University of Rochester

University of Rochester Introduction

For students looking for a college combining a tradition of academic excellence and experimental vision with a fresh perspective on training this country’s future leaders, the University of Rochester (UR) deserves consideration. It is the smallest research university in the nation. What distinguishes UR from other great private universities is that it puts students in the driver’s seat. And for any pothole in college, the university seems to have the patch.

Although UR’s main campus (located along the Genesee River and thus known as the River Campus) is a couple of miles away from downtown Rochester, students are engaged with and immersed in the community academically and socially. Recently the school’s annual community-service day during first-year orientation was expanded to a two-day event, which included bus tours of the unique neighborhoods, highlighting the great shops and restaurants, and educational workshops, facilitated by community leaders. This outreach has made a difference in the way students perceive their community.

Rochester’s transportation system is great. From the U of R you can catch one of several free bus lines that can literally take you any place you would want to go in the city. — Ike Howdeshell, ’07

UR’s social scene is anything but typical. A Friday night might be filled with an a capella group performance (at last count, there are five), a play at the Todd International Theatre Program, a fraternity party, Southern (yes, Southern) barbecue dinner at Dinosaur Barbeque, or some combination of the above.

Over ninety-eight percent of classes at UR are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants. Faculty members engage students through immersion in small seminar courses, which are common even in the Freshman year. Not only are almost all upper-level courses also small, but most students undertake individualized projects or join research efforts alongside their favorite professor. In part, this close mentorship is why so many UR alumni head to graduate or professional school.

UR provides a red-hot environment for growth and learning, despite a cool climate (with lots of snow in the winter!). For the cold-phobic, the architects of the beautifully planned campus devised a system of tunnels connecting all the main academic buildings on campus. These tunnels keep students warm during the winter months, and the tradition of painting the tunnels with upcoming events keeps students informed as to all that is happening at UR academically and socially. The first spring day—when students come out in droves to bask in the sun while playing Frisbee on the Eastman Quad, picnicking on the Residential Quad, and playing stickball on the Fraternity Quad—makes all the cold worthwhile. In short, UR is a place where students can take control of their education and pursue their dreams.

Students at UR are the entrepreneurs of their education. The Rochester Curriculum not only alters the educational formation of every student on campus; it also changes the culture of the campus, with students eager to mold themselves into better people and the world around them a better place. This notion goes right to the heart of the university’s motto: meliora, meaning “always better,” which isn’t just a principle to stand on but something with which the university walks every day.

University of Rochester Academics

At Rochester, students take an entrepreneurial approach to education. Each student seems to be his or her own start-up company, and the school is just a hotbed of academic innovation. To administrators, “knowledge is about self-definition.” According to Jody Asbury, Dean of Students, “We urge students to own their education, to learn what they love and give shape to where they live.”

Most schools drown their students in at least a year and sometimes two years of a core or distributed curriculum, which restricts their choices in what they study initially. Those schools that often look for uniqueness and self-motivation in their applicants discourage both after the students arrive. The theory for places with a core curriculum are threefold: (1) it will ensure basic competencies to the school’s graduates; (2) it will force students to make an informed decision about their course of study; and (3) it will provide the groundwork for future study. The reality is that core curricula are dreaded by many students because course selection becomes more about checking the boxes to meet the requirements than about developing competencies and being well-rounded. Instead of really delving into particular subjects, the core demands a student take introductory courses in many different fields—many of which do not go beyond what would be taught in an AP course. The problem is, of course, that core curricula go against two values many students expect from a liberal education: freedom of learning and depth of study.

UR poses a unique solution to this problem, called the Rochester Curriculum. Instead of starting students with many required introductory-level classes, often in subjects of little interest, UR categorizes the academic disciplines into three major fields: natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Before graduating, each student must take three closely related classes within each one of these fields, but the sequence and depth is a matter of individual choice.

