Located in the heart of the Garden State, off Exit 9 of "the turnpike," is the heart of New Jersey's State University system--Rutgers at New Brunswick.
Growing up in New Jersey, I found that many New Jerseyans tended to take Rutgers for granted, preferring to shell out extra cash just so they could say they went away for college. At Rutgers, though, students--particularly from in-state--get more bang for their buck than they would elsewhere.
Although not exotic, Rutgers is an excellent school with top-notch faculty, high academic standards--and diversity. My high school was relatively small and white-bread; at Rutgers, I met and made friends with people from all different walks of life. The university seems to be set up to make that easier.
Unlike some large state schools, Rutgers is made up of many smaller colleges. While all University students take classes together, students are required to choose a college affiliation and seem to get the best of both worlds: big university resources plus personal attention. Rutgers understands that the whole college experience is overwhelming and that it's easy for students to get lost. The colleges, with various organizations all their own, offer something for everyone; the key is to get out there and explore!
New Brunswick itself is a pretty cool town too. There are some good restaurants and bars, a quaint downtown area with a variety of businesses, and a great local music scene with tons of bands to see any night of the week. Everything is within walking distance and nothing shuts down until about 3 a.m. And if you ever need a change of pace, it's a short train ride to either New York or Philly.
author: Lynn Astorga graduated: 1999 major: Communications; minor in History campus activities: President of Livingston College Organization, Freshman Orientation Leader, radio station, Homecoming Planning, Springfest Committee from: Nutley, NJ, USA native language: English
