University of Rochester Reviews

"A great school especially if you are looking to pursue a degree in engineering or the sciences. The majority of the faculty and staff are warm and are there because they love to teach and genuinely want you to learn. As for the student body, competiveness was an issue especially for those who were pre-med."

"The University of Rochester provided me with an incredible academic and social experience that expanded my intellectual capacity in multiple realms. The University's dedication to research is reflected in the opportunities made available to students."

"I was very happy to attend U of R, and still feel that my degree is valuable. There was a very definite benefit to the fact that it is a research institution. In my 3rd and 4th year of undergrad, I got a chance to work alongside graduate students, as well as do independent research in physics. If you avoid such situations, I think you can have a purely book and class learning experience, but if you want the research aspect, it's there and very motivated professors are available that enjoy mentoring students. The university also has a huge variety of excellent programs, so I got a Japanese language minor as well as my physics major. Plus I took music classes that had interaction with Eastman school of music programs and concerts as part of the course. I am hoping my own children will attend when they are old enough."

"I feel like this is the best program fit for me. I came from a large undergraduate university and appreciate the attentiveness of the faculty and their willingness to help in any way they can. I think the main con is that I live off campus and it is hard to meet other students that don't live on campus. This is a common problem for graduate school so I understand this challenge and go out of my way to participate in any event for students."

"The psychology department at the University of Rochester is great. For the most part, faculty take student concerns seriously and advocate for student needs. For example, while I was there, the stipend was increased by about $5,000, and the department began offering new opportunities and funding for conferences, training and research. However, as with all universities, there are some faculty members who have a reputation for not being good mentors, so I would make sure to get a feel for how other students perceive your potential mentor (especially their current/past students). In terms of cons, the University itself is run like a business. I believe the psychology department (CSP) is truly invested in its students and wants to make their experience enjoyable and valuable. However, the university mostly cares about the bottom line. It doesn't impact graduate students as much as undergrads, but one of the ways it impacts grad students is the health insurance, which is incredibly expensive for a student health insurance plan and isn't that great (it used to be but they keep increasing the deductibles and co-pays). Another con is that it can be hard to make friends outside of grad school as Rochester is a fairly small, close-knit city (if you're ever out with someone from Rochester, they WILL run into someone they know). That's great for people who grew up there, but it leaves the rest of us feeling a bit like outsiders. That being said, there are some really cool things about Rochester (the public market, cool local businesses, great summer festivals, etc.). You'll just probably do most of them with people from your department."

"I am in the Translational Biomedical Science PhD program and in the IIMP track. My track requires two advisors and this can be both a pro and a con. The pro being that I have more than one advisor available to communicate with, yet I have more than one advisor to have to communicate with. The TBS program is not new, but the IIMP track is and so I am a first run student. Thus, I have a great director looking over me to ensure that the communications are open."

"Great research school. If you want to get research experience as an undergrad, U of R is a spectacular school. It also has a large variety of clubs, though personally I thought it was lacking in choir-type groups, and musicals (as in, theatrical stage performances featuring musical pieces). Lots of acting opportunities, lots of a capella opportunities. The Pep Band is a lot of fun and most of the sports teams really appreciate it. Generally I loved my experience there, especially having been a Take5 Scholar, which allowed me to stay for an extra semester (a whole school year is also possible) tuition free, and gave me the time to study abroad even though I didn't have the time the rest of my undergrad. Even the study abroad program was unique to U of R, a small intimate field archaeology class led by one of UofR's professors, where I got to actually get down in the dirt in Italy and carry out real archaeology on a real, ongoing archaeological dig. Incredible experience. Seriously unforgettable. Anyway, to sum it all up, I recommend UofR."

"It's a good school for self-motivated, self-directed learners. If you like to study a lot and know what you want to study, go here. If you're looking for a collaborative learning environment where you feel supported and have access to professors, do not go here. The professors are better at researching that teaching, and they and the administration don't really care about making meaningful connections with the students. I didn't like this school, but if you are studious and self-directed, you probably will."

"It's a good school for self-motivated, self-directed learners. If you like to study a lot and know what you want to study, go here. If you're looking for a collaborative learning environment where you feel supported and have access to professors, do not go here. The professors are better at researching that teaching, and they and the administration don't really care about making meaningful connections with the students. I didn't like this school, but if you are studious and self-directed, you probably will."

"Smaller school, not an Ivy League education, but still high quality."

"The reason I applied to this program is the CoOp program they have for Optics. One goes to school for a semester then the school helps you find a position in industry where you work for a company for a year. After the year is over you return for one more semester and you obtain your degree. The downside is I feel only two semesters of courses is not as much material as I would like to study. But if you love to learn then one should go for a PhD."

"The department of English in the University of Rochester provides students with a variety of courses, from film studies to comic books. This does enrich students' knowledge beyond literature and language studies. However, as for career, I personally don't think the English department provided enough help for students to find jobs."

"The Eastman graduate program is a close-knit community with a lot of peer support. The faculty go out of their way to help students become successful, stretch their skills and abilities, and effectively prepare for the career world. The main thing that I think could be improved is the availability of the U of R shuttle system. The red-line shuttle is often not prompt and this causes problems when students need to get to classes/rehearsals on time."

"Support staff is amazing. Work load is intense. Professors are mainly nice and accessible w/ a few, notable exceptions Financial aid for PhD is very nice. Med school is across the street and we are able to take classes there."

"While I only just started, U of R has been great so far. Classes were harder than I expected, but professors and other students have been friendly. They give a lot of free reign for students to choose classes and research projects (department requirements are more like guidelines). Everyone seems interested in doing some sort of inter-department or inter-lab collaboration, which is exactly what I was looking for. Comparing with friends at other schools, we get a very good stipend for relatively little obligation (the required semesters of TAing) Some cons: dreary weather, small percentage are native English speakers, a big and depressing windowless shared office."

"I have finished an MS in Optics at the U of R and am currently pursuing a PhD. The first year of courses really help to expand your view of optics and gives you a firm starting ground for research in optics especially if you come from other disciplines. The faculty and staff as well as the student body is very friendly and approachable overall, creating a very supportive environment. Research wise, the faculty are at the top of their game and are influential in both academia and industry."

"Graduate program is helpful and the environment is vibrant but I think it can and should have a greater outreach."

"This program is one of the most famous optics program all over the U.S... Approximately half of the optics degree is awarded from our Institute. It's really good and have pretty well professors!"

"Very tough program but everyone is trying to help you out. Great program"

"The Pros are absolutely the faculty and the quality of the graduate education. Our faculty are incredibly supportive and readily available. It's a Junior Mentorship model and they're all very prolific. If you're a small-town kind of person, Rochester is a great area with access to "city" life - but if you're from a larger city, you will probably find it a bit boring. The cost of living is sooooo cheap though - it makes the poor graduate stipend more than livable."