From the beginning, each UR student is free to learn what he or she wishes, how he or she wishes. This liberty allows students to assemble modes of analysis from a variety of disciplines. Often students pursue double (or even triple) majors in seemingly incongruent fields because the Rochester Curriculum sparks this curiosity. Ultimately, the impact of the curriculum goes beyond the years spent at UR: the self-determination and originality that UR breeds are traits that are highly regarded by prospective employers who include the university as one of their recruiting grounds.

I came to Rochester as a biology student, but took some introductory courses in cognitive science that led me to computer science. I’m now a double degree student, studying both fields. — Robert S. Swier

Still, students must eventually decide on a major course of study. To help them with this process is the extremely accessible Center for Academic Support. And professors’ doors are always open to provide academic counsel.

Majors and Certificates

UR is a research institution, with great strengths in science and engineering, but liberal arts, music, and psychology are also popular, and both the political science and economics departments rank in the top fifteen in the country. With over fifty majors to choose from, students master all types of fascinating topics. Students wanting to take an interdisciplinary approach can design their own majors, an opportunity many students pursue.

Additionally, UR offers certificate programs in actuarial studies, Asian studies, biotechnology, international relations, management studies, and Polish and Central European studies. Many students pursue these as great complements to their majors and minors.

Classes and Faculty

“We threw out general education,” says Jonathan Burdick, Dean of Admissions. Because of the Rochester Curriculum, the course topics and syllabi seem to be more student-driven. Classes are almost exclusively taught by faculty, and the classes tend to be smaller and discussion-based. On a warm spring day, it is not unusual to see a class gathered in the middle of Eastman Quadrangle—the main academic space—fervently discussing a book they read.

Faculty take their teaching responsibilities seriously, which is unusual at a research university. Ninety-nine percent of Rochester faculty members hold the highest degree in their field. Within the faculty are several Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, members of selective academic societies, and authors of widely read publications. Often it is not until after a student is finished with the class that he or she realizes how highly regarded a professor is in the field of study. But for most of the faculty, humility reigns supreme. Open-door policy is not an empty concept. Professors are always welcoming students into their offices and even their homes to provide further instruction, career advice, or personal inspiration.

Other Academic Opportunities

Quest courses allow students to immerse themselves fully in research and projects of great interest. The activities are normally hands-on. They are geared towards first-year students and usually are held with twenty or fewer people.

UR’s outstanding Eastern School of Music, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Business, and Warner School of Education give undergraduate students access to their special events, courses, and other resources. More excitingly, there are three major and several small guaranteed admission programs that allow applicants to be accepted into the college and given assurance of admission to the respective professional school or master’s degree program. This means that at the tender age of eighteen, a student may confidently know where he or she is going to be six or eight years from now. In the case of the Rochester Early Medical Scholars (REMS), a combined B.A./B.S.-M.D. program for exceptional undergraduates, the student would be graduating from medical school and preparing for residency! The Rochester Early Business Scholars program is a six-year B.A./B.S.-M.B.A. program. The Guaranteed Rochester Accelerated Degree in Education (GRADE) is a five-year (4 + 1) B.A./B.S. + M.S. in Education program for students admitted to UR who are interested in becoming educators. It is important to note that admissions to these programs is highly competitive.

UR also encourages students to earn their undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years through its original 3-2 programs. The first three years focus on the undergraduate degree, and the last two will fulfill the master’s requirements. These 3-2 programs are available in many subject areas, including: business administration, engineering, human development, music education, optics, and public health.

The Take Five Scholars Program is perhaps even more unique. Although most students do not enter into college thinking four years will be insufficient, UR students soon discover that there is so much more to explore. Once one begins work or even graduate school, it is far harder, if not impossible, to pursue a side interest. The Take Five Scholars Program makes things easier by providing a tuition-free extra year for students to create their own program and pursue additional study. Since its inception in 1986, 800 students have taken advantage of this unique opportunity.

