Princeton Review Names NJIT One of Top Value Colleges in Nation

According to the Princeton Review, NJIT “stands today as one of the nation’s most prominent research schools, specializing in nanotechnology, solar physics, and polymer science. . . . and retains its reputation as New Jersey’s top choice for the hard sciences.”   

The Review also noted the rise of Newark “poised for a comeback . . . Newark has no lack of stuff going on. Greek life plays a small role on-campus, but if that’s not your gig, the New Jersey Devils play in a recently completed stadium downtown and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center plays host to a variety of concerts and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Newark is also just a short train ride from New York City.”  NJIT President Robert A. Altenkirch’s notable work on behalf of the City of Newark led to his being named earlier this month by New Jersey Monthly among New Jersey's top 100 people to watch in 2009.

The Princeton Review selected the institutions as "best value" choices for 2009 based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private colleges and universities. The selection criteria covered more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs of attendance, and financial aid; list tallies were made using the most recently reported data from each institution for its 2007-08 academic year. 

"We have always believed finding the "best fit" college should be the foremost goal for student applicants and their families,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review VP-Publisher. “But the economic crisis and financial downturn have presented sobering challenges both to families struggling to afford college and to higher education institutions struggling to maintain their programs.”

NJIT President Robert A. Altenkirch noted that NJIT has continually been listed as a best value school by the Princeton Review since 2006. “Such attention, once again, validates NJIT’s ongoing efforts to make education in science and technology affordable for our nation's most talented young women and men. During these trying economic times, it is now more important than ever before to prepare our citizenry for the knowledge-based economy to which they, no doubt, will be asked to contribute.”

NJIT demonstrates an especially commendable track record for providing need-based assistance to every aid applicant who demonstrates need.  In 2008, 93 percent of need-based aid packages included some form of grant or scholarship. On average, NJIT met 78 percent of aid recipients’ demonstrated need. 

Non-need based aid is available for students with outstanding academic skills as well as for those who excel in the arts, drama, leadership, music, and athletics. Some scholarships are earmarked for students from groups underrepresented in science and technology, those with relations to alumni, ROTC participants, and students from particular countries or cities. Out-of-state freshmen are eligible for the Presidential Scholarship worth $9,460 for the current school year.