Rider University Top Questions

The students hardly ever participate, because they are part of cool cliques and don't want to see there reputation ruined. The science professors are alittle obnoxious. A SELECT FEW talk about students behind their back and call them dumbasses. IT'S TRUE!!! They come to school in sweat pants and one professor brings his dog in the lab every day. Really professional. HOWEVER, they are extremely knowledgeable and can be professional when they feel like it. They have always tried to help me to understand the material. Most of the science department looks down on students not going to grad school. The business school on the other hand dresses better and is well spoken.

Every professor has office hours and they like to talk to you about everything and anything. They know your first and last name and get to know you on a personal basis through class and campus interactions. Rider has a career development center that allows you to find out what your specific major entails and what jobs you can plan on obtaining with that degree as well as internship preparation.

The good thing about having a school on the smaller side is that you really get the chance to personally get to know your professors. All of my professors over the past two years have known my name, except my one of my science professors because there were 120+ students in the class. I am an english major and Ilove it. I have some of the most talented teachers in the area. I have grown exponentially from their classes. In my experince there is also a lot of class participation, my english professors base their class around the class participation method. With a few professors I do spend time with them outside of the classroom.

I am part of the Business Honors program at Rider and I love it. I have my core business classes with the same students and we have all learned to work great together. I never worry about not knowing who I can ask for help and the professors know how to challenge us. Overall, though, the classes at Rider are pretty good. Class participation and hands-on learning is big. Every classroom and building has wireless internet access and every class has big projectors. As for how often students study, every student is different. Some students study very often, and some don't. When it comes to finding a job after school, Rider rpovides plenty of help. Students here are not very competitive, and are more concerned with their own personal successes rather than competing with the successes of others.

Most professors take the time to know each student's name (whether they remember it once the semester is over is another story). Since the classes are relatively small there is always class participation which leads to more discussions about a certain topic that someone was debating outside of class. Rider is very much geared toward getting a job.

Every class is differant. There is no average size. I have had a class with 120 students, and my next class is 10 students. Not every teacher then knows your name, but the ones who do are the ones who really care. The teachers who don't seem to as much are the ones who teach classes with more students. But, the rest are so caring and so helpful.

Academics at Rider are probably the same as other schools. If you do your homework and study and go to class, you will def. get a B or better. If you're more laid back like myself, and are ok with just floatin by with C's, you only really need to study. The professors at Rider are all pretty cool though. The math teachers can't really speak English so you just gotta deal with them, but everyone else is cool. Best professor's I've had were Dr. Rebovich (politics) twice, RIP you were the best Rider had, and Professor Emery (finance), who didn't care how long it took, he made sure EVERYONE knew what was going on. The classes aren't very huge which is good I guess for some people, even though i hated that because then the professor will probably call on you. Overall, the academics are hard, but if they weren't it wouldn't be college. And occasionally, on Monday's, you might find a professor or 2 at the Rider PUB where u can hang out and have a beer with them, which makes learning more fun anytime!

I guess it depends on your luck. I use ratemyprofessors.com for everything I want to know before taking a class with a certain professor. I rarely interact with my major-related professors outside the classrooms, but I've heard of some pretty amazing stories with the Science majors. Not only are those professors crazy-wacky, but you should hear the after parties they're seen at. That's only if you're in science.

Professors at Rider are not just people you see three times a week who don't even know your name. I have learned that developing close and trusting relationships with professors is beneficial, especially if you are struggling in class. My academic adviser for psychology has been a professor of mine for 2 psychology classes and he is always available for extra help, as well as to talk about my class schedule and where I want to go with my future after Rider. I find it easier to talk to college professors than it is high school teachers because of the fact that they understand how much pressure we as students are under, as opposed to simple pressures in high school.

Professors know your name, email address and cell phone number. The higher up you get on the education ladder the closer you become to professors. For the communication department, I can say that mostly all of the professors that I have had have taken time to help either myself or other students with anything. There have been so many favorite classes that I have had, I would be unable to pinpoint one. Many of the students I know are very hard working, but any college you go to you are going to find students that just don't care and do the bare minimal. Class participation is common. There is not that much intellectual conversations outside of class. From what I noticed, students are more helpful that competitive. Being a radio and tv major, students are more likely to help you with a project then to be competitive with you. What Rider does, is Rider gives you suggestions and guidelines in each class. There is no possible way that they can teach everything that a certain course can offer, so they teach the most important aspects, and expect students to either grow from there by outside work such as an organization or an internship.

Professors vary as much as the subjects they teach, I have had some that know my name on the second day and others who didn't know it by the end of the semester. My favorit example of this is when I was talking with one of the biology professors, and the department chair of biology walked in and addressed me by name, I had only met her once or twice before hand. That story encapsulates something that I felt as soon as I walked onto campus. Participation always varies depending on the class, from my experiences the professors are pretty accepting of all viewpoints. Rider's requirements can be a little lax, and for some majors particularly. I have an internship in a professor's lab as a freshman, most students if they are dedicated enough can get involved somewhere.

