Enrollment changes

[srru86]

Ledger
What N.J. colleges are growing (and shrinking) the most?
The long term macro picture is that declining demographics will drive down enrollments in the aggregate as the "echo" generation of the baby boomer offspring ages out.
That is hurting and will continue to hurt the places at the margins. For example small, second string, privates will not be able to find the numbers of people willing to pay their relatively high tuition.
Top tier privates and major publics should weather the storm.

 

[retired711]

This doesn't seem like good news; it means that Rutgers will be competing for a smaller pool of excellent students. It's true that some second-string schools might go out of business, but they're not our competition, and they will probably have only a minor effect on the supply of college seats.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

CamdenLaw, don’t forget we are seeing a good amount of interest in Rutgers from around the country these days. More so than in the past. Kids are going to be beating the doors down once Mason Gross adds Musical Theater after the two new Rutgers theaters open in September.

 

[retired711]

CamdenLaw, don’t forget we are seeing a good amount of interest in Rutgers from around the country these days. More so than in the past. Kids are going to be beating the doors down once Mason Gross adds Musical Theater after the two new Rutgers theaters open in September.

Are we going to be the only school with such a major? Why do you think kids will "be beating the doors down?" It is probably a good idea but not one that is going to change demographic reality.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Won’t be a big change to the overall Piscataway/New Brunswick but will certainly raise apps to RU Mason Gross School of the Arts from New Jersey kids and kids nationally. To finally have this major plus the new facilities and have Broadway so close to RU is a B1G deal.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Next Rutgers Performing Arts Day for prospective students is July 25. More information at www.masongross.rutgers.edu.

 

[retired711]

Won’t be a big change to the overall Piscataway/New Brunswick but will certainly raise apps to RU Mason Gross School of the Arts from New Jersey kids and kids nationally. To finally have this major plus the new facilities and have Broadway so close to RU is a B1G deal.

You make my point for me. On one hand, the new program will certainly raise applications to Mason Gross just as you say. On the other hand, you say it won't make a big difference in overall applications. So the program, although a good thing, will not have a big effect on Rutgers' problem -- that the number of kids in the demographic will not be increasing, and will probably decrease.

 

[rutgersdave]

Interesting that many of the board suggest that students go to community colleges for the first two years and transfer if possible. The numbers show a significant decline in community colleges enrollment.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

CamdenLaw, I used Mason Gross as an example. A very exciting time for just one of the Rutgers schools, but there are many others. Visits to campus are soaring, including the Honors College. Dates are sometimes booked weeks in advance.Apps to business are increasing. At some point with such strong demand, we will probably need to have at least some expansion of the number of students.The doubling of the pharmacy school building bringing in more students.The closing of the Scotch Plains satellite campus bringing the Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling students and programs into the Med School tower which is also being reconfigured for better use of space that will allow for larger enrollments in programs such as the growing field of Physician Assistants. From what I am told Animal Sciences and Meteorology student interest is strong which is bringing about new dorms for the Cook campus. Not that I want anyone to lose their job, but at some point the Sears store will probably close and Rutgers will buy it to expand the SEBS programs.With the new practice and sports performance center opening in a few days, I would think we are going to see an increase in sports medicine students since the building is closely tied in with RWJ Sports Medicine. Seems like it would make sense to bring Exercise Science over there. Sports Management is also becoming more popular with prospective students. I am sure there are lots of other things on the horizon for the campus. The one aspect that seems to really be taking hold over the entire university is obviously the health fields and who knows how many new programs that will lead to in the future. If people aren’t excited about the current state of the university and the future, all I can say is my interest in all things Rutgers goes back to 1976 and I have never heard so many people, both high school kids and parents, so positive and so interested in Rutgers. They are finally starting to embrace it as New Jersey’s State University.

 

[srru86]

I think the "news" is the community colleges generally thought their relatively lower cost of attendance would insulate them some from the macro demographic impact.

Anybody who has glanced at the issue knew the expensive second teir privates would get hurt.

Not a big impact for RU but like everybody not Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, there will be a slightly smaller pool of really great students.

