Bradley University Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Brittany

The best thing about Bradley is the size. Many would consider BU a small school, but for me it is just right. I love walking to class and seeing a lot of firmiliar faces. The class sizes are perfect, making it easier to get to know professors on a one to one bases. When I tell people I go to Bradley they see dollar signs but also a good school. I spend most of my time either in the dorms, at my sorority house, or in the library. The biggest controversy on campus rececntly has been the underage drinking and trying to get rid of it. "Once A Brave, Always A Brave."

Dana

The best thing about Bradley is definitely the size. It's small size means: small classes, more sudent/professor attention and getting to know a lot of people that you go to school with. Coming from a large University after my Freshman year, this was something that really impressed me about Bradley. Most of my time on campus was spent at my sorority house and in classes. There basically is no college town. To be honest, Peoria is really crummy. It is very urban and run-down. You have to be safe when walking around campus alone at night. My sorority gave out pepper-spray for this very purpose, but thankfully I never had to use it. Although there were a few reports of muggings and rapes, Bradley does a good job of increasing security. They have a great escort program; if you call them, they will walk you to and from anywhere on campus. Bradley's administration is great. We just got a new President, JoAnne Glasser, who is wonderful. She is so caring and thoughtful towards the students and really wants to get to know everyone. The biggest recent controversy on campus was after a popular soccer player was killed accidentally by his friends at the beginning of the year. The friends accused of his murder were told that after their time in jail , that they would definitely be allowed to enroll again at Bradley. But then when they tried to enroll for the 2008-2009 school year, Bradley's administration denied them. There is a ton of school pride; especially for the Braves Basketball team. Students have great attendance at the games and even have their own section. One experience I will always remember about Bradley is going to a Peoria Chief's game that unfortunately got rained out. And President Glasser was supposed to throw out the first pitch, so she was a little upset. But anyways, she ended up taking myself and 7 of my friends out to dinner and then for ice cream that night. It was so neat to be having dinner with the president of the university and she was so down to earth and fun to be with. It was a great night! I think the most frequent student complaints would be the low quality of food in the cafeterias on campus. I think they really try to get what the students want, but it's still not very good. Also, a big problem is the lack of air conditioning in a lot of the dorms. Which is basically only a problem your freshman/sophormore years, when most people live on campus.

kyle

the one thing that i would change would be the lack of things to do here. on a friday or saturday nite the only thing to do is go to parties. i would make it so that ppl could go bowling, or have more "other" activities. having the movie for only a dollar is a good start, but there needs to be more.

Jody

I think it should be expected that with a college, espically since there are a lot of incoming students each year who are getting their first taste of freedom, there are going to be many students staying up late. However, the school nor surrounding businesses accomodate for that. With staying up late comes the midnight munchies, and there are very few places that are open passed 12:00, which means there are grumbling bellies all over campus that have to wait till morning (the sun comes up) before they can feed their hunger. I would put at least one kitchen in every dorm hall.

Reese

It's a small school, so try to make more friends than enemies. The worst thing is how they nickel and dime you for everything. Any little service will cost you. (A replacement student ID is $20). The student body is by and large interested in Jesus and drinking, so if you don't share those interests, maybe try another school. of course, there are always exceptions.

Carolyn

Best thing: great fit for anyone Size: just right, not too big, not to small Love the basketball games I get nothing but good responces when I tell people I attend Bradley Frequent Student complaints: Task Force

Cody

Bradley is just right. Your professors get to know you by name and they can then begin to personalize the classroom experience.

Laura

The size is perfect, you can get to class in a few minutes across campus without taking a bus, the class sizes are perfect once you get into classes specialized for your major and it is not all taught by a TA or a a foreign professor that you cannot understand.

Brittany

good size, not too far of a walk to class... fairly cheap apartments/houses for rent. not the best neighborhood, would not walk alone at night ever. Fong is a cool townie, but most townies are scary and creepy... and i have LIVED in peoria for over 10 years. there is not a lot to do around campus... a few restaurants, but all bars besides gorman's are at least 1 mile away... again not exactly safe to walk to and from them. oh and just b/c there were a few alcohol-related deaths on campus does not mean that we are a super party school... bradley parties actually suck unless you make them fun.

