Rutgers U. (Newark, Camden, New Brunswick: neighborhoods, school, universities)

[Merliona]

Hello!

I may get a postdoc offer at Rutgers University. I am going to visit in 3 weeks and I am just getting started on researching the university and places to stay. I see that Rutgers has a campus in New Brunswick, yet the person I am meeting is at Piscataway. Is Piscataway a different campus than the New Brunswick one? Also, does anyone know the reputation of Rutgers U.? I want to make sure I am going for the right program. Thank you!

[lammius]

Originally Posted by Merliona

Hello!

I may get a postdoc offer at Rutgers University. I am going to visit in 3 weeks and I am just getting started on researching the university and places to stay. I see that Rutgers has a campus in New Brunswick, yet the person I am meeting is at Piscataway. Is Piscataway a different campus than the New Brunswick one? Also, does anyone know the reputation of Rutgers U.? I want to make sure I am going for the right program. Thank you!

Rutgers has three campuses, in New Brunswick (main), Newark, and Camden. The New Brunswick campus is itself spread over five separate "sub-campuses," three in the City of New Brunswick and two in neighboring Piscataway Township.

I always recommend that people make their application choices and ultimate decisions based upon the merits and personal "fit" of the PROGRAM first, and not get hung up on "university vs university" reputations. That said, Rutgers is a research university that has a very solid academic reputation, especially for its postgrad programs. Its reputation for the specific program you wish to work with may be "Top 5" or "meh." Princeton and Columbia, for example, have better academic reputations overall than Rutgers, but Rutgers has some masters and PhD programs that outrank comparable programs at those universities. Find out whether publications/journals/reviews in your field rank university degree programs, talk to faculty you know at your current/previous university or other folks in your field who may have opinions or advice.

I'm betting you've done some of this stuff already, but if not, it will go a long way to help you make your decision! Good luck!

[soug]

The whole sub-campus thing really is a shame in my opinion, as someone who went to a university with one large cohesive, beautiful campus. If I didn't know Rutgers so well from visiting friends and other events, I'd think the set-up was a disaster. But I'm sure people get used to it and learn to appreciate the unique qualities of Livingston, Busch, Cook/Douglass, etc.

[mnmel]

I echo lammius' point that the reputation depends on the department. I was a postdoc at Rutgers a couple of years ago (2008-2010) and really enjoyed it - feel free to dm me any specific questions you have.

[Merliona]

Hi!

Thank you everyone for your responses. I asked about the reputation of the school but perhaps it is the program that I should make sure it is good.

The department does not have a PhD program in my specific field although the particular postdoc is related to my experience and somewhat related to where I see myself in the future. My ideal postdoc would be in a training program where I work with a mentor to develop my own line of research. The postdoc at Rutgers involves coordination of a project and I will be able to publish articles (which is my main focus) so long as I take the initiative. I am unsure that this program will help me develop my area of research although it will defintely help to build my CV. I was asked if I am interested in 1 or 2 years -- I said 2 because I don't think 1 year is enough to get publications out. The program per se has an applied focus (my focus is on research), which is why I am unsure of the fit. I wouldn't want to go and find out that noone (I exaggerate a bit) is interested in research. This has been my experience in my PhD program, so I want to make sure there are opportunities to collaborate and work with others.

I will visit in a couple of weeks. My current advisor says that the program at Rutgers should pay for the trip. I am not sure if this is how things go since I am the one looking for a postdoc and I thought I need to pay (it is not as if I am applying for a faculty position). Does anyone know how this goes and who pays for the trip? I did not ask as I didn't think it was appropriate at this stage, but I would like to know nevertheless.

Also, does anyone know how common it is for people to do more than 1 postdoc? I am thinking to try again for my top choices after I build my CV while at Rutgers. Any ideas? Thank you!

[Kracer]

the bus runs constantly from NB to livingston/ piscataway.

That campus is spread out from Rt 1 with Douglass and the Ag school to livingston/piscataway so the bus is essential as parking is non existent.

NB, college ave, is the heart of that campus.

[RUNYYfan]

Originally Posted by Merliona

Hello!

I may get a postdoc offer at Rutgers University. I am going to visit in 3 weeks and I am just getting started on researching the university and places to stay. I see that Rutgers has a campus in New Brunswick, yet the person I am meeting is at Piscataway. Is Piscataway a different campus than the New Brunswick one? Also, does anyone know the reputation of Rutgers U.? I want to make sure I am going for the right program. Thank you!

Congratulations and good luck!

As others have noted, Rutgers has three campuses: New Brunswick, Newark and Camden.

The New Brunswick campus is divided by the Raritan River with the majority of the Humanities and Social Sciences departments located in New Brunswick on what is known as the College Avenue Campus. The clinical and core sciences departments are, for the most part, located on the Busch Campus which is across the River in the Township of Piscataway. The agricultural and environmental sciences departments are located closer to Route 1, but still in New Brunswick.