 

[retired711]

CamdenLaw, I used Mason Gross as an example. A very exciting time for just one of the Rutgers schools, but there are many others. Visits to campus are soaring, including the Honors College. Dates are sometimes booked weeks in advance.Apps to business are increasing. At some point with such strong demand, we will probably need to have at least some expansion of the number of students.The doubling of the pharmacy school building bringing in more students.The closing of the Scotch Plains satellite campus bringing the Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling students and programs into the Med School tower which is also being reconfigured for better use of space that will allow for larger enrollments in programs such as the growing field of Physician Assistants. From what I am told Animal Sciences and Meteorology student interest is strong which is bringing about new dorms for the Cook campus. Not that I want anyone to lose their job, but at some point the Sears store will probably close and Rutgers will buy it to expand the SEBS programs.With the new practice and sports performance center opening in a few days, I would think we are going to see an increase in sports medicine students since the building is closely tied in with RWJ Sports Medicine. Seems like it would make sense to bring Exercise Science over there. Sports Management is also becoming more popular with prospective students. I am sure there are lots of other things on the horizon for the campus. The one aspect that seems to really be taking hold over the entire university is obviously the health fields and who knows how many new programs that will lead to in the future. If people aren’t excited about the current state of the university and the future, all I can say is my interest in all things Rutgers goes back to 1976 and I have never heard so many people, both high school kids and parents, so positive and so interested in Rutgers. They are finally starting to embrace it as New Jersey’s State University.

Thanks for the detail. This is really good news. My only hesitation is that a lot of the programs are graduate or medical schools. It's great that RU will be able to do a lot to attract these students. But we need undergrads too. OTOH, It may be that as we get more grad/medical students in New Brunswick there will be less space for undergrads, and so we won't need as big an undergrad application pool as we have right now.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

CamdenLaw, Any date set for groundbreaking for the new Business building ?

 

[Scarlet Jerry]

Frankly, I don’t think that having lower enrollment at Rutgers would be a bad thing, as long as the quality of the student body remains high. Don’t forget, we also have not had great success in football (in the last few years) and basketball (for a long time). If one of those teams has a great season, applications will soar.

Scarlet Jerry

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Forgot to mention expansion of Engineering programs and the new buildings that will be in the Engineering Precinct, in addition to the one that just opened next to the new huuuge Chemistry building on Busch campus. Interest in Aerospace is soaring at a rockets pace. See what I did there.

 

[audriti]

I am an incoming freshman and actually we are supposed to have 8000-9000 incoming freshman which is supposedly the highest we ever had

 

[Scarlet Engineer]

Rutgers is bucking the national trend of declining applicants, both domestic and international.

And the incoming classes continue to have higher and higher SATs.

Pretty impressive stuff.

 

[retired711]

Rutgers is bucking the national trend of declining applicants, both domestic and international.

And the incoming classes continue to have higher and higher SATs.

Pretty impressive stuff.

And (despite what some of our fellow posters say) Barchi deserves a fair amount of the credit.

 

[audriti]

And (despite what some of our fellow posters say) Barchi deserves a fair amount of the credit.

I think a large part of why so many top students accepted is because of the honors college. Many of my friends as well as I would not consider rutgers if it were not for the honors college, even with a full scholarship. However, Dean Matsuda really sold the honors college's curriculum and its community during the Presidential reception. My best friend in my major picked Rutgers over Berkeley and definitely would not do so if it were not for the honors college.

 

[retired711]

I think a large part of why so many top students accepted is because of the honors college. Many of my friends as well as I would not consider rutgers if it were not for the honors college, even with a full scholarship. However, Dean Matsuda really sold the honors college's curriculum and its community during the Presidential reception. My best friend in my major picked Rutgers over Berkeley and definitely would not do so if it were not for the honors college.

It's great that Dean Matsuda has done such a wonderful job. But he needed Barchi to support him with money, and Barchi did that. So, again, Barchi deserves a lot of credit. And yes, I'm sure the honors college attracts a lot of really good students.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

I hope, at some point, Rutgers builds an Honors College residence so students can live there all four years. Not that they have to, but that they have the option.

 

[audriti]

I hope, at some point, Rutgers builds an Honors College residence so students can live there all four years. Not that they have to, but that they have the option.

The problem with the residence aspect is that many students are jealous of honors college students for living in such a grandiose building and getting special treatment. There are people who claim that the honors college is a joke or that we are all freaky geniuses

 

[retired711]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to give the honor college students their own residence for four years.I don't think it's wise to isolate them so much from the rest of the student body. But I have to admit that I'm far from an expert on the subject.

 

[BoroKnight]

I'm not sure it's a good idea to give the honor college students their own residence for four years.I don't think it's wise to isolate them so much from the rest of the student body. But I have to admit that I'm far from an expert on the subject.

A lot of students segregate themselves anyway in a variety of ways, although I kind of agree with you. But they are likely to move off campus, not to campus housing, as they go through college so I don't think it's a big deal either way.

But along those lines, I'd love to see a large parking structure at the edge of campus (behind the Barn?) to replace all of those little lots all over, run shuttles separate from the bus system around CAC, tear up the parking lot on Queens Campus and put a senior honors residence there, one any student who has been outstanding over their first two-plus years can apply for. Nicer than asphalt and something akin to The Lawn at UVa.