Kyle

I will not write a paragraph here. I will simply make a list. Please read, and know beforehand- I am not like most of the students at the school. I have a more negative outlook than most, and as a result focus on the aspects of the school that most people overlook. I know many people that LOVE Bradley to the "y," but most of those people are missing the big picture. Take it for what it is worth, but here is my list after 2 years at the school: 1) The scholarship that many students get has a large downside. Mine began by covering a third of my cost of attending Bradley. In the 2 years I have attended, my college bill has gone up about $5000. My $8500 per year scholarship I received (the presidential one) has not increased accordingly by even a dime. Doing the simple math, that makes the award equivalent to a $3000 when I started. That is no longer a third of my cost, but now a mere 1/10th. Good deal, eh? Also, you should grind those admission counselors. I was told by them that it would increase accordingly. 2) The career center the school raves so highly of is only good for Accounting, Engineering, and Sales majors. Anyone else will get no help. The career fair that the school will all but force you to attend has very few jobs for anyone outside those majors. As a finance major, there was one bank there that had anything finance related at the spring career fair. 3) The Library was ranked 2nd worst in the country by the Princeton review. I work there. Its pretty accurate. 4) Most of the clubs the school tries to sell you on are a joke. Very few are worth joining. 5) Working for the school and in talking to some people most people do not get the opportunity to meet, I have seen how much red tape exists at the school. If there is one reason the school is so expensive, it is that. 6) DO NOT take Gen-eds at the school. 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of classes in that area are no good. 7) DO use ratemyprofessor.com. The site is pretty accurate. IMPORTANT: plan out your first semester before orientation. you will not get a chance to go online while there and use the site. My first semester would have been much smoother had I done that. 8) Buy your books online at amazon or half.com. You will save so much money. And after your first semester there is a good chance you can find students to swap with. 9) Work on campus when you are at school. Most jobs provide you with a way to get paid to do your homework, But you will almost certainly have to know the right person to get in at the job. 10) Bradley is right outside a pretty rough part of Peoria. A student got raped on the new, brightly lit streets earlier this past semester, and a student jogging around campus got shot in the leg, forcing it to be amputated. I see him every day in the business school. It is not a myth, the school simply does not make things such as this public. 11) Frats may provide you fun, but I have seen many of them have their members drop their 3rd and 4th years into school. Why? Because they are not all they are cracked up to be. I went through rush, but did not join. Best decision I could have made. That is all I have right now. There is much more, but I have work in the morning. Please email me if you have any other questions. I will GLADLY tell you the truth.

Aaron

Bradley university is like a bounced check. It had a lot of promise, but didn't deliver. The current programs are suffering at the hands of the Bradley expansion plan, which essentially means that Bradley will be really cool, in maybe 3-4 years. For instance, cafeterias have no funding to replace old or damaged equipment, the health services are a joke, the gym was demolished, leaving only one small area in which to exercise, administration is aloof and uncaring of student concerns, there is highly insufficient parking, the student newspaper is laughable at best, the yearbook has shut down, the list goes on. In fact, the only reason I could even think of going to Bradley is the excellent teaching staff (if not equipment), and the dedication these underpaid, overworked individuals show in their day to day lives.

Alex

Bradley was the perfect size for me. A ten minute walk from one side of campus to the other. The only thing I would change about Bradley would be its location. Aside from the campus itself and the old mansions on Moss, the surrounding neighborhood is pretty sketchy. It is in one of the poorer areas of town and students have to be careful if they venture out - especially at night. Peoria is a fairly accommodating "college town" with two malls, plenty of night life at the bars surrounding campus and downtown, and some big influential business located in town. Caterpillar is headquartered downtown and recruits many students from Bradley. If you can't find what you are looking for in Peoria, Bloomington is just 45 minutes away. The biggest recent controversy on campus has to do with underage drinking and over drinking on two occasions which lead to student deaths. I believe the President is trying to enforce some stricter rules in regards to these two instances to prevent the future from repeating the past. Overall, there is a lot of school pride by students, faculty, alum, and the community. We are still the Braves but a new mascot is in the works. Basketball and soccer are the most popular since there is no football team. The most frequent student complaints are probably about parking on campus - there is very little and from my understanding, commuters have a hard time getting spots during the late morning and afternoon. Other than that, books are a complaint because the bookstore is run by Barnes and Noble - and there is a dramatic markup on text books. Don't be surprised if you pay around $500 or $600 per semester. The only upside is that you can sell the books back at the end of the semester - but that doesn't nearly make up for the initial investment. I usually received about $100 to $150 back. One experience I will always remember will be the very fragrant trees located on campus. Students have many different words to describe the scent, but that can be left up to you.

