U.S. News: Rutgers received a record-setting 244,000 applications for admission in the academic year 2024–2025. What unique factors draw students to Rutgers, especially out-of-staters?
Rutgers comprises three campuses: Rutgers–New Brunswick (flagship), Rutgers–Newark and Rutgers–Camden. For academic year 2024-2025, more than 103,500 students applied universitywide, with more than 89,400 student applicants to the New Brunswick campus.
*Note: These figures represent the total number of first-year and transfer undergraduate applicants for 2024-2025 fall, spring and summer terms. Students can apply to up to three schools across the university, so the number of applications received is higher.
Each Rutgers campus offers a unique student experience, and all campuses proudly support a diverse student population.
- Rutgers–New Brunswick, serving more than 50,000 students across five local campuses, provides a wealth of research and extracurricular opportunities to round out the academic experience.
- Through Rutgers Health, it is the largest academic health center and patient care provider in the state.
- Rutgers–New Brunswick is a member of the Big 10 Academic Alliance and provides easy access to both New York City and Philadelphia, making it an attractive destination for domestic and international students alike.
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U.S. News: What does Rutgers do to make the big university feel smaller for first-year students?
- Rutgers–New Brunswick is geographically arranged into five distinct local campuses, each with its own dining halls, residence halls and student centers.
- There are more than 750 student organizations providing an opportunity for students to find their niche and peers with similar interests.
- There are a variety of Living-Learning Community housing options available for students to live alongside peers who share similar goals and passions, take courses together and build meaningful connections with mentors and faculty.
- Rutgers–New Brunswick also offers specific first-year and transfer courses to assist students with acclimating to and navigating a large institution.
U.S. News: What support do you provide for first-generation college students and other populations that might not have sufficient external support navigating college life?
In addition to the support mentioned above, Rutgers–New Brunswick offers resources for students who may not have much external support in navigating college life.
- The Rutgers Future Scholars program provides promising first generation and low-income students with mentoring, tutoring, academic enrichment services, social and cultural experiences as well as general guidance and support beginning as early as the seventh grade.
- RU1ST provides an opportunity for students to increase awareness about the experiences of first-generation college students and to share knowledge and best practices. Students gain access to the RU1ST transition course, academic advising and support, leadership experiences and educational opportunity grants.
- The Educational Opportunity Fund provides financial assistance and support services such as counseling, tutoring and developmental coursework to New Jersey students from educationally and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Scarlet Guarantee is a Tuition Assistance Program that helps make attending Rutgers–New Brunswick affordable for families with an adjusted gross income of up to $65,000.
Support services offered to the general student population include the Scarlet$ense financial wellness program, the One Stop Student Services Center (providing support across financial aid, registration and student accounting), the Dean of Students office, academic advising and mental health wellness counseling.
