For a senior in high school living so close to Glassboro, 15 minutes away to be exact, Rowan was seen by many as the last resort. When the time came to start filling out college applications, Rowan was always the “safety” school that in reality, no one wanted to attend. My classmates had eyes on the sunny beaches of Florida, the pompous Greek life of Alabama, the academically rigorous demands of an Ivy League school, and the University of South Carolina, for whatever reason.

Needless to say, not many of my former peers wanted to stay in lame and dusty South Jersey, a place their adventurous, older selves desperately wanted to leave. And that isn’t to say that no one I went to high school with goes here, in fact, they do, and I see at least one former classmate every single day. Deemed the “13th grade” by many at my high school, people in my area rejected Rowan as “that school down the street:” a place filled with lowlifes who had no other choice but to settle for their safety option.

Even upon returning home for winter break and catching up with old friends, I’ve been asked things like “Why Rowan?” or “You could have gone anywhere and you chose Glassboro,” or “I would hate seeing people from high school every day.” While yes, this choice isn’t for everyone, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to stay local.

Would I love to run off to some distant place and discover what life is like outside of my hometown? Of course, I would. Will I eventually leave? No doubt about it, but it just isn’t in the cards for me at the moment. This stigma that Rowan isn’t an applicable school that these students and people in the area have started is damaging, and I hate the stress put on others who choose to stay home for college and the silent shame that may be put upon us for our choices. 

My point is that it’s time that people quit judging others for how they define their academic careers. There is nothing wrong with choosing to go to Rowan, a school that has gotten a bad rep from those who knew it back when it was called Glassboro State. This university has come such a long way since its humble beginnings as a teacher’s college, and just because people have preconceived biases against the school, doesn’t mean it’s a terrible institution.

With 80 bachelor’s degree programs, two medical schools, and the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine set to open in 2025, the first school of its kind in the entire state of New Jersey, no one can question the legitimacy of this university, a place with so many different avenues eager students can explore. As well as close to 20,000 students from all over the world, it’s clear that many seek out Rowan because of its programs, location, and atmosphere– things South Jersey residents take for granted because of how close in proximity the school is. 

Rowan is also a public school, meaning the cost of attendance is substantially lower than for those who choose to go to school out of state. This is especially true for those like myself who commute, since those of us don’t have added expenses like housing and a meal plan. 

For those struggling financially, Rowan is a great solution for them, and a pretty nice one considering the amount of programs they have. Nobody has any idea what is going on behind closed doors, so none of us have any right to judge those for the paths they choose, even those so-called “lowlifes” who somehow ended up in Glassboro, even if you’re from Mullica Hill or one of the other neighboring towns.

Rowan is a great school, and this idea that it somehow isn’t a credible university is an idea that is rather ridiculous. Considering Rowan ranks number seven for the 2024 Top Public Universities in New Jersey, this misinformed bias isn’t even factual.

Picking a place to attend college is a decision that can only be made by one person: the student. While people may judge, if that person is happy where they ended up, no one has any room to shame them for it.

Whether they fly far away to some school like the University of South Carolina or stay home and commute to Rowan, when it comes down to it and the bickering goes away, all students after their graduation will have completed the college experience and left with one prized thing: a degree.

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