Claire

I didn't like the cafeiterias when I lived in the dorms. I don't think we have very much school pride at our athletic events either. I also know that a lot of our students don't like the president's new policies.

Garrett

6,000 or so on a campus where most activities happen within a square mile; keeps everything close and easy to access. Class size is great. Teachers always helpful. Low on school pride, except for basketball games.

Jordan

Bradley is really, REALLY small. The campus is so small you can walk across in 10 minutes easily. Getting to class is never a problem, but it feels like there's nothing to do, and once Bacci's closes at 3 am, you can't get food anywhere on / near campus. The cafeterias are expensive as shit and they close on the weekend and rarely have food worth eating anyway. Luckily, there's a CVS in Campustown [The parking lot just off campus], so you can No, not CVS. Save-A-Lot. Save-A-Lot has 12-packs of ramen that are like 15 cents each. The ramen always says 2 servings, but that's a lie to make you think it isn't full of carbohydrates and stuff. 1 serving is like 1.5 to 2 ramen packets. School pride is lame and I wish I hadn't gone to such a sports-oriented school [I despise sports] but it was really convenient as its less than an hour from where I live. Also, all the CS lab computers are running Deep Freeze, so you can't modify anything on the hard drive permanently, because Deep Freeze restores the disk every time you restart the computer. This gets really annoying [Always asking me for the same passwords and shit over and over again!], so I recommend bringing a Linux-bootable USB flash drive and just booting that when nobody's looking. The printer I got for college sucked like no other. I won't go into detail, but it's incredibly a piece of shit. Fortunately, like I said earlier, you can walk anywhere on campus in less than 10 minutes, and the library printer is only 8 cents per page, which I think is cheaper than ink for my shitty printer, but I'm not sure. Also, there is partying. Always. Every weekend. I think this is universal, as most colleges make little to no effort to enforce underage drinking policy, but weekends there get extremely lonely when all your friends are: 1. Getting wasted [If you don't drink, these people will hate you anyway] 2. At their frats avoiding their roommates who are getting wasted [I don't think that guy ever liked anyway] 3. Really nice non-drinking people who are cool and you don't mind that they're religious - But they're trying to make out with each other on your couch. Jerks!

Stephanie

For me, the best thing about Bradley is the overall environment. It is the perfect size for me: not too big, not too small. All of the people I have met have been great, and I have made friends that I know I will have for a lifetime. When I tell people I go to Bradley, they are immediately impressed because of its reputation for being a prestigious school. However, due to events that happened this year (the alcohol related deaths of a few students) I get some questions about the partying and stuff. I always tell them that while Bradley does have alot of parties and drinking, it is not the only thing to do on campus.

