Texas Christian University balances the intimate atmosphere
of a small college with the offerings of a large university to give students
the best of both sizes. The medium-sized student body allows students to see
friendly faces on campus every day without feeling cramped by high school-sized
social circles. A senior music major writes, “TCU has a great size. It is small enough to have individual attention but is large enough to compete with big state schools in sports and other arenas.”
With the exception of lecture-based intro and gen-ed
courses, most classes at TCU are intimately sized so students feel comfortable
speaking up and participating in discussions. These small sizes also foster
student-teacher relationships, especially if the student is eager to seek the
professor outside of class. “Professors are generally very friendly and personable- like they know your name enough to greet you in the hallway two semesters after you took their class,” writes a creative writing junior. “In bigger survey classes be prepared to be virtually invisible, but in normal classes you will be important and involved.”
Students say the academic rigor varies by major, but for the most part,
students study a lot… but not so much that it interferes with their social
lives.
The student body at TCU is fairly homogeneous. Most are
Caucasian, conservative, and come from wealthy Texas families. A sophomore
economics major writes, “It is a very wealthy school so if you are not able to get past designer labels and expensive cars, then TCU is not the place for you.” Minority groups aren’t ostracized, but students say they do tend to stick
together. Greek life is huge at TCU and tends to dominate the social scene.
However, students say anyone choosing not to pledge can easily find an
alternative community as long as they pursue another form of extracurricular
involvement such as student government, clubs, or one of the popular religious
groups on campus.
Although TCU is a Christian university, students say they
don’t feel like religion is overly emphasized.
Some see this as a positive feature: “The best thing about TCU is that the university does not push religion on you. There are no required chapel services or more than one required religious class, but the great thing is that IF you seek out a relationship with God you will find people to help foster your desire.”
Others, however, say an emphasis on faith is what they were expecting out of
the TCU experience. “I think I was expecting something more focused on faith and finding our place in the world and with God, but it certainly isn't that,” writes a freshman education major.
The surrounding community of Fort Worth is supportive of the
university and provides students with venues for shopping, eating and
entertainment. The bars and clubs around campus are popular night spots for
TCU’s big party crowd and are usually packed Thursday through Saturday nights. “Fort Worth gives you the college town feel - it's small, intimate, and there is a big support from the locals - but it also has the draw of downtown,” writes a senior marketing major. “Sundance Square, which is downtown, has restaurants, shops, clubs, theaters, and just about anything else you can imagine.”
Anyone willing to venture a bit farther can take advantage of Dallas’ big city
offerings within a short drive. The charm of the community, the friendliness of
the student body, and the opportunities provided by the university make four
years here the quintessential college experience.
