<p>My mom went to Rutgers and all she really remembers about it was the large class sizes, teaching assistants who she could not understand, and arguing with the administration because they almost would not let her graduate because she had too many parking tickets (from not being able to find a parking place). In the end you have to choose what you feel is the best fit for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to either school and the quality of education will vary from department. While I was accepted to both schools I ultimately chose TCNJ because I wanted the more liberal education with a personal feel and for financial reasons.</p>
<p>I recently had to decide between RU and TCNJ as well, and right up until the enrollment deadline I was very torn. I liked the small LAC feel of TCNJ and could really picture myself there, but ultimately I decided to go to RU because it made more sense in my case. I’m undecided and they have more majors to choose from, plus it will be more affordable since I’ll be commuting to RU while I would have lived at TCNJ.</p>
<p>it should tell you all you need to know about this school…</p>
<p>In today’s Bergen Record. (Front page)</p>
<p>the new average SAT score for accepted students for Fall 2009:</p>
<p>Rutgers 1196
TCNJ 1302</p>
<p>Not putting down TCNJ, but you also have to look at the size of the schools. The freshman class size at TCNJ this past year was only about 1300.</p>
<p>For the posters that are comparing TCNJ to Cornell all I can say is that you really have no idea of what you are talking about. The rigor at Cornell makes TCNJ look like elementary school. I have four kids, two of which attend Cormell and a daughter that is applying to TCNJ because it is a school that she could handle. TCNJ is not a top notch school but it is a terrific state school. </p>
<p>For those trying to make a comparison—it sounds silly. There is no need to justify why you are attending any school. When choosing a school you need to look at fit and believe me my daughter would not in any way “fit” in at Cornell but TCNJ would be perfect for her.</p>
<p>momma-three,</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure no one on this thread has claimed that TCNJ can compare to Cornell academically. If both TCNJ and Cornell had cost me the same, I would have chosen Cornell. However, the amount of debt I’d be in if I went to Cornell is something I couldn’t overlook. TCNJ provides a good education at a great price. It also depends on what you want to do after undergrad. For example, if you’re planning to go to business school or plan to get a job right after, then you may want to consider choosing the more prestigious school as school name somewhat matters. However, if you want to go to med school, TCNJ is a great choice as GPA/MCAT is much more important than the name of the undergrad you attended.</p>
<p>However, I do agree that fit is important when choosing a college. One doesn’t want to spend four years of their life in a place they hate.</p>
<p>I could have attended Cornell but specifically chose TCNJ because they completely focus on the undergraduate…I never feel as if my professors are more concerned about their graduate students - and this IS the case at large highly selective colleges. I’m glad your daughter is considering TCNJ - but it is no cake walk.</p>
<p>and oh yeah- TCNJ is a top notch school! one of the top 75 most selective in the country (according to Barrons Profile).</p>
<p>I agree with honestlee. TCNJ may not be as rigorous as Cornell but it is by no means an “easy” school. Students are challenged and I never found a day where I had nothing to do.</p>
<p>I also chose TCNJ because of it’s smaller size. My teachers knew every student’s name and I could comfortably hold a conversation with all of them. I even needed a letter of recommendation and I knew exactly who to go to. I’m not sure I would have felt comfortable enough to go to a professor only 3 months into my freshman year at a larger school where there were 300 or so students in the class.</p>
<p>Full Disclosure I am a Rutgers '86 Engineering School grad.</p>
<p>I went through this three years ago with my daughter, she chose Rutgers for the social aspects and because of her intended major. The thoughts below are from experience and although anecdotal are really not arguable because they happened.</p>
<p>First of all I am a Technical Fellow for a worldwide aerospace company, I consult within the company and outside the company all over the world. Relevant points below are based on my experiences and knowledge of our company’s hiring practices.</p>
<p>1) If a large part of your definition of “reputation” is name recognition it’s not close. Outside of NJ TCNJ has little. </p>
<p>2) If you are an Math, Physics, Comp Sci, or Engineering BS graduate and looking for a job at my company, TCNJ won’t get through the screening software at the front door of the hiring process. Unless of course you have a grad degree from a different school. Sorry, this is just the way it is, that doesn’t mean we don’t screen out excellent candidates from TCNJ.</p>
<p>3) If you are interested in “study abroad” opportunities, there are far more at Rutgers.</p>
<p>4) Diversity of course offerings are really not close. </p>
<p>5) Social opportunities; my daughter has a good friend at TCNJ. She spends most of her weekends when not at home staying with my daughter at Rutgers in her off-campus apartment. Social life at TCNJ is somewhat lacking (although getting better).</p>
<p>6) My daughter will be graduating with a dual major of Biology and Psychology and a minor in French. She spent a summer in Paris taking courses in the study abroad program. She will be graduating with a degree from the Rutgers SAS Honors College with an emphasis in neuro-biology/psychology and a glowing letter of recommendation from a nationally recognized expert in the field. She wants to go to med school to study Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>7) (Opinion) If you are a self motivated exceptional student the opportunities for exposure and closely working with a known expert in your selected field, Rutgers provides opportunities that TCNJ does not.</p>
<p>All that being said, my daughter’s friend loves it at TCNJ and it is in fact a very good school. Since the school is so big, if you are not self motivated or are easily distracted, Rutgers will eat you alive; that hasn’t changed since I was there. If you don’t like a big school atmosphere or sometimes larger class sizes then DON’T go to Rutgers. There are some programs that have a much better reputation locally at TCNJ; i.e., teaching, nursing, education, etc. I’ll let TCNJ people post why they believe TCNJ is a good choice, my contribution is only focused on why Rutgers is a good choice.</p>
