<p>This question is for current or former students of Rutgers NB, and their parents. We are from out of state ¶ and and wondered whether Rutgers NB would be a good choice for our D who wants to attend a large state school. Other schools we are considering include Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Delaware. What are the pros and cons of Rutgers? Is it worth considering for an out of state student?</p>
<p>There’s no one answer to this question but to me, the best thing about Rutgers was the price so I’d say it has no worth to an out of state student. Pros/cons: Rutgers has the best math department of the schools listed/The busings a pain but these could be totally irrelevant to you. A better strategy would be to make a list of whats important to you and then compare based on a specific criteria. Your choice will always be limited in scope</p>
<p>Pros: in-state tuition, size, diversity, 4 unique “sub-campuses” within the New Brunswick campus, quality of the engineering and pharmacy schools, typical benefits of a large school like several majors to choose from/lots of resources/etc.</p>
<p>Cons: Registering for classes (you might not get that perfect schedule you wanted which can be a typical consequence for large schools), dealing with some of the people at the financial aid office, intro courses may not have the best professors</p>
<p>The pros have definitely outweighed the cons for me so far. If you haven’t visited yet, I would recommend it so your daughter can see if she likes the general atmosphere.</p>
<p>Since you live in PA the tuition could get pricey, so I would look more into Penn State and Pitt, unless your daughter wants to go out of state. Don’t cross Rutgers off the list though!</p>
<p>I am a parent and I agree with what Drexeler said above. </p>
<p>Rutgers is great because of the diversity and scale. The size can be problematic for the normal reasons: scheduling, big lecture halls, and just general getting around. My son is a sophomore and the buses have been a colossal pain this year. It can be very frustrating. That being said, students learn how to navigate through problems and come out ready to live in the real world. </p>
<p>I think you need a fair amount of organization and common sense in order to maximize your experience at Rutgers.</p>
<p>Rutgers is a place that you really have to visit to know if you would like it. I know lots of kids that really love it because there is a lot to do but I also know kids that visited and said ‘no, never’. </p>
<p>I know your daughter is looking for a large school, but Rutgers is really, really large.</p>
<p>My son visited Rutgers while he was in high school. He didn’t like the bus system and didn’t even apply. So he went to another state university for 2 years and then, due to courses not being offered, transferred to Rutgers. He loved it and graduated this past May. There was no problem transferring the credits and he graduated on time.</p>
<p>My daughter is looking at the same 5 schools as yours. She loves Rutgers due to its size and how each campus in New Brunswick offers something different. Temple and Udel were both small when comparing them to RU. We haven’t visited Penn State or Pitt yet. My older daughter is a sophomore at RU and loves it. The biggest thing she found is you need to take charge and go to advisors and push to get answers. No one is gonna hold your hand. Being independent and driven is important to succeed at a big school.</p>
<p>I think Penn State has even more students than Rutgers. Both schools have a reputation for being party schools.</p>
<p>as a freshman, i can say that i went to rutgers because of in state tuition. i had penn state and pitt high on my list (especially penn state because of smeal). it ended up being way too much money however. on the con side, the school is really big, the busses have been a real pain. since you are out of state, it would be advisable to try penn state or pitt if money is a factor. If not, rutgers is a great school and a good place to look into</p>
<p>@pamom59 </p>
<p>Two of my nephews met their future wives at Rutgers (a side benefit - just kidding). One of these young women was from PA and the other from NY. While tuition rates may favor in state students, they can often be competitive for out of state applicants as well depending upon specific situations. Most young woman report having very positive experiences at Rutgers. Neither participate on CC but I can get you emails if you would like to contact them.</p>
<p>englisjw- thanks for your offer- though I’m finding it hard to think of a reason why OOS tuition at Rutgers would be worth it compared to the IS alternatives (Penn State, Pitt and Temple). Delaware is in the mix because of smaller size, smaller classes, beautiful campus and close location, which all could justify the higher price tag. I have heard that OOS merit money is also offered at Delaware, which could take down the cost.</p>
<p>One of the things that all of my nieces and nephews (actually it was mostly the nephews) raved about was the “grease trucks.” Isn’t that another reason in the plus column? I know these sold food and there was some issue a few years ago when they might have been banned from the football stadium but I’m still not exactly sure of what they sell.</p>
<p>They sell sandwiches containing french fries, mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers. All in one bun.</p>
<p>sounds like a heart attack on a bun! LOL</p>
<p>It is but Rutgers grease truck food is worth every calorie. So good!</p>
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<p>Make sure to visit UDel first if you haven’t already 
The only reason I’m saying so is because of how the campus is laid out. I spent a summer at UDel in a program, and we were housed in upperclassmen suites. These were a far walk from all the classes, to the extent that the off-campus housing is even closer to the buildings! (Although Rutgers can be like that too :p). It’s very much integrated into the surrounding area of Newark, so I’d recommend taking a tour and seeing how your daughter likes the campus and town.</p>
<p>Rutgers ranking dropped from 64 to 68. <strong><em>!. How the *</em></strong> are Uconn better than us?</p>
<p>bottlecap1990</p>
<p>“How the **** are Uconn better than us?”</p>
<p>Do you need any more reasons?</p>
<p>Don’t know what you mean</p>
<p>Another great thing about Rutgers is the food. Each campus has a dining hall (3 out of 4 of which are above average by college dining hall standards) and a Student/Campus Center, which have from 2 - 5 fast food and casual dining eateries. On top of that, a good swath of restaurants can be found in downtown NB, within walking distance from the College Ave campus.</p>
<p>+grease trucks (sounds gross but turns out to be so good)
+top business, pharmaceutical, philosophy, and engineering schools
+near NYC, Newark, and Philly so great job opportunities
+the sense of pride and community is great
+new Brunswick has some really nice things to offer
+many fantastic professors
+cost
+great place to enjoy yourself and have a good time
+central location between many big cities
+one of the best educations for the money
+the honors program is great
+transportation issues teach kids real world issues
+large party scene but can easily be avoided
-under appreciated by many people stuck up on the ivies</p>