Jessica

I enjoy the campus. It's a nice size for the amount of students that go to Bradley. I especially like to find a place on the campus (when it's nice and sunny out) to sit and relax or do homework. Bradley wouldn't be Bradley without its squirrels, either! The campus is not so fun to nagivate around when it's been raining, though...tons of huge puddles everwhere that make it hard NOT to get your feet and pants wet. I do appreciate the fact that Bradley offers options of vegetarians, but if you're vegan options are scant. Geisert cafeteria is the only cafeteria that offers veggie options on a daily basis. There are days, however, when all they have to offer are Boca burgers and noodles...yum? A lot of the times I feel like Boca burgers or mock meats are expected to fufill a meal for a vegetarian or vegan which is not the case at all. Variety is good! How about some variations of pasta dishes or vegetable dishes (not the watery vegetables that come from a can). There are other times when they have plenty of meatless dishes...but they're covered in cheese. Like I said, I do appreciate the fact that there is a veggie friendly cafeteria...I just wish they would incorporate more healthy variety into the meal plan. I also wish the cafeterias would be open all weekend. They're open for brunch...but not dinner. Recently the university started accepting meal plan in the Student Center on Sunday nights, but it costs 6 bucks for less variety than in the cafeteria. And again, if you're vegetarian...it's alright...vegan? side dishes. Campus Town is alright. There's a Save-a-Lot and CVS for anyone who needs to do some grocery shopping. Eating options: Subway, Avanti's, One World (veggie friendly), Starbuck's, Jimmy Johns, and Bellacino's. I like the school and classroom size. They're just right for me. Some people know about Bradley and others haven't heard about it. It's half and half.

Christina

After spending a year at Bradley I honestly could not see myself anywhere else. The campus is the prefect size. I would say there is a 7 minute maximum walk of getting to any class, and in the winter with the snow the small campus is a blessing!! The quad is awesome too, especially when it's nice out!! laying outside and playing catch or frisbee is the best. Also conveniently located across the street in Campus Town are a variety of places to eat of which the majority accept 'quick cash' which is on your id card. Campus Town also has a Blockbuster, CVS, Save-a-lot (which is a great cheap place for generic groceries,) Starbucks, Sallys Beauty Supply store, and a Salon and Tanning. Jimmy Johns, Papa Johns and McDonalds are all within walking distance as well. Outside campus, the city of Peoria has much to offer. Peoria is the second largest city in the state of Illinois. With a car there is plenty to do. It offers 2 malls, one indoor and a brand new outdoor mall. There are numerous Wal-marts and Buffalo Wild Wings and Culvers. There a many options when you are looking to catch a flick at the show. The riverfront is awesome too, there's plenty of good eats down there. Also downtown is fun, mostly if you're 21 though. The bars are all located downtown and it's only a 5 minute drive down Main street. When I'm on campus, i'm usually in my dorm. Living in the dorms was so fun!! If the weather is nice though there is no question you will find me outside on the quad somewhere.

Elizabeth

This school isn't too small but for the amount of greek life it is way too small. Greek life overwhelms the entire school. The city sucks, it doesn't offer anything to draw students too it. When people hear that i go to bradley, most of them are overly impressed because they think you have to be really smart to go to bradley which is not the case. I spend most of my time in the dorms or quad. The biggest and most recent controversy is the death of two bradley students under the influence of alcohol. School pride is decent, but nothing like a state school. Bradley isn't really unique or interesting. There are some cool people but you have to find them. I think this school is extremely clicky and divided. There are also a lot of rich snobs that attend the school. I think the school would be perfect if there were no frats or sororities.

Ryan

I like the size of Bradley. It's small, but not tiny. It's big enough that if you end up switching your major, there's a good chance that you'll be able to find the one that you want. It's small enough that you have the chance to know your teachers well, if you choose to. There are also opportunities for things like research that I know would not be available to undergraduate students at a larger school. The administration at Bradley seems somewhat disconnected from the student body. Students at Bradley are pretty apathetic. There isn't much school pride. The campus isn't great. It feels like everywhere you go you end up walking through a parking lot. The dorms are pretty small and dingy, too. I've seen much nicer dorms at other schools. Some of the academic buildings are very nice, but others need renovation, which some will get during the current construction on campus. There aren't a lot of places to "hang out" on campus. The student center is pretty pathetic. The part of Peoria where Bradley is located is pretty sketchy. I often do not feel safe on or around campus. There's not a whole lot to do in Peoria or on campus. A lot of people end up drinking most weekends because there's nothing else to do.

Dale

I love the feel of the campus. It's not huge and it's not tiny. The walk to class in the morning is so short that no matter where you live on campus you can leave within 10 minutes of when your class starts. People are always impressed when you say you go to Bradley. When I wear my Bradley sweatshirt at home, people will actually stop me in the grocery store to talk about the school.

