Rutgers University Reviews

"I think the Bloustein school is one of the best Planning and Public Policy schools in the country. First of all, in the past few years, nearly 100% of students place into a full-time planning related jobs after graduation. I haven't really spoken to an alum that had difficulty finding a job after Bloustein, not only because the education you receive here is top-notch, relevant and useful, but also because Bloustein has an extensive, well-connected alumni network that is happy to help you transition into a career as a planner. The alumni network extends not only within private and public sectors in the NY-NJ region, but also in DC and across the country. Bloustein offers competitive financial aid packages with many opportunities to intern/work part or full-time as you go to school, and is always offering career workshops, networking events, and professional skill building. Also, the faculty and administration are very responsive to students--most professors are very willing to help you outside of class & mentor you, and the administration and staff take student needs seriously--there are Dean's lunches every semester (where there is an exchange of student suggestions with the Dean of the school) and they are genuinely willing to chat and help support you. Some negative considerations may be: 1) It's location--a bit difficult to get to from the NYC region 2) Intense workload-might make it difficult to go to school and work at the same time 3) Although most classes are great quality, not all are, make sure you talk to students about which classes to not take All in all, I know I decided to go to Bloustein because of 1) It's high reputation as a planning school 2) The competitive financial aid package 3) Invaluable career resources--no other graduate school I looked at had a full-time career advisor just for planning students to help them get the jobs they want 4) It's well-connected alumni network. I couldn't be happier with my decision!"

"The program is full of dedicated professors who are here for you. Bloustein also has many research centers which are great for obtaining employment that is relevant to your studies while at school. It is also more diverse than most programs I have been to and has a decent sense of community among students. It's also an hour train ride from NYC (although prices could be better). Financial aid is excellent here and is among the main reasons I selected this program. The only drawback for me personally, is that the school is not located in a big city so at times it can be a bit dull. But again New York is never far away!"

"Overall an extremely strong program. Pursuing a dual degree between planning and policy, and this is probably the best school in the country to do it at. Funding is head and shoulders above any other program and the students come from really diverse backgrounds. Career services is one of the highlights, with multiple internships and job opportunities being built in to the curriculum. The program itself is a little insular, but there are options to take courses at other schools within Rutgers and at Princeton, which is quite common among students here. Ultimately, like most grad programs, you can get as much out of it as you want to put in. That being said, I truly believe this is the best professional program for both planning and policy on the east coast, if not the country."

"Very practice-based program. You learn the technology and methods that real planners use in their everyday life, so you feel like your education is actually preparing you for the next step. There is a great cohort environment. There are a lot of opportunities for scholarships/funding and research positions that make the program not only affordable, but an unbeatable bang-for-your-buck. It's close enough to the "case study of NYC" to observe the effects of density and transportation systems, but far enough away as to be critical of how planning is done in NYC. There is more of a NJ-focus to the program, but they make assignments applicable to the U.S. in general. They are trying to add more faculty that teach on international topics and transportation. They are also strong in land use and community development."

"Pros: Bloustein offers a highly-collaborative academic, scholarly and professional environment that is unmatched among planning programs. It's proximity to the New York metro area, the Philadelphia metro area and the D.C. metro area in addition to it's extensive alumni network will greatly enhance your ability to secure quality employment in planning after graduating. Cons: New Brunswick is not always cheap and like most cities, it has occasional safety issues, but overall New Brunswick is a great place to live as a student."

"The largest benefit in terms of technology is that computers in the school are updated every two years and computer programs are updated to the most recent available. The only (annoying) aspect of this is that the school does not carry enough of the high-power computers for the larger, more complex programs (i.e. Rhino and Maxwell for rendering), which is taught in the Advanced Graphics course. Also, Rutgers generally is attacked at least once every semester by a hacker, disabling the entire University system. New Brunswick is really growing and developing into a great city. It has changed so much already and it will continue to change for the better. It is closely located to a train line with access to NYC and Philadelphia. However, students aren't offered (close enough) parking permits through the University for the program's location (not on a campus), which can be an annoyance for commuters (especially in the winter months when it is nearly impossible to park on snow covered streets). Other benefits: The Career Services for the School is AMAZING and there is no doubt in my mind that the school has helped every student find some sort of pursued employment opportunity. The School is incredibly diverse, offers some sort of financial aid to every student attending, supports and often coordinates alumni connections in the form of mixers, talks, workshops, panels, etc. and the students have formed a wonderful community where socializing and making friends comes naturally. I am so incredibly happy I chose to go to Bloustein for my graduate education."

