Marquette University Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Jim

My overall opinion of Marquette is quite positive. As a Catholic, Jesuit institution, we are located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. That being said, there is always some type of festival or concert happening in the city on any given night. Also, we are a Big East Division 1 school with a manageable number of students (8,000 undergrad, 3,000 graduate). This school is small enough to see some of the same people everyday, but also big enough to meet some new people each day.. While being roughly a mile and a half from the lakefront, we also have a designated campus area that all students take advantage of and reap benefits from. The distinction here is that we are in the middle of a city, but we have an area that students call "home." This is all a part of the Marquette advantage that I hope you join.

Elizabeth

To be truthful, I considered transferring during or after my first semester. I feel that a lot of my friends this way as well. However, it was just a matter of time before I found my place on campus. For me, it was joining a sorority. Although not considered a very Greek campus, this was probably the best decision I have made in my college career. With a wide range of organizations, interests, and clubs, it is very easy for students to find their niche and connect with others. Although Marquette has recently suffered its biggest scandal regarding college athletics, this has also been a huge source of school pride and a communal feeling among all students, faculty, and alum. In general, the campus is in a great location- in the heart of Milwaukee, an awesome city to start out in. Maybe a bit small for big-city people, but a greater starter for students just wanted to get a taste of city life on their own. Marquette is just small part of Milwaukee, with surrounding schools being Milwaukee School of Engineering and UW- Milwaukee. This allows students to explore the city and never get bored. Lake Michigan is always a popular spot when weather is warm. There are always opportunities on campus to get connected with other students. Water Street is a popular area for bar-goers, as well as the two main campus bars, Caffrey's and Murphy's. When studying, students can be found in the 24-hour library, the student union, or the academic buildings, including the brand new law and engineering schools. Despite recent scandals and a bit of a "snobby" reputation, I have found Marquette has been a very student-oriented school that cares deeply about the growth of each student. There are numerous programs that help students develop both academically and personally. The one thing that I would change is that it would be in a different city, but that is simply because I am from the area. Marquette was the best option for me and it was a very small sacrifice for such a great pay-off!

Betsy

I have loved my 4 years at Marquette! The school is the perfect size for me, medium size to the point where you will always recognize someone, but still plenty of opportunities to meet someone new. Being in Milwaukee is a blast. It's cool to be able to go downtown and have opportunities outside of campus, which a lot of college towns don't have. Within the midwest, Marquette has a respected connotation to it, but it's not rare for others outside the midwest to only know us for our basketball team. Speaking of basketball, that's huge at Marquette. We don't have a football team, so we make basketball a big deal. It's at the Bradley Center downtown and its not rare to hear about kids staying overnight in Wisconsin winters to get great seats for the big game. The biggest complaint you'll probably hear is about campus safety. We are located in an urban environment and its sort of its own bubble, so once you step off campus you can hit some pretty rough areas. However, on campus Marquette goes above and beyond to make you feel safe. We have LIMOs which are these huge vans that run around campus at night and will pick you up and drive you to where ever you're going at night so you won't have to walk alone. The campus area itself is small and condensed compared to other schools, so even if you walk somewhere, its not going to take you more than 10 minutes which is nice. Overall, I've loved Marquette. I've loved the people i met and (most) of the classes I took. I think the community here is so inclusive and really welcoming to all types of people. Go Golden Eagles!!!

Sterling

Honestly, I love Marquette. The best thing about the school is that the student body is small enough so that you will be able to see someone you know everyday, but large enough to meet a new person everyday. The faculty and administrators are really open to student input and many professors will go beyond their office hours to help a student out.

La

The best thing about this school is the atmosphere. The people that are here are friendly and helpful, along with being extremely polite. The school size is the best. It's big enough where you can always meet new people but small enough where you run into the people that you know and that there is a Marquette connection between the two of you. It isn't cliquey at all. For the most part, the student body is from Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, but there is a variety of people from other areas that do attend here. Since the majority of the students are from those areas it is regionally well known. I am personally from the east coast, but everyone knows or at least has heard of Marquette University and associates the idea of it being a good school. When I'm on campus, I mostly spend time with my friends in the dorm or outside the AMU enjoying the nice weather. Another popular spot is the cafe in the bridge of the library. The urban campus is a great thing. I initially applied to all smaller schools with rural settings but slowly realized that my social life would ONLY consist of drinking if I attended those schools. Being in the city offers the opportunity to go and explore other things, such as museums, plays, restaurants, etc. One of the concerns a lot of people have about attending Marquette University is safety. Because it is right in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, there is no border or distinct campus that keeps other people out. That being said, we have our own safety service and of course common sense to keep us safe. There is a service called a LIMO which runs 5:30pm to 3:00 am that will drive you anywhere within the schools borders and surrounding streets. In response to the initial rise of crime this year the school now has Milwaukee Police Department also helping to patrol on the weekends and late nights. There has not been an issue since. One of the biggest controversies recently is the sexual assault scandal regarding four athletes sexually assaulting another female student and how the school handled the situation. This problem has since been addressed and now all freshman are required to attend sexual assault training to learn what is acceptable, what is not, how to avoid being in that situation, etc. The school has also updated it's policy to avoid any further issues. The one thing that I would change is the curfew policy on members of the opposite sex being in each other's room after a certain point. To an extent, it is helpful at shooing your roommate's overly clingy boyfriend, but other times it's also a bit annoying. The students do not complain about the school. There is a lot of work when it comes times near midterms and final exams, but all in all the workload is manageable. Everyone I know has had a positive experience here and doesn't want to leave.

