Rutgers University-New Brunswick Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

William

A stereotype for us physics students is that we're all nerds and super smart. This is not necessarily the case; we just work our butts off with the course load we have.

Lauren

New Jersey holds stereotypes I am more aware of then solely Rutgers, but I never met a soprano or snooky, so no stereotypes are not true.

Neha

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Klaudia

When most people around the tri-state area think of a Rutgers University student, they may categorize the student into a certain stereotype, which usually ends up being false. The most dominant stereotype of a Rutgers University student is “partier” perhaps because of College Avenue and its plethora of fraternity and sorority houses which host a good amount of parties throughout the school year. This categorization may be true for some students here, but the majority of students do not fit into this group. It is true that once Thursday rolls around, you may see more students roaming the streets of New Brunswick, New Jersey looking to satisfy their social cravings. This is usually true for all colleges and universities around the world, especially for freshmen who are looking to make new friends and experience independence. However, these “party people” definitely do not comprise the majority of students at Rutgers University. You will find a huge array of students in the libraries across campus, captivated by their textbooks as well as others hanging around dining halls or campus centers. There are always a variety of options here at Rutgers University, and parties are not at the top of that list. It is about prioritization, and from what I have seen, most students at this university value grades and education over partying. With the new additions popping up all over campus, I think that this stereotype will evolve throughout the years and shine a brighter spotlight onto what Rutgers University truly aspires to be: diversified.

Klaudia

When most people around the tri-state area think of a Rutgers University student, they may categorize the student into a certain stereotype, which usually ends up being false. The most dominant stereotype of a Rutgers University student is “partier” perhaps because of College Avenue and its plethora of fraternity and sorority houses which host a good amount of parties throughout the school year. This categorization may be true for some students here, but the majority of students do not fit into this group. It is true that once Thursday rolls around, you may see more students roaming the streets of New Brunswick, New Jersey looking to satisfy their social cravings. This is usually true for all colleges and universities around the world, especially for freshmen who are looking to make new friends and experience independence. However, these “party people” definitely do not comprise the majority of students at Rutgers University. You will find a huge array of students in the libraries across campus, captivated by their textbooks as well as others hanging around dining halls or campus centers. There are always a variety of options here at Rutgers University, and parties are not at the top of that list. It is about prioritization, and from what I have seen, most students at this university value grades and education over partying. With the new additions popping up all over campus, I think that this stereotype will evolve throughout the years and shine a brighter spotlight onto what Rutgers University truly aspires to be: diversified.

Klaudia

When most people around the tri-state area think of a Rutgers University student, they may categorize the student into a certain stereotype, which usually ends up being false. The most dominant stereotype of a Rutgers University student is “partier” perhaps because of College Avenue and its plethora of fraternity and sorority houses which host a good amount of parties throughout the school year. This categorization may be true for some students here, but the majority of students do not fit into this group. It is true that once Thursday rolls around, you may see more students roaming the streets of New Brunswick, New Jersey looking to satisfy their social cravings. This is usually true for all colleges and universities around the world, especially for freshmen who are looking to make new friends and experience independence. However, these “party people” definitely do not comprise the majority of students at Rutgers University. You will find a huge array of students in the libraries across campus, captivated by their textbooks as well as others hanging around dining halls or campus centers. There are always a variety of options here at Rutgers University, and parties are not at the top of that list. It is about prioritization, and from what I have seen, most students at this university value grades and education over partying. With the new additions popping up all over campus, I think that this stereotype will evolve throughout the years and shine a brighter spotlight onto what Rutgers University truly aspires to be: diversified.

Shahzeb

Rutgers New Brunswick rejects attend Newark, ghetto,drugs, not very smart, commuters

Daniel

The stereotype is that we're sloppy drunks who sleep around unprotected

Ryan

I think the biggest misconception is that all students who attend Rutgers focus on partying first and then their academics. While there is a large percentage who are, with 5 campuses and around 40,000 total undergraduate and graduate students, Rutgers is truly a place for any and everyone. The actual statistic is that 2/3 or Rutgers students stop at 3 or fewer drinks and 1/5 don't drink at all, which shows that the percentage of heavy drinkers seems to overshadow the academia that Rutgers has to offer.

Kate

When people hear "Rutgers," they often think party school. Students at Rutgers are sometimes stereotyped as hard partiers rather than determined students. Although there is a prominent party scene in the neighborhood along College Ave, partying is certainly not what Rutgers is all about. Rutgers has more majors, minors and concentrations than I can list, and students are enthusiastic and passionate about their individual studies. There are also countless resources and organizations for rewarding on campus involvement that do not include partying. Most students I know are involved in a extracurricular pursuit that corresponds with their major or academic interests.

Eli

Some of the common stereotypes of Rutgers students are not exactly favorable; Rutgers is known as a party school with many fraternities, a football-frenzied school, and is also known as having some of the most notable academic programs in the world, including philosophy, medicine, and psychology, amongst others. Because Rutgers is divided among three areas in New Jersey (Camden, New Brunswick, Newark), each area is essentially a different school with different requirements. I can only speak about the New Brunswick campus. The stereotypes are accurate; because Rutgers is a state school, is has a very large student body, and thus accommodates everyone. Because of this large population, a good portion of the student body hoards to parties every week, though a sizable portion does not. As with any reasonable assessment, one must look at the context; if midterms or finals are near, partying will likely be lower than at any other time during the semester. Because this school is so large and diverse, it's quite easy for new students to find their niche and settle in.

