What is the importance of Rutgers University in the novel, Alma?

Rutgers University is a public university in New Jersey. It has campuses in New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden. Based on Diaz’s other works, it is evident that Yunior attends classes at the New Brunswick campus. Also, Alma is a student of Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts, which is located in New Brunswick. Yunior, Alma, and Laxmi are all students at Rutgers. Yunior’s specific description of Laxmi as a “freshman” (49) implies that Yunior and Alma are not freshman. Yunior also appears to live in an off-campus apartment instead of in a dormitory.