<p>I’ve lived in New Jersey my whole life and the number one school that my highschool sent graduating seniors to was Rutgers, and it was the best decision I ever made. I’m currently a senior here and about to graduate. Looking back upon the four greatest years of my life, I would do anything to relive every moment. I also work for admissions so I’m going to copy a post that I put up about why I love Rutgers (it’s copy and pasted from Go Rutgers, our social network for admitted students):</p>
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<li><p>Location. My friends and I regularly take public transportation to NYC and Philadelphia for concerts, comedy shows, parades, museums, galas, lectures, poetry readings, shopping, restaurants, dancing etc. It is a location that I would not trade for the world, and a location that you won’t find at a lot of other schools that are more isolated. Also, New Brunswick itself has a bustling downtown area with shops, theaters, and the best restaurants in New Jersey. When the weather is nice, you can head down to the beach and be there within half an hour.</p></li>
<li><p>Academic rigor. As an Honors student, academics were a huge factor in choosing schools. I picked Rutgers because I was undecided, and here you are afforded a lot of flexibility and options. Classes here are extremely difficult, and you will not succeed unless you take initiative, do your homework, study, and meet with your professors. If you do these things, you will THRIVE here and learn more than you could ever imagine. Oftentimes when I leave class my brain hurts but it is so worth it in the end. Your academics will prepare you for the work world, graduate or professional study, and global citizenship.</p></li>
<li><p>Diversity/the student body. Rutgers is one of the most diverse schools in the country. What this statistic means in terms of your everyday experience is that you will interact with people of different ethnicities, faiths, and political beliefs. This will challenge you to think in new ways and to consider different perspectives. Diversity also means that there are friends here for everyone, we have students with such diverse interests that it is guaranteed that you’ll find people you click with. I’ve made life long best friends here.</p></li>
<li><p>Research and faculty. Rutgers is one of the top 61 leading research universities in the nation, alongside schools like Harvard, Yale, and UC Berkeley. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate, something you won’t find at small, liberal arts colleges. I’ve been doing research since I was a sophomore which is how I realized that my life ambition is to be a professor. Research prepares you for graduate or professional school and for the world of work. You will work with professors who are breaking new ground in both the sciences and humanities, while learning methods of inquiry that will help you succeed in life. The Aresty Research Center places high-achieving undergraduates in faculty-mentored research positions. Our faculty are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, absolutely brilliant, and dedicated to the success of students. I go to office hours each week, sometimes just to hang out with them and talk about whatever is on my mind. Some weeks I spend hours with my professors, going over papers I’ve written in order to strengthen my writing.</p></li>
<li><p>Student organizations. Rutgers has more than 400 student clubs and organizations. I’ve participated in New Student Orientation (Orientation Leader 1 year, Leadership Team 1 year), Alternative Breaks (Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans), and Outdoors Club. I’ve also attended numerous events held by RUPA, the organization that plans concerts, comedy shows, homecoming bed races, and field trips. The hardest thing about Rutgers is finding the time within your 4 years here to do everything you want.</p></li>
<li><p>Study abroad opportunities. I knew I wanted to study abroad and Rutgers’ 106 programs in more than 40 countries really appealed to me. I was also attracted to the affordability of Rutgers’ programs. The 6 months I spent in Spain were the six greatest months of my life. My Spanish improved immesurably, I was fully immersed in another culture, I got to travel all over the world, and I made a ton of new friends. </p></li>
<li><p>Athletics. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a sports person I love that Rutgers is a football school. The school spirit here is amazing and contagious, sometimes scary. Gamedays are SO much fun at Rutgers, especially being in the stadium in the sea of red screaming RU Rah Rah. We also have tons of club and intramural sports, which gave me the opportunity to continue playing volleyball. Physical fitness is really important to me and I love our state of the art facilities and program offerings. My favorite classes to take are Zumba, Body Pump (group lifting), CXWorks (core training), and Body Combat (like kickboxing), all of which are included on the ridiculously inexpensive FitFlex Pass.</p></li>
<li><p>Arts programs. Our New Brunswick campus is home to the Zimmerli art museum which has world class art exhibits and hosts events like they yearly Masquerade Ball. The State Theater is located in downtown New Brunswick, with a huge variety of world-renowned performers. Our Mason Gross School of Performing Arts regularly performs theater, dance, and vocal performances that feature up and coming artists. We also have performing arts groups like the VERY popular Livingston Theater Company and Cabaret Theater which perform plays and musicals put on by students from all over the university. These are great both to perform in and to attend.</p></li>
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