<p>For those of you interested in U of R, I just came back from a tour and have learned alot about the school. So here's a list of some stuff that might help anyone who is interested:</p>
<p>-Bright, intelligent students. (Average HS GPA is 3.7, and 72% of the students were in the top 10% of their HS class).</p>
<p>-Diverse student body. Students from over forty countries. 49/51 male/female ratio. U of R has a roughly 43% acceptance rate. </p>
<p>-Excellent premed program. They also have a REMS program (Rochester Early Medical Scholars) which is an 8-year BA/MD program that guarantees admissions into their medical school, which, according to the speaker at the information session, has an acceptance rating of 73%. Fantastic.</p>
<p>-The campus is clean, and constantly being updated. I saw many constructions going on while walking through the campus. </p>
<p>-Excellent access to computers. Beautiful library. The sitting area (or reading area, whatever it's called...) is VERY nice. There's a balcony with chairs leading out from the library.</p>
<p>-Campus has good security, as well as decent transportation. Freshman aren't allowed a car on campus, but there's a bus that goes all over the campus, and it schedules its times to match classes, so you won't be late, or too early. There's also a zipcar, which is just a car that you rent for 7 dollars a day. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)</p>
<p>-Dorms are pretty much guaranteed for four years. Freshmen and Sophomores must stay dorm for the first two years. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) The only disappointment I felt throughout the tour was the condition of the dorms. Each year the dorms change, and from junior year, you can pick your roommate. You can choose from freshman year to be with a non-smoker, and smoking isn't allowed within thirty feet of the dorm buildings. Bathrooms and showers are outside the actual rooms, in the hallways. The dorms aren't air-conditioned, which can be a nuisance in the summer time. However, 85% of the student body is dorm, so they must manage well. All dorms have wireless internet access. Both co-ed and single-sex halls. Kitchen outside the rooms. </p>
<p>-Their academic departments are great. Brain and cognitive sciences, as well as neuroscience, is one of their best programs. Their engineering department is great too, and they have something called a five-point plan for engineers, which you can read about on their website. As for REMS: 800 apply each year, 50 are interviewed, and 10-15 are accepted. VERY COMPETITIVE. About 1.5% of the applicants are accepted. However, with a med school with 73% of its applicants getting accepted, it's not total tragedy if you don't get in REMS. </p>
<p>-Homeschooled students must take any two SAT II tests. They must schedule an interview. </p>
<p>-They focus more on your overall achievements rather than your SAT scores. If you screw up the SAT, but still have an impressive HS transcript, you'll be fine.</p>
<p>-Entertainment: there are on-going shows and plays through the year. Speakers like Al Gore and Bill Nye visit the university. Twenty percent of the students are either in a frat or sorority. The tour-guide, a student herself, said that students work hard during the week, and relax on the weekend. Parties, fun, it's all there. </p>
<p>-Here's the part I liked most: their curriculum. Very flexible. All students basically have to complete one major (some even triple major!!) and a cluster from three areas of study: humanities, social science, life science. I loved it. Professors take the time to speak with students, and most even let you do research with them. The ONLY required course at U of R is a freshman writing course, which is actually easy because there's up to 60 topic to choose from to write about. For those of you in love with Harry Potter, yes, he's a topic you can write about. Sweet Moses! The class is taught by a graduate student, and there's only 12 students per class. </p>
<pre><code> So that's about it. The only distasteful part for me was the lack of AC or privacy in the dorms. They're still decent though. I can answer common questions about U of R, so if anyone wants any info, email me (benjav91@yahoo.com) and I'll try to help you. Enjoy!
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