Reviews

The curriculum at the University of Rochester is what really makes it special. There are no general education requirements. The only required course for all majors is a writing class, which is offered in many subject areas to allow you to explore a subject different to your major, or enhance your interest in your current major. Students are required to complete a cluster (or minor if you are ambitious) in subject areas outside of your major. Between humanities, social sciences and natural/applied sciences, students major in at least one, and complete a cluster (3 connected classes) or minor in each of the other. You are allowed and encouraged to diversification in an area of your interest, whether or not it is directly applicable to your future career or not. The idea is to have you learn as much as you can about any and all areas of interest. We have a huge number of majors and minors, and you can create your own as well. We are known for our fantastic science and engineering programs, but a little known fact is we are the top political science school for our size! You really get it all!

This is most defiantly exactly what I was looking for in a college. There are activities for every interest. Clubs and organizations are abundant, we have Division III, varsity, club and intercollegiate sports, and music programs such as free lessons and great ensembles are available through Eastman School of Music. The area surrounding the campus is easy to get to with a great transportation system, and has lots of opportunities for fun and relaxation.

It is defiantly an expensive school, but the financial aid is spectacular. Grants, scholarships and work study are all available to students. There are no fees for extra credit hours or taking credits with Eastman School of Music, so you can get everything you want without paying extra.

The best tip I can give you is to take advantage of all of the amazing opportunities. There is so much right at your fingertips, why not try something new?

University of Rochester is great for students who are motivated and want options in their education.

The University of Rochester offers a unique curriculum that allows students to explore their different interests. Instead of wasting time on General Education Requirements UR gives students the freedom to find what really interests them and what they want to do with their lives. The University of Rochester uses a cluster system instead of General Education Requirements. Basically, every student has to take a cluster of at least three classes in three different general disciplines: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. However, the cluster system is very flexible and can fit in with students' interests, for the most part. In addition, there are other schools at the University besides the College of arts and sciences including, school of nursing, school of medicine and dentistry, school of engineering, and Eastman School of Music. This is nice because it allows UR students to take free voice lessons at Eastman. UR really offers classes for every interest in every subject area.

The students and the faculty are great. There is always someone to help you at the University of Rochester with academics. Plus there are literally hundreds of clubs that you can join. These range from cooking clubs to community service clubs to the juggling club and club sports and if we're missing a club that you want it is very simple to create one. In addition there are Varsity sports teams that you can participate in, a cappella groups to sing in and join, and even different interest floors and special housing so that you can share your interests with the people you live with. UR has everything that a college student needs. We have our own bank, buses, car rental, candy store, grocery store, and even a hair and nail salon! UR is perfect for every interest and need.

Though it is very expensive, the University of Rochester is very prestigious, a degree from UR means more than from other colleges. In addition, the Career Center will work with you throughout and after your college career to help you find the best job and start earning back some green.

The University of Rochester loves to see an International Baccaulaureate degree or Advanced Placement credits. And of course, as with any other college, make sure to have plenty of extra-curricular activities and community service.

UR accepts well-rounded individuals who have the grades, the activities, and the community service. More specifically, UR has an amazing medical program, since it is associated with Strong Memorial Hospital. It also contains the Eastman school of Music, which is one of the best music schools in the nation. However, the Rochester curriculum can really be tailored to fit any type of student. The only necessary quality I would say is dedication.

The quality of education at Rochester is superb. The professors know what they are talking about and are willing to help you individually after class. Your classmates are some of your best resources because they are struggling through the material at the same time as you. Courses are very challenging, but extremely rewarding. If you are interested in the natural sciences, engineering, or pre-medicine, Rochester is the place to be!

The University of Rochester has an amazing atmosphere. Students are friendly, engaging, lively, and energetic. I have never had more fun in my life, simply due to the diverse dynamic of the body. Acapella, performance arts, and movie nights tend to be a lot more popular than football games, but there are certainly sport fanatics who come here. Our student-body is extremely well-rounded, our campus is beautiful, and the university is a fantastic place to be.

U. of R. is very expensive, and doesn't dispense extremely large merit scholarships, but I find it worth it due to the excellence in academics and research opportunities.

