Plenty still open in July and August--https://www.ugadmissions.rutgers.edu/Visit/new-brunswick/register
Rutgers Piscataway/New Brunswick General Campus Tours
- Thread starter HeavenUniv.
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I regret reporting that I accompanied a good friend, her daughter and 3 other juniors on a general campus tour and it was awful. I don't know if it was an off day, but everywhere we turned the tour exuded mediocrity. The friend is an alumnus, and we were both embarrassed by the quality of the tour, particularly because this group of 4 also toured Delaware and Maryland in the same month, and the tours there were quite impressive. The kids came away from DE and MD really loving the schools, and it killed me to watch their interest in Rutgers wane as the tour progressed.
The woman who did the intro at the Visitors Center was not into it. Plus she said a few things that came across rather negatively, even though she didn't mean it to be. For example, she said something about making payments to the university and she reviewed the various methods and said something like, "as long as they get your money, that's all they're interested in." That's just an example of several things she said that set a negative tone for the rest of the tour.
The worst part by far was the bus tour. The student on the bus was really sweet and bubbly, but she seemed to know very little about the campus or the university's offerings. I was pointing out some things to fill in the long gaps of silence, and trying very hard to sell the kids on the campus. She spent a great deal of time pointing out campus police and different safety precautions the university has in place for girls on campus. That only served to leave the impression that New Brunswick is unsafe.
We ended the tour and went driving around on our own so that my friend and I could try to repair the damage that was done. These 4 kids were psyched on the ride up to campus. They were excited about the possibility of going to school together, but the university made a terrible impression.
I'm hoping this was just our bad luck that day and not the typical experience for NJ HS juniors who visit the campus. These 4 kids are honors students, and a couple of them are outstanding musicians who were considering Mason Gross, but their entire college plan changed that day and now they're heading into their senior year with Rutgers as a very unlikely choice. Maryland really won them over, and 2 or 3 of them are hoping to go there.
As someone with 2 degrees from RU who bleeds scarlet, this was a major disappointment.
The woman who did the intro at the Visitors Center was not into it. Plus she said a few things that came across rather negatively, even though she didn't mean it to be. For example, she said something about making payments to the university and she reviewed the various methods and said something like, "as long as they get your money, that's all they're interested in." That's just an example of several things she said that set a negative tone for the rest of the tour.
The worst part by far was the bus tour. The student on the bus was really sweet and bubbly, but she seemed to know very little about the campus or the university's offerings. I was pointing out some things to fill in the long gaps of silence, and trying very hard to sell the kids on the campus. She spent a great deal of time pointing out campus police and different safety precautions the university has in place for girls on campus. That only served to leave the impression that New Brunswick is unsafe.
We ended the tour and went driving around on our own so that my friend and I could try to repair the damage that was done. These 4 kids were psyched on the ride up to campus. They were excited about the possibility of going to school together, but the university made a terrible impression.
I'm hoping this was just our bad luck that day and not the typical experience for NJ HS juniors who visit the campus. These 4 kids are honors students, and a couple of them are outstanding musicians who were considering Mason Gross, but their entire college plan changed that day and now they're heading into their senior year with Rutgers as a very unlikely choice. Maryland really won them over, and 2 or 3 of them are hoping to go there.
As someone with 2 degrees from RU who bleeds scarlet, this was a major disappointment.
Hey Magoo, sorry you had a bad experience. I will say I'm surprised you didn't end up on my bus!
We work hard at the visitors center to give the best welcome/tour possible. It is true that the tour is a little bit off at the moment because of the construction work being done on College Ave. If there are things you feel could be better, you should be receiving a survey soon, where you can send your comments, which we most certainly do take into account.
Unnecessary, honestly. We give it our all on a daily basis, giving tours all year round in sun, rain, and snow. We're all students that love Rutgers and we have the survey results/admissions numbers to back up our efforts.
Sir Scarlet, thank you for all the time you put in for RU.---Magoo, what did you and they think of the Mason Gross School of the Arts and Honors College Tours tours ? If they haven't taken them yet,here are upcoming dates for Mason Gross in July and August---http://www.masongross.rutgers.edu/admissions/visit/rutgers-and-mason-gross
Here is information and contacts for the Honors College---https://honorscollege.rutgers.edu/prospective-students
Heaven, thanks for the links. My friend realized later that the honors tour and the Mason Gross tour would have been better for her kid. She's going to schedule something for later this summer. I think that will be different.
And, Sir Scarletknight, I appreciate your efforts, and I do wish we were on your bus. That probably would have made all the difference. I realize you guys work hard to provide a glimpse into life at RU and share your love for the place. I wish I did that when I was there. I think it would have been interesting.
When talking to the kids, it's the bus ride that really left the worst impression. Maybe we had someone who was new. She didn't seem to know much about the various buildings, especially on College Ave, and her commentary was mainly about her life. I'm wondering if there's a script she should have been following.
I mentioned these things when I saw this thread not because I wanted to criticize, but rather to express my disappointment in the university administration. I went to RU in the 80s when everything was run down and when mediocrity was the norm. Things have changed, which is fantastic, but this tour brought back that 80s feel. As another example of this, we were shown a dorm room on Busch, which by the way was the only time we got off the bus, and this dorm was old and dingy with a crummy little lobby. It was told to us that this room was available for tours because it couldn't be used for kids since it didn't have a closet. It was so unimpressive. The other parents (not RU people) on the tour were commenting on the way out, "If this is the dorm room they show us, what must the others look like?" And I found myself defending the university to this person.
We never received a survey, as far as I know. Would this have come via email to the kids?