My major is very small and doesn't really allow my to expland too much. the classes are sometimes really hard, but they also give great opporunities like going out and getting involved outside the classroom. I study a lot. Going into college I thought it was going to be fun all the time. But to be honest, freshman year was tough. you can't get caught up in the hype of everything. Students are competitive but not too crazy. my professors are really cool, for the most part. I already have a fantastic internship for my summer right now, so Rider has a good reputation for getting you into a good job.

Academics at Rider vary as to what campus you are on. Me being at the Princeton campus, most of my academics revolve around music and how it surrounds us. To speak about the Lawrenceville Campus of Rider would be un-fair simply because I am not on that campus. Westminster's standards of excellence in music are set at the highest goal for the college level education standards and each and every day, we as students are pushed to that limit but only leave year after year, eventually graduation with those goals achieved.

The classes sizes seem to be getting bigger over the years because they keep accepting too many students. During my first two years, professors always knew your name..now very rarely. The education is geared toward getting a job, professors always refer to the real world application because most of them have worked in the field.

The class sizes at Rider are favorable and many professors know their students' names, especially if students participate. I wish Rider's professors encouraged more discussion of current events in class and had more assignments that fostered critical thinking and problem solving rather than rote memorization of facts from a textbook. The real world requires much more than regurgitation of facts. It requires practical application and problem solving abilities to be successful. I believe Rider can do more to encourage this in their students by challenging them more.

All the professors at the campus know your name. All of the classes are small, about 30 kids or so, usually smaller than that. Actually no, that's a lie. All of your classes for your major are small like that, but core classes like BIO or something are lecture halls. And they suck! you need to go to class and pay attention. The only things you do in those classes are take tests. 4 of them. Which aren't hard if you study. What's good about those classes though is that the professor posts all the past tests online so you can study from them. They want you to succeed. They give you all the nec. equipment, but it's your job to use it.

Academics at Rider see the full spectrum. It also depends on major as well. If you are a dance major (which is popular and has a good program at Rider) the amount of time you will spend in the library is probably a lot less than an Accounting major. Also, there are definitely a group of students you will always see in the library and they care a lot about their grades, gpa, etc; and there is also a group of students that will only be in the students the night before midterms, finals, etc. Due to the nature of the size of Rider, I would say most professors know your name, and genuiely care about your academic progress at Rider. Within the Accounting department, I definitely had a feeling that my professors cared about my success and wanted to help when I struggled. Also Rider's business program carries a competitive accreditation of "AACSB" for their overall Business Administration and also specifically for the Accounting program. This was very important to me when I was picking a college, as it's seen very well amount employers.

The professors here ROCK. Of course theres the handful of fluke ones that suck and are jerks but all of my professors here are amazing. I'm in a more specialized major (a foreign language) so it's kind of hit or miss with me- I'll have the same professors over and over again so if I love them (which I do) it's great but if I hated them I would have to suck it up or transfer. It doesn't seem like students are crazy competitive here, but for those who are there are great rewards (like special scholarships) for those who do well. We always have the Freshman building where a professor actually lives there for a year- it's great. Education at Rider is definitely geared toward getting a job.

not worth the money.

Academic wise I hear Rider has a kick ass business program. There are tons of big name corporations around and tons of possible internships that Rider will help you get. Thats definatly a nice thing compared to other places. When it comes to professor's, it's like any other school. Some professors suck, some are amazing. Definatly check ratemyprofessor.com because it tells you how ur prof. will be. Dr. Alan, Dr. Burnahm, and Professor Emery are some of the coolest just to throw out there. Professor Wygal and Dr. Wiman will put you to sleep in 2.4 seconds.

Classes are fun and educational depending on the professor. Overall, a good education and learning experience is ensured. Most students put forth effort. Some professors are better than others but learning still happens in all classes. Business and education are the strongest departments. Many fine arts students are very talented too. Recruiters heavily seek Rider students and graduates for employment.

The professors are fairly decent and most of them know your name. There were a couple classes this past semester I've had a hard time with but I overcame it. One of my favorite classes has been my sociology class because my professor was very interesting and I can say i actually went to every class and stayed awake. When it comes to studying most students study in their dorms or at the library because they have a 24 hour quiet lounge which is nice around finals times.

The classes are a perfect amount of students and the teachers are very skilled.

