How To Decide What Campus To Live On Rutgers

Rutgers is a big school with four main campuses. Each one has its own feel and has its own benefits. Choosing where to live depends on your classes and how you want to spend your time. After reading this guide you should have a clear understanding of which campus is right for you.

Academics: Most students in the School of Arts and Sciences have the majority of their classes here. If you live on College Ave, you can walk to your lectures in a few minutes. This is a massive advantage because you do not have to fight for a spot on the crowded bus system every morning just to make it to a class. Alexander Library is the nicest library at Rutgers, but it's also the most crowded.

Dorms: Dorms on College Ave are older and most are pretty small. These are the most fun and active dorms. In College Ave dorms people are trying to go out and party most nights so be prepared for some noise.

Off Campus Housing: College Ave is the only campus with a variety of off campus housing offerings. If you're looking to live at Rutgers but not in the dorms which is surprisingly quite popular, you'll likely end up living on College Ave off campus.

Social Life: This is the center of the university's nightlife and it's where all the fraternitites and sororities are. It can get loud at night. You should live here if you enjoy a high-energy environment and are fine with it being loud.

Gyms: The gyms on College Ave are small and almost always overcrowded. If you go any other time than early in the morning you will likely have to wait for machines. Additionally, most of the dorms here are older and do not have air conditioning. For the first month of the fall semester you must bring multiple fans to make the space livable.

Dining: The dining hall, the atrium is alright. Cafe West is good but there's usually a line out the door because everyone knows it's good. The real perk is being able to walk to off-campus restaurants on Easton Avenue and George Street.

Walkabality: This is the most walkable campus at Rutgers because it's the smallest. You definitely don't need a car if you live on College Ave. Perk of College Ave is you can walk to the train station.

Academics: This campus is where the Rutgers Business School is. If you are a business major, living here is a huge advantage because your classes are right across the street. It saves you from having to rely on the LX bus, which I assure you is not fun.

Dorms: Livingston has some of the newest and nicest housing options. The Livingston Apartments are very high-end for upperclassmen. Freshmen usually live in the Quads or the Lynton Towers. The Quads are very social but do not have air conditioning, so keep that in mind.

Social Life: People who are looking to go out and party usually take a bus to CA but there is plenty to do here without leaving campus. You can walk to the Jersey Mike’s Arena for basketball games or catch a movie at the Rutgers Cinema.

Gyms: The Livingston Recreation Center is a solid gym. It is usually not as packed as the College Ave gym, making it easier to get through your workout without having to wait for machines.

Dining: The Livingston Dining Hall is widely considered the best on campus. They have the most variety, the best food quality, and you rarely have to wait (unless you're at the pasta station). Kilmer's Market is also right there if you need to grab quick snacks or pre-made sandwiches with your meal swipes. People rave about Henry's Diner and there's usually a line out the door.

Walkability: On-campus walkability is excellent because like College Ave it's a smaller campus. Everything is close by, so you can get from your dorm to the dining halls or class in a very short amount of time.

Academics: Busch is the home of the School of Engineering, Pharmacy, and STEM. If one of you're majors is in these schools most of your science labs and math lectures will happen here. If you are a STEM student, you will be surrounded by like minded people.

Dorms: Busch has the best housing for people who hate the heat. Most of the freshman dorms, like the BAMM buildings (Barr, Allen, Metzger, Mattia), have air conditioning. BEST Hall is the most popular choice but is very competitive to get into.

Social Life: This is a very quiet campus. People on this campus are more academically inclined than others. It is much more large and spread out than the others. The main events here are the football games at SHI Stadium which you can walk to if you live on Busch. If you want to party a lot this campus probably isn't for you.

Gyms: You have access to Werblin Recreation Center. This is the best fitness facility at Rutgers. It has a massive weight room and an Olympic-sized pool. It is the gym the athletes use, and it is worth the walk.

Dining: The Busch Dining Hall is good but not amazing. It is solid for a standard meal. Woody’s Cafe is a great alternative for grabbing lunch between classes.

Walkability: Busch is very spread out and not very walkable compared to the others. Be prepared to take busses to get around unless you like walking a lot.

Academics: Most of your classes won't be on this campus unless you are in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Most students living here have to spend a lot of time on the REXB or REXL buses to get to their classes on other campuses and I've heard trying to use the busses on Cook is a constant challenge.

Dorms: The housing here is very secluded and quiet. The Starkey Apartments are popular for upperclassmen but are a far walk from everything else. Some dorms like Perry and Voorhees have air conditioning, but many do not.

Social Life: This campus is very nature-esque. You have the farm animals, the horse stables, and Passion Puddle. It is the best place to live if you want peace and quiet to study and like nature.

Gyms: The Cook Gym is very nice and rarely crowded. It also has an olympic size swimming pool. It is a great spot for a quiet workout.

Dining: Harvest at the IFNH building has the best healthy food and stir fry at Rutgers. Neilson is the second-best dining hall and is much less crowded than Livingston.

Walkability: This is the least walkable campus. It is very spread out, and the paths can be confusing. For example, the walk from the Starkey apartments to the nearest bus stop at Biel Road is a solid eight minutes.

Thank you for reading! I hope I was able to provide you with the guide I wish I had when I chose which campus I wanted to live on. If there's anything I missed or you think should be added please leave a comment below and I'll add it :)