Why go to the University of Rochester?

<p>I got accepted to U of R, and it is in my top three choices. I got accepted to BME, and I heard that Rochester has a great program. What is the nightlife like at Rochester? What do non-drinkers do? Are there many non-drinkers? Also, do people go into the city of Rochester often, and what is there to do there? Are good restaurants easily accessible? What is walkable from campus? Also, is transportation convenient? Please list as many pros or cons about the U of R as you want.</p>

<p>ROCHESTER! Because: open curriculum, incredible people where someone is always doing something interesting, professors that care about you, ridiculous amounts of opportunities for undergraduate research, huge campus starbucks, relatively big comfortable dorms, awesome music opportunities (eastman lessons, a cappella groups, rock group, chamber music ensembles, etc), we have 16 libraries on the river campus alone, we have awesome post college programs like Take5, KEY, GEAR, etc, people here are overall incredibly happy and want to learn which makes for a fantastic atmosphere, it’s not competitive and cut-throat, it’s based on collaborative learning and helping each other, people actually turn down ivys to come here, the city of rochester is a nice place with coffee shops and concert halls and museums and festivals and fun (cheap) minor league sports games, the campus food is edible, and we are incredibly generous with financial aid… and if you are still not convinced, im happy to answer any questions you may have</p>

<p>Since you’ve been accepted, make sure you join the Class of '17 Facebook page. Ask all your questions there and get answers from current students.</p>

<p>My guy is a non-drinker as has a whole group of diverse friends - some drink, some don’t. He stays involved in clubs, has joined a dance troupe, goes to movies, has a work study job he loves, and manages to study. ;)</p>

<p>But still, for more first hand accounts, check out the Facebook page.</p>

<p>What about the atmosphere of the campus? Are people friendly? Do people make friends with people from totally different backgrounds? I was reading students reviews from ***** and there was one post saying that students who come form low-income and minority background would be left out. Well, as a Chinese who only moved to the States less than three years ago I am really concerned if such thing really exists. And what are the tips for making friends on campus?</p>

<p>My kid loves the place. She seems to have a large variety of friends, though of course we don’t know much about her actual life.</p>

<p>One oddity about Rochester the place is that it’s on the other side of a line that separates east from midwest. It has some eastern characteristics but it is midwestern nice. People are friendly. They talk to you. That seems to be true of the school.</p>

<p>My guy has friends with totally different backgrounds both from within the US and Internationals - all income ranges. He’s probably one of the “odd” ones out there since we live on a small farm in a semi-rural area. Over spring break he brought a friend from Houston home and they had fun exploring the farm together - feeding critters, exploring the woods, etc.</p>

<p>Tips for making friends? Join clubs (there are oodles). Join study groups. Talk with people. Be friendly. Others will appreciate it (and you)! Remember, pretty much everyone there is in the same boat (away from home with a majority of people they don’t know).</p>

<p>I forgot to say: UR has tons of clubs or groups. Join any ones you might be interested in. The school is small enough that you shouldn’t be intimidated by never knowing enough people but large enough that you can find people you really like. When I say “clubs”, the way it works at UR is a number of activities work through clubs. So for example, you want to juggle, that’s a club. You want to dance, that’s a club (or 3).</p>

<p>Since you asked and no one else addressed the “city” question…I think it is important to understand that this campus is very much what I would consider a closed campus. It is very easy to arrive in August and never step foot out of the boundaries until Thanksgiving. Sure, you can take a bus or a shuttle if want too but it is very much a campus based experience. You do not walk to dining, coffee shops, entertainment or shopping. I would really recommend a visit if you are serious about attending to get an understanding. It is not an urban experience…not even suburban…again, it is a campus based experience and many are looking for that, but others my hate it.</p>

<p>planner03, and/others, please help me understand what you wrote above. I know there is some truth to it but I honestly don’t understand and my daughter is coming down to the wire with UR as one of her final two choices. And at least in her mind, the urban aspect is important to her albeit not necessarily a deal-breaker as I think she may be leaning towards UR anyway.</p>