Class Size: Pretty Small.. usually around 25-30 Teachers know your name most of the time. Teachers are pretty good, except the Math department. I think ive learned and have had fun in almost all my classes. If youre interested in being a math or science teacher, i would say check out the Intergrated Sciences major. Its pretty cool. You get to be certified to teach math and science for middle and elem school! Teachers have office hours which is good. Riders education majors get a great chance to be in the classroom almost immediately. In your sophmore year they put you in the "field" aka a classroom say maybe 7th grade. Its good cause you get to be in the class room at least 3 times before student teaching.

Rider University is a smaller school, which means the professors know you. They want to see each student achieve. Professors know students by first and last name, which means they care about how the students do.

Every professor at Rider knows your name and something about you. There are only two lecture halls on campus and they are only filled between 50-60. I love all my education class and my business classes, but am not a fan of science or fine arts. Students study a lot because they want to do well. People participate, you have to since your class size wont be more then 35. Im in the education department and it is amazing. My advisor is always there to answer questions or to just talk about issues going on. He and my other professors are available to answer questions in class or outside of class. They are great getting back to you through e-mail. The general education classes differ between schools of study but they give you a little bit of everything which is good. Rider will prepare you to get a job.

My opinion - the education department is phenomenal. Most of the professors are there to help you learn how to teach, as well as the content, etc. There are field experiences that are extremely helpful because of the hands-on learning experience they give. The workload is reasonable as long as you keep up, most consist of reflections. The classes are small enough that the professors get to know you personally and professionally, which is good for references when it comes to looking for jobs. The teachers encourage the students to participate in order to be sure to answer everyones questions or concerns. Sometimes there are group projects that require students to work outside of class, but I would say most conversations outside of class are not intellectual conversations, just random group gatherings and chit-chat. I have heard based on a survey that Rider students study less than other universities, but still do well in classes overall. Rider gears you towards both learning and applying what you know in order to get a job in the future. They really do try to do everything they can to prepare you for the future (resume, job interviews, etc). However, I do believe that some classes really don't have anything to do with the major, and thus should not be required to be taken.

Academics at Rider is probably one of its strong points. The majority of professors are doctors and the class sizes are small. You know the professors names and they know yours. A majority of them are very personable out of the classroom and it is very easy to go into their office during office hours and have a normal conversation. Rider is a bit overpriced I would think if you are doing anything other than business but I was a History major and the department was incredible.

Academics at Rider are alright. The professors know your name if you choose to let them, most don't go out of their way to talk with you or get to know you. Teachers are there to teach and that's all. I don't have a favorite class. You can't take anything interesting because they don't offer it. And if the class is the least bit interesting its full and you can't get in. It is so hard to get the classes you need to take let alone the classes that you want. The way they let you pick classes is rediculous. Everything is so screwed up that when you need to take the class the semester you're supposed to take it you can't because upperclassmen got screwed over and now have to take it later so you have to take it later. Its a screwed up system. Some students study, some students don't. I don't study much and I got a 3.74 this semester. You really just have to do your homework but learning how to do work in college comes with time. When you get out of high school you have all of this free time in college that you don't know what to do with but you'll figure it out. So moms and dad's if your son or daughter comes home with not such good grades first semester don't get mad. They know they have to bring their GPA up and they'll figure out something that works for them. Nagging them about work will just get them angry and they'll never answer the phone when you call.

Classes are small and everyone knows the teachers here. It's a great learning environment.

My favorite class at Rider was Statistics. I hated it at the time but now that I think about it the professor was really laid back, I met alot of new people, and most of all I passed it! I find the classes to be on the small side which i like and the professors are really easy to get ahold of if you need help in a class. I took a class about art history, and I got to experience going to museums, watching plays, and going to art galley openings. It was alot of fun.

Alright. A lot of teachers do not seem to have the knowledge.

The professors, for the most part, are really personally. A lot of them you will call by the first name (mostly the younger ones.) Most of them are down to earth and willing to cut you some slack when you deserve it or something really rough is going on in your life. Watch out for the ones who have been there for like 40 years, they think they own the place and will fail you if you don't bow down to them. For the most part Rider really teaches you what's important in life...it's not about getting the grades or getting the job...it's about being a well-rounded person that really understands the material they're learning.

The profressors at Rider are awesome. They make time for you and they always try to be available. They want you to do well, they care about you and your future.

Classes are pretty good. Most professors try to know your name. They're are small classes so most will. My favorite class was Sociological Imagination because the professor was very dedicated to his subject and he taught very well, even though it was at 8am. My least favorite was Intro to Psychology because the professor was awful. We never got most of our graded peices back, and she wouldn't tell us how we were doing. It was frustrating and I hated it. Class participation is pretty common, but it depends on the class and the professor. Some students have intellectual conversations outside of class. You have to get into the right group of kids. Most of my friends are very competitive about their schoolwork, but I don't think all of the students are. I would say about half are. The most unique class I have taken was Literary History. It went through the peices of writing from oldest to newest. We went in and talked about what we had read for homework, but we talked about what WE thought more than what the professor thought. It was a great learning experience. I have two majors (Education and English). I get the feeling Education is much more serious at Rider than English. Sometimes I go to my professors' office hours. It helps me a lot. Rider's academic requirements are fair. I think it depends on which department you get in as for getting a job or learning for its own sake. With Englis, it is more learning, with education, it is getting a job.

