<p>Jerzyjim, Thank you for answering my questions. It is very informative for me. I am glad that your S is so happy there.</p>
<p>northeastmom,</p>
<p>Hopefully you had a good tour at TCNJ. If Pompton Lakes was the home of your tour guide, then it would not be my son, as his home is 90 miles south.</p>
<p>There are 80 college ambassadors, generally 20 per class, and they are simply an outstanding group of young people, from what I have seen.</p>
<p>My oldest daughter (who is attending TCNJ as a freshman this fall) and I attended one of my son's tours. My wife was none too pleased when I related that the tour guide (son) mentioned that the dining hall (Eichoff) food was superior to that which he received at home.</p>
<p>Thank you. I had an excellent tour guide. I did hear that the food is good, but I am sure your son looks forward to home cooked food too.</p>
<p>Just curious...what med school partners with TCNJ for the 7 year med program. My guess is UMDNJ (in Newark but also there's an osteopathic school in SJ) or Rutgers??</p>
<p>My son didn't consider TCNJ only because he wanted a city school. Otherwise TCNJ makes a lot of sense. I did hear recently they are trying to recruit more from out of state.</p>
<p>Some of the smartest kids from our south jersey hs choose tcnj, and it seems to be a common first choice. It just makes sense to get an education that is pretty much on par with Villanova, Lehigh, Lafayette etc at less than half the price.</p>
<p>Yes, the 7 year med program is with UMDNJ.
Very competitive admission to this program:
minimum 1400 SAT (most are much higher), top 10%, two interviews.
Three years at TCNJ, then 4 at UMDNJ. BS is awarded after competion of 1st year at UMDNJ. Must maintain 3.5 GPA to stay in program.</p>
<p>Our son is a sophomore at TCNJ (not in the med program) and loves the school. Great quality for a reasonable price.
He also wanted a city school but wasn't accepted to his first choice. He does make fairly easy train treks into Philly and NYC.</p>
<p>Here is another thread from a while back on Trenton State Teachers College, er, I mean TCNJ :) As a NJresident, we will take a look at TCNJ (and Rutgers) for our son who is a HS junior this year.</p>
<p>The school must secretly hope that the renaming of the school from Trenton State College might work as well as for the original College of New Jersey: it is none else than ... Princeton.</p>
<p>I live in NJ and the main problem people see with TCNJ is that they have only recently gained prestige. It used to be called Trenton State and it was not the most competitive school, but that may be an understatement. They are really promoting it instate with all sorts merit aid, but it is till expensive compared to other schools in-state tuitions. I don't know if you'd get the true college experience, because many students go home for the weekends That is probably the main qualm folks have with it--the quick prestige it gained. It is still a reputable school, but probably more of a regional school where it is not really known in other parts of the country.</p>
<p>All of that is changing so fast Willmingtonwave (with lightening speed).</p>
<p>Princeton sued TCNJ about the name change- the judged ruled in Princetons favor but said either use the name or give it up.</p>
<p>Willimingtonwave - back in 1980 or 1981 Money Magazine rated Trenton State as the best value college in the country. The school has risen in prestige every year since but has always had an excellent placement record in terms of employment. Besides teaching the accounting and engineering technology students have never had a placement problem. It is only in the last few years that the school has been ultra selective and an alternative to high priced LAC's about 10 years- this info was told to me by various teachers in some solid school districts</p>
<p>wilmingtonwave,</p>
<p>Investing $250M over 15 years, on a very attractive parcel of real estate, and having it coincide with a name change will do wonders for your image.</p>
<p>And making a deliberate attempt to retain as high a percentage of over-achieving graduates from one of the highest-performing states in the country will serve to elevate your position, as well.</p>
<p>TCNJ purposely maintains a 95% in-state attendance rate. One of the reasons that they are not nationally known is that they have chosen NOT to advertise beyond their home state. That may change as TCNJ routinely becomes a destination rather than a secondary choice for NJ students.</p>
<p>The 20-year old "suitcase" story gets old as does the "remoteness" of Ewing, NJ. Not sure why 95% of the "suitcasers" choose to return for their 2nd year and more than 80% graduate on time. Curiously, the prestigious LACs are often remote, yet are described as "pastoral", "glorious" among other superlatives. And often they are snowbound from December through March. In addition to having a gorgeous campus, TCNJ is two miles from I-95. From there, it is 10 minutes to Princeton; 15 minutes to New Hope, PA; 35 minutes to Phila; 10 minutes to the train station where NYC is a one-hour jaunt. Also, it is 75 minutes to the Poconos; and 45-60 minutes to your pick of many of the New Jersey shore points. However, there is much happening on and near campus that many students don't even consider external influences their first two years.</p>
<p>JerzeyJim-</p>
<p>Public perception takes a long time to change, unfortunately.