Unlike most colleges and universities that hem in their students to a closed campus, Rutgers provides students the experience of what the real world is like: significant wide-open spaces with a broad expanse of locations that run the gamut from cityscape to farmland to corporate complex.

Originally Posted by soug

The whole sub-campus thing really is a shame in my opinion, as someone who went to a university with one large cohesive, beautiful campus. If I didn't know Rutgers so well from visiting friends and other events, I'd think the set-up was a disaster. But I'm sure people get used to it and learn to appreciate the unique qualities of Livingston, Busch, Cook/Douglass, etc.

To each his or her own, but if I wanted one of those over-designed campuses, I'd go look at an 18th Century garden. College is supposed to prepare students for dealing with the real world, not insulate them in some bucolic fantasy land. But that is just me.

Originally Posted by Merliona

Hi!

Thank you everyone for your responses. I asked about the reputation of the school but perhaps it is the program that I should make sure it is good.

The department does not have a PhD program in my specific field although the particular postdoc is related to my experience and somewhat related to where I see myself in the future. My ideal postdoc would be in a training program where I work with a mentor to develop my own line of research. The postdoc at Rutgers involves coordination of a project and I will be able to publish articles (which is my main focus) so long as I take the initiative. I am unsure that this program will help me develop my area of research although it will defintely help to build my CV. I was asked if I am interested in 1 or 2 years -- I said 2 because I don't think 1 year is enough to get publications out. The program per se has an applied focus (my focus is on research), which is why I am unsure of the fit. I wouldn't want to go and find out that noone (I exaggerate a bit) is interested in research. This has been my experience in my PhD program, so I want to make sure there are opportunities to collaborate and work with others.

I will visit in a couple of weeks. My current advisor says that the program at Rutgers should pay for the trip. I am not sure if this is how things go since I am the one looking for a postdoc and I thought I need to pay (it is not as if I am applying for a faculty position). Does anyone know how this goes and who pays for the trip? I did not ask as I didn't think it was appropriate at this stage, but I would like to know nevertheless.

Also, does anyone know how common it is for people to do more than 1 postdoc? I am thinking to try again for my top choices after I build my CV while at Rutgers. Any ideas? Thank you!

Rutgers is all about research. It is a "publish or perish" University where entry-level faculty are driven to get their research out into the spheres of influence and to aggressively pursue grant funding to advance their research and work.

Rutgers should only pay for a trip to the campus if you are on the final round of candidates for the position. Regardless of the economy, anyone who thinks any institution, whether a university or a company, should pay for a initial interview or discussion is clueless as to the world around them.

Originally Posted by Kracer

the bus runs constantly from NB to livingston/ piscataway.

That campus is spread out from Rt 1 with Douglass and the Ag school to livingston/piscataway so the bus is essential as parking is non existent.

NB, college ave, is the heart of that campus.

I disagree on the parking issue. There is plenty of parking if you take the time to ask the department that you are interviewing with for information on where to park and how to obtain a visitor's pass, which they should be providing to you.

* * *

And yes, for anyone wondering, the "RU" in my handle does refer to my connection to Rutgers University. I'm a graduate, past academic dean, and
current alumni association representative.

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by Kracer

the bus runs constantly from NB to livingston/ piscataway.

That campus is spread out from Rt 1 with Douglass and the Ag school to livingston/piscataway so the bus is essential as parking is non existent.

NB, college ave, is the heart of that campus.

...and the bus is free.

[soug]

Originally Posted by RUNYYfan

Unlike most colleges and universities that hem in their students to a closed campus, Rutgers provides students the experience of what the real world is like: significant wide-open spaces with a broad expanse of locations that run the gamut from cityscape to farmland to corporate complex.

To each his or her own, but if I wanted one of those over-designed campuses, I'd go look at an 18th Century garden. College is supposed to prepare students for dealing with the real world, not insulate them in some bucolic fantasy land. But that is just me.

Haha your response was a little harsh. I went to Maryland, which is one connected campus but definitely has different "neighborhoods" if you will and tons of architectural variety within it. And campus is surrounded by a not-so-great college town, so it definitely wasn't a fantasy land. It's not like I went to a country club school in the South. All I'm saying is that the disjointedness of Rutgers can be annoying at times.

[Merliona]

Originally Posted by soug

Haha your response was a little harsh. I went to Maryland, which is one connected campus but definitely has different "neighborhoods" if you will and tons of architectural variety within it. And campus is surrounded by a not-so-great college town, so it definitely wasn't a fantasy land. It's not like I went to a country club school in the South. All I'm saying is that the disjointedness of Rutgers can be annoying at times.

I am not concerned with how spread out the campus is, although I must say that where I am now it is a "commuter" university. That says a lot about the school as most people hold full-time jobs and a graduate degree is something most do on the side. In some respects, the spread out may make seems as if there is no "community" feel. I cannot tell if this is the case. I know Temple in Philadelphia is pretty compact and has the community feel whereas some other universities are based in one location but most people commute there from many different areas. The community aspect at the university level used to be important for me but I can do without it as long as the program is good.