The University of Rochester

Date: Feb 04 2014
Major: Neuroscience/Cognitive Science (This Major's Salary over time)
Good things: UR caters well to those who are sure of what they want to do. If you want to go to graduate school and you are 100% sure, then this is a great place to be, especially for science. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in scientific research, and most faculty I have met are very friendly and willing to talk to you even if you don't take their class. Another great thing about UR is that there is a lot of academic freedom. I declared/started a minor junior year and I was able to fit it in. Also you can create your own major, which I recommend to anyone who is interested in multidisciplinary fields, or isn't sure what they want to pursue (or are torn between two things). While UR is known to be strong in sciences, it's good for humanities as well. I know people who have gotten into prestigious law schools (Duke, Harvard) and graduate schools for humanities.

Not-so-great things/things you should be aware of:

I was in a small major and people tended to form cliques while studying, and weren't very collaborative (this was not the case for biomed or comp sci departments). Intro/premed classes were a chore. Also, you will not be handed the tools to get a good experience here - you have to find the tools. You REALLY need to be proactive to get things done. It isn't like HYP where you can go into a database and have a list of a million alumni, or internships that are begging to take you. It's not like you can just send a resume and this brand will speak for itself to employers.

People know this is a good school. But there are plenty of "good schools." Unless you're at an outstanding school you will have to work your butt off to find internships and network, especially if you're not in the sciences or aren't thinking about graduate school. There are still people here who work for places like JP Morgan, or PwC, but there aren't many Mckinseys or Bains.

Bottom line: It's what you make of it. If you want a place that offers academic freedom with a strong science program/pre-professional focus then this is the place for you. If you're interested more in joining the corporate world, still consider it (it's still a good brand!), but don't make it your #1 choice.

One last thought: Location, location, location. Being near a major city helps because there are many top companies there, and you can do an internship over the year. This is not the case for Rochester. The only place to do an internship is at Strong Memorial Hospital. If you want brand name companies, you won't find them here. But if you're going to graduate school, this shouldn't be a concern.