Work hard in high school, learn how to manage your time effectively, and be yourself during your interview and in your application. U. of R. accepts students based on academic merit, but they also highly consider unique aspects of each student. Make sure to shine!

Nerdy, intelligent, fun, positive, caring, enthusiastic, change-oriented, open-minded, well-rounded.

unique. rigorous. rewarding.

-don't assume that college is, in any way, like high school. yes, we know you're on the top of your class, but that means almost nothing in college. everyone around you is as smart or smarter than you. this goes for rochester and every other college of its prestige, really.
-make sure you really know what you want in a college - here you get exactly what is advertised.

getting a's is hard. as mentioned before, curves are set higher because of the intellect of everyone here. i'm pre-med and it's very rigorous and challenging - chemistry 131 (intro chem, 1st semester) is much harder than i expected, and i took ap chem in high school.

freshman dorms on the residential quad are relatively big, compared to many other colleges. i'm living in a triple and there is still room to breathe with the standard room set-up.

we have two main dining halls - douglass and danforth. danforth provides really high-end up-scale food, but you can almost count on these things to always be there in some variation: something with fries, dessert, salad bar, pasta, usually mexican or chinese, vegan, and pizza or other pasta. douglass is more of a comfort food place - there's a kosher station, pizza/pasta stations, grill, and another station actually labeled comfort. food is fine at both, but nothing compared to home-cooked meals of course!

greek life is kind of a big deal on campus - about 23% of students are affiliated with a sorority or fraternity. which means that there are almost always parties on the weekends on the frat quad. however, if that's not your thing, there are a lot of other things to do - movies that cost $2 played in our auditorium, hanging out with friends on campus somewhere, etc.

i do feel like i'm getting a great education here, even though it is crazy expensive like most of the private colleges in the us. uroch does give generous financial aid though.

rush rhees is absolutely breath-taking at night!

intellectuals, quirky people.

over 200 clubs you can get involved in - truly something for everyone!

as mentioned before - about 23% of the student body is affiliated.

there have been a few safety incidents since i arrived in august, but i feel like we as students have been properly informed about them. when something happens, you get an alert in your email and if it's urgent, you can get a text message or phone call about it.

I really am receiving an excellent education here at U of R. I love the professors, and they love to teach the subjects they love. They want students to comprehend the subject, and excel in the future.

I truly enjoy attending U of R. The staff and professors are nice, but the students are great. Everyone I've met here has been very warm, nice, intelligent, and very unique. I think its amazing how interesting the students at our school are. Everyone is extremely smart in at least one subject, and has an interesting talent, skill, or hobby. Even though there may not be an extreme amount of diversity in race or ethnicity, I believe University of Rochester has a very diverse student body. Everyone is unique. The food, in my opinion is pretty good, sure, if you eat the same thing everyday, you'll grow tired of it, but there is variety, and I like it. The curriculum is so unique because you have the power to cater your education to your likes and/ or needs. The facilities are also great. I have a great view of the football feild from my dorm, the campus is always clean, the library is beautiful inside and out, with various places to study whether you like it silent, or you like a little more conversational atmosphere. I really enjoy attending my school.

It is expensive to attend this university, however, I think its money well spent because you are receiving a great education, and have the ability to choose what classes you want to take. There is only one mandatory class for students to take- a writing course, and it helps you become a more well rounded writer on a college level. There are plenty of fun activities, clubs to join, things to do, and see, and they are all free. During finals week ( as well as the week before it) students are practically showered with free food from various restaurants. The pool is awesome, the gym is great, one of our libraries serves free coffee and tea all day, everyday. I definitely think you get some bang for your buck.

I would advise prospective students to have great grades, and SAT scores, but more importantly, allow their individualism to shine through in their application. Make sure you include your skills, talents, jobs, and extracurriculars in your application, and write a college essay that truly reflects who you are. I believe that today, colleges are looking for students that have so much more to offer than great grades and test scores. They want to see prospective students as unique individuals who will be great influential additions to their student body. At U of R, through meeting my peers and friends I can see why each of them were accepted to the school, they're smart, but they are also incredibly unique and have something interesting to offer besides brains.

