Tell me about U Rochester

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about calling UofR's location as suburban. I grew up in ROC and would not call it suburban. That's Fairport, Webster and Penfield. :p

The campus is lovely. The weather isn't my favorite, but there are tunnels so you don't have to go outside. Fall and late spring are nice. It's a great school, but it has gotten very expensive.

Agreed- grew up in adjacent suburbs ( brighton)- I think maybe the issue is the lack of walkable things. I went to Cornell which is not an urban school but has a much more walkable collegetown

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a junior at UR and truly loves it there.

Academics are rigorous. Professors are very kind and approachable. She is a double major and is able to fit in all of her required classes.

Yes, she has found "her people" -- more so than in high school. She has a great group of friends. She's not into the party scene, but there's plenty to do.

Food is mediocre to be honest, but she is a vegetarian and does just fine with a little bit of effort and creativity. Dorms have been adequate; nothing great, but fine. Weather has been an adjustment, but no big deal.

Having the hospital nearby is a plus, because she volunteers once a week. She also interns. She does not have a car, but is able to take the shuttle to Eastman and then walk. Now that she is a junior, other friends have cars, or she is comfortable with Uber. She walks to Collegetown to pick up meds at CVS and it's fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cold! Tunnels!

A high percentage of international students for some reason (15%)

Used to be able to take a fifth year for free- no longer

Nice size

Town reminds me of Pittsburgh

These are my takeaways from visiting with my DD a few years ago. They gave her a nice merit scholarship but she chose another school.

No longer? I think it is still possible, i mean the 5th year thing.

[Anonymous]

My niece goes there and is very happy. From what I understand, the kids are nerdy, kind, and often do research.

[Anonymous]

I saw a post on CC about serious safety issues at/near U of Rochester. Does anyone with a kid there have anecdotes or reassurance about how safe it feels? I have an older kid who’s lived in both Boston and NYC and never felt unsafe, but this parent’s description of his DC’s (numerous) frightening experiences near the campus of Rochester have me thinking twice about considering it for my younger kid.

[Anonymous]

I think that it’s like Rice, Wash. U., Case Western and Tufts, but colder.

The beauty is that students with good coats and hats can get an Ivy-level education without dealing with the prestige chasers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about calling UofR's location as suburban. I grew up in ROC and would not call it suburban. That's Fairport, Webster and Penfield. :p

The campus is lovely. The weather isn't my favorite, but there are tunnels so you don't have to go outside. Fall and late spring are nice. It's a great school, but it has gotten very expensive.

+ 1

It's definitely in the city but maybe the comment was because it has sort of a suburban feel. Rochester isn't a really urban city anyways and the UR campus is not downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that it’s like Rice, Wash. U., Case Western and Tufts, but colder.

The beauty is that students with good coats and hats can get an Ivy-level education without dealing with the prestige chasers.

prestige chasers? While claiming Rochester is "Ivy-Level?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I saw a post on CC about serious safety issues at/near U of Rochester. Does anyone with a kid there have anecdotes or reassurance about how safe it feels? I have an older kid who’s lived in both Boston and NYC and never felt unsafe, but this parent’s description of his DC’s (numerous) frightening experiences near the campus of Rochester have me thinking twice about considering it for my younger kid.

Hi-- following up on this query I posted recently; since there were no replies, I thought I'd ask again. (Trying to decide whether to visit with my HS junior over spring break.) Do any of you have first-hand experience with Rochester and the safety of the surrounding area? Here's the CC post that concerned me; it's from 2024.
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/our-review-thumbs-down/3673849

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that it’s like Rice, Wash. U., Case Western and Tufts, but colder.

The beauty is that students with good coats and hats can get an Ivy-level education without dealing with the prestige chasers.

Comparing a school with a 40% acceptance rate to those schools (other than Case), much less an Ivy, is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a post on CC about serious safety issues at/near U of Rochester. Does anyone with a kid there have anecdotes or reassurance about how safe it feels? I have an older kid who’s lived in both Boston and NYC and never felt unsafe, but this parent’s description of his DC’s (numerous) frightening experiences near the campus of Rochester have me thinking twice about considering it for my younger kid.

Hi-- following up on this query I posted recently; since there were no replies, I thought I'd ask again. (Trying to decide whether to visit with my HS junior over spring break.) Do any of you have first-hand experience with Rochester and the safety of the surrounding area? Here's the CC post that concerned me; it's from 2024.
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/our-review-thumbs-down/3673849

I grew up in a suburb of Rochester and after my high school graduation my parents moved into the city - 19th ward - between the airport and U of R. There are some very bad, poverty and drug infested neighborhoods on the far side of the river from UR. Gangs, violence, the whole thing. But it is easy to avoid. It is odd, because things seem to vary in two block radii. When you're two blocks away in the residential neighborhood the violence really doesn't seem to spill over. Maybe some property theft, but the gang bangers are shooting each other in Rochester. If you are a student at UR, you should not cross the River and wander aimlessly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a post on CC about serious safety issues at/near U of Rochester. Does anyone with a kid there have anecdotes or reassurance about how safe it feels? I have an older kid who’s lived in both Boston and NYC and never felt unsafe, but this parent’s description of his DC’s (numerous) frightening experiences near the campus of Rochester have me thinking twice about considering it for my younger kid.

Hi-- following up on this query I posted recently; since there were no replies, I thought I'd ask again. (Trying to decide whether to visit with my HS junior over spring break.) Do any of you have first-hand experience with Rochester and the safety of the surrounding area? Here's the CC post that concerned me; it's from 2024.
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/our-review-thumbs-down/3673849

I grew up in a suburb of Rochester and after my high school graduation my parents moved into the city - 19th ward - between the airport and U of R. There are some very bad, poverty and drug infested neighborhoods on the far side of the river from UR. Gangs, violence, the whole thing. But it is easy to avoid. It is odd, because things seem to vary in two block radii. When you're two blocks away in the residential neighborhood the violence really doesn't seem to spill over. Maybe some property theft, but the gang bangers are shooting each other in Rochester. If you are a student at UR, you should not cross the River and wander aimlessly.

Sounds like Baltimore

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Rochester too so my knowledge is dated. UR is on a river and there’s a bad area on the other side of the river. Didn’t affect the university in the past because the river was the barrier. Then many years ago they built a walking bridge across the river. I don’t remember the justification for it but I recall it was somewhat debated because of the link to the bad neighborhood. I think UR has since expanded in that area but I’m not sure about that.

[Anonymous]

Som applied and got in but opted for a public based on the cost. Rochester is a great great school and were it in Boston or another city it would get more apps, have a lower acceptance rate, and a higher ranking. But it’s hard to justify the cost at its current status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM overall has an issue with cold and snowy weather.

Most don’t know which end of a shovel you hold on to.