Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Date: Jan 20 2010
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
It's been almost three decades since I graduated Rutgers. I have some good news and bad news.

The good news is that the quality of the education you can get at Rutgers is among the best available anywhere. There are some very high-quality faculty members and I found them to be surprisingly accessible.

One caveat to the good news: You have to make up your mind that you're there for an education. Otherwise, you can get swallowed up by the borderline psychopaths that seem to rule the social life and extracurricular activities at Rutgers, or simply fall through administrative cracks. Make sure you get a good advisor, no matter how bright or self-motivated you are.

That brings me to the bad news: You are a number at Rutgers. That means you must stand up for yourself. I guess that can be good as a character-building experience.

Also, many of the comments about the RU Screw, the school's social life (and its alcohol-centeredness) and the attitudes of students could just as easily have been written by me or some of my classmates. I guess some things don't change.

I hope one thing has changed: the town. New Brunswick was a pit when I was there. I haven't been there in a long time; now I wonder whether it's any different.

Bottom line: If you want a good education and are determined to get it, going to Rutgers will reward your attendance. And, if you finish, you'll have a very well-respected degree. (Its value seems to rise the further you get away from the place.) Just make sure you have the desire and determination to get an education and someone to guide you through it.