For those who are in a rush to get to the next thing but want to savor all that UR has to offer, there is the Senior Scholar Program. Seniors, who have completed their requirements save credit hours and major, may pursue a singular project and dedicate all of their time and efforts to its success. The project might be a scientific investigation, a research endeavor, a major publication, or a work of art. Early planning is necessary, but the end result is well worth the hard work during the first three years to be eligible.

Study Abroad

Everything is global these days. UR has been at the forefront of the movement to ensure that every one of its graduates is equipped with a global education. One great way of doing this is by taking advantage of UR’s over fifty semester-long and full-year study-abroad programs. For example, they have an Internships in Europe program that allows students to work in places like the House of Commons, the Louvre, and the European Union. Even if you cannot find a UR program that meets your exact wishes, the school is very good at accommodating your preferences, helping you find a program, and ensuring that the credits will transfer. Over seventy percent of the students study abroad and have done so in over seventy countries. Destinations include Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

University of Rochester Admissions

UR’s admissions standards, already very selective, have become even more competitive since the mid-1990s. Still, the process ensures that each applicant is given careful and comprehensive consideration. The admissions office still reviews applications the “old-fashioned” way: one at a time.

Sixty-five percent of incoming students graduated in the top ten percent of their class. UR accepts both SAT and ACT scores. Average SAT scores range from 600 to 720 on the Verbal section and from 620 to 740 on the Math section. Average ACT scores range from 27 to 30. The typical UR student has completed numerous Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, and has earned an academic unweighted grade point average of 3.75. The admissions committee that reviews each application does not just crunch numbers. They also “value unquantifiable strengths such as initiative, creativity, enthusiasm and leadership.” These qualities are best demonstrated through extracurricular and creative activities pursued in depth.

Diversity

Building on the region’s legacy of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, UR is dedicated to assembling and educating a diverse student body. Fewer than half of Rochester students come from New York. UR’s students also hail from over ninety different countries. At least ten percent of the student population consists of students considered to be underrepresented minorities. It primarily creates this diverse community by providing resources to students from different backgrounds. The Office of Minority Student Affairs works with students to make them feel welcome and support them in their academic pursuits. The Early Connections Opportunity Program brings first-year students to school early to acclimate them to the collegiate environment, build community, and develop the requisite skills to be successful at school. The McNair Program encourages low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented minority undergraduates to pursue doctoral degrees. These opportunities, not to mention the dozens of student organizations, create an environment welcoming and challenging to all.

The Early Connections Opportunity was a great way … to get a close look at what life would be like during a regular semester. — Christabell Catala, ’08

Application Process

UR requires the Common Application, Rochester’s Common Application supplement, and any supporting material. The application asks for basic demographic information, a description of achievements and activities, a personal statement, an official school report including transcript, and standardized test scores. All parts of the application are due by January 15.

UR has two Early Decision (ED) options for those set on attending. The first ED plan allows students to apply by November 15 and receive an admissions decision by December. The second ED plan offers applicants another chance to decide that UR is their first-choice: Their applications will then be expedited so that students receive a decision within three weeks of confirmation of the application being complete. Students interested in competing for merit scholarships should note that Part I of the application is due November 15.

Interviews are strongly encouraged and sometimes required when prospective students are visiting campus. Interviews may also be arranged with alumni in different regions or with admissions representatives on off-campus interview days.

University of Rochester Financial Aid

For the 2006–2007 academic year, total expenses to attend the University of Rochester were $45,823. The Office of Financial Aid works with every admitted student to ensure that the cost of enrollment is not a barrier to attending UR.

