A Rich History

Chartered in 1766 as Queen’s College, Rutgers is one of the original nine colonial colleges and the eighth-oldest institution of higher education in the nation. Today, seven (Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale) of the nine colonial colleges are private and two (Rutgers and the College of William and Mary) are public. Rutgers is New Jersey’s flagship public research university, and is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (a group comprising the top research universities in North America), and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Academic Options to Suit Your Interests

Students choose Rutgers because it has all the advantages of a small school and all the resources of a leading research university, including 11 schools offering more than 100 undergraduate majors and five residential campus communities.

The liberal arts school is the School of Arts and Sciences. The professional schools are:

• School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
• Mason Gross School of the Arts
• Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
• Rutgers Business School
• School of Engineering
• Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
• School of Social Work
• School of Communication and Information
• College of Nursing
• School of Management and Labor Relations
  

Each school has a unique culture, personality, and undergraduate enrollment.

Housing and Student Life

Rutgers-New Brunswick has an extensive network of housing, restaurants, museums, student centers, cultural centers, student clubs and organizations, parks, hiking trails, recreational facilities, and more. Rutgers Housing and Residence Life houses approximately 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students on five residential campuses. On-campus housing is complemented by fraternities and sororities, special living options, and off-campus housing in privately owned apartments and houses in the surrounding area.

With more than 400 student groups to choose from, Rutgers students are involved in activities that range from NCAA Division I sports to almost every variety of social, cultural, and athletic club. Involvement fairs, held every fall and spring, are great ways for students to learn about student organizations, 60+ fraternities and sororities,  numerous academic and student life departments, and the many opportunities to get involved at Rutgers.

As a member of the NCAA Divison I Big East Conference with 21 competitive men's and women's sports teams, the Scarlet Knights provide thrills and excitement throughout the season, drawing crowds from the Rutgers–New Brunswick community and the greater New Jersey/New York/Philadelphia region. Students who are not quite ready for the big leagues can choose from nearly 50 student-run sport clubs. Extensive recreation facilities on all five campuses make it easy for students to stay active.

Tools for Success

Rutgers offers numerous services to help students obtain the most out of their time spent “on the banks of the Old Raritan.” Career counseling, learning resource centers, health services, academic advising, undergraduate research, and leadership training are just a small sampling of services available to students. In addition, first-year seminar programs are available to help students quickly connect with senior faculty and other students in small classes of 25 or fewer students. Alumni say the academics, cultural, recreational, and social opportunities at Rutgers are endless, and students must jump in and take from Rutgers as much as they can.