<p>One more point, it is really not fair to compare SAT scores for Rutgers vs. TCNJ. Rutgers has issues beyond it’s control that mean sometimes less desirable students are admitted that have nothing to do with academic reputation. NJ has it’s fingers into the Rutgers pie to a depth that is far deeper than it’s ridiculously low amount of funding should justify. I am a large contributor to the University and I continue to be amazed by NJ politics and how it uses the state’s flagship university as a patronage tool in both admissions and administration.</p>
<p>Good luck to anyone making this choice and either way you end up going you will have made a great choice. </p>
<p>BTW: The earlier response that berated TCNJ relative to Cornell, that person needs to get over themselves. My experience working with employees that were Cornell students and interaction with researchers at Cornell has been less than glowing.</p>
<p>i think this is a stupid argument simply because you cannot compare the two schools. Rutgers is good for certain things, TCNJ is better for certain things. If you’re gonna be a teacher in NJ, you’d be better off at TCNJ…if you’re gonna be a pharmacist, you’re better off at Rutgers…other than that, it really doesn’t matter. </p>
<p>just because you go to TCNJ doesn’t mean you won’t get a good job. My brother got a job with a company outside of NJ…my sister’s room mate got a job with the FBI, her other room mate got a job at J&J…Every person my siblings are friends with from the college of nj have gotten jobs and are very successful thus far.</p>
<p>I was simply passing along actual experience. Note that I indicated where I was expressing an opinion rather than stating my experience. Also I never said you would not get a good job by going to TCNJ. I think you are being overly sensitive. Instead of dismissing the whole post, I think you would make your case better by rebutting anything I’ve stated. Unfortunately you can’t.</p>
<p>I found this discussion by way of google search. I apologize that my last several posts may have appeared smug. I did not notice that the discussion was listed under a TCNJ board. TCNJ is a great school, as I have indicated, and I hope that by posting my experiences here I have not upset anyone or implied anything otherwise. The real answer to the original question is that reputation is one of the least important qualities you should look for in a school. Foremost you must feel comfortable there because if you are miserable at a school even like Princeton no reputation is going to make up for being unhappy.</p>
<p>Rutbay, i wasn’t speaking directly to you. Actually, i think you’re post was one of the better ones. You didn’t bash TCNJ, like most people would. I guess i’m more biased towards TCNJ because that’s where i’m going next year. Rutgers and TCNJ are both excellent schools, and you’re right, you have to find the qualities you want in a school.</p>
<p>Sorry if I seemed like i was bashing your post, i wasn’t trying to 
lol</p>
<p>Irish89,</p>
<p>Good luck next year. I’m sure you’ll have a great experience at TCNJ. Like I said, my daughter’s friend loves it there. Plus if you have any friends going to Rutgers you can always adopt their football team and go to the games since you are so close ;)</p>
<p>I am not bashing TCNJ at all. It is an excellent school and my daughter will be matriculating this coming September. I have three other children, two of which attend Cornell and one that attends MIT. I saw that people on this thread were comparing the academic rigor at TCNJ with the very top schools. I don’t think what I was saying is incorrect because I know many students that are attending TCNJ and although it is a great school it is not in the category of any of the top schools in the country. You can tell me I am full of myself, but I am only speaking the truth. </p>
<p>Selecting a school is a very personal decision that is based upon many factors. If a student desires a smaller more nuturing environment, than TCNJ would certainly meet that criteria. The class sizes are small and the professors will know you by name. That is a wonderful atmosphere to learn in. </p>
<p>As far as the Cornell bashing is concerned…oh well if your experience has been less than great. You have not met enough Cornell students. My son at MIT is applying to Cornell for graduate school as a result of his experience with his brothers education at Cornell. </p>
<p>There are so many schools in this country and there is a reason that everyone does not apply to the same ones. To compare TCNJ to Rutgers or to Cornell or to MIT just does not make sense as it does not make sense to say that all universities provide the same level of education or experiences. If that is offensive I apologize.</p>
<p>I am also considering TCNJ and Rutgers. I would like to eventually get a Masters or PHD in Physics. Research is my goal. Still a junior in HS but would like to get a head start on my plans. Should I concentrate on the best colleges for my BA and transfer later, or on colleges offering a Masters and/or PHD in Physics?</p>
<p>I would concentrate on your undergraduate institution first. I personally don’t know of anyone who has chosen where to go for their undergraduate degree based on the fact that it is where they want to get their graduate degree. What exactly do you mean by “transfer?” Typically (unless you’re in some sort of special 5 year bachelors and masters program) you graduate with your undergrad degree and then enroll in graduate school. Nevertheless it’s good you’re thinking ahead.</p>
<p>I know two people majoring in physics here at TCNJ. I also recently met a senior who spent the summer working on a research project with a group from TCNJ at NASA. If you want small, personalized classes and attention as an undergrad I would recommend TCNJ, but as you can tell from this thread everyone is going to have different opinions lol. good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice. I agree that TCNJ is a more selective school and I consider that a plus. I definitely intend to apply to TCNJ next year. Please let me know if my stats are good enough. I’m in the top 5% of my class, rank 18 out of 409. Weighted GPA is 4.56, unweighted 3.89 (I think). I am nervous about my possible SAT score. Scored a 180 (1800/2400) on my PSAT. Not very happy with that. I am taking an SAT prep course for the test in May and will retake it in June and/or Oct., if necessary. Could you tell me what a decent score would be for acceptance into TCNJ? Appreciate you help.</p>