Michael

Marquette is the best of all worlds. It's large enough to support big-time college athletics and have large alumni bases (especially in Milwaukee, Chicago, Twin Cities, New York, and DC) but small enough so the community still feels like an extended family. It's urban, but still has a "campusy" feel, unlike some other urban universities. Students work hard, but play hard too. It seems we're always near the top of the lists for great social lives AND "hours spent studying."

Samantha

The two best things about Marquette are the abundance of things to get involved in and the campus itself. Marquette has so many campus programming activities and student organizations that it's incredibly easy to find something to do or find ways to meet new people, whether it's a social activity, a service project, an organization, or something like MUTV. I never ran out of things to do. The campus is just big enough that it feels like a real campus rather than a couple of buildings, and just small enough that it's no more than 12 minutes from one end of campus (Straz) to the other (Mashuda). Its location gives us great access to the bus system (an unlimited city bus pass for each semester is included in your tuition) and thus the rest of the Milwaukee area. You can bus, walk, or run downtown or to Lake Michigan. The downtown location also gives us amazing community service opportunities you can't get in a smaller town.

Andy

Best decision of my life. I always like to say, "Marquette is like a big hug." From the first time I stepped on to campus as a high school senior, I could feel the love. It was raining, and I was trying to study a map with my parents under an umbrella. Several students stopped in the rain to ask if we needed help, a tour or to see a dorm room. That's the kind of environment I wanted, a family!

Erin

I love the student body at Marquette. The size is perfectly mid-sized which makes it easy to meet new people and find close friends throughout your four years here. The students are very hard working, yet great at balancing fun and study time. From my experience the student body is caring and respectful and very welcoming. At first I was really upset that there was no football team. However, our club team is really fun to go watch as well as our other Big East teams, like Men and Women's soccer and the Volleyball and Basketball teams. Basketball season is so much fun and allows for a lot of socializing and school spirit! Milwaukee is a great city to live in as a college student. Its just the right size to explore and get around and not too costly like larger cities might be. The lakefront and downtown area are great all year round with rec paths and several beaches. Theres great entertainment and a lively art scene in the city with weekly jazz concerts during warm weather, independent galleries and theaters and lots of city wide events taking place. Marquette is structured perfectly within the city so that while we have our won campus community we also are a part of the greater Milwaukee community and only steps away from the center of downtown. We are definitely not a college town where our whole city is consumed by one large campus. There are several college campuses within Milwaukee which I think allows students much more diversity within the city. I think while the administration can be somewhat stubborn sometimes they really are making an effort to hear students voices more. As a member of student government I have noticed how well they receive student criticism on several topics and work to make life better for students on campus. For somethings it does take a while to see change take place, but we are a private Catholic university so it can be expected. There is a ton of school pride on our campus. In general I find that students are just happy to be at Marquette and proud to represent the university, especially pertaining to social justice causes. The most frequent student complaints are about the residence hall visitation rules. Being a jesuit campus, there are strict policies on opposite sex sleep overs and so forth. There have also been recent complaints about improving or building new recreation facilities for the students and club sports.

Jerry

The best thing about Marquette is the students who make up the school. They know how to have an awesome time. Marquette is well known around the Midwest for being extremely fun. In fact many students from surrounding schools such as DePaul, Loyola, and Notre Dame visit on a regular basis because they know Marquette students always know how to have a good time and everyone is extremely welcoming. Also many students from Notre Dame, DePaul, Loyola, University of Milwaukee, etc often say that the social and nightlife and Marquette is far better. The school is also the perfect size so students are constantly meeting new people, but still usually see most of their friends on an average night out. Also parents weekend is a ton of fun especially for lower classmen because it is legal for students to drink with their parents in Milwaukee. Also another nice thing is that alumni are always coming back to visit. There is also a ton of school pride especially in the men's basketball team. The basketball games are absolutely insane and I love going to every game. Even though I personally feel basketball is my least favorite sport to watch usually, I feel that many of the games I have attended at Marquette are by far the most entertaining athletic games I have ever seen! Also all students are able to buy the season tickets to the home games, which are extremely cheap, around $80, which makes about each game almost less than $3 each. Also at many of the games they give out free T-shirts or other objects. In fact last year I received a hat, 5 T-shirts, a jersey, a statue, a poster, and pom-poms all for free!

