The University of Rochester

Date: Jan 31 2013
Major: Chemical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
My experience at UR was positive. There were tons of opportunities to work in professor's labs, which provided invaluable experience on the resume when looking for a job post-graduation. The intellectual quality of the student body was very high. The library system is excellent, and the professors in the chemical engineering department were for the most part very accessible and helpful. The food on campus really sucked. The athletic facilities are awesome, although there isn't enough space on the courts anymore for the increased student body. There are tons of extracurricular clubs to choose from, from academic chapters of professional groups (in our case, AIChE) to competitive sports clubs that travel to the quiddtich club. Rochester has a division 1 squash team, which is awesome, and we play against the best squash teams in the country. The squash courts are also awesome, so try to watch a D1 match and root on the jackets when a games are played at home. The university has been cracking down hard on greek life, so expect to do a lot more drinking in your rooms or over the bridge at off campus frats rather than on the frat quad. If you don't know what you want to study, the Rochester curriculum isn't very structured and allows you to take whatever you want. This can be a double-edged sword and might result in you taking some really bizarre classes but not help you pick a direction for your major…

I was accepted into a program in the chemical engineering dept. that allowed me to get my masters degree in chemical engineering in 5 years total with a steep tuition discount, which is great because in general the university costs way too much and the school keeps raising it's tuition by at least 4% every year. The weather in rochester sucks - it's not that it's necessarily too cold, but the wind is consistently blowing at 15mph and the sky is grey. The city of rochester is actually pretty cool and anyone that says otherwise is only saying that because they haven't ventured beyond the ivory towers. There are some great places downtown for a drink - Tap and Mallet and Old Toad are great. Park Avenue is beautiful. There are some incredibly good restaurants in Rochester. Dino BBQ is literally on a bridge overlooking a waterfall and has fantastic meats and sauces. Yummy Garden Hot Pot if you are freezing and need some traditional Chinese comfort food. Joe Bean Coffee Roasters on university ave for a unique brewing experience. Shiki, SEA for some righteous pho and fried squid, sinbad mediterranian, etc. Bring a car to campus and you'll change your mind…

It's all about what you make of it! Pick a major, some extracurriculars, study hard and have fun.