Thirty years ago, Trenton State was seen as an OK teacher's college, nothing more. Certainly not a destination for an 'over-acheiver'.</p>
<p>TCNJ is a different animal. I agree with you that they have decided (for now) to be the choice for capable, motivated NJ students looking for a great education at a reasonable cost in state.</p>
<p>The suitcase label is outdated. Our son is a sophomore, with car on campus this year. We don't expect to see him any more frequently than last year, which was seldom. It is a true community there and our son has found a core of terrific friends. We THINK he still likes his family but coming home is not an attractive alternative. He hangs on campus, works on campus, treks to Philly, NYC, the shore....not home! Well, I guess he COULD be packing a suitcase for a WE down the shore, I suppose.</p>
<p>It is true that Ewing isn't much. But as a (protective) mom, I'm just glad I discovered the school wasn't in downtown Trenton. :)
You now, maybe it's a good thing to keep TCNJ for our NJ students!</p>
<p>Hi, </p>
<p>All this talk about TCNJ is making me excited, but nervous. We toured the school last spring with my son, and liked it quite a bit. Now, it seems that it's popping up more and more in conversations around my way. Our son's guidance counselor is very high on it, but nobody from my son's school attended last year. People from surrounding communities (here in North Jersey) are attending, approx. 4-6 from some of the surrounding schools. These are top students. </p>
<p>Now that Barron's has upgraded TCNJ to its "Most Competitive" catagory I have noticed articles about it in the NYT and Star Ledger. I think the secret is out. My son liked it well enough, definetly plans to apply, but I wish it wasn't receiving quite so much publicity of late, at least until next year when my son will have (hopefully) been accepted. The price is definetly right!</p>
<p>Bomber, I wish we had another school similar to TCNJ in our state. Other several wonderful public schools to select from. I don't feel that we have same selection, though I wish we did.</p>
<p>First since I was in this same predicament last year let me get a few thing straight.</p>
<p>The SAT score for the incoming class of 2005 is a 1311. Over 60 percent of students are in the top ten percent. Many of my friends were flat out rejected from TCNJ, while be accepted to schools like PennState. TCNJ was also rated sixth in the happiest students ssurvey for the quality of life section nationally in the Princeton Review.</p>
<p>Though, it is much to early to judge the academics of the school (I have only had class once), I am very impressed with the whole operation of the school. TCNJ was not my first choice. I was accepted to BU, Lehigh, UMD, Villanova, Rutgers, and GWU, but these schools were too expensive. TCNJ was always a close second choice because of its good academics, rising reputation, and small school feel.</p>
<p>Is TCNJ as prestigious as Harvard or other top schools. Not yet. That was something I was worried about when going in as a business major. But there are alot of people in state that know the school and think very highly of it. I have been stopped by random people on the street while donning my TCNJ hat, and they have congragulated me on gettingg into such a good school. Major firms and graduate schools also know the school. Recruiters from NJ usually take a large percentage of students from here in a multitidue of disciplines. Plus, what's better prestige or academics. I would pick a better education over a school that is touted as being smart. After all college is what you make of it. I think that parents give kids the wrong message by over emphasizing the importance of a prestigious school. That is only important for the first job, after that it only matters if you know what you are doing and what you make of yourself.</p>
<p>I have already met many people who have transfereed from schools like BU and Delaware.</p>
<p>So far I like the school. Though it is costly for a public college, its still much cheaper than the privates which cost more than 40k and climb every year.
