Academics
Situated “at the heart of Silicon Valley,” Santa Clara University is a Jesuit school with “rigorous but rewarding [courses],” a place where “you’ll never meet more passionate, more intelligent, and often down-to-earth professors.” Thanks to small class sizes, professors remain “accessible”; as one student puts it: “I have had a real relationship with every one of my professors at SCU.” Meanwhile, the school administration is “great at listening to and implementing student feedback” and “welcomes students to talk with people in high positions of power.” There’s also an appreciated “openness of the students and faculty to consider new possibilities in academia” and one student notes being “challenged to extend my thinking in every class.”
Of the various majors, students speak fondly of the “massive array of classes and professors” in the business school, and the many connections offered from faculty “[that] are CEOs and founders that relate the material we learn to their experiences.” Other programs students spoke affectionately of are those for “top tier” accounting, “amazing” public health, and both computer and environmental science. Enrollees appreciate that the school is keeping with the times—a 2021 science building is described as having “awesome, stateof-the-art equipment”—and overall sum up their experience as “perfect, I love it.”
Student Body
Santa Clara University attracts students that are “smart, dedicated, funny, committed, [and] intelligent.” While students are “focused on academics”—as one puts it, “People like to have fun, but only after the work is finished”— they “definitely prioritize having a good time.” There is a “good sense of community” on campus, but also “enough harmless shenanigans (lightsaber fights in the cafeteria, Shakespeare flash mobs, etc.)” to ensure you’re “having a really fun college experience.”
“Everyone here is quite relaxed and happy,” explains one student. It’s not that people aren’t academically focused, “they just know how to balance work and school well.” The school is fairly diverse in ethnicity, but some students note an “overwhelmingly upper-middle class” vibe. This may just be part of the easy-going atmosphere, however, given that 74% of students are reported to receive aid. At any rate, these “hardworking [students are] always open to help someone,” so much so that a first-year “automatically felt at home at
Santa Clara because of the warm and welcoming community.”
Campus Life
Many students sum up the vibe at Santa Clara University as “work hard, play hard.” On evenings and weekends, “Santa Clara students can be seen at local restaurants, bars, parties, golfing, or just having fun with friends.” Fraternities and sororities—both preprofessional and social—are “huge” and “everywhere” on campus, perhaps contributing to the “big party culture at SCU.” Additionally, “there are multiple social activities and events hosted by clubs and other organizations on campus almost every day of the week, and clubs do their best to be readily accessible to nonmembers.” One student particularly loves the Investment Fund, “a student-led club that invests a portion of the university’s endowment.” There’s also plenty to do even from the comfort of a residence hall, from pool to ping pong and foosball.
Students rave about the intramural sports available on SCU’s “gorgeous” campus, including soccer, volleyball, flag football, and water polo. Though some admit it can be challenging to explore neighboring areas without a car, many value both the urban and wilderness adventures SCU’s northern California location provides. “I love the hiking and backpacking club called ‘Into the Wild,’ which takes students to local scenery,” says one student. Others share that weekend adventures to the beach in Santa Cruz or enjoying the nightlife in San Francisco make for excellent SCU memories.
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