In the 19th and early 20th centuries Rutgers was seen as a prestigious university, and it even almost joined the Ivy League at one point. However, over the years, Rutgers has fallen from that status as more great colleges around the country formed and improved. That’s not to say Rutgers is not a great college anymore, just that it is not as prestigious an institution as it was in the early days of higher education in this country.
This year though, Rutgers ranks as the 40th best school in the country according to the USNews college rankings and the 15th best public school.