Rutgers University Reviews of Bachelor's in Biology

"I wouldn't recommend Rutgers if you're planning on majoring in biology. First of all, a biology degree at Rutgers is a Bachelor of Arts, not a science degree. The advisers will tell you it doesn't matter but when I was applying to graduate schools and internships I found myself continuously explaining why I had a BA rather than a BS (which isn't offered in Bio at Rutgers. This HORRIFIED the admissions adviser of my current program). Also, there are so many people in the bio program that the class sizes number over 300 people well into the senior level courses. My Organic Chem classes were so over crowded that a lot of people had to sit on the floor to take notes. Getting help from the professors or TA is impossible, even the office hours typically have 50+ people in attendance. The advisers are basically useless - I've been told to "google it" multiple times and the general advisers are never professional. Scheduling is a nightmare, and there are a lot of classes I never had an opportunity to take because the wait list was so long (including microbiology, as a biology major). I've heard that the humanities are a little easier to navigate, and most pf the people I know who loved their time at Rutgers weren't science majors. As far as campus life goes, Rutgers is basically its own city and there's always something to do, but at a school of this size, there's really no community, which is kind of tragic. I also generally felt like the majority of my time at Rutgers was spent traveling between classes. If you're unlucky enough to have classes on several different campuses in a single day, you are guaranteed to spend at least 2-3 hours in traffic, closer to 5 ours if one of those campuses is Douglass. If you're dead set on going to RWJ medical school, Rutgers isn't the way and there's much better bio programs out there."

"The education and experience at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is invaluable. It builds powerful, self-driven, caring, and resilient leaders. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to attend this great university. If I had a second chance, I would still choose Rutgers. Rutgers has a history of providing quality education and promising teaching instruction. Professors and faculty members are passionate about their roles and ensure the best outcomes for their students. The school provides countless career and job opportunities for students because of their huge network with companies and sponsors. When I was applying for colleges in high school, I thought Rutgers was too big in terms of student populations. In fact, it is a huge school and I thought I would just be a number. Later, I realized that there were so many opportunities and resources that students werent making use of and that made a difference for me. Another aspect about Rutgers that I love is the relationships you can build and diversity. The alumni network is so supportive of the school and always give back to the school so that students like me can further their education. Student from all different walks of life and countries come to Rutgers. It is an extremely diverse school and I love that because it makes everyone feel inclusive and supported by the school. For the most part, Rutgers accepts the best of students across the nation and all kinds of students, despite their race, gender, ethnicity or political views."

"Rutgers University is a very large school. I would not recommend attending this University if you are not an independent individual. Because it is such a large school, most of your classes, and programs consist of many students. This means very little to no individual attention. Nothing is handed to you, there are no study guides or options for extra credit. You really need to be self sufficient to survive here, especially in the science realm. With that being said, if you can keep up, Rutgers is a great school. There is alot of school spirit, and it's a shockingly close knit community on the main campus."

"Rutgers University, New Brunswick is an excellent state university. It is very diverse, with many helpful resources and intellectual faculty. Molecular biology and biochemistry is an excellent major for anyone interested in research. The professors in the department are very knowledgeable and helpful. I learned many fascinating things about our body at molecular level through the courses in the major. I highly recommend this major for anyone who is curious about how our bodies function at a molecular level. It is a credit intensive major with many rigorous coursework."

"Rutgers is one of the top funded universities for research in the country. I could not have asked for a better learning experience and the cancer research opportunity I was blessed to have gotten based on my area of study at Rutgers. Of course the general biology and chemistry classes were a bit big but even then I was able to get help from instructors and learning assistants from different science departments. I especially loved the smaller classes I was able to take as I got into my upper level genetics courses and labs, the major specific classes were taught by extraordinary professors and researchers. I currently work in an OR at hospital to save money to apply to PA or a genetic counseling program next year, I strongly believe I was able to get the job I have now based on my academic background and prestige I am given from the Rutgers genetic program."

"Great university, filled with variety. Many different types of people to meet and opportunities to take part of. There is literally something for everyone, whether it be a class to take or an extracurricular club to participate in."

"In retrospect, I realized that I have used only a few things I learned at college and wished there weren't required electives. I'm sure other majors (like Engineering and Business) use things they learned at school at their jobs. Now, college is so expensive that I have changed my opinion that a college education is needed."