Rutgers University-New Brunswick Top Questions

Classes range from insanely large at the lower levels (400 student+ classes at the 100 level) to the very intimate (My Wallace Stevens seminar had 6 students in it. It was wonderful). Class participation is required in higher level classes, and is lively. In the big, lecture classes, there's usually none. And there's everything in between. Conversations from class often spill out, and students work together when studying and argue over books in the bars. The teachers run the gamut, too, and it really depends what department you're interested in. It's the kind of school where, if you want to really work hard, you will get a great education, and if you want to squeak by you can do that too. No one's really going to MAKE you do anything. Classes 300 level and above are very challenging. As an English major routinely taking 5-6 classes per semester, I was writing at least 4 papers per week, and finals were mind boggling. For such a large school, Rutgers is unusually academically rigorous at the upper levels.

Students aren't as competitive as they would be at Ivy League schools but this doesn't mean that the subjects aren't difficult to master. One subject in particular gives even the smartest students trouble. This subject is none other than Expository Writing 101. The writing program at Rutgers is demanding and I'm grateful for this since self-expression through writing is integral to any and every career path one chooses.

professors do not know my name. i tend to stay in the back and go on my laptop and write this survey haha. my favorite classes are the ones that are so easy i dont have to go to them. my least favorites are ones with teachers who do not know how to teach well. students study all the time. class participation is i guess alright. its is not like high school where you can kinda fool around, sometimes you do, but not really. alot of intellectual conversations go on, especially with the realli smart kids. you hear them talking about sciences, politics, or anything uncommon while ur eating or on the buses or whatever. students are not competitive, atleast not that i know of. im sure if you are applying for a school with a major then maybe, but for the most part i dont know. i havnt takin any crazy classes and my major is communications. i dont spend any time with my professors and the academic requirements are managable. education is geared toward whatever you want to major in. your major determines if its more for a job or ur own sake.

Most of my professors do not know my name which actually doesnt bother me. I know that they recognize me from participating a lot in class and thats all that i ask for. Academics are very competitive here. I just recently was admitted into the business school, and only 400 students are admitted per year out of the 40,000+ students that go here. Now everyone that didnt get in has to change their major and figure out what they want to do. also the pressure is on me for the next to years not to slip below a 3.4 gpa or else i get the boot. The education here is for getting a job, beacuse Rutgers offers so many programs to help get jobs and train you to get jobs, mock interviews, teaches us how to write resumes, how to approach employers at career fairs.

I have one professor slash Dean that I took two classes with because she is an amazing orator and because she is well, nice. She teaches two courses on community issues and got me to thinking about how I was impacting my own community. After taking her advice to study abroad, I came back with what I thought was a greater understanding of my culture and I decided to establish a group in my Rutgers community. When I decided to create it I wanted her to become the advisor because I felt that she would give well, for lack of a better term, great advice. She kindly and willfully declined on the first try and I was very dissapointed and through various actions let her know so but, as a student I should have known that the title of Dean does not come from passiveness when challenged. So for months she showed me just how my immature actions were not going to get me what I wanted and actually expressing myself effectively will. It wasnt the most traditional way of teaching but it was the most effective for someone as strong willed aka stubborn as I am. So therefore, by her efforts, I have found that Rutgers has a very eclectic way of teaching, for instance it involves studying and applying not just directly but indirectly as well, and that is why it works!!!

The professors definitely do not know your name. On being a math major/taking math classes at rutgers: The Grad Students/Assistant Professors are amazing. The tenured professors (for the most part) don't give a shit about you. I've had tests that literally set you up for failure. Students study a lot. In terms of intellectual conversations, in the math program, not really. The philosophy program (that's my minor) however...the students participate A LOT (especially the upper level courses) and you will always end up in some sort of intelectual conversation after class. I have yet to take a class that was career-oriented in any shape or form.

The only professor to know my name was also the only name of a professor that I remember; Professor Norman Markowitz. He taught a class on the 1960's when i was a Sophmore. Since then I wish I had lived in the 1960's

Academics, like all schools, are good... and you'll only get out what you put into it. In other words, there are great majors with great course offerings taught by awesome professors, but none of that will matter to someone who doesn't go to class/read or puts no effort in.

There isn't enough time, during a student's four years at Rutgers, to take classes they're simply interested in. There's no time to dabble. Every class you take must be specifically geared toward you're core or major requirements. If by chance Freshmen year you take a course that does not count for either, you'll likely have to take a summer class to graduate on time. Rutgers is an excellent education, especially for the cost of undergraduate tuition. Many in state students won't have nearly as much debt to deal with after they graduate then students from other universities that may not even be as prestigious as Rutgers. The University education is affordable. The textbooks are not. Many students pay for their textbooks out of their own pocket. If a student is taking 5 classes, it's likely their textbook total will amount to almost $400! This is incredible. Sometimes books can go up to $100 just for one class. I feel that professors need to be much more sensitive to cost when they select the required readings for their classes. Students should try to find out what textbooks they'll need before the semester starts, and try websites like Half.com, Facebook Marketplace, etc. These places may offer the books at a fraction of the Rutgers/NJ Bookstore costs.

It's hard to not just be another face in the crowd. Most professors know my name because I am a class officer. I often try to make it a point to meet professors, but some of them seem uninterested. In my years at Rutgers, it's clear to me that some professors are here to teach, while others are here for research. I find that some (certainly not all) of the professors here for research seem uninterested in teaching. Some lecturers just seem like they can't wait for class to end and leave students utterly confused because they don't care enough. Howeve, Rutgers has done a pretty good job at avoiding this problem through constant re-evaluations. As far as the academic requirements, I often hear of people who have to stay extra time because they forgot about a class. But administration has taken this to heart in attempts to destroy the prevalence of the "RU Screw". As an orientation leader for the past year, I learned about how the administration has improve access to the deans by putting them in the student centers, hired more staff to help with any psychological problems, and in general, made the happenings at a large institution more transparent. They even introduced a program, degree navigator, which can now make sure students will graduate on time by telling them their remaining requirements. While there is room for improvement, I have already seen better things developing in my 3 years. However, if you are not motivated enough to take an interest in your college work and where you will take it, I would not recommend Rutgers because it is very easy to get lost.