Students Drawn to Newark's Resurgence, Campus Diversity and Expanded Program Offerings
(Newark, NJ) -- Enrollment at Rutgers University in Newark has reached a new high of more than 11,000 for the 2008-09 academic year. In the last decade the student population at the 35-acre downtown Newark campus has increased by close to 2,000 students.University officials announced today that 11,032 students are enrolled for the fall 2008 semester, and that residential space on the campus is filled to 104% capacity. The eight schools at Rutgers University in Newark have enrolled 7,001 undergraduates and 4,031 graduate students for the fall 2008 semester.
Chancellor Steven J. Diner credits the record-high enrollments and transfers to “students who value the Rutgers name, the urban location and our campus’ diversity.” Moreover, he says, “These students are attracted to the economic, cultural and political resurgence of Newark and believe it is a vibrant place to live and study.”
Director of Admissions Jason Hand noted that first year students at Rutgers University in Newark come from 350 high schools throughout the country, a significant change over past years when the campus drew primarily from communities close by in North Jersey. The increasing geographic diversity at Rutgers University in Newark is also evidenced by an expanding number of international students.
The academic profile of Rutgers students in Newark continues to be strong – more than 22% graduated in the top 10% of their high school classes. Many high-achieving students are enrolled in the campus’ Honors College, which has been steadily expanding.
While many Rutgers students in Newark still commute to campus, an increasing number of students choose to live on campus or in the nearby downtown and University Heights neighborhoods. Currently the residence halls are in great demand, which has meant that some rooms and suites, originally designed for two to four students, are now occupied by three to five students. The university is beginning the process of planning for the construction of more campus housing, according to Chancellor Diner.
This year Rutgers University has been celebrating 100 years in the city of Newark, marking the founding of the New Jersey Law School in 1908. The New Jersey Law School, a precursor of the current Rutgers School of Law-Newark, is the oldest of the eight schools that constitute Rutgers University’s northern New Jersey campus.
Information on academics and admissions at Rutgers University in Newark can be found at www.newark.rutgers.edu.
Media Contact: Helen Paxton
973-353-5262
E-mail: paxton@andromeda.rutgers.edu