Rutgers Makes List Of 385 Best Colleges In Nation

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — All those students on the banks of the Raritan have a reason to be mighty proud of themselves!

That's because Rutgers-New Brunswick made it into Princeton Review's list of the Top 385 Best Colleges and Universities in the United States. The list is for 2020 and was just released Friday, Aug. 9.

Rutgers-Camden or Newark did not make the list.

There are currently 36,000 students enrolled at Rutgers New Brunswick, and the school has a 60 percent admission rate. Average SAT scores in admission is 1190 - 1410 (EBRW + Math) and 25-31 ACT scores. Rutges was also included in the 2020 list for "Best Value" colleges and "Best Colleges/Universities in the Northeast."

There were several schools in New Jersey that made the "Best 385" list for 2020. They are The College of New Jersey (Ewing), , Institute of Technology (Hoboken), Rider (Lawrenceville), Drew University (Madison), NJIT (Newark), Princeton, Seton Hall (South Orange) and Monmouth Univesrsity (West Long Branch).

Says Princeton Review:

Rutgers is “a big school with many different types of people,” a “diverse university in all aspects of the word—academically, culturally, politically, ethnically, linguistically, and socially,” which offers “opportunities around every corner.” No matter what students seek from their educations, they’re likely to find it here, from engineering to business to pharmacy programs and more. That kind of all-encompassing diversity means the school “offers everyone the opportunity to pursue anything they’re interested in.”

It also means, however, that your instructors will run the gamut “from vivacious to narcoleptic." Students will have their “fair share of great professors, average professors, and bad professors.” However, for every professor who is “rude when dealing with students,” there are ten who are “intelligent people who have a lot of information to share and a lot of experience that allows them to elaborate on many topics.”

The best of these professors are “experienced, intelligent, and helpful,” as well as “diverse, accessible, proactive, involved in research, and interested in students who take initiative.” These educators know how to make learning “enjoyable and informative.” Most classes employ a traditional lecture format, but many elective classes “are much smaller and thus much more open to discussion and student presentation.” Even more attractive for many, Rutgers’ status as a research university means there are ample opportunities for undergraduates “to conduct research and work with professors in any number of fields.”

Student Body

Typical student? Not here. The universal refrain from Rutgers students is there is no such thing. “The one common thread most students have is that they are from New Jersey, since it is a state school.” Other than that, “Rutgers is truly a melting pot of people from all over the world of all different backgrounds with different interests.”

Rather than making it more difficult to fit in, students say this melting pot makes it easier because “no matter what you’re interested in, there is a group of students here who share the same exact interests. It’s really easy to find your own niche.” Most students are “dedicated to academics and community service and also to having fun,” students who, no matter which group they fall in with, are “very friendly, funny, and nice.”

Notice the combination of strong academics and a dedication to fun? That, too, is a frequently cited trait common at Rutgers. Even though “there is not one typical student,” at the very least most are “serious about their work and studying but know how to party and have fun.” With a large, diverse campus having more than 50,000 students, it doesn’t matter the kind of person you are. “It is not uncommon to meet someone new weekly.... With so many students here, everyone is able to find someone to befriend and interact with.”

Campus Life

A big campus, “awesome” public transportation, and activities of every type mean staying active at Rutgers is easy. There is certainly no lack of things to do. “There is always something going on,” students boast, with sports, “movie screenings, arcade games at the RutgersZone, performing arts, local theaters, university-sponsored concerts, free food events, community service days, Greek life,” and more filling whatever down time students might have. Local restaurants abound. School clubs and organizations exist by the hundreds, including those dedicated to theater, music, dance, and community service. “The party scene is definitely present, more so in the warmer months,” and there are plenty of bars popular with students. The on-campus party scene tends to be safe, since the school “sends out (campus) police to patrol around the campus twenty-four hours to ensure student safety.” Maybe most popular of all is rooting for the scarlet. “During football season…everyone can be found cheering in the student section at the games.” For those who need to get off campus, New York City and Philadelphia are both a modest train or bus drive away. With so many opportunities, “Rutgers allows students to do well in school, be a part of an organization, have relationships with friends, and even have a job.” Here, “there’s rarely a dull moment.”