Karan

The common stereotypes of Rutgers are that the students that drink a lot and tend to sleep around too much. One of Rutgers' other name is Slutgers.

LauraMallalieu

Rutgers has a strong stereotype of being all about drinking and partying. To some extent, this stereotype is true, but only for people who want to be involved in that. College Avenue is the campus where this stereotype is most pronounced. The other campuses are much more sedate in general, but even on College Avenue there is plenty to do without getting involved in the party scene.

Max

It's hard to place a stereotype on Rutgers students mainly due to the wide diversity of people that attend the university. Rutgers does have the reputation of "Party school," and to some extent that is true, but only because of how many people go here. When you attend a college that has over thirty thousand students, you have to expect that there is going to be drinking and partying among many of the students, however, this is just one facet that people tend to notice more than anything else. Rutgers is known for having some of the best areas of study, i.e., Rutgers Business School, School of Pharmacy, and School of Engineering, etc.. I have met more people here who's top priorities are their studies, rather than partying. As for sports, well, sports are a big part of Rutgers life. Being a Division 1 school known for it's football and basketball teams, Rutgers breathes school spirit. You will see thousands of students cheering and chanting as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights play their way to victory. It is hard to give Rutgers just one stereotype, in fact, it is nearly impossible. We have our party-goers, our well-rounded students, and our jocks. Together they make Rutgers the university it is today.

Shelby

Two stereotypes about Rutgers University are that Rutgers is a party school because there are extensive opportunities in Greek life, and that Rutgers is extremely diverse. While there are many fraternities and sororities at Rutgers, and like most colleges, there is a party atmosphere on the weekends, there is much more to Rutgers than parties. Many students here are involved in extra curricular activities, and there are many opportunities for entertainment that do not include going to parties. Rutgers is an extremely diverse school that has a blend of many cultures, races, and religions. There are always activities being held for students to learn about other cultures which often include games or food. Rutgers University is not just a university where students can come to party on the weekends, but is also a school that provides great opportunities for learning and participating in new experiences.

James

Here at Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus, there are several stereotypes that one may hear through the grape vine. A commonly used one would be that of Frat kids and thier institutions. Frats are seen everywhere, from thier houses, to members sporting their letters on clothing. The Frat life, or greek life, can be seen here as both positive and negative at times. The positives are that the institutions are established in order to promote networking and academic achievement, yet in many cases I have seen personally, academic achievement can fall at the wayside.

James

Here at Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus, there are several stereotypes that one may hear through the grape vine. A commonly used one would be that of Frat kids and thier institutions. Frats are seen everywhere, from thier houses, to members sporting their letters on clothing. The Frat life, or greek life, can be seen here as both positive and negative at times. The positives are that the institutions are established in order to promote networking and academic achievement, yet in many cases I have seen personally, academic achievement can fall at the wayside.

Mara

Rutgers is so large and diverse that it has every stereotype. Rutgers has every sport, every club, and every interest group possible. Of course, there is a stereotype for all of them. Rutgers has the football jocks, the frat bros, the "slutgers", the computer nerds, the artsy stoners, and just about any stereotype imaginable can be found at Rutgers.

Jennifer

There are stereotypes of students at Rutgers but of course, stereotypes are never 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} accurate or fit perfectly, especially at such a large university. I would like to say the biggest stereotype of Rutgers students is that we are big party animals, which is definitely true (who doesn't like to have some fun), but we are also very dedicated students who work our butts off to get good grades and get involved!

Neha

Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a big school. The campus is about 30,000+ students (without grad students). When I was a freshman greek life did not make its breakout scene yet - however, it seems that many people are joining the greek life community, whether if it is social or academics. There honestly are so many different types of people, each campus Douglass, Cook, College Ave, Busch, and Livingston offer a different feel for students and the environments are completely different. Also, if you are living in dorm rooms, you will notice if the dorm is not a "special interest housing" then you are bound to live with the most diverse group of people in a hallway. My neighbors range from lacrosse jocks, spiritual people, and girls who like to party. But for common courtesy and respect we always say hello because we've built a community together.

Leena

When people hear the name "Rutgers University" they instantly think "Party school!" But as a student here, I know that's not true. Rutgers students are some of the most hardworking and studious I've ever met, and with good reason. Our school has some of the top-ranked programs, and we all need to put our best foot forward. You'll always see kids in the library and computer lab studying and doing their work. And when the weekends roll around, their are many other things to do if parties aren't your thing. New Brunswick is a big city filled with so much to do and see. One of the greatest Rutgers experiences is attending a Scarlet Knights football game! The Zimmerli Museum is free for anyone with their student ID. There are plenty of awesome, unique restaurants in the downtown area. New Brunswick is also know for its awesome underground music scene. And if you're into theater, there's always the George Street Playhouse and the State Theater. There is truly something for everyone at Rutgers. Don't be fooled by the rumors! We're a lot more than just a party school.