My daughter is in her fourth year here and has had a wonderful time. I find it a safe and special place for students to thrive and interact with faculty and take advantage of an educational semester class/internship in NYC Manhattan their junior year as well which she loved. The train station is 5 min away in town and convenient to get into the city. Lots of sports opportunities here. For sure a small school feel - need to be a go getter and take advantage of all the opportunities! A gem and beautiful campus. read more

Drew University - Entrqnxe - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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I transferred to Drew at one time. I was there a few weeks, had to pack up and go home. Why? The dorm was horribly maintained. It was so cold in August in the dorm from the A/C that I was wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. My roommate and I both needed comforters to stay warm enough when going to sleep. There was mold. I complained about the conditions. Nothing. I ended up developing bronchitis. I also, despite having my associate's in theater already, was told I had to take acting classes again. My first day of acting class came and all of us were sitting with the professor, a young actor from NYC. He was asking about us. My turn came. I said a few words, nothing controversial at all, but he then told me to stop and be quiet. No explanation why. He moved on to the next student. She, after answering him, looked at me and said "What is his problem with you?" I complained to the interim Department Chair and the Dean. Nothing and I never got an explanation as to what his issue was. Between that situation and becoming ill, I had to withdraw. And even with my record of becoming ill and despite my complaints, I was sent a bill for 8k as I left past the full refund period. I had to pay it. read more

Disclaimer: not a student but I attended a conference for my high school students on the campus. Clean and beautiful campus and very nice architectural surroundings. However, I can't rationalize the price tag of this school and would suggest looking at state schools to stretch those academic dollars. read more

My Review of Drew, in Poem form: T'was the night before graduation, and all through the dorm Students partied and toasted with a joy that was not norm Drewids imbibed without a thought in their head Little prediction tomorrow they would have so much to dread Four years in the Forrest had prepared them for little No practical skills, like learning to whittle They had instead chosen a liberal arts education A high priced bubble with no employable foundation They may hope for posh job and paychecks so rad Just wait til they move in with dear mom and old dad A Drew education is fifty thousand dollars a year So what's that on the horizon, which causes such fear? It's Sallie Mae, Discover, Wells Fargo and Chase They'll threaten your life and shred your paycheck to lace The federal government too, they'll want their fair share When the carnage is done, your bank account will be bare The dorms aren't too bad, the faculty is smart The new UC, yes, it is state of the art The administration persnickety, the Commons perfectly edible IT is awesome, they're more than just credible Drew will accept you, offer you money to come It's fun while it last and just pain when it's done Consider your options, but do all the math Four years at Drew starts you on a poor path If you can pay full price, enjoy the fun ride Then look forward to working at your parent's right side The diploma you get just won't give you a lead It's a pricey school in New Jersey, not the Ivy League read more

Drew University - Sycamore Cottage Groundhog - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Madison, New Jersey

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Come here to drop someone off very often . The campus is in the woods so it's scary to drive at night ! During the day , anyone could drive through the campus but after 8pm, there is only one entrance you can go through . There's a security guard at the entrance asking why you're there and they might take your license, heads up ! Very lovely campus of you like to be surrounded by nature . read more

The experience of sending your child off to a college is stressful in itself. However with asking the proper questions and being told do not worry they will have enough credits to graduate, my child needs to take a leave of absence. After they took my money for 3 years and admitted it was their system that was at fault, they could not help me out. So my child was left to leave college and find another in spring. WHAT A JOKE!!! Be very cautious of this place. Make sure you or your child harasses whichever administrator they give you. All they care about is placing and taking money, not what their major is and how to get you there. I would give this a zero, but needed to put something in there. read more

Drew University is not what it used to be. When I tell people I am a student at Drew U, studying Biology/ pre-med, they always go on and on about how prestigious Drew is. Many people don't realize that Drew has changed. Over 80% of applicants are accepted, not the 40% that most people remember. Drew charges way too much money and advertises how much better they are than FDU or Montclair State. This is not true. Drew may appear more prestigious due to the beauty of the campus, reputation and price tag, but it is not. The classwork can be challenging but not always beneficial. If you take a chemistry class at Drew (required for Biology majors) then you may not even get credit for the homework you did. Drew Chem Dept. uses a website called OWL to generate online homework questions pertaining to the lessons you learned in class. The problem is, most people do not even receive credit for their work because the answer was not typed in a way that the website likes. If this happens, you not only lose credit for that question, but you have to redo that whole section with 20 more sections to go, 4-5 questions in one section. If you are doing the pre-med track, expect your first Biology class to be Ecology and Evolution. This is required. If you are not a nature person and like studying the medical aspects of Biology (cells, genetics, etc) the first year will not be a fun one for you. Also Drew is very narrow-minded in the way they approach the liberal arts way of education. Yes, they give you a variety of courses but hold you down in the sense that you are forced to take classes in which expose you to so much that you may begin to lose interest in your major. Don't let the intro classes frighten you. Like in high school, some professors are nice and some are arrogant. Some are willing to help you and some don't know how to teach. Drew will advertise how all professors have their PhD, which isn't true and how they all want you to succeed. This is not the case for all professors. Drew's campus life is not a desirable one. I currently live on campus in my little stark white cinder block dorm room. The communal bathrooms (especially the freshman dorms) are not cleaned properly by the staff. Students pee on the walls (don't ask how), leave blood on the floor and leave their used toothpaste in the sink. Many of the students whom come to Drew are rich kids that don't clean up after themselves. I could only afford to come as a result of the scholarships I received. Most people who come here just want to get away from their parents. This may be you, but ask yourself if trading in your comfy life out home for a run down dorm is worth it. Another thing, if you are an international student, Drew would love to accept you because you receive no financial assistance from the government. Drew receives all your money. The food is also horrible. Never eat at the Commons (main dining area) unless you want food poisoning. The food is only good when parents or visiting guests come. This is another way Drew drags you in. Drew is on the top 10 list for worst food in colleges in the U.S. The food company AraMark, in which serves Drew, is the same company that serves inmates in prison. Sadly, this is not a joke. You are better off walking into the town of Madison and eating at one of their many food courts. Just because a college is more expensive, doesn't mean it is a better school. Looking back on my expectations of Drew, before I became a student, I feel mislead. Drew can be a good school in some ways, but it certainly is not what Drew makes themselves out to be. I came here because of the pre-med program, the beauty of Drew's campus and the prestigious reputation that Drew has. I now realize that Drew may be beautiful on the outside, but it isn't on the inside. Faculty at Drew tell us students that Drew is running out of money, but every morning there are landscapers outside making the campus "pretty". Drew is a safe school for rich kids but not for those who just want a quality education with a comfy environment. I will be commuting next semester by train because the campus life at Drew just isn't for me. My advice to anyone considering Drew, is to not be fooled by what the tour guides tell you. Come on a week day (the gate is open during the day) with your parents and drive around campus. Don't register for a tour, just come. Stop students passing by and ask them about Drew (food, student life, dorm life, academics, etc). Really look at the dorm bathrooms/ rooms and see if that is the type of life you are ok with living. Also, in general don't picture college as this perfect getaway. Your education is what you make of it, but finding the college that works for you can make all the difference. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOING TO THE PERFECT COLLEGE. THE BEST COLLEGE IS THE ONE THAT IS BEST FOR YOU!!! read more

