I just made a trip to Rutgers last week for a campus visit. This is what I gathered that might be useful to those considering Rutgers...
For housing, it seems like most graduate students prefer to live a bit further from campus. Around campus there are lots of undergrads (imagine unkempt and a bit noisy) and there is apparently a road right near campus that comes alive with undergrads at night. Highland park is small, but quiet and cute. Sommerset is a bit further out, but doable with a car (I didn't visit Sommerset during my visit).
In Highland Park, there were a few grocery stores within walking distance of the apartment where I was staying (I think it was Montgomery somthing...). It's also not a far walk to campus at all- although I'm coming from Atlanta, which is by no means a walking city. The trainstation is likewise very accessible both from campus and Highland Park. I think it was no more than a 15 minute walk from where I was stying in HP to the train. (Speaking of which, I took the train into NYC for the day and it is a really easy commute- just bring a good book and as long as you don't have any trouble with motion sickness, you're set).
I saw the graduate student housing and it looked dismal. I spoke with some students who all agreed that the quality of life is MUCH better off-campus. Based on my little research thus far it seems like sharing an apartment with in Highland Park is do-able on the grad student stipends (around 5-6 hundred a month) so I plan to look for a roommate and then head to New Brunswick in early august to find a place.
I know many of us have been asking about the necessity of a car... from what I gather, it's not absolutely necessary, but a big advantage (esp. when the weather is colder as well as for independence and having a social life). I'm planning to take mine, and see how life feels with it since I already have one. But if you don't have a car, I don't think you need to buy one before going to Rutgers by any means.
Hmm... I can't think of any other things to address... so any specific questions?