Rowan University vs Rutgers New Brunswick

Hello everyone, I am having trouble deciding which college I should attend to continue my academic career. I am majoring in Computer Science and am wondering which atmosphere is better for me.

Rowan is significantly more affordable since they gave me a scholarship and looks like a nice and quiet campus. However, I am wondering how easy it is to get around town if you are living on campus without a car and how the computer science program compares with Rutgers, are there as many opportunities?

Rutgers has a better name value compared to Rowan and sounds like it has a superior computer science program. But, the large scale of the campus and classes makes me wonder if I would feel comfortable there. I also hear that their introduction classes are incredibly hard so they can get people to switch off of a CS degree.

Would attending Rowan make it harder to get an internship or get my first job significantly? Is Rutgers as overwhelming as it sounds?

Thanks in advance.

i think it comes down to fit and what you would find better - clearly rutgers is a better school and will probably open more opportunities for you as it has a better name, not only in jersey but throughout the states. but, if you want a smaller more intimate feel, I think rowan would be your choice and i think you would just have to work harder to get what you want - internship, job, etc (although, if you had posted on here while applying, I would have recommended tcnj as it seems like a good fit for you).

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@wisemonkey

I agree with @samphil098 that Rutgers is better ranked than Rowan for Computer Science. See Rank NJ Colleges - Computer Science Major - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums - Admissions Discussions and Threads

However, if Rowan is significantly more affordable to you and if you like the campus, then I think that it makes sense to pick Rowan as I suggested a while ago. See Side discussion thread for top New Jersey engineering students looking for advice getting merit aid - Financial Aid & Scholarships - College Confidential Forums - Admissions Discussions and Threads

Did you get accepted in the Honors College at Rowan?

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Thank you @NJEngineerDad and @samphil098 for the responses!

I applied to TCNJ but unfortunately got put on the waitlist. It would have been a great fit for me.

Unfortunately, I missed the deadline to apply for it, its possible I could get accepted for my 2nd year if I maintain a high GPA.

I appreciate both of your feedback, this will significantly help me!

being on the waitlist is a good thing, there is still hope - if accepted, I would recommend that 100%. I was on campus a couple of days ago and it has such an intimate feel to it - from what I have heard, I think it would be great!

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It sounds like Rowan is a good fit for you anyway. TCNJ is unlikely to give you any scholarship, and I would not pay more for TCNJ than for Rowan considering their respective Computer Science rankings.

I don’t think that Rowan will make it significantly harder than Rutgers to get a local (as in NJ or neighboring states) internship or first job. And when looking for your second job, that first job will probably matter more than the school to which you went.

You might want to read the latest posts in Latest Colleges and Universities/Rowan University topics - College Confidential Forums - Admissions Discussions and Threads where some people are debating the same topic.

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