I think this school is great for students that are intelligent, its definitely challenging, but its not like people are throwing themselves off the top of Rush Rhees Library. You will work very hard, but you'll have fun as well. This school is great for the talented. There are an innumerable performance groups, (some with their own albums), clubs for very interesting things like juggling, and even exploring urban areas. Eastman is minutes away and you can take free music or voice lessons there so its great for musicians and vocalists. Also, if you're a people person, I think this school is great for you. I have met people from all over the world in my first semester here, I'm learning a little Swahili here, and Korean there, I danced a little Bhangra and Raas, and my hallmate from Kenya sat me down one night and prepared some traditional tea for me. It has been such a great experience thus far, and I believe it'll be even better in my future here. I really love U of R.

One of the great things about the University of Rochester is its curriculum. Unlike many other schools, the curriculum is not rigid and allows students to explore many different subjects. The one required course that all students must complete is the writing course, which is taken freshman year and prepares students for college writing. It is also required that you must complete at least a cluster in each of the three following areas: natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. A cluster is just a group of three related classes. This allows students to double major and explore the many different areas of learning in order to obtain a broad and educated view of the world.

I have really enjoyed this past year at the college. The University of Rochester is not too small and yet it is not too big either. There is always something to do on campus and if one gets bored, they can always take the shuttle buses to places outside into the city of Rochester. The students here are for the most part very welcoming and kind. As long as you do not lock yourself up in your room and you put yourself out there, you will find the university incredibly enjoyable.

In these hard economic times, it is hard to attend such a pricey college. Although the college is expensive, there are many, many scholarships offered from both outside and from the college itself as well as financial aid and grants.

As long as students are willing to be open minded and social, they will find the University of Rochester an incredible place to spend their college years. It has so much to offer, if only you give it the chance.

The University of Rochester is great for students who are ambitious and really want something out of their college career. It will provide all the tools and resources that areneeded. There are so many opportunities in learning, volunteering, and research as well.

The Rochester Curriculum perfectly shows the philosophy of the U of R. Diversify! Try new things and explore. Rather than the first year or two being filled with general requirements that prevent you from taking courses of interest to you, Rochester allows you to take courses you are most interested in taking right off the bat. The cluster system allows for this flexibility. The curriculum is broken down into the following subject areas: physical sciences, social sciences and humanities (Your major will fall into one of these categories and the other two can be satisfied by a minor, a double major or a cluster which is just 3 related courses!). The available clusters are NUMEROUS. Anything you can think of and are interested in, it is available. This is the idea behind the Rochester Curriculum and as a current student, I can say that it is effective. Taking courses that you are interested from day 1 of your academic career allows you to personalize your education and be engaged throughout.

The flexibility and variety of courses available at the U of R translates perfectly to the students. Students come from a wide array of backgrounds and experiences. In my freshman year, I lived in a triple with a student from Peru and a student from China. This is just an example of the diversity of students found on campus. From a diverse student body, one can learn very much just by talking to new people and learning about their experiences.
The U of R also has a HUGE variety of clubs and activities. There is Greek Life but it is not overpowering. During freshman year, it may feel like everyone is going to the frat quad for parties but this is not so! There are all sorts of people on this campus doing all sorts of interesting things and you do not have to look hard to find them. I feel it is very possible for every person to easily find their niche at this school. There are performing groups such as a capella and dance groups representing Indian, Korean, African, hip-hop and ballet styles (and many, many more), community service groups, environmental clubs, political clubs, academic clubs... The list goes on and on. The best part is that these groups are constantly putting on shows and events for the entire campus to take part in. There are movies every weekend and with the events provided by the clubs and the Campus Activities Board, students will find that they are learning just as much outside the classroom as in.

The U of R is a very expensive school, it is true. However, with the curriculum that allows for such a personalized education and the diversity of students and student activities, I am finding it to be well worth it. I do not feel I could have found such unique students clubs, activities and students at another university. The ability to create such an individualized curriculum made me enjoy my college career more than I could have elsewhere because I was able to make my education my own. There are also loads of opportunities for research experience (paid or unpaid) that can help lead to jobs in the future!

