One of Marquette’s biggest attractions seems to be the quality of its academics, which most students comment upon. “
Teachers are always available for help,” writes a senior majoring in communications. “
In the college of communication, we can email and even Instant Message our teachers with questions and concerns.” A recent alum who studied marketing writes, “
The best thing is the small class sizes. Every one of my profs knew my name.” There are some complaints about the core curriculum, which goes hand-in-hand with Marquette’s Jesuit mission. “
The academic requirements are geared towards learning for its own sake, rather than job preparation,” writes a senior majoring in history. “
Theology and philosophy classes are required for every student, and competency in a foreign language is also required for many majors.” Despite the requirements, though, students are generally positive about the education they receive.
The makeup of Marquette's student body, on the other hand, can be a more contentious issue. The common stereotype is that “
students are snotty and rich,” a claim which some embrace and others dispute. “
Not at all,” writes a recent alum, addressing the stereotype’s truthfulness. “
You'll always find a few people like that, but in my experience the students are from pretty diverse economic backgrounds and are very welcoming.” Another sophomore studying international relations, however, writes, “
Marquette can be summed up as a rich, white, conservative school with little diversity or acceptance of it. Sexual issues are not discussed."
Issues of openness and diversity may be tied to the school’s religious roots. “
Marquette, as a Jesuit university, has the Jesuits at the core of its administration, and as such has been having a bit of an identity crisis,” writes a senior studying history. He continues, “
There have been questions of why students of opposite genders can't stay the night together, why condoms can't be given out in the student health services office, and whether or not it's right for some professors to question Catholic social teaching in an academic setting.” The school may not be very diverse, but this student finds it to be a welcoming campus: “
I have found that MU students are mostly friendly and outgoing, and genuinely like to meet new people. I never once felt lonely in a class, nor do you walk to class without seeing someone you know.”
Many people, when they hear the name Marquette, immediately think of men’s basketball. The school has a successful tradition of Division I basketball, and the Golden Eagles draw huge crowds to their home games. “
One of the best times on campus is during basketball season,” writes a recent alum. “
If you go to Marquette, you MUST buy season student tickets. Everyone should go to as many games as possible. All the students gets really psyched and the games have awesome energy.” Another student says, “
The reason Marquette is so well known is because of basketball star Dwayne Wade: MU Alum!!” When he played for Marquette in 2003, Dwayne Wade became one of only four players in NCAA Men's Tournament history to record a triple-double. He went on to play professionally for the Miami Heat and lead the USA “Redeem Team” to victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Other major aspects of the social life at Marquette are the party scene on campus and the surrounding city of Milwaukee. “
Dorms are a blast to live in because everyone keeps there doors open,” writes one student. She also notes, “
I met all my close friends through first extracurricular activities and then through friends of friends.” Another student notes that while "
Greek life is not a necessity," some enjoy it as a social option. A sophomore from Iowa is less enthused with the social scene. “
The party scene can be lame as there are only a few house parties and 2,000 freshmen trying to get into them all,” he writes. “
If you have connections you are set. Or a fake ID.”
The area of Milwaukee where Marquette is located is not the safest, which many students think should be addressed. “
The area around Marquette is really bad,” writes one student. “
There are a lot of robberies, and a lot of streetwalkers and crackheads who walk around the same areas that the students do.” The city itself offers a lot of entertainment to students, however. “
Marquette puts on so many different events, sponsored by the university as well as other events around the city, that students are never bored on campus,” writes an alum. “
Also, there are restaurants and bars on and off campus, plus a whole city of fun activities to explore, where students tend to gather and group up.”
Marquette’s Jesuit education and somewhat homogenous campus make it a bit of a bubble, but many students are fine with that. The alum quoted above writes, “
I will miss the overall Marquette bubble and cushion I had while there.”