One thing I can tell you is that the students here are all extremely intelligent, and highly motivated. I have already made many friends.</p>
<p>Pick a school for all its attributes not its name. I recommend TCNJ, everyone I have talked to seems to have had a positive experience there, whether it was last year or twenty years ago.</p>
<p>dantrek: Well, you'll be our "person on the ground" at TCNJ, a reliable source of information. I am really glad that you do like the school. My son will definetly be applying this year, so I will be reading this site for any/all gossip (I mean information). Seems like we have been looking at many of the same school to which you were accepted.</p>
<p>Anyway, in between your getting acclimated, and a little thing like studying, if you get the chance please talk about why someone transferred from BU to TCNJ, and the ever-present moniker of "suitcase school."</p>
<p>Thanks, Bomber</p>
<p>I am actually a first year student. Though I did meet a sophomore who did transfer this year. I picked the school because of its small class sizes. I like to get one on one attnetion from teachers. Plus, I recognized TCNJ as a great academic school that was beginning to become known in NJ and around the nation. From my short stay here, I have realized how intelligent and committed the entire student body is, and how rigorous and competitive the course work is. TCNJ is not an easy school, especially with their move to 4 credit classes this year.</p>
<p>I picked TCNJ overwhelmingly because of their accounting program. It's a tough program but it produces alot of qualified students the big four are looking for, and one of he best CPA pass rates in the country.</p>
<p>I got accepted to each school I applied to. I am not saying that to be snobbish, but I just want to let everyone on this board know that TCNJ students turn down excellent pulbic colleges and private colleges alike to attend TCNJ because of its academics and low cost. For the money you cannot beat TCNJ.</p>
<p>We are a little community, and each of the six thouand students have great pride in their school. We know that it was certainly not easy to join that community. Rather, we all had to work hard and high school, and we are lucky to be surrounded by other students that have the same ethics and goals.</p>
<p>RIght now I am very happy with my decision. At first I did not know if I would like the school, but the beautiful campus, the receptive faculty, and my peers have made it a great experience so far.</p>
<p>We were just voted the sxth happiest school uner the quality of life section in the Princeton Review. I dont know about you, but I would wnat my child going to a school where quality of life is valued highly by the school and students.</p>
<p>thanks,
DAN</p>
<p>I have a niece who is a TCNJ alumna. She was recruited immediately upon graduation, by a well-known company. They're now financing her MBA degree. She says her story is not unusual for TCNJ graduates.
She really loves her alma mater, married another alum, and still lives in the Princeton area. However, she did go home almost every weekend.</p>
<p>TCNJ is not a public Ivy League School. They changed their name as part of a "new image" move. It just so happens that Princeton's name used to be The College of New Jersey. They've also changed their logo to a shield, also consquently, Princeton's current logo. They are trying to associate themselves with Princeton and the Ivy League every which way other than actually provided that level of education. Yes, their average SAT scores for students have been increasing so this PR move by them appears to be working. But as someone involved in teaching at a public university, I have to say that the SAT scores of your peers has nothing to do with the education you will recieve. It is all based on the quality of the faculty at the school.</p>
<p>I am currently a Ph.D. student at Rutgers as is my girlfriend. We have both taught for over 2 years. My girlfriend also attends The College of New Jersey masters in teaching program. She claims the classes are ridiculously easy and a joke. Further more, she mentioned to me how every professor at TCNJ mentions their college along with Harvard, Princeton, Yale, etc... This is laughable. Would anyone mention Trenton State with those schools? Has the staff changed much since the name change? Don't be fooled by talk. Because that's what it is. Trenton State was not an Ivy League school and just because you change your name, it doesn't change the people working there. </p>
<p>TCNJ is a college, not a university. It will never have the quality of education of a real university. </p>
<p>If you want to go to a "public Ivy league school", I suggest you look into Rutgers. Rutgers was asked to join the Ivy League not long ago and turned it down. As far as opportunities are concerned, it is far superior to TCNJ. More money goes into Rutgers New Brunswick than any other school in NJ. New Brunswick is also the fastests growing city in NJ. Once Rutgers merges with the medical schools and NJIT, you will have the largest and most prestigious public university on the East Coast. At Rutgers, you have the opportunity to work with a more experienced and qualified faculty than you ever would at TCNJ. Simply look at where the professors at Rutgers come from compared to TCNJ. Rutgers also offers a number of graduate courses to undergraduates to further their education because it is a UNIVERSITY. </p>
<p>Don't be fooled by faculty to student ratio. Rutgers isn't as bad as people make it out to be and as you progress to high level courses, students partake in small classes. The only reason TCNJ is more competitive to get in is because they have 5000 slots which is miniscule compared to the size of Rutgers. We don't baby our students here, unlike TCNJ. </p>
<p>It's true, an education is what you make of it. But you could make so much more of it at Rutgers.</p>