"I feel overall, Rutgers is a great school to be apart of. Rutgers is a reputable school with a lot of networking opportunities. The professors are extremely supportive and knowledgable in their area of focus. Due to the area of Rutgers New Brunswick, the safety of the surrounding areas can be an issue. New Brunswick is a city that provides a great night life and transportation opportunity. All in all, I am so fortunate to be apart of Rutgers University and I look forward to all this university has to offer me!"

"Physician Assistant Program at Rutgers is academically challenging and one year longer than most other PA programs in the country, however, the reputable program prepares you for board exams and clinical practice very well. The location is ideal near "healthcare city" New Brunswick. The faculty facilities and program building are aging and could use some remodeling, but nothing that interferes with academics. What the program doesn't have, you don't need to succeed as a PA."

"Rutgers New Brunswick graduate departments offers a wide range of programs to meet the needs of recent graduates and professionals. My program is in Personal Care and focuses on that industry with professors with links to top cosmetic companies such as Chanel and J&J. I think the education I am receiving there is invaluable and will greatly help me advance my career."

"The program lacks good interactions with surrounded companies on topics that really matters. Most professors work on the same old projects and don't really cope with the last trend only in sort and very late. many professors cant get funds due sticking to un efficient projects that cant magnate sponsors, or they don't have strong connections with the working leaders outside academia."

"This program is best for those coming straight out of undergrad or with a strong connection to one of the professors or centers affiliated with the department. A great plus is the opportunities for teaching while in the program and the resources of other departments and centers e.g., the Teacher Assistant Project. The department has improved in recent years with student faculty relationships. Budget cuts by the University has made it difficult for the program to provide more financial support to students. Many students commute to campus from New York City (an easy train or bus ride)."

"Computer Science in Rutgers is a competitive program, and you can expect to see a lot of famous people in faculty group including but not limited to professors that contribute to "Introduction to Algorithms". And personally, I believe that Rutgers is strong in computer vision(CBIM) and system programming. It's a safe campus, as long as one don't walk in downtown New Brunswick alone, and late in night."

"I am Master's in Computer Science student at Rutgers University. Rutgers is definitely a good school to study. It have highly research oriented courses. The professors are good and approachable. The coursework is heavy but you learn a lot here at Rutgers. The career services is more oriented towards Undergraduate students and very less technical giants come to Rutgers for recruitment. No Microsoft, Facebook, Apple etc. But a lot of banks come here to recruit. Overall its a good place which provides you great recreational, transport, food and academic facilities."

"I enjoyed most of my classes and I think I received as good an education as any library student."

"Mason Gross is a tough school, but it teaches you a lot of valuable skills for the real world. I appreciated getting knowledge in all aspects of theatre, and how much I actually got to stage manage shows."

"Rutgers has a tremendous amount of resources, but more importantly, io has great fellow students. More than just a research university, the faculty and staff greatly support you if you want to accomplish something big beyond the typical course work. The one drawback is that it's difficult to know who you should work with if you want to build cross-curricular skills (READ: tech and entrepreneurial opportunities), but if you really care, you'll do the leg work."

"Bloustein offers its students personalized academic and financial support (incredible scholarship and fellowship opportunities!) as well as providing a dedicated full-time career coordinator, which is rare for any masters program. The school is very receptive to students needs, the faculty accessible and engaged in renowned research, and frequent career events/networking opportunities are scheduled throughout the year. Due to its location (in the NY/NJ Metropolitan area) and its extensive alumni and professional network, the program attracts a diverse and competitive student body, and has many graduates and contacts in government and top planning companies. Courses offered are balanced between quantitative skills classes (GIS, statistics) and qualitative, theory classes, preparing students well for the professional world. Students are also encouraged to take courses outside of Bloustein to widen their scope. I cannot be happier with this program, and highly recommend it as a top tier planning school."

"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."

"I attended Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. I feel that I received a great education with dedicated professors, small class sizes, and a university that was conveniently located to my home and work."

"I attended Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. I feel that I received a great education with dedicated professors, small class sizes, and a university that was conveniently located to my home and work."