The class size at Rider is ideal, all your professors know your name, and this gives you an advantage. The business and education department are the best as far as academics go. As a communications major there are some great professors, and some awful ones. The advisors also do a poor since many of them never actually have their advisees in class. I also recommend if you want to get an internship you be proactive and look for yourself. Do not leave it up to the professors because you will likely not be happy with the one you get.

Best part of the school. Most of them are quality especially the history department.

Classes are not that bad and the professors love to work with you

The academics are rider are really good. I have loved every single one of my professors, they are all great teachers.. I even called my business professor by his first name. They all push for class participation and try to get you involved in class discussion with interesting topics and activities. One thing that hasn't been true that they said would happen is that you would have lunch or dinner with your professor at their houses cause that's never happened for me.

The school is incredibly tiny, so yes, the teachers know your name. I just read the rest of the questions, and they're all very leading and propaganda-y. Please think about that as you read other responses. Yes, students study CONTANTLY, people are always in the practice rooms. If you're not either studying or sleeping, you may have missed something the professor told you to do. The course requirements are often frivolous and unrelated to your major. Everyone at Westminster must take a certain amount of music theory and history classes- none of which may even touch your intended area of study (ie operetta, music theater, any popular music, organ music...) The education is definitely festering with "learning for its own sake." It's almost as if the teachers are expecting you to fail at your intended career and will probably end up being a teacher, historian, or high school choir conductor.

Every one of my professors know me and I also make it a point that they do. I love the one on one help I am able to receive from them. My favorite classes are based on the professors, if I enjoyed the professor I loved the class. I haven't been much involved with the education department yet because I am only a freshmen but I've been very involved with the psychology department. Most of the professors seem very nice and they are all very experienced in their fields.

My biggest qualm with Rider might be the great sense of Rider pride at the university despite the fact that the academics are extremely sub-par. In an attempt to finish my degree sooner, I have taken many of my courses over the summer, through community colleges or four-year universities, for transfer credit; I have honestly felt more satisfied and educationally fulfilled from each of these courses than from nearly any Rider University course I've taken. At Rider, the classes I've taken have been horribly unfocused. I've heard of so many instances where professors run the class on an "as you wish" basis, where you need not attend, and as a result, many students are gaining no knowledge from the first handful of courses in their own majors. I had a class this past spring where several students seemed to suffer in their grades because they were more informed on the subject than the professor, and her instruction was just so inaccurate that their knowledge became detrimental. Regarding some earlier comments, I feel that Rider also needs to raise its admission requirements. It is clearly becoming more of an issue of money for the university than credibility, and for every student that is deserving of the chance to pursue their degree, one student is also admitted who will spend each night out drinking and not make any use of the opportunities. These students make the academic environment that much worse for all the serious students, and Rider needs to reprioritize and stop admitting so many of these students just for the money. I can say that from my knowledge of Westminster Choir College, I have next to no complaints. The faculty is stellar and the level of instruction is unparalleled. Barton Bartle is the only professor to watch out for; he is highly unfair and insensitive and does not set out to see a student succeed. Westminster is Rider's strongest asset, though, and should be treated as such.

Academics at Rider is excellent. I'm an accounting major and have a minor in health administration. Rider started out as a Business College and thus the business courses here are fantastic! There are so many businesses that are close to Rider including: Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ernst & Young, Lehman Brothers, and so many more. Here you can get internships, summer jobs, co-ops, etc. If Rider doesn't have an established major that you are interested in you can create your own. Health Administration and Accounting are not normally paired together, but that's what I wanted to do. You tell them what you are looking to achieve and they will help you achieve it. In the classes I've taken class participation has always been a huge part of the grade. Some of the classes I've taken, no one wanted to participate and the teacher didn't encourage it, like in my statistics courses. But many teachers really encourage participation and the studnets always want to share their opinions.

Generally, you only have classes for 15 hours a week. That is where time management comes in to play. If you don't know how to study, get started now. College tests are not easy, you should prepare by studying your notes a week before the test. Ask your professors for help whenever you need it. If you study a few days before a test, you should do average depending on how well you know the info. GO TO CLASS, some classes count attendance, others don't. If you don't go to class, you will most likely do terrible. If you go every class, your professors will know you & will be more willing to help you out. The average class size is about 15- 25 & your professors will begin to learn your names. Many professors love when their students participate & have an interest in what the subject is - not just the grade their going to receive. I'm an education major, I have yet to take the classes yet so I don't know much about it.