Jill

Bradley consists of about 5,000 undergraduates and I believe it's the perfect size. I didn't want to attend a big school but also wanted a school that had enough people with which to interact and share interests. It is an upstanding school that offers a lot of academic choices as well as extracurriculars. The choices are amazing. The campus is small and very pretty - I like the scenery and the grounds are kept very well.

Paul

I think Bradley is the perfect size. Students have the ability to become the type of adults they want to grow into. The kind of people that go to Bradley are very nice, but alcohol is still a problem. Alcohol is just a problem every where.

Emily

Small class size is beneficial. Peoria is pretty boring unless you're 21. None of the dorms are very impressive. I recommend living at home or off-campus.

Lee

Bradley has a relatively small campus and is located in Peoria, Illinois. You can probably walk from one end of the campus to the other in about 10 minutes. Some dont like the small college feel, but I find it rather calming. Being a commuter is definitely not any fun, since parking spots typically fill up after 9AM and stay full until about 5PM. With the recent amount of construction happening, its even harder to find a legitimate parking space.

Sarah

The best thing about Bradley is the family-like atmosphere. It's not too big and not too small. I really got to know all of my professors and especially my adviser. He worked hard for me to help me get where I wanted to go, but I also had to work hard to get there. Classes are often difficult, but if you fight through it your professors will notice, because they actually know you. They had you in class and often take the time to actually learn your name and understand your goals. Many students do complain about Peoria, but that's only because they didn't give it a chance. Coming from the shadow of Chicago, Peoria can seem kind of podunk, but that's really not the case. The night-life is fun, there are several movie theaters, lots of shopping, many restaurants, a symphony, a ballet, and a fun downtown area with a beautiful river front. There's a large park close to campus. People who say there's nothing to do just don't look.

Devin

The best thing about Bradley University is the sheer number of organizations on campus (over 300) and the opportunities that allow you to be involved for how small the campus is. These opportunities include being able to participate in research in certain departments with less competition , creating your own organization easily, internships within departments, more scholarships, leadership positions and much more. It is a great school if you're looking for a school that is small, personal with many opportunities for leadership and involvement.Teachers, advisers and administrators actively try to get to know students, get them involved, make sure you know the material and are on the right track toward reaching your goals. The school is the perfect size if you like small class sizes and not having to walk an hour across campus to get to class. Also Bradley is well known for having a good Basketball team, the number one speech team in the nation and ranking in the top ten in College rankings. People and relatives I have talked to from California, Oregon, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma etc. have all heard of Bradley and are proud that I attend Bradley. I am extremely involved in many organizations on campus so i spend most of my time all over campus. When i'm not in meetings you can find me in campus town at Starbucks or with friends eating at one of the restraunts in campus town or on the Quad hanging out. There is almost always something going on or an organization having an event on campus so you'll never be bored. The only downfall of Bradley is that there is no football team and not much school spirit.

Andy

Bradley is a mid-sized private university. The common answer to the "Why did you choose Bradley?" question usually has something to do with the size. With approximately 6,000 students, it is easy to get to know a lot of people, while still not knowing everyone. You usually know at least one person in every class you take, but you still meet new people along the way. The attention from the faculty is also nice. Professors know names and know about students. They know what our extracurricular activities are and what classes we have taken with them.

Mario

I think the campus is too small and compact. I think it should be expanded, perhaps even connected to the park. I think the dorms need makeovers, almost all. There should be more activities and interests during weekends. Another thing I really don't like about Bradley is that it is in a crimeful city, and I realize that would be asking for too much, but still, having less crime in Peoria should be a priority.

Dani

It is the perfect size. Not to big or too small. We have pretty good athletic teams, except for the downfall that we don't have football. There are tons of bars if you like nightlife. However, not very many of them are within walking distance, so you'll usually always need a cab. If I could have changed one thing about Bradley it would have been its location. The areas surrounding campus aren't the best and pretty unsafe at night.

