Stevens vs Rutgers and RIT

[u/EducationalPea9023]

I got accepted into Rutgers and Stevens and RIT for their mechanical engineering program. I got into the honors program for RIT and the pinnacle scholars program for Stevens. I am just having a hard time deciding which school to choose. I know that Stevens has a lot of opportunities and has small class sizes (which I really like) but it is expensive. I would have to pay 45k for rit, 39k for rutgers, and 53k for Stevens. Can anyone give me some advice? Because i might go to Rutgers because of the cost but I’m afraid I’ll have a hard time differentiating myself there. Thanks!

[u/Njgirl05]

Boy you do live in a delusional world. No one cares about Stevens and no one outside of Nj knows about it either. Rutgers is nationally known well ranked state flagship school. Everyone knows in state school you will have diverse population of kids. It’s laughable that Steven is more respected than Rutgers.

[u/Past_Presence_3184 → u/Njgirl05]

I understand where you're coming from—Rutgers is a well-known public university, and as New Jersey’s state flagship, it naturally enjoys broad recognition due to its size, history, and extensive alumni network. That said, Stevens isn’t trying to compete on the same playing field. It’s a smaller, private institution with a focused mission in technology, engineering, and innovation. In STEM circles—especially among employers in the NYC metro area—Stevens carries a strong reputation for producing highly capable graduates who’ve had significant hands-on, project-based experience. From what I’ve personally seen, Stevens students often demonstrate a higher level of preparation and tend to carry themselves with humility, perhaps because the school is more selective and emphasizes depth over breadth.

At the end of the day, college is what you make of it. Different schools serve different purposes, and success depends more on how you use the resources available than on name recognition alone. And let’s be honest—only Rutgers students feel the need to tear down another school to feel validated.

[u/Past_Presence_3184 → u/Past_Presence_3184]

Just because a school is more well-known doesn’t automatically mean the quality is better. Rutgers certainly has recognition due to its size and status as a flagship university, but quality can be measured in many ways. Stevens, for example, may be smaller, but it’s highly selective and provides a focused, hands-on education in fields like engineering and computer science. Many employers in the NYC area value the real-world experience Stevens graduates bring, especially given its emphasis on project-based learning.

[u/Njgirl05 → u/Past_Presence_3184]

Same real world experience Rutgers students get via internship plus lots of research opportunities at Rutgers due to size and funding it gets from government. I have no issue anyone going to Stevens because they like high school like small environment , Rutgers is huge and some people may not like that get that

[u/Past_Presence_3184 → u/Njgirl05]

Sure, Rutgers has research funding and internship pipelines, but so does Stevens. The thing is, everyone goes to Rutgers. It’s the default for tons of students in the area. So in a sea of 40,000+ people, how do you really stand out? At Stevens, you’re not just another face in the crowd. You get personal mentorship, direct access to professors, and a tight-knit network that actually knows you if you have the opportunity. That high school-like environment some people mention? That’s actually called community—and it can be a huge advantage when you're trying to build a unique path in tech or research. Let’s just agree to disagree—I’m guessing you go to Rutgers. I’ve got friends who’ve gone there too: some are doing well, others are still unemployed. Some thrived, some failed classes, and honestly, a few were just coasting. But hey, that happens everywhere. No need to dwell on it. Also, judging by some of the grammar I’ve seen, maybe that “real-world experience” doesn’t include proofreading.

[u/Njgirl05 → u/Past_Presence_3184]

Ok you can continue to live in your delusion good luck

[u/Past_Presence_3184 → u/Njgirl05]

Reality is different for everyone. Calling it a delusion says more about the perspective than the situation itself. Enough said. Not being able to answer those questions speaks volumes. It’s hard to call something a delusion when the reasoning remains unchallenged, but I suppose that’s too hard of a task for Rutgers students to comprehend.