- Class sizes range greatly. Many introductory classes (especially science and math) are very large, with hundreds of students. This may seem intimidating for most but these types of classes are made more accessible through meetings in small groups of students called workshops or recitations. In these, students are able to ask questions and discuss concepts.
- Work loads for courses can be very demanding, depending on a students schedule. The Curriculum can help you in this way in that by minimizing requirements, students can have a more flexible schedule that works for them in terms of difficulty.
- Academic advisors and faculty are very approachable for the most part.
- Speak to current students to get examples of how they personalized their curriculum to see how this worked for them.
- Remember that there are going to be plusses and minuses to any college you look at! Know that you can make college the way you want it to be.

- Students ready to be academically challenged
- Students who are interested in getting involved in extracurricular activities
- Students who know what they want to get out of their college experience AND students who are not quite sure yet!

A true liberal arts college, the U of R offers students an open curriculum, a vibrant on-campus life, and a small college feel with approachable faculty and graduate staff. Rochester is the place for an innovative mind - many classmates created their own majors, double majored, or Took Five to explore a non-major side of academia in a tuition-free fifth year. The school listens to its student body, and is renowned for its pre-medical, pre-law, economics, fine arts, and neuroscience departments.

1) Take public speaking! It's taught each fall by Curtis Smith, the speech writer and coach for President George H. W. Bush. The class is fantastic, and limited in size, so the scene is not overwhelming when students get up to give their speech.
2) Try everything you can - whether it's a study abroad experience in Malawi, or a class on functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Rochester's wealth of courses should be taken advantage of.
3) Park where you're supposed to - University Parking is strict, and will boot you if you don't park where you should.

I went through the pre-medical curriculum, which was particularly competitive and rigorous. For those seeking to be academically challenged, rest assured, at the U of R, you will be.

Most dorms have been recently renovated, and are spacious and nice. The only drawback is that the U of R is expanding the size of its student body, and dorms haven't expanded as quickly. Consequently, triples are very common for freshmen and sophomores, but these students are rewarded with extra points for the housing lottery for the following year.

Aramark is the caterer for the school. Though it is expanding its repertoire, the food gets real boring real fast.

Your freshman year, the fraternity quad is the happening party scene. Sophomore through senior year, most students look to dorm or off campus parties. The club scene on East and Alexander Avenues is hot on Thursday-Saturday. Tuesdays (weirdly enough) are a city-wide tradition to go out and party.
Apart from the party scene, Rochester has everything you can think of in a 15 mile radius - ice rinks, bowling alleys, golf courses, rock climbing, running or hiking trails, beautiful community gardens, the nation's best Public Market (food is so cheap and fresh!)

Though it is more expensive, the University of Rochester is worth every penny. Its financial aid department is getting better about offering more to its lower and middle class student body.

Dandelion Day is typically the last Friday in April, when the entire student body congregates on the residence quad for a carnival, celebrating the arrival of good weather, and the end of a looonnnnngggg winter.

Again, the creative mind will prosper here. The open curriculum leaves room to innovate - you can mix and match classes, create an interdepartmental major, and get involved in research as an undergraduate for credit or pay.

Everything you can think of, and then some. If you can think of it, you can apply for money from the school to get funded for it.

Fraternities are the central open parties on campus. About 40% of the student body is affiliated with a fraternity or sorority (statistic may be outdated). The tradition is strong, and the houses (though few in number on campus) are Animal House-esque. The school has been cracking down on Greek parties, encouraging the approval of all parties so that they know what's going on where.

Very safe and improving each year. I've always felt safe, but once or twice a year, there are security reports of students getting mugged

The Open Curriculum serves the purpose for student to explore ad take their academic path into their own hands.
The University is known for its music school: Eastman School of Music.
An Awesome Science and Engineering College, with the added bonus of the super Rush Rhees Library.

