St. Joe's: The Big Picture
I love that St. Joe's is near a big city. There are plenty of things to do constantly. Because of its location and small size, there are not as many house parties as at other universities, but there is always somewhere to go around town, and plenty of bars that are leniant with I.D.'s. The school is pretty small, and it has its pros and cons. Because of the small size, it sometimes can be frustrating to meet new people, and all of the programs are on a smaller scale than at bigger universities. I do like the size though because its not too small, you can always meet someone new, but you will see people over and over again. It's nice though to see friendly faces every day. Also, because of the small size, the administration is really there to do everything they can to help you, be it with your academic goals, or planning events.
St. Joe's Academic Life
The classes are very small, and its possible for all teachers to get to know your name. Some teachers just don't care, and others make it a priority to connect with students. Almost all teachers are readily available during office hours, and if you ask for help, they will really take the time to help you through any struggles. Because of the Jesuit/Liberal Arts curriculum, some of the classes do seem like they are just education for the sake of education, but it really gives you a great background to be a well-rounded person. Classes in your major are much more career-oriented, and teachers are always looking to help people in their career goals. The English Department does require some extra classes that don't directly coinside with my career goals, but they important things I feel I should know in order to graduate with an English Degree (i.e. Shakespeare and Literature Classes). Some students are really intrested in Academics, and others are just trying to float by.
St. Joe's Student Body
Because the school is expensive and Catholic, and also Jesuit and very liberal, there is a wide range of students, coming from many different financial, political, and social backgrounds. All of the students, while being somewhat different in their personal 'philosophies' get along well with eachother, and are open to learning about new people. Most students are very service oriented, are care alot about making a difference in the world.
St. Joe's Student Activities + Social Life
Greek life is somewhat of a big deal at St. Joes, but only if you are involved in it. We don't have greek housing, and there are only 4 fraternities and 4 sororities, so its different from many other schools, but really nice. Its not stereotypical Greek Life, and most organizations take as much pride in their community service as they do in their partying! The administration is always trying to plan good events for students, but because of our small size, there are not many major (extremely popular) speakers/events.