For a leading university, the U of R works hard to meet students’ needs. They worked with me and gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse! — Ike Howdeshell, ’07

Sixty-eight percent of the student body received need-based aid, and three quarters of students receive aid in total. There are plenty of merit-based scholarships to further reassure prospective students. Even if you do not think you would be eligible for these types of awards, look carefully at the criteria, as UR has many unique scholarships. For example, the Seventh Generation Scholarship provides a $10,000 renewable award for students committed to environmental action and sustainable development, embodying the Hau-de-no-sau-nee values. The PRIS2M Scholarship awards $5,000 per year for four years to outstanding graduates of Rochester high schools who have participated in PRIS2M (Program in Rochester to Interest Students in Science and Math Program). The Youth Orchestra Scholarship is awarded to incoming students who “have demonstrated musical excellence and commitment through participation in a regional youth orchestra and who intend to pursue a significant academic challenge in a discipline other than music.”

These are just a small sampling of the many scholarships available. Please keep in mind that there might be earlier deadlines for these scholarships. Also, all applicants desiring merit-based awards should schedule an admission interview.

University of Rochester Students

Seeing a bored UR student is a rarity. There is too much to do. With a broad swath of 200 active student groups, there seems to be a speaker, debate, dance, or party every night. Students fill their planners with these events, making for a very engaged campus, politically and socially.

But it is sometimes the impromptu events at UR that are the most appreciated: playing Frisbee on Eastman Quad, enjoying a game of stickball in the Fraternity Quad, or taking a catnap in Rush Rhees Library. To get a better understanding of what students at UR do when they are not in class, this section will explore where they sleep, what teams they cheer on (or join), how they express their creative side, how students serve their community, how active the Greeks are, and where the students hang off campus.

Renovated Housing

The River Campus provides housing for most of the undergraduates at UR. Eastman School of Music students study and live on a campus in downtown Rochester. The university recently renovated most of its original buildings; all residence halls are now fully wired for voice mail, cable television, and high-speed Internet (T3 lines in every room) access.

New students are expected to live on campus through their sophomore year. The overwhelming majority of students dwell on campus all four years. However, because Rochester is a fun and affordable place to live, UR also arranges nearby housing in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Beyond the convenience of being within walking distance to all classes, study spaces, and university events, living on campus provides a tremendous number of social opportunities. First-year orientation is centered around where you live so that students will have the chance to bond with people on their same hallway and dorm. Every first-year hallway contains upper-class Residential Advisors, D’Lions, and Freshman Fellows, who introduce students to dormitory life, smooth the transition to college, and provide bridges to all that awaits students at UR.

Affinity housing is also available for students with particular lifestyle desires such as quiet-study and coed by random room. For students looking to live with like-minded individuals, UR offers special-interest housing. Examples of these living arrangements include the Music Interest Floor, Drama House, Computer Interest Floor, Health and Home, and the Tiernan Project (community and university service).

Student Groups

Without exception, students participate in and lead a wide array of student groups on campus. There are far too many to list, but, even so, students regularly take the initiative to form new groups to fulfill a perceived need. Groups on campus pursue broad affinity, service, performance, social, political, academic, and social missions on campus. With faculty, administration, alumni, and community support, these groups breathe life into the campus.

Religion

Due to the diverse backgrounds of UR’s students and faculty, the school is home to a variety of religious beliefs. Although UR is a secular institution, it provides a number of opportunities to live out one’s faith everyday.

The home of religious worship is the uniquely designed Interfaith Chapel on the banks of the Genesee River; the chapel is a place for worship, meditation, and quiet study. As the words above its entrance proclaim, the chapel was built to be a house of prayer for all people. UR contains a number of faith-based communities that offer an opportunity for like-minded students to gather and worship together, such as Hillel, Catholic Newman Community, Buddhist groups, the Muslim Community, the Protestant Community, and the Interfaith Community. UR also has many student-run groups, which lead their fellow students in worship, including the Agape Christian Fellowship, Brothers and Sisters in Christ (B.A.S.I.C.), Campus Crusade for Christ, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, the Hindu Students Association, and the Muslim Students Association.

Religious life on campus is respected by all and often serves as the fulcrum of support and healing for more challenging times.

The Arts

The university and its students have long had a love of the performing arts. From student-run performing projects to a cappella groups, a rich and varied artistic tradition means there’s always something to do or see.

