Saint Louis University Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Kaya

The students are extremely friendly and always smiling. We all have each other's backs, even if we don't know everyone very well.

Mariah

The students are inclusive and live as men and women for others.

Riley

Inclusive. Dedicated. Involved. Fun! (I know, how many cliché adjectives can I write?) In all seriousness, though, SLU students ARE all these things, and more. Our University is one of the first and only schools to have a formal "Oath of Inclusion" that each student takes at the beginning of their first year. This underscores our active commitment to engage and include minorities and to combat the institutional prejudice that exists so (unfortunately) prevalently in our world today. There are a variety of student groups that support our diversity and are open to any student, such as the Rainbow Alliance, the Black, Indian, Muslim, and Filipino Student Associations (4 different groups! all "student associations), and various Christian and Spiritual Life Communities. As a result, I cannot imagine a single kind of student feeling "out of place" at our school because there are so many different ways that the University caters to all kinds of people Just as there is a strong emphasis on social awareness at SLU, the university is "casual" too, in the sense that there are those who do not elect to participate in the aforementioned student groups, not out of dislike of their missions, but simply because the students' interests lie elsewhere. You'll find that, as a result, some people are very politically involved, across the spectrum, and others are hardly affiliated at all.

Kay

SLU has a very vibrant and diverse community. We have students of different racial, religious, socio-economic, sexual, and geographic backgrounds. This is easy to see through the plethora of student organizations we have on campus. Moreover, the students on campus created and continue to uphold our 'Oath of Inclusion.' I have loved being at SLU because it has furthered my education beyond academics. It has opened me up to new cultures and opinions as well.

Julia

I enjoy the company of my classmates becuase we live in community with one another and we it is a closer friendship than one that is based off of four years prior to college. You change more in a week of school than you ever thought possible. I have been fortunate to be able to meet so many wounderful individuals that are diverves when compared to my hometown. There are so many ideas floating around it's amazing I just love learning and being able to share similar passions with my peers.

Corinne

My classmates are extremly intelligent, helpful, open-minded individuals who are constantly striving to obtain more knowledge.

Scott

Classmates typicall fall under a white, middle-class category.

Ryan

Helpful but a bit too reserved.

Sanita

My classmates lived in a bubble.

Albina

outgoung and fun.

Joel

My classmates at Saint Louis University are diverse, there are students from all over the globe attending SLU and simply walking down through campus I am showered by different cultures and languages and there is rarely an incident of excluding a person based on their race or ethnicity.

Adam

My classmates could be described as the "average joe" meaning nobody seems to be extremely rich, arrogant, poor, or modest.

Syria

Majority of my classmates are white. Some exhibit racist behavior.

Sakinah

My class consist of individuals who are content, flamboyant and intelliectly equal.

Amy

My classmates are individuals who follow their passions and invest themselves in making a positive impact on their community through learning, leadership, and service.

Kathryn

Most of my classsmates are academically focused, I often see them studying around campus and in the library. I also see a lot of students working out in the Rec Center.

Nicole

most students are upper middle class white people but there are a lot of religions and races represented. Most students are from the midwest, specifically Chicago and St. Louis.

Fanzhang

helpful students~kind ~

Edna

My classmates are always willing to clarify my questions, they are available for extra help outside of class, they are patient, they make the class atmosphere comfortable and welcoming, and they bring a great sense of humor to class which makes class so much more enjoyable.

Candra

I think that we could definitely be a lot more unified. I think there have been negative experiences with regards to race, religion/denominations, LGBT. I don't know that everyone has experienced everything, or any one thing, and I think we as a campus are getting better about it, but like any campus, or any group of diverse people, there's still work to be done

Monica

This campus is full of students who have come from extremely privileged backgrounds. Most have never seen people who don't come from backgrounds like themselves. There's not a lot of true tolerance for people who aren't the majority (rich, white, male/female), but the administration does it best to promote diversity and inclusion. Racially, sexually, religiously, most students feel uncomfortable. Minorities often have to stay together on this campus, but then we look like we're being racist (which isn't even possible, idealistically). Students often are consumed by name brands and come from decent financial backgrounds. Most students are politically aware. We have a mix of liberals and conservatives. SLU students are often future-outlook oriented to say the least.

Kevin

I find the almost every kind of student group, ethnicity, or background is represented at SLU. I know that SLU promotes diversity on a daily basis. There is a large LGBT alliance program on campus. There are clubs for nearly all religious groups. And if you don't feel like you fit into a certain "diversity", many people join these groups in support. Students tend to dress on the preppier side at SLU but sweatpants can be seen everywhere - It's college afterall ;) Politics is not a huge topic on campus but both Student Democrats and Student Republican groups do exist. Most SLU students are very active in promoting a cause or spreading awareness for various types of issues. SLU is very open to this kind of thing.

Alicia

St. Louis University has students from everywhere in the world. One nice thing about the first day of school is getting to find out where everyone is from. Students also come from different financial, religious, and racial backgrounds. Some are athletic, some are artistic, some are talkative, some are reserved. Coming from a small high school, I love this about SLU. Students are going to have to work with a wide range of people after graduation, this helps us prepare for differences that may occur.