Chelsey

Best thing about Bradley is definitely the community that is made on campus. When you are a student at Bradley, you are part of 6,000 member family. I would say that Bradley is just right in the size. It is big enough to have a variety of majors and yet small enough that you don't have 200 people in a lecture hall for each one of your classes. When you mention that you go to Bradley, people look at you as one of the elite. When you go to Bradley and then graduate, there is a great network of employers that are connected with our campus throughout our time here. As to whether or not Peoria is a college town or not, there are definitely parts of town that you can see it is a college town, but for most of the town, I don't personally see Peoria as a college town. Yes, Bradley is a presence in Peoria, but it is not the only thing that Peoria has to offer. Half of my time spent on campus when I lived in the dorms, was in the dorms. Whether it was my room or a friends, there is always something to do. The other half of the academic buildings, either in class or working on labs. My opinion of the BU administration is wonderful. Before I came to Bradley, I went to a visit day at another campus where the administration was awful. Then I can to a visit day at Bradley and my outlook changed. The staff are eager and willing to answer any questions that you may have. Most are reachable by email and all have their own phone extension. But if you want face to face, they usually have office hours posted on their doors, and then you can make an appointment with them. There is definitely BU Braves Pride present on campus, especially when it comes to soccer and our basketball team. I personally have student season tickets to the basketball games and have only missed 2 home games in the 2 going on 3 years that I have been there. There is nothing like going to the game and cheering on your own team and feeling their wins and their losses!

lauren

Coming from a graduating class of 1,000 kids, I like the size of Bradley. It's not too big where you see unfamiliar faces everyday, and it's not too small where you know everything about the person. When i walk outside i don't know everyone but know a good amount of people that are walking around. I spend most of my time either in my room studying or with friends in their room or outside when it's nice out. With the class size of about 15 students, the professors are always willing to help and are actually able to call you by name and not "hey you" because they don't remember you in their class; like larger schools do. There are not that many complaints i hear about coming to Bradley at all, besides the cafeteria food, but what do you expect? a gourmet meal coming out of the cafeteria? The food is actually pretty good with the vegetarian diet that they offer everyday at Gisert, along with the many variety's of food that they serve. I love it at Bradley and i know you will too!

Jane

Its nice because its a small community and its easy to meet people.

Paul

I think one of the best things about Bradley is the student body's friendliness. When I was a senior in high school I came to visit 2 times (I stayed with a friend overnight both times) and noticed how friendly everyone is. Everyone was smiling to each other, saying hi even if they had only met each other one time, etc. I also like how the campus can feel like a big campus when you want it to, but at other times it can feel like a very small campus. It is all what you make of it.

Heather

Overall, Bradley is a very good school to go to. It offers well-versed instructors and classes for the best learning environment. Bradley is centered in Peoria, which is a city in central Illinois. Peoria may be a large city for the region but it has a small town feel. I transferred from a public state 4 year university to Bradley and the amount of information I learn greatly increased. The education offered is one of the highest possible. Bradley students take great pride in their athletic teams. When there are some tragedies on campus, as in student deaths, the community of staff and students come together to support each other. It is one of the best universities in the Midwest.

stephen

Bradley is for people who do not want to go to a huge school and have to walk and take the bus everywhere to get to class. It is also not a very small school either and will meet people from all over. It is awesome just waiting up 10 minutes before class and walking to class without being late. College town is not the best, not much to do around. Campus itself is changing a lot with a new president and it will be amazing.

Blake

Bradley's main positives is that it is a small private school with a Division I atmosphere. It could be a little larger, but the teacher - student interaction is good and helps with the classes and professors are typically very accessible. Being a division I school, it does have a couple good sports teams that are fun to follow. The town is not much a of a big college town. However, the fraternities and sororities are fun, and when your 21 there are plenty of places to go. Greek Life is a big thing on Bradley's campus and makes life more enjoyable. Bradley is typically noted as one of the best schools in the midwest.

Andrew

I think the population size is perfect. There is enought people to meet someone new everyday but not too many that you get overwelmed. Peoria does have a lot to offer; however, you may need a ride to get to some event or other location. In my opinion, the worst thing at bradley is the foreign teachers at bradley. It can be extremely hard at times to interperate what they are saying. The math and engineering departments are like this. The best part of Bradley is the Greek life and opportunities. Greek life provides social and professional opportunites. One of my fellow brothers has a summer internship in chicago through one of our alumni.