The university has a number of active theatre groups, and performances are available on campus throughout the year. According to its mission, the International Theatre Program “aims to offer students a comprehensive introduction to the performance aspects and technical demands of theatre by producing four major productions every year.” Because there is no stand-alone theatre major (but there is a great theatre concentration in the English department!), students from all different backgrounds and training have the chance to collaborate on these productions.

The world-renowned Eastman School of Music also provides students with voice and music lessons. Moreover, Eastman provides a constant stream of student and community entertainment with its three symphony orchestras, three choral groups, seven jazz ensembles, and an assortment of chamber groups. It also regularly hosts internationally acclaimed musical artists.

A capella groups reign supreme at UR. Currently, five a capella groups offer fantastic shows for students and even do things like provide Valentines Day serenades for someone’s sweetheart. Students interested in dance and performance can take advantage of many opportunities at Rochester, in addition to watching dancers and performance groups that visit the university.

UR also serves as a great venue for major performance groups throughout the year. Beyond the university-sponsored events, Rochester sees its share of headlining bands and international tour stops.

Community Service

UR has a proud tradition of serving its surrounding community and instilling in its graduates a call to service that has led alumni to the Peace Corps, Teach for America, and other opportunities.

I don’t think many colleges have such a good relationship with their surrounding community. — Emily Reiss, ’08

Most schools have a half-day community service component as part of the mandatory orientation activities. UR’s event called Wilson Days is actually a two-day event that engages first-year students in labor, enrichment, engagement, and education. Students walk away from this experience with an appreciation of not only the needs of Rochester but also its assets. This relationship continues throughout the four years with unique programs like Urban Scholars, where students spend the summer working for local governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations and learning about some of the issues surrounding urban decline and revitalization. There is even a nationwide Wilson Day for alumni held every spring.

More than seventy percent of Rochester students continue to volunteer for community service projects sponsored by the university or on their own each semester. A student organization called Community Service Network acts as the clearinghouse for projects, allowing students and student groups to spend their time serving the community, not searching for places to serve. There is also a special-interest housing unit called the Community Living Center, located in an old fraternity house, that allows like-minded individuals to cohabitate.

Fraternities and Sororities

A little less than a quarter of UR undergrads are members of fraternities and sororities. Six of the eleven sororities and ten of the seventeen fraternities enjoy on-campus living space, notably the Fraternity Quad. Because these groups are so close, the administration works carefully with them to ensure they are providing quality academic and social opportunities to members and nonmembers alike.

Although they do not dominate the social life at UR, fraternities and sororities are a great way to develop interpersonally and intrapersonally.

University of Rochester Athletics

UR has a tradition of athletic excellence that dates back to its founding in the nineteenth century. UR incorporates athletics and recreation into its educational mission. Almost all students participate in the university’s twenty-two varsity sports, twenty-two club teams, and intramural sports. With sports in the NCAA, UAA (the most geographically diverse Division III conference in the nation), and the Liberty League (formerly the UCAA), students can find athletic competition and pleasure anywhere they go on campus.

In the last four years, eight Rochester teams have competed in the NCAA Division III team championships, highlighted by the men’s and women’s basketball teams reaching the Division III Final Four in 2002 (men) and 2003 (women). Nine sports have sent individuals to the NCAA Division III Championships. Nineteen sports have been nationally ranked. Additionally, in the past four years, thirteen athletes have earned All-America honors, and eleven have been bestowed Academic All-America honors on the Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America team.

Club sports allow athletes to compete against students at other schools in more diverse sports and without the pressure of conference competition.

For those athletes who want to play for the camaraderie or the love of the sport, intramurals provide a great opportunity to get exercise and compete in a more casual environment. With the recent $14.6 million renovation of the Goergen Athletic Center, including a brand new 11,000 square-foot Fitness Center, students have a great place to train and get in shape.