Justin

SLU students are very active with what concerns them the most. Every week there is always a different student group hosting activities to raise awareness for various causes. Just this past weekend, various student groups banded together to host a Dance Marathon aimed at raising money for children with cancer. I am a member of the College Republicans, College Democrats, Political Science Club, and Model United Nations. All of these groups are very active in bringing speakers to campus, hosting voter registration drives, and canvassing local neighborhoods. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there is a Wilderness Adventure Club which goes out almost every week to do all kinds of activities ranging from kayaking to rock climbing. There are also numerous interfaith groups that aim to educate SLU students and people of St. Louis of the amount of diversity located in the city.

Kate

Because we are a Jesuit school, I really do feel like we encompass the "men and women for others" in our peer to peer relationships with the other students on campus. I have seen people from what I thought were completely different social groups getting lunch together, or grabbing a late night snack in Fusz dining hall. I feel like there's truly a place for everyone, whether you're more into Greeklife, honors societies, service clubs, sports, acapella groups, politics, or maybe even camping with our Wilderness adventure club.

Amanda

My classmates are all caring, open-minded, intelligent students. Here at Saint Louis University, students genuinely care about the betterment of not only themselves, but their classmates as well.

Joey

The students here are amazing because they really treat SLU as their home and make sure they are comfortable with being here. The girls here aren't fake, and (most) of the guys are those fake cool-acting jocks. We have an Oath of Inclusion which makes sure all students feel comfortable with being here regardless of ideologies, races, sex, or orientation.

Ashaki

They are boring.

Jennifer

Most are studious and prepared to learn.

Anu

My peers are thoughtful, ambitious, well rounded, service oriented, leaders of their high schools, kids who worked hard and are always willing to try new things, to stand up for their beliefs, and to live not only in our college community, but also reach out to the city community around us.

Vallisha

My classmates at Saint Louis University are very diverse, smart, and unique.

Robbie

My classmates are supportive, interesting, diverse, friendly and in many case they are personal friends.

James

Everyone is completely focused on their academics, it's a little overwhelming.

Nick

My classmates are intelligent people who have the desire to excel in all aspects of their life, especially their schoolwork.

Thomas

I was immersed in a highly international atmosphere and met some of the greatest friends of my life, from every corner of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Although I am not to return, I still keep in touch with them each via Skype. I would have not made this effort if I had not come to know such individuals that only this campus could offer. There were so many people I came to know, I can't begin to explain the nature of each and our relationships, but each taught me something new of a different country and culture.

Jared

There are a lot of white kids, of course, but there are also an increasing amount of minority students. It's decently diverse at SLU--you won't walk to class without seeing a minority student. People tend to be nice enough to say hi as you walk by, or hold the door for you, etc. Kids come from all over the place to SLU.

Theresa

My classmates are all working adults and we all want to succeed in life. We have experienced the highs and lows of life and now at a point in life were we want to focus on success.

Kathleen

My classmates are intelligent, caring, fun, well-rounded people, who get along with each other and faculty very well and respect each other and the environment.

Mallory

My classmates were very smart and wealthy.

Meg

My roommate freshman year was the dumbest girl I've ever met. She only took 9 credit hours (and failed at least one of the classes), but the school still paid for almost ALL of her tuition. SLU loves students of a minority background, so the rest of us get screwed financially. Father Biondi, the president of the university, once told a group of students that the only way he could suggest raising money was to "stand on the corner of Grand and Lindell with a tin can."

Candace

my classmates are very nice.

Jennifer

The school is very conservative. The most popular association on campus would probably be Students for Life who are constantly reminding us that we should not have abortions. One thing the association lacks is help for finding an alternative to abortions. It is encouraged everywhere that we go to church on Sundays, as we are a Jesuit university. Our LGBT association is not allowed to talk about BEING lesbian, gay, or bisexual- but they're allowed to talk about having thoughts. They're not allowed to discuss actions either. I guess Father Biondi feels that as long as they don't admit to being such, that they will sooner or later not be it. SLU students have an unwritten code uniform: Northface jackets and ugg boots. If you do not have either one of these items, you will stand out. It's obvious that many of the students are rich, or have rich parents.

Kate

My classmates are welcoming and engaging. They don't always seem to be that different or individual, but once you crack their surfaces they are.

Sara

Sometimes you love them, sometimes you realize they are rich idiots.

Lyle

My classmates are from different backgrounds and different areas of the world and are a great mixture of interested and not interested in the school work we are asked to do.

Logan

They are hard workers but know how to have fun.

Ted

My classmates are nice and hardworking.

Erika

My classmates are defintely compromised of all different races, ages and backgrounds. Most of them are definitely middle to upper class whose parents pay for schooling, whereas mine do not. They're wonderful people and everyone has something different to bring to the table.

Jennifer

Students are driven and diverse.

Sarah

Nobody is really competitive, even though there's a lot of studying going on. Study groups are more like, groups of people studying, not groups of people trying to pass the other for grades. Some people are religious, some people aren't - I'm one of the not types, but it's been pretty cool. This one girl used to always invite me to Sunday Night Mass, and I'd decline, and then we'd talk about world religions some - good times. Most everyone mingles - rich, poor, international, local, that sort of thing. Only black students tend to stick with black students, but the Black Student Alliance is a really popular group, so that's why.