New Brunswick, NJ

[Teelee]

Rutgers dorms are not pretty but its cheap. Ford is located right in the middle of the main campus so at night you might hear bunch of drunken undergrads screaming. There are occasional muggings but the person who gets mugged usually does something stupid like hang around in front of the ATM at 3am or walking alone at 3 am. Highland park isn't that much better than New Brunswick. Last week my friend got mugged right outside of her apt in Highland park. It really depends on the area of the town. If you are not sure where to live, you should opt for on campus housing.

[ltam]

I know there is an old thread for New Brunswick, NJ, but the last posts were in 2011. I am probably going to accept a PhD offer from Rutgers, but being out of town (from Ontario) it would help to connect with other new/current students.

If you are looking for a roommate and interested in living in the neighboring town of Highland Park get in touch. Suggestions on apartment buildings in the area also welcome (it's probably wishful thinking, but I wonder if month-to-month or eight month leases exist?).

[STG]

Bump.............

I am gong to Rutgers in the fall, and will be living on Campus. Is this doable without a car? Would I be stuck unable to get groceries or go anywhere on the weekends? I see that Ford Hall is on College Ave...........but it's a dorm. Really don't want to live in a dorm if I don't have to.

Would getting from Busch Campus to College ave everyday be a pain? Is there anything near Busch campus in regards to a bank, grocery store, pharmacy? During my undergrad I was stuck in residential suburban hell without a car, and hope to not repeat the experience.

[once]

If you don't have a car, it might be easier to live off of college ave or cook/douglass. Are you thinking about living in the family apartments on Busch? Because honestly, there's next to nothing there. The student center has a convenience store and the usual food court fare, but you cannot get to a grocery store/pharmacy/bank without taking the Rutgers bus to college ave/downtown new brunswick or taking a public bus (I think this is available- perhaps someone can chime in).

I'd recommend that if you don't want to own a car, you live off campus in downtown new brunswick, or in highland park (where most grad students live). Both areas are fairly walkable. If you have to live on campus, Ford is probably your best bet.

edit- You also might want to look into the new livingston apartments. I heard somewhere that a percentage of them are being reserved for graduate students and they're reportedly very nice. Livingston is also a bit of a trek from college ave but there's a lot of future construction planned to provide it with more amenities. Again, no grocery store, etc. within walking distance, but personally I'd prefer it over Busch.

Edited April 14, 2012 by once

[STG]

If you don't have a car, it might be easier to live off of college ave or cook/douglass. Are you thinking about living in the family apartments on Busch? Because honestly, there's next to nothing there. The student center has a convenience store and the usual food court fare, but you cannot get to a grocery store/pharmacy/bank without taking the Rutgers bus to college ave/downtown new brunswick or taking a public bus (I think this is available- perhaps someone can chime in).

I'd recommend that if you don't want to own a car, you live off campus in downtown new brunswick, or in highland park (where most grad students live). Both areas are fairly walkable. If you have to live on campus, Ford is probably your best bet.

edit- You also might want to look into the new livingston apartments. I heard somewhere that a percentage of them are being reserved for graduate students and they're reportedly very nice. Livingston is also a bit of a trek from college ave but there's a lot of future construction planned to provide it with more amenities. Again, no grocery store, etc. within walking distance, but personally I'd prefer it over Busch.

Thanks for the help.

[Spytgale1]

I was just wondering if anyone had any info on the single graduate student housing on campus?

[jmu]

Hey all, I was just accepted to RU matriculating in the fall and I want to spend some time considering living options so that I can make plans right away if I decide to attend. I will be primarily on the Livingston campus and would like to live around it, if at all possible. I've checked the RU Off-Campus site but without knowing areas it is a bit hard to navigate. I will not be bringing a car with me so I need to be walking/biking distance or able to take public transit there. Living on-campus is not an option for me as I refuse to give up my cats. Any suggestions on neighborhoods to look in?

[jennypol]

I'm also going to be moving to New Brunswick in the fall - anyone got any tips for good ways to find accomodation from afar?

[anoveldave]

To this year's admits, I'm a Rutgers alumnus (undergrad) and Jersey born and bred. 

 

The Brunswick area has definitely improved just over the last ten years. I commuted during undergrad, so if you do have a car, it will most definitely open up options. Traffic gets to be tight during normal commute hours (especially around 4-6 in the afternoon, heading out of New Brunswick in any direction, there are some major highways that run through there), but I live about 20 miles away and a normal commute was between 20-40 minutes on any given day. I would definitely recommend against living near College Ave or downtown Brunswick. It can definitely get rowdy as plenty of underage undergraduates have nowhere to go but house parties. If you have a car, there are plenty of grocery options, and the train's right there as well (runs until about 1 a.m. or so). Honestly, a car would be great because it's hard to get around in Jersey without one, and gas prices are cheaper here than most other places in the country. Of course, you can take public transit, but I've grown up with only bad experiences on the buses, though I should reiterate the trains are really great (and getting better at decreasing schedule delays each year!). The only thing is the price of parking permits seem to increase every year, but there are ways around it if you ask around (i.e. Sears parking lot behind Livingston campus). I usually bought a permit for the cheapest lot, and then brought a bike to school so I could just get to different campuses. New Brunswick isn't too bike-friendly, but there are paths that link between campuses. I had a friend who lived right off of Livingston campus in a private apartment complex not affiliated with the school, and also saw many off-campus grad students around there on my normal bike ride from Livingston to College Ave. Piscataway and Somerset are definitely areas within biking distance to campus, though it'd be around the half hour to 45 minute mark. I believe there are NJ transit buses that service those areas to New Brunswick train station fairly smoothly. You could also live a little further away (Edison) and take the train down as well. 

