestigious Eastman School of a Music and boasts its own hospital and very close ties with optics firms, among other research partners. As for the reputation, U Rochester does take a massive hit because it’s often confused with the very mediocre Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) — a false association it’s never been able to shake because of the similarity in name. It’s also located in Rochester, which is associated with very bad weather, poverty, and crime (all accurate, unfortunately). U Roch also doesn’t seem to do much to pump up its considerable assets in the public eye, for some reason.
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