Ann

Bradley is the perfect size but it is in a pretty bad area. Peoria smells like yeast and is also becoming more and more ghetto and dangerous. The campus itself is really safe though and it is so great to be able to roll out of bed and walk across the street to class in five minutes. Everything you need is on campus so there's no need to really go off campus anyway, but it can be dangerous. The dorms are really fun and pretty small so you get a great sense of a small community around you and get to know people well. The quad is beautiful and is a big hang out place when its warm and it is being expanded this summer and will be huge. Center court is a little cafeteria/ grocery store place that everyone hangs out at and thats fun. Most people I know haven't heard of Bradley because its a small private school and I'm from MN but ppl in Illinois have and they think pretty highly of it it seems like. The biggest recent controversy is the alcohol consumption on campus because we had two alcohol related deaths this year on campus. We have a new president this year and she recently came out with a 36 pg proposal of drinking rules and regulations that affect everyone and ppl were kind of pissed but its not really changing anything. But maybe in the future it might be... Greek life is also kind of threatened by the new proposal so hopefully it wont be too bad bc Greeks have all the parties. Overall everyone at Bradley loves it.. there are no real serious complaints except the location and everyone has a good time.

Taylor

I suggest getting involved. With a small school and an even smaller campus, it is easy to find new people, especially when you begin your freshmen year. With a lot of the construction some students may be discouraged with the lack of athletic facilities, but with some effort you can obtain a membership to a gym off campus provided by the school. Our school has recently obtained a new President, she has made a point to address underage drinking at our campus, and enforces the $375 city fine + $50 university fine for anyone caught underage drunk (zero tolerance). What I absolutely love about Bradley University is the Greek Life, i capitalized it because I believe it is amazing. Their are 14 fraternities and 7 sororities on our campus and each house has their own type of people. With an average fraternity around 40 members it is easy to get to know your brothers, and I believe makes your college life so much better. Also the girls at Bradley are hot, not to be a perve.

Ainsley

Peoria is an awful city, but that's the biggest complaint. There isn't much to do off campus, even if you do have a car (which you can't have on campus until you're a junior). People are nice. My major, graphic design, is a small department but I'm learning alot and the people are friendly. Pretty apathetic towards sports, so dont go expecting a huge homecoming game with cheerleaders and the works.

Aaron

The biggest thing that Bradley pushes in its admissions department is the school's size, and for good reason. It isn't the tiny, liberal arts school that you'll usually find and it's not a gigantic public university where you get lost in the shuffle of everyone else. Classes are typically small in size so you get a lot of attention from professors. The student population is large enough where you don't feel like you know everybody, but small enough where you can walk from class to class and say hi to at least one person you know. Peoria is certainly not a college town, but Bradley still gives it a college feeling with Gorman's across the street in Campustown and the bars on Farmington Road. People (especially freshman and sophomores) regularly refer to the campus as the "Bradley Bubble" because sometimes it seems like you never get off of it to do other things around the city. It can be seclusive at times.

Justin

I'll start by saying that I love my school. We're big enough that someone can get lost in it, and small enough to always know someone wherever you go. It's a nice mix. Classes are decently sized, and most of the teachers really care about what happens to you. In fact, all but maybe two of my professors knew my name in the first month. Peoria... some may say it gets boring, but with the right group of friends, one just has to know where to look. The administration is more helpful than I'm used to, and they really want to know your feedback, although there's an occasion that they run the school more like a business to make money rather than an institution. Really, the best I can say is the people I've met here, both staff and friends.

Alexandra

If you are looking for a small campus in a city setting, Bradley is the place to be. It only takes 5 minutes to walk from one end of campus to the next. There are many activities to get involved in including the greek system, student senate and many department groups. I enjoy the atmosphere because on a nice fall or spring day, there are always people out wandering campus, and if you want to play football, frisbee, or any other lowkey games on the quad, there is always a large supply of people willing to play with you. The dorms are also great. My freshman year, the dorm became like my family. Not only are there many interesting people worth getting to know, most of the academics are great. Listen to people when they tell you what teachers are good or not because most of the time, they are right. It just a fun place to be no matter how crazy a schedule you set for yourself.