Jerry

The best thing about Marquette is the students who make up the school. They know how to have an awesome time. Marquette is well known around the Midwest for being extremely fun. In fact many students from surrounding schools such as DePaul, Loyola, and Notre Dame visit on a regular basis because they know Marquette students always know how to have a good time and everyone is extremely welcoming. Also many students from Notre Dame, DePaul, Loyola, University of Milwaukee, etc often say that the social and nightlife and Marquette is far better. The school is also the perfect size so students are constantly meeting new people, but still usually see most of their friends on an average night out. Also parents weekend is a ton of fun especially for lower classmen because it is legal for students to drink with their parents in Milwaukee. Also another nice thing is that alumni are always coming back to visit. There is also a ton of school pride especially in the men's basketball team. The basketball games are absolutely insane and I love going to every game. Even though I personally feel basketball is my least favorite sport to watch usually, I feel that many of the games I have attended at Marquette are by far the most entertaining athletic games I have ever seen! Also all students are able to buy the season tickets to the home games, which are extremely cheap, around $80, which makes about each game almost less than $3 each. Also at many of the games they give out free T-shirts or other objects. In fact last year I received a hat, 5 T-shirts, a jersey, a statue, a poster, and pom-poms all for free!

Trevor

Just the right size. Big city, but definite sense of community within the campus. Not a college town, although there are lots of Marquette basketball fans all around. Tons of school pride, especially during basketball season. Lots of time in the library during the week, lots of time partying on weekends. Find friends like yourself -- they are there.

Harper

Marquette overall is an awesome school to go to. It is located very close to downtown Milwaukee and the lake which give you endless options of things to do on the weekends. Academically, Marquette is a great school and is known as a reputable Jesuit education. One of the best times on campus is during basketball season. 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. Freshman/sophomore year you will probably go to a lot of house/apartment parties held by upperclassmen. When winter comes around, it is harder to find parties to go to. But that's when most students start heading to the bars downtown. Most on-campus bars card very hard, so underclassmen have a better chance of using a fake downtown Milwaukee. The best way to describe Marquette is work hard, play hard. Students take school pretty seriously but they definitely leave plenty of time to go out with their friends. If drinking isn't your thing, there are sooo many clubs and activities that will allow people to stay away from the drinking scene on the weekends. GoOOooOOoo Marquette!

Alison

Marquette is a middle sized university that offers students so many opportunities, I wouldn't have liked it anywhere else. Although it is in a city, the safety on campus is very secure and reliable. The extracirricular activities are very diverse, providing something for everybody, and classes provide students with opportunites to partake in community sponsored events and networking parties. I will miss the overall Marquette bubble and cushion I had while there.

Jane

Best experience at Marquette was staying up all night in line outside the Bradley Center the night before ESPN Game Day. It was well worth the wait, as we all were on TV and had a blast. Had a great time at Marquette, its a great community and there are lots of opportunities to meet new people.

Megan

The best thing is the small class sizes. Every one of my profs knew my name. When I tell people I went to MU - the reaction is usually "thats a great school" From everyone of my friends from high school - you never see more school spirit than you do on a daily basis at MU. Just sit outside and count how many people are wearing school colors to class. Most frequent complaint - not a lot of places to eat around campus and the dining halls aren't very good.

Josh

Marquette is a great place to get your education. The professors are generally great scholars who can also make their classes extremely interesting. The quality of student is also generally quite high, with almost everyone capable of engaging in genuine academic discussion. The best thing about Marquette is the size of its community. While it's not large to the point where you're considered a statistic, it's still large enough to meet a wide array of people. The city of Milwaukee is a great place to live, with not only plenty of places to go and see, but plenty of service opportunities as well. Marquette's emphasis on service and ethics is at the core of its philosophy, and is one of the most positive aspects of being a student here. 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. The question of whether Catholic teaching should trump academic and/or personal freedom is at the heart of many student and faculty disagreements with the administration. 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. A benefit of the disagreements is a view into the complex interactions of the Church with the modern world as it changes going into this new century.

Megan

How do people react when I tell them I go to Marquette? "wow Marquette huh? They think, "hey this girl must be pretty smart to go there." "WE ARE MARQUETTE." Some say "D-Wade!" The reason Marquette is so well known is because of basketball star Dwayne Wade- MU Alum!! They also think I come from money whether I do or not. You go to Marquette knowing that you will get a good job because of where you graduated from. All in all MU students walk out of college with a well rounded education. This is what people think when they here "MARQUETTE"

Karen

The best part is that the majority of classes are small. I would change how conservative the professors are, though it is a private school. The area around Marquette is really bad. There are a lot of robberies, and a lot of streetwalkers and crackheads who walk around the same areas that the students do.

Matt

Marquette is medium size, which I think is just right. It's a city campus, which has major benefits, like a city right down the street. While Milwaukee isn't that great of a city, it's better than nothing. I think Marquette's administration sucks.

Ryan

Marquette lacks a lot of school pride. Sure basketball season can get crazy, but overall there is a lack of fans compared to sports crazy schools like Madison and Michigan. When I tell people I go to Marquette they either have a blank look on their face or immediately assume I am rich and stuck up. Rarely do they say "Oh, that's a great school." The administration hardly takes student concerns to heart and is not willing to work with students to improve campus. It has a very elite feel like the campus as a whole.