The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading higher education. With a faculty to student ratio of 9:1, students are assured that they will receive the attention necessary for them to succeed throughout their years here at the U of R. Class size are typically 10-25 students, but in the sciences and math, it tend to be pretty large. But wait, don't be scared, workshops or professor/teacher assistant office hours are offered for to students sitting in these classes. In writing classes, there are also writing fellows and consultants at your service. If interested, I would advice a prospective student to do intensive research about the university. Meliora.

The academia here at the U of R is very rigorous. Like, at most tier one universities, competition is on campus and you'll need to know how to manage your own time (you're treated as an adult here). Research opportunity are available, and most times, it will be expected of you to approach professors and show that you're interested in their projects or experiments. A typical writing class ends with a final 8-10 pages research paper.

Dorm life have its own competition. Students are also trying to prove or disprove that the ResQuad is better than Sue B (for freshman)/ Perks of ResQuad are that; you're closer to the Frat Quad, most freshman lives there and if placed in LoveJoy, you will find yourself living with upperclassmen. The Quad rooms are also bigger than that in Sue B. Perks o Sue B; Danforth dining hall and Hillside are on the ground floor of Sue B, closer to Rush Rhees Library and maybe a little more intimate setting for freshman, since its one building with numerous halls, rather than the quad which it numerous buildings.

Hey! The University was ranked sixth (6th) by the Daily Meal in their 75 Best Colleges for Food in America for 2014.

The University of Rochester is not merely a place where one comes to learn and grow in the classroom but is a place where students grow and develop as individuals of the social society along with the academic society. The numerous opportunities around campus along with its open curriculum not only allows one to explore different interests but gives us a glimpse and a hands on experience on the lives we would like to pursue. The academics, the faculty, the students and the community makes University of Rochester one of the best colleges in the United States and makes it Meliora, Ever better!

It's a small sized school with numerous opportunities to meet people from across the world and a school that will help you in many ways to fulfil your dreams.

The classes can be tough and there will be many nights you will spend in the library working on more than one assignment. One thing that makes the classes harder is the incredibly smart members of the class, but the academic rigor provides a perfect representation what is out there in the real world and prepares us to work harder. Also there are number of resources such as professors, TAs, tutors and not to forget our peers who make it a lot more easier.

The dorm rooms are decently sized and the bathrooms are clean and tidy for the most part. The buildings are also clean and aren't very far from classes. All of these qualities make the don't make living in a dorm a nightmare. Most students live on campus all four years of college which does say a lot about the dorms on campus.

It would be a lie if I said that the food you get on campus is like the food you get at home, but the food is not bad at all. There is usually a variety of choices you can chose from even though the number of dinning halls are limited. For those of you who are vegetarian, vegan or allergic to certain types of food, you won't starve to death. And I think it would safe to say that the food on campus can lead to the freshmen 15.

Rochester's a small city but there can be a lot of exploring to do around campus and the university's other campuses as well (Eastman school of music and University of Rochester Medical Campus). Along with downtown Rochester, that has a lot of small boutiques, cafes, bars and clubs, the area around Rochester also has a lot in store for you.

It is an expensive school but with the generosity of the school in terms if financial aid and the opportunities you get in return, everything makes it worth the money you give the school.

There are two important traditions on campus that happen in the academic year: one is in the fall and is called Meliora weekend, which is the homecoming weekend and during this weekend there are numerous activities to do and a lot of families come down and all-in-all its a fun time and the second tradition around campus is in the spring semester and is called Dandelion day or more popularly D-day which is celebration of the arrival of spring because winter does get to our nerves up there in Rochester.

Definitely a school for students who are planning to major in the sciences and engineering because with the medical campus just a short walk away there are opportunities that lie behind those doors that you may not find at another school. Also definitely a school for those who are interested in research because the University of Rochester is definitely one school that spends a lot of its resources and professors here encourage greatly in the field of research be it sciences or the humanities.

The 31 fraternities and sororities around campus do make college life a lot more fun and entertaining even for those of us who chose not to join the greek life.

The campus security takes special precautions to make our lives on campus safe, for example there are special student driven cars in the night to drive us from one part of campus to another, ID card swipes into every building, security cars patrolling areas of campus.