The Honors College has been a wonderful addition, but there are plenty of very good students who won't start there.

 

[audriti]

A lot of students segregate themselves anyway in a variety of ways, although I kind of agree with you. But they are likely to move off campus, not to campus housing, as they go through college so I don't think it's a big deal either way.

But along those lines, I'd love to see a large parking structure at the edge of campus (behind the Barn?) to replace all of those little lots all over, run shuttles separate from the bus system around CAC, tear up the parking lot on Queens Campus and put a senior honors residence there, one any student who has been outstanding over their first two-plus years can apply for. Nicer than asphalt and something akin to The Lawn at UVa.

The Honors College has been a wonderful addition, but there are plenty of very good students who won't start there.

Most seniors live off campus anyway and there was a new apartment building built for juniors/seniors but there has been an issue accommodating freshman, especially recently. Last year only 7000 freshman were incoming to NB but some lounges had to be converted to doubles. This year we have 8000+ incoming freshman and the number is most likely only going to increase. Also, the goal is to get more people to apply to rutgers and prospective freshman don't care about senior housing.

 

[retired711]

A lot of students segregate themselves anyway in a variety of ways, although I kind of agree with you. But they are likely to move off campus, not to campus housing, as they go through college so I don't think it's a big deal either way.

But along those lines, I'd love to see a large parking structure at the edge of campus (behind the Barn?) to replace all of those little lots all over, run shuttles separate from the bus system around CAC, tear up the parking lot on Queens Campus and put a senior honors residence there, one any student who has been outstanding over their first two-plus years can apply for. Nicer than asphalt and something akin to The Lawn at UVa.

The Honors College has been a wonderful addition, but there are plenty of very good students who won't start there.

Maybe this is a very poor analogy, but I've never liked the idea of separate dorms for athletes, and I feel a bit that way about this.The college experience, beginning in the freshman year, ought to involve mixing with students as a whole, even those not as accomplished as honors college students.

 

[RUnTeX]

I think a large part of why so many top students accepted is because of the honors college. Many of my friends as well as I would not consider rutgers if it were not for the honors college, even with a full scholarship. However, Dean Matsuda really sold the honors college's curriculum and its community during the Presidential reception. My best friend in my major picked Rutgers over Berkeley and definitely would not do so if it were not for the honors college.

On one level, it seems this is precisely what the honors college is intended to accomplish. Attract top students who might have other options but decide that the best option may well be to enroll at Rutgers due to what the HC offers. And for a relative bargain price compared to privates and OOS publics.

 

[audriti]

On one level, it seems this is precisely what the honors college is intended to accomplish. Attract top students who might have other options but decide that the best option may well be to enroll at Rutgers due to what the HC offers. And for a relative bargain price compared to privates and OOS publics.

I agree the hc fulfilled its purpose and then some by getting these smart people to be happy with rutgers even if they did not choose the hc as they were forced to because of money purposes. Rutgers overall is fine for academics but the honors college is not only good for academics like the honors program but also good socially since the hc puts on so many events and has so many mentors and advisors and programs and social events. It is really a tight knit community that I am excited for, not for academics but for the social and extracurricular opportunities it provides. Rutgers is such a big school but the honors college really makes it feel smaller. Unfortunately, it is also socially isolating because people are jealous of those in the honors college who get better dorms

 

[Upstream]

Don’t forget, we also have not had great success in football (in the last few years) and basketball (for a long time). If one of those teams has a great season, applications will soar.

I guess that depends on how you define "soar" After the 2006 breakout football season, Rutgers-New Brunswick saw a modest 10% bump in freshman applications for 2007 and 2008. Compare that to the about 30% increase into 2016 after the med school merger was approved in 2012.

Year - Applications
2002 - 26,678
2003 - 27,311
2004 - 24,434
2005 - 25,462
2006 - 27,560
2007 - 28,208
2008 - 29,547
2009 - 28,624
2010 - 29,532
2011 - 28,582
2012 - 28,635
2013 - 30,631
2014 - 31,168
2015 - 35,322
2016 - 36,677

 

[RUnTeX]

even if they did not choose the hc as they were forced to because of money purposes

Does that describe the overwhelming majority? Perhaps not as many as you think or that many of us tend to assume. Or maybe at least moving in that direction. Merit scholarship dollars could be swaying a good number of them (and their parents) even if they could afford full sticker price at other schools as it saves money that could be spent on further higher education such as grad school, law/med/dental, etc.

