Rochester, NY
University of Rochester

The University of Rochester attracts a large group of academically-focused individuals. The undergraduate students spend many hours in the library studying for their difficult courses, but still manage to get involved in some of the many extracurricular activities that the school has to offer. The student population tends to be very involved in the arts, getting involved in the many performing arts clubs on campus. There are clubs and organizations for diverse interests, whether you are interested in finance, political science, debate, or engineering. Although we have varsity sports, watching sporting events is not a high priority unless you are supporting a friend. We have many intramural sports clubs though. The College of Arts & Sciences offers a diverse curriculum that allows students time in their schedule to explore multiple interests. Instead of requiring general education courses, the College requires you to take courses in three areas: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Engineering. One academic area is satisfied by your major. The other two areas may be satisfied by an additional major, a minor, or a cluster. Clusters are a subset of courses that satisfy your studies in that area and are typically made up of three or four courses. These credit hours and the flexible scheduling allows you to try out whatever courses and areas of interest you desire. The College is one small portion of the University of Rochester, as it also includes the Eastman School of Music, multiple graduate schools, and the University of Rochester Medical Center. The immense size of the university provides a wide variety of opportunities for students to take advantage of. However, a University of Rochester education comes at a very high price with very little financial aid available. Looking for outside scholarships is definitely a great idea if this is a school you are really considering! My advice in looking at the University of Rochester is to visit and tour the school! The best way to get a feel for the school is to actual visit and talk to the students. There is a pretty diverse population of students so you are bound to find a great group of friends either way, but it is a good idea to come and see if you can picture yourself going to school there for four years. There's nothing better than in-person experience!

The most attractive factors about UR are its rigorous academics and open curriculum. It's amazing how many students here double or triple majors because the curriculum allows them to. This may help bring ease to some students who are worried about what they want to do in the future because the open curriculum allows them to embrace that uncertainty and passion for learning. Also, the student body tends toward collaboration over cutthroat competition, which makes a positive difference on the whole college experience and the relationships we build. Beyond classroom academics, UR provides numerous opportunities that enhance the learning environment so that there are ways to challenge each student no matter what academic background they are coming from. There are research opportunities for the ones who know what they want and accessible faculty who can serve as mentors for the ones who need a bit of guidance. Even though this is a research university--and sometimes during the large lecture classes the professors seem indifferent to teaching--most of the time they are available for extra help if students care enough to reach out to them during office hours, and they are almost always eager to know those students who want to learn more. One of the drawbacks to this school is how isolated it is from the community. In the midst of dark, snowy winters and seemingly endless mid-semester work, students don't really find a reason to get off campus. There can be a disconnect from the surrounding community for those who don't bother to venture off campus, and that's a loss of possible opportunities to learn from and contribute to the city of Rochester; however, the opportunities are definitely there for ones who value that type of engagement. Also, this school is well-known for some of its STEM departments, so there are many STEM majors, but humanities majors may seem to lack presence. While there may be occasional political conversations here or there, there isn't much political activism or sense of urgency to prepare ourselves to be politically aware and involved adults. The school prides itself in its open curriculum, but it's easy for certain majors to become isolated in some aspects and neglect the importance of politics or arts while being drowned in the rigorous curriculum and their own mindset for what they deem as necessary knowledge for the real world.

The University of Rochester was not a college that I was completely impressed with. While it had adequate academics, the University felt very insular and not community-focused, unlike other schools who seek to benefit the communities in which they reside. There have been prominent sexual-harassment cases against graduate students recently, which cast a long shadow over the administration of the University, with them at odds with their faculty. This is one of the biggest reasons to really make sure you want to go there over somewhere else.

Truthfully, I cannot imagine myself at any other college. The University of Rochester has the kind of environment where you feel like you fit right in, but there's such a diverse and exciting group of students who all bring in so many new experiences and worldviews that things never get boring. Students are very academically driven, and I mean this in the best way possible. People here are genuinely excited about learning, and it drives you to get excited, too. The people here are genuinely supportive of you and your academics; I rarely feel like there's "competition." You feel more motivated by the sheer interest and excitement you get out of learning new things and getting to share it with others, while hearing about what they're learning about as well!

University of Rochester was the perfect choice for me - I couldn't have been happier. The atmosphere positively oozed with dedication to learning and achievement. My fellow students were all fellow bookworms and nerds who also loved to have fun and be social. My professors were invested in my development as a writer, researcher, and student and I constantly felt as though I was improving and working towards becoming a well rounded citizen of the world.

University of Rochester has a culture that is primarily based on academics. However, it is not a competitive environment, and students are always supportive and helpful. The classes are rigorous but doable if you put the time and effort in. Most of the professors are very friendly and accessible outside of class if you attend office hours. The dorms are pretty typical, there's nothing special or bad about them.

Greta school academically. There are a lot of resources available to all of the university's students, its just a matter of using them. The campus is like a bubble, but it is possible to get out into the city. There is not much to do unless you know people, but you find creative ways to keep yourself entertained when you aren't studying which satisfies that itch.

Do not go here for electrical and computer engineering. You will learn nothing. The program is insufferably dumbed down; it is a wonder how it stays accredited. Dorms and food are sub-par. Professors care more about their research than teaching. Most students are uninterested, and it isn't hard to understand why. I feel like I was tricked into attending this university as the school has a good reputation. Now, I wish I had gone literally anywhere else. I have friends who went to community college and they learned far more in their engineering class than I have in three years here.

The rooms are quite large, and some of the newer buildings have sinks and mirrors in each room (even for some lucky freshman). However Residential Life Office is sometimes difficult to work with for any special cases. The food can get tiring... Nothing to boast of. Academics--likely the most important factor--are no joke. Nearly all my classes have been challenging and stimulating with many nice professors. There is a wide array of courses offered--check it out on https://cdcs.ur.rochester.edu/

It is definitely the university of my dreams. I would not be in a better place. I feel very comfortable being here and I fully recommend this college to anybody. The intellectual environment is something that makes it very unique. You won’t feel bored at any time. There’s always something to do out there! In fact, living in a city in which every place is so close is a good advantage.