And, Sir Scarletknight, I appreciate your efforts, and I do wish we were on your bus. That probably would have made all the difference. I realize you guys work hard to provide a glimpse into life at RU and share your love for the place. I wish I did that when I was there. I think it would have been interesting.
When talking to the kids, it's the bus ride that really left the worst impression. Maybe we had someone who was new. She didn't seem to know much about the various buildings, especially on College Ave, and her commentary was mainly about her life. I'm wondering if there's a script she should have been following.
I mentioned these things when I saw this thread not because I wanted to criticize, but rather to express my disappointment in the university administration. I went to RU in the 80s when everything was run down and when mediocrity was the norm. Things have changed, which is fantastic, but this tour brought back that 80s feel. As another example of this, we were shown a dorm room on Busch, which by the way was the only time we got off the bus, and this dorm was old and dingy with a crummy little lobby. It was told to us that this room was available for tours because it couldn't be used for kids since it didn't have a closet. It was so unimpressive. The other parents (not RU people) on the tour were commenting on the way out, "If this is the dorm room they show us, what must the others look like?" And I found myself defending the university to this person.
We never received a survey, as far as I know. Would this have come via email to the kids?
Busch has beautiful dorms/apartments. They should've showed you better facilities.
It's one thing to have an "off day", but I've heard way too many of these stories to think this was only a one-shot deal. Need tour guides who actually care about what they're doing. Heck, I didn't go to RU undergrad and I could sell parents/kids on Rutgers big time.
Jim, The people I and my nephew came across at the front desk seemed to care a lot when my nephew and I were there in Fall 2016. They seemed to love RU. I told them I was actually going to be taking my nephew on a tour,but they went and got us a professor who is at the Visitors Center part time and he spent at least 45 minutes speaking with us. I can't speak about the actual bus tour since we did not go on it. As I have mentioned before, my nephew loved Livingston and Busch but he ended up going elsewhere because of the size of the university. I still have two nephews to go so I have a couple more chances !
Mr Magoo,just curious if these things were mentioned during the tour---
Rutgers ranked #43 in the world
The Honors College
Professional theater companies will be using RU facilities the next few years
Rutgers involvement in the new downtown performing arts center
New musical theater program and expanded opera program
Rutgers students on TV and Carnegie Hall
Famous Rutgers alumni in various fields
Relatively new nursing building
New Science building
New Engineering building
Expanded Pharmacy building
Still recent acquisition of the medical and dental schools
Increased relationship with RWJ Barnabas
Increased sports medicine programs and use for all students at the new basketball/wrestling center next to The RAC
Huge future capital investment projects (Jim posted an article a few months back)
Unconfirmed that I know of,but someone told me a new building is coming on Busch campus for centralized student services
Rutgers ranked #43 in the world
The Honors College
Professional theater companies will be using RU facilities the next few years
Rutgers involvement in the new downtown performing arts center
New musical theater program and expanded opera program
Rutgers students on TV and Carnegie Hall
Famous Rutgers alumni in various fields
Relatively new nursing building
New Science building
New Engineering building
Expanded Pharmacy building
Still recent acquisition of the medical and dental schools
Increased relationship with RWJ Barnabas
Increased sports medicine programs and use for all students at the new basketball/wrestling center next to The RAC
Huge future capital investment projects (Jim posted an article a few months back)
Unconfirmed that I know of,but someone told me a new building is coming on Busch campus for centralized student services
Hey Magoo,
Did you come for the early tour or the afternoon tour? The bus tour usually involves getting off the bus three times:
Once at Voorhees mall, once at Livingston Student Center, and once at Allen Hall. I was giving a tour yesterday in the afternoon (12:30), and we did the full complement of stops.
If you were doing the first tour, it is possible that you had someone new. We have a good amount of trainees during the summer. We do have a script, although we are encouraged to share our personal experiences.
Yes, the students should be getting an email with a survey in it.
As for Allen Hall... my understanding is that it's a desire not to pull as much of a bait and switch on students combined with Residence Life telling us where to go, and the location of the room. We are not allowed to go into the actual residence portion of the residence hall because it IS an active residence hall. Allen Hall IS a typical first year residence hall at Rutgers, even though there are newer and nicer ones. I say this as someone that has been inside rooms at Demarest, the Quads, the Lynton Towers, the River Dorms, etc. Just providing you the logic behind it.
If it makes you feel better, we now show the lecture hall in the New Academic building rather than Scott Hall and Murray Hall. MUCH nicer.
"Need tour guides who actually care about what they're doing."
Stop. Just. Stop.
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Just put responses into your post. Very little of that is in the tour script. A lot of what we talk about is the student experience.
Sir Scarlet, I don't know if the staff and money are available,but any thoughts on creating two versions of the tours--maybe a standard tour (what is presented now) and a premium tour (maybe an extra 60-90 minutes) ? By the way,do the kids who attend get any kind of small gift from Rutgers--a magnet,hat,T-shirt,etc.
Unfortunately, that's very unlikely. The tour (including admissions info session) already runs a full 2.5 hours from about 12:30 to 3. ( and the earlier tour is the same). There is only so much time available that people want to sit for a general tour. And limited resources is always a factor considering the scale of the tour operation.
We do give out Block Rs to returning alumni, out of staters, anyone who asks, etc. We also give a 15 percent coupon for the bookstore, a Rutgers sticker, and mail out postcards thanking the students for coming. We also give them and sunglasses out to admitted students during admitted student tours.
SirScarlet,
the tours were a big hit with a family that commented on the football board.
the tours were a big hit with a family that commented on the football board.
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