I am a rising senior currently looking at The College of New Jersey.
I believe the school provides great educational value due to the fact that I am an in-state student.
I really like everything about it and almost everyone in NJ knows that it’s a good school, but I was just wondering how the rest of the nation sees the school as I don’t plan on living in the northeast for a long time.
So CC, how do you view The College of New Jersey? Does its name go as far as schools such as Bucknell or Univ. of Richmond?
TCNJ is a good school. However, I think its name recognition fades outside the tri-state area. Private schools like Bucknell and Richmond would have more geographic diversity and more name recognition nationally. However, depending on your long term goals it may be best to stay in-state and save money.
Outside the tri-state area and the Northeast, TCNJ’s name probably isn’t as well known. It won’t carry as far as say Rutgers or Stevens Institute of Technology. Don’t let the “nation’s” perception or the USWNR’s perception of a school affect YOUR perception of it. It doesn’t matter if you go to a Top 40 school or anything like that; I’m from NJ too and am going to a smaller state school. With the increasing cost of college, it’s more beneficial to stay in-state/keep costs low so you can not be as tied down later on in life.
TCNJ is a great school, especially for NJ students, and it is certainly climbing up the ladder in NJ but that doesn’t mean nationally it’s going to have that same prestige. If you went to Texas tomorrow, no one in Dallas or Austin would know what TCNJ is (they’re probably more familiar with TCU ) but that doesn’t depreciate your education or your experience there.
I agree with @TheDidactic. In my mind, TCNJ is the second or third best university in NJ, better than Rutgers, but Rutgers has more name recognition. For me, it’s Princeton (5 stars), Stevens (4 stars), TCNJ (4 stars). Those three schools are the only ones that I would have considered staying in New Jersey for. I didn’t apply to any of them, though.
Outside of New Jersey there is little name recognition. I live in MA and had never heard of TCNJ before last year when I started looking at colleges for my D. That said, there are a lot of smaller schools that I haven’t heard of and I wouldn’t automatically discount hiring someone who went to one just because I wasn’t familiar with it. When you think about it, people generally know schools that are near where they live and schools that have big names such as the ivies and big sports schools. I wouldn’t eliminate a school just because it doesn’t have a well known name.
From what I can tell it doesn’t carry much weight in it’s name on the national level. I’ve never even heard of it… I’m from Washington btw, so pretty far, but still. I’ve heard of both Bucknell and URichmond (mostly because I’ve checked out tons of schools online, most people here wouldn’t recognize those schools at all). That being said, I’d say they still have more reach than TCNJ. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s not a good school or that you shouldn’t attend.
Why does it matter? You can get a good job out of any one of them. After your first job they no longer look at the college (except for some few professions). Your future depends upon You Much more than the college name.
Here’s my free advice. It’s worth every penny. Apply to some “brand-name” colleges, along with TCNJ, and see what your options are come the spring. If you have several acceptances at colleges that will cost you and your family more than $60k per year, consider whether the “brand” is worth the expense. If some of them offer you decent financial packages, bringing the costs down below $40k, then you and your parents can have another discussion. If you are considering graduate or professional school, and would have to assume a debt burden to attend a different college, then I’d recommend TCNJ . . . but it’s not my call.
There are probably millions of parents whom have never heard of TCNJ or U Richmond, Bucknell or Rutgers. Nevertheless, you can get a very fine undergraduate education at any of them. NJ residents whom overlook TCNJ are making a mistake.
Class of 2019 TCNJ middle 50% is 28 - 31 ACT. That would make it one of the most selective state schools in the country. My friend’s son is there for a net cost of 19k after a merit award. The campus is very nice as well.
The only weakness vs Bucknell is the alumni. Bucknell has a superb network.
FL here, going to school in MA, and somehow, as a semi-regular on CC, this is the first I’ve heard of the school. So I don’t think the name has a huge reach. I am also in the technical field though, I know Stevens well. But I trust others here speaking on its quality. If you like it, go for it.
funny thing is lots of psters state they haven’t heard of TCNJ but guess what , its being talked about NOW. Just look at the posts it regularly gets recommended for those top students looking for a small school that’s affordable. Seriously,
you can go back to 2005 and see the posts. Facts are it gets talked about more and more all the time. Further the job market in NJ, PA NY is plenty large so even if it were only those areas that were familar with this gem that’s fine for 90%.
@stones3 I understand it has a good name up in the Northeast, but I plan on moving West immediately after college so that’s why I created this thread. I’m fairly sure that not many people in Cali know what the school is all about.
@mmead01 It doesn’t matter if the person that cuts your hair in California knows anything about TCNJ. If you apply for a job the school is easy to research and you certainly don’t have to worry about a grad school not knowing about it. TCNJ is a really great school and a great value.
Most people here have never heard of Pomona or Reed but employers have.
Now that simply isn’t true. If anything, CC promotes both of those schools well.
I agree with the overall sentiment that prestige isn’t nearly as important as people think, but if someone has absolutely never heard of a school before, it certainly doesn’t help, even if they research. TCNJ on the west coast isn’t the best option for name recognition, but it will do just fine.
As far as the OP is concerned, Bucknell and U of Richmond will certainly be more known IMO, unless the employer / hiring manager is from the NJ / PA / NY area. I think what it boils down to is that it won’t matter too much.
It doesn’t have great name recognition yet for a very good reason: it only got its current name in 1996! Thus older people often aren’t familiar with the name unless/until they know someone young who is considering attending. However, TCNJ is clearly a school on the rise. Rankings** are beginning to reflect this. For those looking for a smaller, LAC-type environment in a public school, it is a great choice.
) but that doesn’t depreciate your education or your experience there.