 

[audriti]

Does that describe the overwhelming majority? Perhaps not as many as you think or that many of us tend to assume. Or maybe at least moving in that direction. Merit scholarship dollars could be swaying a good number of them (and their parents) even if they could afford full sticker price at other schools as it saves money that could be spent on further higher education such as grad school, law/med/dental, etc.

Maybe I shouldn't say forced but strongly encouraged to because of their financial situations. Even if you could afford sticker price at a school, you could be drained of all of your savings. When I went to the honors college orientation, everyone in my group said that they picked rutgers because of financial purposes. I myself picked it for financial reasons. I didn't imply it was a vast majority but yes many people within the honors college were forced to come to rutgers because it was the cheapest option and the only option their parents were paying for, I personally know many in my class who fall under this category. Rutgers as a whole as seen as an easy school to get into these days and it is looked down upon inside of NJ. Even telling someone that you go to rutgers is difficult because it is seen as a party school. The honors college does help with the prestige aspect however.

By the way, many enrolling freshman are already disappointed at rutgers for raising the price 2.9% instead of 2.1% as it was estimated on the award letter as the reason they chose rutgers was its price. I was promised a full ride according to the award letter (presidential scholarship $28k a year), but now my parents have to pay $1.7k this semester for my education, even with my full ride and national merit scholarship (1k a year).

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Aud, how do your friends look at Rutgers as an easy school when we are ranked number 41 IN THE WORLD ?

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Aud, if your parents want to know what other parents are paying, my sister and her husband are spending about $70,000 for the second straight year between my two nephews. They were over B plus students who took several AP courses in addition to playing sports all year.

 

[audriti]

Aud, how do your friends look at Rutgers as an easy school when we are ranked number 41 IN THE WORLD ?

I don't agree at all, Rutgers is an amazing school but it's just that the standards for admissions are relatively easy. Top students want to be with top students and rutgers isn't associated with having those top students. Of course, the advent of the honors college changed that perspective a little bit. The honors college doesn't really advertise itself well enough either

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Aud, just curious, what percentage of your friends and their parents even know we are ranked number 41?

 

[audriti]

Aud, just curious, what percentage of your friends and their parents even know we are ranked number 41?

Honestly probably very few we're all brainwashed into thinking rutgers is an awful school. I think rutgers should advertise its rankings more
Also, about the price thing, I chose rutgers mainly for the scholarship so it was disappointing when it did not cover all of my costs. My parents do not have much money saved for my education so I worked hard to get a scholarship (all ib/ honors courses straight As 1500+ sat and several jobs and swim team) so they could save the money on my brothers.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Agree 100 percent. Do you mind if I ask if your high school was part of the Rutgers on the Road program?

 

[audriti]

Agree 100 percent. Do you mind if I ask if your high school was part of the Rutgers on the Road program?

I have never heard of that before, what is it?

 

[HeavenUniv.]

It is a program where Rutgers staff go directly into some high schools talking to prospective students and their parents. As far as I know they are trying to increase the number of high schools each year. You and your friends would be shocked at how easy it is to get into some colleges, both private and public, around the country. A hamster can get into some schools. There is an old phrase that goes “ pay your fee, get your B.” At some point in their lives, Rutgers students realize it is a very good university compared to other schools.

 

[RUnTeX]

Maybe I shouldn't say forced but strongly encouraged to because of their financial situations. Even if you could afford sticker price at a school, you could be drained of all of your savings. When I went to the honors college orientation, everyone in my group said that they picked rutgers because of financial purposes. I myself picked it for financial reasons. I didn't imply it was a vast majority but yes many people within the honors college were forced to come to rutgers because it was the cheapest option and the only option their parents were paying for, I personally know many in my class who fall under this category. Rutgers as a whole as seen as an easy school to get into these days and it is looked down upon inside of NJ. Even telling someone that you go to rutgers is difficult because it is seen as a party school. The honors college does help with the prestige aspect however.

Thanks for clarifying. Indeed, for many top academic students, Rutgers may well still be a safety school as it has been for a long time. Yet it appears to be getting more and more competitive, while the HC is obviously even moreso.

Now if it's also the least expensive of any other options in serious consideration, while it might not be quite a no-brainer, it's definitely one of the better deals going. Looks like you may be fortunate enough to graduate without much student debt. That's a very favorable position to be in four years from now.

Obviously, Rutgers is what you make of it. As a large school one of the benefits is that there's almost literally something for everyone, so you can explore so many different things to round out your education. In terms of a college experience, it's a microcosm of life in the real world and some of the challenges and adversities that come with the ride.

Good luck with your studies and hope you make the most of the opportunity.

 

[audriti]

Thanks everyone! I'll keep you updated on the latest rutgers news if I remember!