<p>Ironically, right before seeing your post I had been on the UR website focusing on all the stuff about the city of Rochester. I also spent 3 days there in the fall. I really liked the city. I also figured that after a bit of time and knowing where to go and where not to the experience would be even better. Tonight, after going through all the slides about the different neighborhoods, restaurant areas, nightlife, minor league sports teams, city views with river and waterfall at night, etc, etc I actually wanted to move there. Looks like it would be a great place to live and I love that it feels as much midwestern as northeastern.</p>

<p>So, WHY is it that kids don’t leave the campus. The city literally is within 1-1.5 miles away! Is it a transportation thing? Is it a lack of interest thing? I just don’t get it, even allowing for UR having its own busy scene and academic burdens and whatever.</p>

<p>I also do not understand why the parking situation at UR is not better. Parents having to shuttle in when visiting. Cars not being very convenient even after frosh year. I understand kid scan use zip cars but how much of a hassle is that or do they use them with any frequency? Also, the shuttles referenced from UR into town…are THOSE convenient?</p>

<p>Sorry, just starting to freak out a little.</p>

<p>Kids don’t leave campus much at any school, at least not at any school of size. I went to school in the middle of a city and we’d rarely go off campus. Why? Because your life is on campus. My kid is busy. Life is full: from friends to workouts to group meetings and jobs and so on. </p>

<p>It also helps to define what you mean by “going off campus”. You don’t go hang out much off campus but instead tend to go for a reason. Why? A big reason is that this isn’t high school and you aren’t staying out with your friends so you aren’t home. You have no reason to just hang out because you can just hang out where you are, in some one room, in some one’s house, on a field, where you feel like because it’s not high school. </p>

<p>So my kid says life is too busy to go shopping for new clothes, that it’s easier to order over the net than to head to a mall. They do that every now and then but they don’t have a reason to go just because. She often goes food shopping and for little things at the drugstore and the like but those are more errands. </p>

<p>Lots of kids go to school in rural areas where there is nothing much at all. Many kids go to school in suburbs where you have to take a bus or train or a car to go somewhere. So sure you can, for example, go into Boston from Brandeis but something is wrong if you aren’t spending your time doing stuff at school. That means you somehow aren’t engaged at your school with your friends and your activities. Your life belongs on campus. </p>

<p>That is one reason why I like UR: it’s 5000 undergrads. That’s a decent sized town stuffed into a smallish area. That size means you can recognize just about everybody and you can even be familiar with lots of people but the group is large enough that you don’t know everyone, that you don’t feel stifled. And it’s small enough that you don’t feel faceless. </p>

<p>So when I talk about Rochester the place, I talk about how easy it is to get around town. It is. You really can get just about anywhere in 10 minutes. That means when you want to use the city, it’s there. If you have a job or internship in the city, you can get there. Need to use the airport, it’s right there. And there is stuff there: nice restaurants, cool things to do. But during the school year, you really won’t be doing much of that if you’re engaged in your life.</p>

<p>Summer is really different. My kid stays and loves it. There are festivals in and around Rochester every week - I think the favorite is the Garlic Festival - and my kid and friends go to these all the time. They go to the amazing Public Market on Saturdays when it’s jumping. They do stuff. </p>

<p>But during the school year? Much less. </p>

<p>Of course some experiences are different. My kid has had friends from the area and they’ve sometimes gone to their houses but even that is pretty rare. Another kid of mine went to school about 2 miles from our house and we’d see her a few times a semester. Because she was busy.</p>

<p>And yes the shuttles are convenient. The most used ones run to Eastman. Some students essentially commute for classes. You’ll be amazed at the number of musicians at UR. The next most used probably run to the malls in Henrietta, meaning to Wegman’s, Target, Walmart, etc. My kid used to do that regularly until it became friends with cars. (Henrietta is the suburb next to school. It’s where RIT is and a bunch of shopping.)</p>