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Drew does not adequately support their Alumni. If you are considering schools I would highly recommend you look at services they offer alumni as well as what they offer students. Drew was a good school while I was a student (rec'd my MA and Ph.D. from there) but have been awful supporting their graduates. After spending 8 years as a student there, and previously donating to the school, I expected to get minimal support (like remote library access and dossier/job hunting services) and am very disappointed that such services are not offered. read more

Good college but crappy campus. Buildings are falling apart, it floods during the rain and needs an overhaul of the dorms. Not worth the money. read more

Drew has excellent professors, strong academic programs, and the campus is gorgeous. Because of the college's small size, students get a lot of academic and extracurricular opportunities that they wouldn't get elsewhere. The Biology, Political Science, and Theatre departments are exceptionally good. Students are very tolerant of all lifestyles and backgrounds. However, for a small school, there is a lot of bureaucracy, and dealing with non-academic departments (e.g. housing, health service), is like dealing with the state Department of Motor Vehicles. While housing is guaranteed for four years, getting the housing you want involves hours in line. Health services seemed unprofessional, and anyone with medical issue should go to an off-campus physician or clinic. The college expects students to make their own social life, and increasingly strict alcohol and social policies have not helped the situation. In the late 1990's when I attended Drew, the alcohol policy was lenient, small parties abounded, and students could come and go to the dormatories. Now dormatory access has become more restrictive, and the college issues hundreds and hundreds of tickets to students each year for alcohol violations, including some of dubious legitimacy (e.g., if one person at a party is underage, everyone at the party gets ticketed). The biggest problem with Drew is the cost, which for 2011-2012 is around $52,500 (excluding books and personal expeditures), making it one of the most expensive colleges in the nation. Financial aid and scholarships, which were once plentiful, have not really kept up with the tuition. If your family has a lot of money, or you can get a large scholarship to Drew, it may be worth going here if you like the school. However, I very strongly advise aginst going seriously into debt to come to Drew -- it's really not worth it. read more

Above all other considerations, Drew University is a close knit and supportive community. Drew is a relatively intimate private school community, with a number of strong programs. IMO, the best part of the university is how supportive it is. Faculty and staff go out of their way to make sure students are supported and guided, through success and challenges alike. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a enjoyable and supportive university community in NYC region. read more

I graduated from Drew more than 20 years ago. At the time, I believe it was the 2nd most expensive school in NJ after Princeton. Most of my classmates graduated with liberal arts degrees, poly sci, philosophy, psychology, etc. None of them were very successful in the years immediately afterwards. One worked as a UPS delivery man, one worked in the mall. One worked on an assembly line making kitchen cabinets. One sold photocopy machines. When I read the Drew magazine and see all of these allegedly super successful people, I don't think it represents the folks I knew back in the 1990s at Drew, as most did not turn out that way. When I went back to see the Alumni Dept around 2008 to ask for job advice, I was told by some 20 year old woman to apply for a job at an insurance company. Great advice ! (sarcasm) read more

My Son just graduated from Drew a few weeks ago -- The small classes, and approachable professor,s,and staff made his 4yrs at Drew very rewarding. The class size demands both accountability, and participation. Being a economic major required diligence,and the staff was always available to him regarding assignments, or to discuss current class work. Drew is a outstanding school that will allow your Son or Daughter the opportunity to grow academically, and engage in a plorera of clubs to enhance their total education. The school also has a full complement of different Sport if they wish to engage in Sports As a parent the moment we stepped in the Forest 4 years ago i always felt secure that he made the right decision. One other point the entire athletic Dept. is filled with truly committed Coaches -- One Coach stood out, and that was the Baseball Coach Brian Hirschberg ,and his staff -- They embody the true essence of what college athletics is all about -- First class people who are true educators,and outstanding Coaches that my Son will always remember read more