<p>I have been to Ewing and Middlebury--Ewing is NO Middlebury. I don't buy the CNJ hype machine.</p>
<p>the college may not be in the nicest of areas, but then again tons of schools are also in bad, or boring areas. And atleast your about an hour from 2 of the largest cities in the country. I've heard that the campus is pretty, and they are doing a lot of work to it. several ppl from my high school go to tcnj each year, and it is becoming more and more selective. They all also seem to love it. It has a reputation as a commuter school, but i know that none of them come home every weekend, or even very often. NJ is spending a lot of money to increase the prestige of tcnj, and I would rather go there than to rutgers. It's definately worth looking at, because it is an upandcoming school, even in the last 3 years or so the quality of its applicants and attendees have increased dramatically, as has its name recognition around the area. Its campus, as well, has changed, and I think that it has, and is, making a real effort to become a very good public lac. But change like that happens over night, however a lot of times as a student it is good to be where the money is being thrown, which is one of the appeals of schools like hyp who have money availible for everything due to the large endowments.</p>
<p>TCNJ was known as Trenton State College until a few years ago and for years before that was considered among the better LAC-type public universities. The name change was done in an effort to make it sound more prestigious but in fact it had garnered good publicity under its old name.</p>
<p>I grew up in NJ, and Trenton State/TCNJ was always well-regarded. Not a Middlebury by any means, but a very good school and a great value. It was actually on the cover of a USNews ranking special issue a few years back as one of the best educational values, IIRC.</p>
<p>I am the mom with the son at TCNJ, as achat remembers correctly.
Anyone with specific questions is welcome to ask me here or private message......
Our family is VERY satisfied with what TCNJ is providing for our son. It surely is not the answer for every student but it is a wonderful fit for us.<br>
Our son is musically gifted and academically competent but not a match for the kids on CC by any means.
He hoped to study at a conservatory in NYC; was invited to audition but was not admitted. He had three viable choices, one with substantial merit aid.<br>
He chose TCNJ for it's faculty, including his private teacher; the quality of the student body, the lovely campus, the small class size.
He has already had opportunities beyond what he envisioned there.
His teacher recommended him to the NY Youth symphony conductor; he auditioned and was accepted. He spent the last four months in Sunday rehearsals (train from Trenton) and performed yesterday at Carnegie Hall. The entire orchestra was incredible and our son was thrilled to be part of it.
He may actually go for his teaching certificate (Yes, TCNJ is still much a teacher's college, though it is changing) or pursue a masters later.
He routinely treks into Philly, rafts on the Delaware, drives to Camden Yards to see the Orioles. Ewing is not much but it is proximal to alot!
The campus is gorgeous and continually updating. Not at all what you would imagine a state school campus to be.<br>
I do wish the students were more geographically diverse. But there is a really nice ethnic/cultural diversity that we find attractive.
Anyway, it's nice to see some interest in a small state school that is attempting to provide quality at a reasonable cost!</p>
<p>And an excellent women's lacrosse team!! D3 national champs! :)</p>
<p>TCNJ has the best Div III womens sports in the country</p>
<p>Very nice article in the Sunday New York Times (June 5). It is in the New Jersey section so it might not be available in New York. Summary of the article is, Great college for the money, private college quality at state college cost - becoming more popular ("hot") . I may have to go visit. :)</p>
<p>Thanks, NJres.
I might have to get a copy of that article. We kind of feel that our son stumbled into a terrific safety in TCNJ. It was always a financial safety on his list but we didn't appreciate how much it would deliver for that modest cost.<br>
Years ago (like 30!), Trenton State (now TCNJ) wasn't a destination for academically competitive kids. Our son only knows of it in its current incarnation, of course.
Wonder what the school will be like 30 years from now?</p>
<p>Interesting fact:
When Trenton State changed its name to TCNJ they were promptly sued by the university up the street named Princeton. It turned out the Princetons legal name was and has always been TCNJ, And Princeton didnt want anybody else using it. Guess what? The judge agreed with Princeton contention and ordered TCNJ to STOP using the name but he also ordered Princeton to START using the name or lose it. Princetons reply was something to the effect: Ahhh
.never mind
..forget we ever said anything. And thats how TCNJ got its name.</p>
<p>That is an interesting fact, and a funny story. I actually knew that that was the original name of Princeton, but it never occurred to me that they would have played dog in the manger about preventing the use of the name now. Before moving to Princeton in the 1890s (and adopting that name) they had operated the school in Newark and Elizabeth.</p>
<p>Anyone interested can read the article NJRes mentioned in today's NY Times about TCNJ online at NYTimes.com.
It's free to read but you have to logon.
Nice article.</p>