<p>My daughter sides with those who feel the campus is too isolated. We tried. We really did. We visited three times. Talked to the students about where to go. Had a good friend of mine show us some of the hot spots. In the end, the fact that there is really no place to walk to made my daughter uncomfortable. </p>

<p>We went yesterday for one last time because I believe in due diligence. : ) The last visit solidified her choice against Rochester. It’s just personal choice! It’s a wonderful school and I know other kids who are very happy. The dining hall was great!</p>

<p>Understood that kids (if all is going reasonably well) are going too engrossed in their campus (both academically and socially). My other kids does go to school in “the middle of nowhere” and never thinks twice about almost never leaving the campus. That said, if you live in or within a mile or two of a city that has a lot to offer, why wouldn’t you go in there every 2-3 weeks on a Friday or Saturday to have dinner, see a show, go to a club, or hang out during the day in a nice area just to get a nice, vibrant change of scenery? I guess I’m asking if there is something prohibitive about it. Are the shuttles a hassle? Are the hours of operation inconvenient? As you suggested Lergnom, it is very easy to get around and you can get about anywhere within 10-15 minutes.</p>

<p>planner03, your posts suggests that you found your lack of forays into the city as a negative. Or were you just engrossed in campus life? Could you have done more off-campus if you wanted to?</p>

<p>Lots of kids do use the city. Some kids, as I noted, go back and forth to Eastman. Kids do go out: burritos at John’s, places on Park Ave. But not as much as someone might think just looking at the idea of UR being in a city; it is separated, as you know, from the city itself. Kids tend to go more often in groups to places in easy walking distance like The Distillery and then further afield as they get older, have more mobility options with friends, etc. </p>

<p>But I think it’s on the whole a good sign that kids are involved on campus with their lives on campus. It means they like being there. </p>

<p>As I noted, one of my kids went to school in Boston itself - not out in the burbs like a Babson or in a city that’s sort of nearby like Tufts. Never used to wander Newbury Street, even when living actually in Kenmore Square (when the Red Sox won it all). Probably never used the courtyard at the BPL for studying, though I know some kids do. Too busy. Too much to do around campus.</p>

<p>Shuttle buses are very convenient–D was able to get the the Eastman for lessons and classes, and got to shopping areas (either Henrietta, Pittsford, or Chili) without problem. But as others have mentioned, your “world” pretty much becomes your campus. I agree with the statement that if you can’t wait to get off of your campus, then maybe your campus is lacking in some way. Campus should become home while you are there.</p>

<p>Finalchild - I sympathize with your efforts to get a real feel for the experience that comes with living at UR. I have two boys there - a freshman and a junior. This is the first year they’ve had a car on campus. My older son had no problem getting a parking pass for this year as a junior (didn’t try sophomore year, so don’t know…). The two lots available for student parking are at each end of campus, so your car may be parked right outside your dorm, or all the way across campus (about 15 minute walk). </p>

<p>As far as taking the shuttles - they’re fine. My older son used it every week to go to the grocery store (and the grocery store in Rochester - Wegman’s - is AWESOME!). They ran often enough to be easy to use.</p>

<p>My boys don’t get off campus much, even with a car. I’m confused by it as well. There’s a really cool small independent movie theater we’ve been to (The Little) and lots to do when we visit. i guess my boys are happy hanging out with friends right where they are? I will say, we don’t give them any spending money at all, so they do live frugally off of what they earn themselves. Honestly, I did picture them hanging out in coffee shops, going to Lake Ontario, listening to concerts at Eastman. But they just don’t do those things much. They have done some - they’ve gone to Letchworth State Park (beautiful), Niagara Falls, pizza downtown, etc., but just not often</p>

<p>I actually have friends who love the city so much that they moved there from the Midwest just because they liked the city. That was about 5 years ago - before I’d ever even heard of UR.</p>