 

I don't think New Brunswick has the sort of college town nightlife that would make you want to live in close proximity. I say this because New Brunswick is connected to a lot of major roads, and there are definitely towns with different vibes that aren't too far (like Metuchen). 

 

jennypol: I don't know how easy it is to look at places when you're not physically in town, but there are plenty of hotels and motels near the Raritan. Route 1 has a lot of accommodations for truckers passing through, so I'm sure you could find a fairly cheap motel to stay at while you look for a place. Maybe see if your budget allows for a rental car so you can visit options in different towns as well. From friends' experiences, it seems that rent prices go down a decent amount as soon as you're outside of New Brunswick and its expensive neighboring towns (Highland Park).

[rathermarvelous]

Anyone considering a commute from as far away as, say, Newark? I know you can get to NB pretty easily from Newark via NJ Transit.

[melisaHawk]

hey

 

I'm new in New Brunswick NJ and i'm looking for a apt to live,  but after reading this post and mugging cases in Highland park  it becomes more difficult for me to decide that where should i live ? is their any suggestion ofr me that which place will be safer for me to live in New Brunswick NJ.

[EloiseGC]

Highland Park is lovely; it's a cute, tight-knit community that is in walking distance to the College Ave campus, and much, MUCH safer than living in New Brunswick. I highly suggest looking at some of the small apartment complexes in the area. Morgan Properties has been really reliable, in my experience. 

[jsparks63]

Does anyone have any personal experience or opinions on graduate on campus housing?

[Minneapolitan]

Hi, I will be attending Rutgers next year to start my Master's degree in urban planning. My boyfriend and I are moving to Jersey from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Not going to lie, I'm super sad to leave Minneapolis but am looking forward to starting this adventure in New Brunswick. We have been trying to look for 1 bedroom apartments with a move-in date of Sept 1 on craigslist/other rental websites in New Brunswick/Highland Park area, but haven't had any luck finding apartments that are within our budget and also ones that are now leasing with a move in date of September 1st. Our max budget is $1300 a month. Does anyone have suggestions on any websites other than the standard craigslist to look for apartment availability? I'm visiting Rutgers to scope out the area mid May and am hoping by then I can visit some apartments. 

 

Please let me know!

 

Thank you

[tenedores]

Have any of you heard about this? https://www.change.org/petitions/richard-falk-no-graduate-students-will-not-work-for-poverty-wages

Has me very worried

[TonyB]

I was thinking of applying to Rutgers - Camden until I read a downright terrifying reddit thread about the city. How does New Brunswick stack up?

[ss2player]

I was thinking of applying to Rutgers - Camden until I read a downright terrifying reddit thread about the city. How does New Brunswick stack up?

 

Oh Camden, still the #1 most dangerous city in our hearts.

 

So I grew up in Camden County, NJ (the trashy suburbs, not the city) and went to Rutgers-NB for undergrad. New Brunz is a little rough, but certainly far, FAR safer than Camden. I never had a problem there and quite enjoyed myself; had I not already experienced it I would have considered it for grad school, no doubt. If you like the program and professors, go for it!

[ss2player]

Does anyone have any personal experience or opinions on graduate on campus housing?

 

Only one I know is Ford Hall, and I would not recommended it. It's an old building that is overpriced, you can do much better off-campus.

[TonyB]

What's the cheapest 1 or 2-bedroom apartment you could possibly get within half an hour's drive of the NB campus?

[gsc]

I'm seriously considering Rutgers and I've cased this thread pretty thoroughly -- does anyone else have new info to add? The main things I gather are 1) New Brunswick is okay but not spectacular, 2) Highland Park is nice, and 3) take a car if you can.

 

Would it be possible to live in Highland Park and/or Edison without a roommate? That's something I'd really like to avoid, even if it means I basically have to live in a shoebox. 

 

Also, I get the impression there's some bus service to Highland Park; is it reliable? I prefer public transportation, but I'll also have a car, so if it's less hassle to just drive that wouldn't bother me. I know some people mentioned parking isn't too expensive with a faculty permit, but what about actually finding spots? Sometimes when I try to park on campus at my current institution it's not the price that gets me, it's the 15-20 minutes it takes to find a spot. 

 

thanks!

[avflinsch]

fac/staff parking is a small percentage of your salary - so, how expensive it is is quite variable, sometimes I wish I were just adjunct faculty instead of a full time employee.

 

From Edison - one stop on NJ Transit to New Brunswick, then take the campus bus system, most parts of Highland Park are a short walk to Downtown NB, then use the campus bus system

 

FYI - the Rutger's Campus Bus System is the second largest transit system in the state - (after NJ Transit)

Edited February 21, 2015 by avflinsch

[potentialpsychologist]

What is grad student life like near campus? Do people stay in New Brunswick and go out, or does everyone head to NYC? Is there much of a grad student culture at all?

[scarvesandcardigans]

Hey everyone! (Hoping to revitalize this a bit...)

I have an offer at Rutgers and I have been in contact with people in New Brunswick, but I wanted to poll the masses a little bit more and see what you all have to say about (more recent info regarding) housing, student life, cost of living, etc. 

[mutlugrad390]

I am also quite curious.  I have accepted my offer, but I am interested to know more about cost of living, housing, roommates, etc.  If anyone could reply that would be great!

[avflinsch]

My daughter is in the political science master's program and lives in one of the grad apartments on the Cook campus - it is around $4500/semester, the meal plan is optional, and costs vary depending on which plan is chosen. She has one of the cheaper meal plans, but I drop off groceries to her weekly -so she isn't a typical starving grad student