Cameron

Bradley University is not foe everyone. The alcohol policy has become a problem recently before school recently ended. Some are threatening to to transfer even. Bradley University is in thw works of becoming a "dry campus". Students have died under the effects of alcohol and have been dismissed from the University for such actions. Bradley is very supportive in working with students in finding job placement after graduation and even before graduation. The most controversial topic in past few years was the Bradley mascot who was a Brave Native American.

Kaitlin

If you're looking for a small school, Bradley's great...but if you're not looking for a small school don't come here. You'll constantly run into the people you know, so if you're looking to avoid someone it's pretty difficult. We have a new alcohol policy that sucks but we'll see how well it's enforced. The Bradley Bubble isn't bad, but Peoria isn't exactly a college town, there are alot of areas you don't want to go. The campus is small but awesome, I really love it here.

Dale

Most people say something like "good for you!" or "that's just great!" when they hear I'm at Bradley. Not many from my high school go there, so it's quite a treat. A lot of people appreciate the small class sizes (outside of a lecture hall, the biggest class I've been in is 30ish). I wouldn't consider Peoria a college town. I've been to Champaign, and that's a college town. Peoria is just a city.

Jacob

The best thing about Bradley is that its a small school and that your able to get to know your teachers on a one-on-one basis. Where if you went to a big school, your just another student to the teachers. The town that Bradley is in, Peoria, is a shitty town!

Amy

The best thing about Bradley is by far the family-type atmosphere. Once you attend Bradley, you feel like you are part of a big family, and you never ever want to leave. Eventhough this is great when you are on campus, it makes breaks really hard, because most of the students go home for breaks, you are away from that family you have created at Bradley. It's such an encouragement, and a blessing! The only thing that I would change about Bradley, is the cost. It is a private university, and the cost proves that. But, if you have Federal Aid, and grants and loans, the cost isn't too bad at all. This year, I think the total costs were right around $29,000. But, with Federal grants, and student aide, and loans my family only had to pay around $2,000. (yes, this is still a lot, but no where near the full cost.) There is one other thing that i would like to change. Bradley likes to keep you here longer than 4 years. I just changed my major the summer between my soph, and jr. year, and I'm going to be here an extra semester. My brother also went to Bradley, and he was here for 4.5 years also, but he got done with a 5 year program in 4.5 years (Mechanical Engineering) I feel that Bradley is just the right size. We are at about 6,000 students. about 600 of them are graduate students. The rest are undergrads. But don't worry you don't have to live on campus all 4 or 5 years. You are required to live on campus for the first two years, unless you are in a Fraternity, or sorority, or if you are a commuter student. As for spending time on campus, there are a lot of things that are going on every day, and every weekend. There is a new recreation center being built, and it should be done the first few weeks of the fall 2008 semester. There is also a lot to do around Peoria. There is bowling for 1.75 (shoes included!) and a place called Stone Country (line dancing, and a dance club..now smoke free)Anything you could want to do, you can do! One thing that is unusual about Bradley, is that we don't have a football team. Soccer and basketball are the main attractions. Our soccer team made it to the NCAA Div. 1 Final Four!! OUr basketball team made it to the sweet sixteen two years ago, and was 2nd place in the bradnew CBA tournament this year! Homecoming is in the fall with the soccer season. the most frequent student complaints are that there isn't enough lighting around campus when it's dark. So, the university's new president (4'0 President Glasser) has started a 10 million dollar lighting project, and it will be done before the fall semester starts.

Brittany

I absolutely love Bradley. It's so quaint. It has its own small bubble, and I feel completely safe while on campus. But unlike some other small schools I've seen, its not in the middle of nowhere, all you have to do is walk two blocks and you're in a city. Wouldn't change anything; just the right size; most people ask where it is; outside the dorms or on the quad; Peoria is definitely not based around Bradley; the administration is good; um, the upping of drinking tickets?; yes, a lot of school pride, everyone wears Bradley clothing; not really anything unusual; can't remember anything too special, just a lot of little things; costs of drinking tickets.