University of Rochester Local Community

Over one million people live and work in the Rochester metropolitan area. Because of the beauty of its natural landscape, including Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes region, parks, professional sports teams, planetarium, museums, orchestras, theater companies, and its overall quality of life, Rochester has been ranked among America’s most livable cities. Students may not choose to attend UR just to live in Rochester, but students soon discover the gem of the city in which they live and study.

There is just so much that the city has to take advantage of. From various specialty restaurants to Blue Cross Arena and its performances, from the Little and Geva Theatres to various nightlife venues, there are countless ways to keep entertained in Rochester. — Lindsay Dussing, ’07

For many students, Rochester becomes their classroom. Professors regularly take trips to parts of the community for lessons. Other students see Rochester as their playground. For example, Bristol Mountain, a popular ski resort, is only thirty minutes from campus.

Every other Saturday, my friends and I catch the 10 A.M. bus to the Public Market. After getting our necessary cups of Saturday morning coffee or steaming cider at Java’s, we stroll, watching bundled families in the winter and kids climb giant pumpkins in the fall. We pick up cookies from the Amish stand, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers, pasta, a French baguette from the bakery, Brie cheese, and the always the same sweet potato pie for dessert. Back in the dorm, we cook up a delicious dinner and gather around our hodgepodge collection of plates and mugs with the same small group of friends and maybe a guest or two for our ritual meal. — Lindsey Lewis, ’09

University of Rochester Alumni

Because of this caring and enriching environment, UR produces graduates that go on to do many great things for the school, the community, the country, and the world. The UR Career Center is a tremendous space for students to perfect their resume, sharpen their interviewing skills, network with employers, and find summer and post-graduation jobs. Still, because UR imbues its students with such a fondness for learning, over eighty percent of graduates end up pursuing graduate or professional school.

Prominent Grads

• Francis Bellamy, 1876, Author of the Pledge of Allegiance
• Joseph C. Wilson, ’31, Founder of Xerox and the man who brought xerography to the world
• D. Carleton Gajdusek, ’43, Nobel Prize winner in medicine
• Virginia Dwyer, ’43, as AT&T vice president for finance, was highest- ranking woman executive in the country
• Edwin Colodny, ’48, Board chairman of COMSAT and former airline execu- tive who transformed Allegheny Airlines into USAir
• D. Allan Bromley, ’52, Prominent physicist and chief science advisor to President George H.W. Bush
• Donald Henderson, M.D., ’54, Leader of the team that eliminated smallpox worldwide
• Retired Rear Admiral Stuart Platt, ’55, in charge of procuring all nuclear-powered submarines and air- craft carriers during the Reagan era; served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• George Walker, D.M.A., ’56, ’57, First living African American compos- er to win the Pulitzer Prize for music
• Ron Carter, ’59, recognized as the greatest jazz bassist today
• Edward Gibson, ’59, Astronaut who set an American record for space travel with 84 days in orbit
• Karen Brown, ’61, ’72 (Ph.D.), Deputy director, National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Barry Meyer, ’64, Chairman and chief executive, Warner Brothers
• Larry Kudlow, ’69, Noted television and print financial commentator, co-host of CNBC’s Kudlow & Cramer
• Stephen Chu, ’70, Nobel Prize- winning physicist for research on laser-cooled atoms
• Janet Maslin, ’70, Chief New York Times film critic
• Gail Lione, ’71, Vice president, secretary, and general counsel of Harley-Davidson Motor Company
• Susan Hockfield, ’73, MIT’s newest president (and its first female presi- dent)
• Michael Gottleib, M.D., ’73, The first physician to identify AIDS as a disease
• Paul Horn, ’73, Senior vice president and director of research at IBM, whose team developed Deep Blue, the computer that beat the world chess champion
• Ilene Busch-Vishniac, ’76, Dean of engineering at Johns Hopkins University, one of only a handful of women deans in the engineering field
• Michael Kanfer, ’80, Oscar winner for special effects for Titanic

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Research Universities (very high research activity)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Doctoral degree
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification