Saint Joseph's University  -  St. Joe's

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Saint Joseph's University Summary

What's this?
Even though approximately 5,000 undergraduates call Saint Joseph’s University home, students enjoy a rich sense of community that most would expect to find only at a smaller college.
Academically, SJU offers fine programs in business and education. The university’s Jesuit ideals are important to the university and many of its students; while students who are not Catholic may feel out of place in the school’s required theology classes, those interested in social change and helping out in the community will find myriad service organizations to get involved with on campus. A majority of SJU students are Roman Catholic, Caucasian, and from upper-middle class families, but there is a fair amount of political and socioeconomic diversity among undergrads.

On weekends students often head to Center City in Philadelphia or the small neighborhood of Manayunk, which is known for its youthful crowd and nightlife. The most popular events at SJU are the men’s basketball games: as a member of the Big Five, the rivalry between Saint Joe’s and other Philly colleges is a source of intense school spirit.
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Saint Joseph's University Review

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For many Saint Joseph’s undergrads, one of the many appealing aspects of the Jesuit university is its location, which affords a remarkably balanced college experience. “St. Joe's is the perfect school for kids who want a ‘city school’ [where] you don't need to take a subway to get to class and are still looking for that closeness of a private suburban school...That's what I was looking for and it turned out perfectly,” writes an alum with an English degree.

When filling their social calendars, students take advantage of the Philly nightlife as well as on-campus events and organizations, including the Greek scene. “Greek Life is somewhat of a big deal at St. Joes, but only if you are involved in it,” writes a sister who belongs to Alpha Phi. “We don't have Greek housing, and there are only 4 fraternities and 4 sororities, so it’s different from many other schools, but really nice.” Students and alumni insist that the biggest campus events are the men’s basketball games. Saint Joe’s fans are fanatical about their Hawks, as a senior English major attests: “I had the honor [of] see[ing] St. Joe's basketball team go to the NCAA tournament in Alabama. Two busloads full of students went through the 18-hour bus ride down to see our team play. They lost, but even so, I can't even describe the pride we all had and the excitement we had [for] our team.”

On the academic front, students benefit from small class sizes and one-on-one attention from their instructors. “I love being in small classes in which the professors actually get to know you as a person, rather than just [as] a student. I have found that professors are very generous as a whole with their time to meet and help you with anything,” writes a junior studying biology. Aside from learning in the classroom, students take advantage of the religious university’s tradition of serving the community. “There are so many opportunities for service here,” explains a freshman from Seattle. “The Jesuit ideals of ‘men and women for others’ are really evident.”

Saint Joe’s students will readily admit that their campus is not especially diverse. “Honestly, Saint Joe's is a mainly upper-class, white campus, with many students from the tri-state region,” writes a senior education major. She adds that “[o]ver the last four years, [the] administration has been working on changing this, but as of yet, there has been little palpable change.”

One aspect of life at St. Joe’s upon which undergrads often remark is the dating scene. “Dating here is interesting since St. Joe’s takes pride in the fact that some large percentage - like 40% - of St. Joe’s students marry someone from St. Joe’s - ‘hawk mates,’ as they like to call it,” writes a junior from New Jersey. 

Students insist that they’ll carry their school pride with them throughout their lives, in accordance with the university’s motto, “The Hawk Will Never Die.” As a sophomore marketing major writes, “Everyone who is here has a passion for the school, whether it is primarily because of the talented basketball team, extracurricular activities, Greek life, or academics. Seniors never want to leave and the alumni always come back to support St. Joe's.”

See all 16 Saint Joseph's University Reviews

St. Joe's Quotes

Sarah
English
Senior
The school motto, that "the hawk will never die," is true in the fact that going to St. Joe's gives people a special connection that they take with them out into their adult lives.
sjustudent
Psychology
Sophomore
The student body here at SJU is not that diverse, when you look around campion at the tables during free period you will see each sorority and fraternity at their particular table, the service kids sit together, we all get along with one another but stick mainly to our own tables and areas.
kristy
English
There's a lot of speakers and lectures on campus and stuff if you wanted to have an intellectual convo outside of class.
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16Student Votes

Campus Media

Newspapers:
The Hawk
Radio Stations:
WSJR
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St. Joe's Photos & Videos

Top St. Joe's Majors

Business, Education, English, Psychology, Social Sciences

Basic St. Joe's Info

Founded:
1851
Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Total Undergraduates:
4,200
Total Grad Students:
2,400
Tuition (in state):
$32,710
Tuition (out of state):
$32,710
Selectivity Rating:
Selective

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Best Thing About St. Joe's

the sense of community
Brenna, Newtown
Major: English
Your Friends, the bars, sororites, and all the new projects and new part of campus!
Kate , Hillsborough
Major: Marketing
The sense of community and family atmosphere that has been built
Sarah , Havertown
Major: English

Worst Thing About St. Joe's

It's dangerous to walk around to off campus parties at night.
Jess, Blue Bell
Major: Marketing
Security is really strict when you live on campus, move off as soon as your a junior DONT STAY ON CAMPUS
Kate , Hillsborough
Major: Marketing
SJU Security- give too many unnecessary parking tickets, escorts do not come quickly enough, need to focus more on student safety than on parking
sjustudent
Major: Psychology
The cafeteria food.
Kelly , wayne
Major: Education
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