You say NJIT is a commuter school. What % of first year students house vs Rutgers ? How important is it to have a private vs communal bathroom ? This is one reason my son chose his school.
How important is it for you to walk vs taking the bus ??
You will find that when you get to college you may have many friends, but not necessarily the same friends you had going on.
What’s most important to you - that’s what matters.
Based on what you’ve written I’d go for NJIT. And with 2k kids living on campus, it will have a campus life.
Because of the way the Rutgers campus is laid out (multiple distinct campuses rather than one contiguous campus), some cross campus classes do require taking the bus. Walking is not an option.
But having said that - people I know who’ve gone to Rutgers say the bus system is large and well coordinated. They never had an issue. But yes, it takes up more time than more compact campuses where you can simply walk.
@College_qwerty, I agree with the pros and cons you’ve laid out for the two schools. You’re going to have to pick based on what’s best for you. Both are good schools and there’s no wrong answer.
It depends, I’ve lived 6 miles from NJIT my entire, if you just want a degree, go there. If you want the college experience, go to Rutgers. Many love Rutgers, no one seems to love NJIT (I don’t know a single graduate although I know several who started there).
One thing about private bathroom means that you and your roommate need to clean them! I’d talk to some CS majors or look at the class registry and see how often you actually need to switch campuses, I think most of the CS classes would be on Busch.
Outside of the cost, Rutgers gives you the better “college experience” not only during but after. (Homecoming, games, alumni events). Also gives you more options if you decide that CS isn’t for you.