Edwin DayOverview
University of Rochester is a private institution that was founded in 1850. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,521 (fall 2020), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 707 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.
The University of Rochester describes itself as one of the smallest and most collegiate schools among the nation’s top research universities. The Yellowjackets mainly compete in the University Athletic Association and participate in NCAA Division III sports. The school also offers more than 250 student organizations, and one quarter of students are affiliated with Greek life on campus. Rochester’s a cappella ensembles are among the country’s best. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, and two-thirds of the juniors and more than half of the seniors choose to remain on campus.
Acceptance Rate: About 35%
Notable Rankings (US News)
- Overall: #34
- Business: #36 (#28 in Finance)
- Computer Science: #71
- Engineering: #72
What Students Say...
The Good
- "I enjoy attending school at UR because I've been able to find a diverse friend group that I've been able to connect with. In addition, I've been able to further explore some of my hobbies through their many clubs. The professors are generally good, but there are some undergraduate professors that are used to teaching graduate classes and it REALLY shows. I've also ran into issues with advisors being uncommunicative and some contradictory information being given out about GPAs and course grading, but there usually is another person or department that can be contacted to give correct information, so that's not the biggest issue. This school is extremely expensive, however, and I'm not totally convinced that it's entirely worth its price tag."
- "This is a very open, welcoming university with exceptional professors and a great college life. There are a ton of social groups and clubs to join connecting people of many interests together to create friendships. The courses and curriculum structure are very open and able to accommodate the interests of the students and don't force students into taking courses that are outside of their interests/career goals. The dorms are large and there are dorm types for every type of student (singles, doubles, triples, suites, apartments, dorm+sink, etc). The professors are friendly and dedicated to the students' education and bring opportunities for everyone who wants to work with them. I wouldn't trade my school.”
The Not-So-Good
- "The University of Rochester is only good for its name recognition. The course offerings aren't anything to be impressed with, and they're not very intellectual. Every office (financial aid, advising, counseling, etc.) has communication issues and the students usually end up doing all the work figuring things out. The advisors just read the website word for word when you ask questions. The parking is ridiculous. The university should be embarrassed to be charging as much as they are for the quality of education they give.”
- "Polices here are weird. This school kinda sucks. Avoid it. The food is meh and the dorms are okay but teachers and the department are bad. They randomly place you in math classes even. Not an amazing school like others say it is.”
Notable Alumni
- Donna Strickland, 2018 Nobel Laureate in physics
- Harvey J. Alter, 2020 Nobel Laureate in physiology or medicine
- Richard Thaler, 2017 Nobel Laureate in economics
- Joseph B. Martin, Dean of Harvard Medical School
Student Life in Pics