<p>My guys love the school - it’s just so supportive of academic pursuits. Profs are easy to talk to, they don’t get shut out of classes (the only one is that my freshman couldn’t get into the intro level CS programming class his very first fall), students are friendly. I think there are students who really want that college town experience, and I am glad they’re trying to address that by building that new “college town” hang out within walking distance. </p>

<p>Has your D had a chance to ask any UR students about it? You may have mentioned and I missed it, but has she done an overnight visit? Maybe she can join the UR Class of 2014 facebook page and ask the question of the students who have been there for 3 years now. <a href=“https://www.facebook.com/groups/173756633948/[/url]”>https://www.facebook.com/groups/173756633948/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>PinotNoir, thank you. Yes, she was there for 3 days in the fall and then an overnight about 2 weeks ago. She and we clearly think very highly of UR. NYU, Bryn Mawr, Brandeis, Northeastern, GWU, American, etc have been eliminated. And yes, I know most of our concerns are front end, and that a week into actually being there (or wherever the choice is) most kids are happy and never look back (or think about things that seemed important before choosing).</p>

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<p>Honestly, I think some activities are those you do more in your 20’s. I went to school at San Francisco State Univ. I could have gone and had dinner out and seen shows and movies anywhere in the city. I didn’t. It wasn’t until I had graduated and was working that my attention turned to those activities and I am an adventurous type. </p>

<p>I also went to school at UC Santa Cruz which had the hippest college town anywhere in Calif. I did take the bus downtown but the school had concerts and speakers that came to the campus so again, I stayed more at school for events. </p>

<p>I agree with the others that it is probably more typical for students to hang out at their school and not run all over the city. Especially in first couple of years of attendance.</p>

<p>My d, even though she was very involved on campus, was actually off-campus quite a bit. Sororities, who don’t have “houses” on campus, have all their parties off-campus. Some fraternities do, too. Many of her friends after sophomore year lived off-campus, in the Park Ave. area. She also went off-campus to eat (Dinosaur BBQ being a particular school favorite). Many people have cars, as she did, and willingly give rides to those who don’t.</p>

<p>There are a lot of choices in Rochester. It can be as campus oriented as you want it to be, or as urban as you want it to be.</p>

<p>I think so much of this depends on the students, their friends, where other friends go to school, their major and if they have to work on campus or have off-campus jobs. I would agree that there are things to do and places to go within Rochester and around… but you and your friends need to be motivated to go and do. Taking a shuttle to Target or Wegmans or the mall is easy enough but it’s not like going to Harvard Square for example if you go to school in Boston. It is easy to get to East Ave and the restaurants even if you take a cab back to campus. It is easy to go to Eastman for concerts and performances but there could be a concert or performance at Eastman every night and there are kids who will never be motivated to go. There is minor league hockey but I am am sure the vast majority of students never go there either. It would be fun if there were more hip kinds of clothing stores on East Ave or anywhere. I know that my d and friends did sometimes to a mall to go to dept store shopping…but they also went to Toronto, to Buffalo and Niagara Falls, to Ithaca and so on.
I also went to school in upstate NY and I also went to concerts and to visit friends at other schools, went wine tasting and skiing. Older d went to school in Boston…went skiing at least one weekend every year, went to the BSO at least a few times and so on. She went to Harvard Square and to the MFA and other museums a lot, as well as to visit friends at Tufts… but did anyone do all of this all the time…no.
You have work to do and things to do on campus and you and your friends might have on-campus jobs and you will be involved in clubs and you will have club meetings and events… your life will be busy!</p>

<p>I agree that it’s all up to the student as to how much they do on or off campus (anywhere, really). Not everyone likes the same activities. There are many more options available to do than one is able to actually do, esp if one fits studying in there somewhere. </p>

<p>(I doubt my English teacher would like that last sentence, but I’m leaving it… I’m math/science so I have an “excuse” I’m using.)</p>