Saint Louis University Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Kaya

I love this school so much! Everyone is so friendly and it is so easy to get involved because it is not too big nor too small. I have never walked across campus without seeing someone I know, and I love that!

Luke

I love SLU so much. I would strongly suggest a visit to anyone and everyone because it is such an awesome and beautiful place!

Kay

I absolutely love it here! I am originally from Texas and have found that the community here at SLU is unparalleled: it is my 'home-away-from-home.' I have no regrets about my college choice.

Nicole

I love the campus and it is so pretty but it's in a bad part of town and every once in a while someone gets robbed.

Fanzhang

Great! beautiful environment and helpful people~

Candra

I love my friends/community. I love my program - public health. Our campus is beautiful. I'm not a fan of the cold weather, but I love Saint Louis.

Monica

The best thing about this school is the versatility as a student. You have a lot of freedom to begin clubs and be involved as much as you like. One thing I'd change is the cultural acceptance on this campus, including diversity and inclusion and the practice of it. My school is just the right size. When people know I go here, they are usually shocked because I'm biracial. Most of time on campus is spent in the Busch Student Center. SLU is a little bubble within Saint Louis City, not a college town. The administration has heavy flaws, many of which seem unchanged by student opinion. The biggest controversy on campus has been student organization policies, but to me, the biggest controversy is racism and discrimination. There is slight school pride, not having a football team weakens our pride, I think. Overall, SLU has provided me with so many memories and experiences, none of which I regret.

Kevin

Whenever I tell people that I go to SLU, there is almost always a positive reaction followed by "What a great school. You must be so smart!" It's true that SLU has a great academic reputation. Nursing, Physical Therapy, and Aerospace Engineering are what SLU is most known for. We have a great business school, too. The thing I like most about SLU is it's BEAUTIFUL and urban campus, as well as the perfect middle-level student body size.

Alicia

St. Louis is a small school, which makes it a pretty tight-knit school. There is always someone you know in each of your classes, and most teachers will know you by name after the first couple weeks. I love this about SLU, some students won't.

Keilah

SLU is expensive, but if I had to do it all again I would. I remember taking a tour of SLU's campus while I was a junior in high school. The sun was out, the SLUlips (our beautiful tulips) had bloomed, and the campus was bustling with people. Everywhere we went, students greeted us and encouraged us to come to SLU. Years later, I still feel as I did on that tour. I'm constantly being asked what I like about SLU and what I would like to see changed to make it better. I have grown as a person intellectually and personally here, with the encouragement of my peers and faculty.

Justin

SLU fit just about everything I wanted to find in a college. It's just the right size for me. I'm able to know a lot of people, yet still not know nearly all the students on campus, and because the school population isn't that large, I can have a very personal relationship with my professors and advisers. It's not uncommon to see students and their professors having coffee at The Bean in the student center. This is probably my favorite thing about SLU. Being able to talk to my professors outside of class is really helpful. Besides my dorm and the library, I spend most of my time on campus hanging in a hammock with two of my best friends in the Quad. It's a great place to relax and have fun.

Kate

I absolutely love it here. I get the college-town feeling while still being located in a city. My school is big enough that I'm always meeting new people, but I still run into my friends on the way to classes. My teachers have been great, and I'm surprised how much respect and flexibility I am given by my professors and instructors. I never thought of myself as a sorority girl, but joining a sorority here has definitely made my experience a phenomenal one. I like that we don't have houses because it gives Greek life a more unified feeling on campus. Several of my relatives work in healthcare professions in the Saint Louis area. They say the students working on their clinicals/job shadowing from Saint Louis University are some of the most competent students they have. I'm proud to go to SLU!

Joey

I absolutely love this school. There is so much to get involved in, it's in between the city and places like Forest Park and the Loop so there's always something to do. The teachers here aren't full of themselves, so they are always willing to help you out and make sure you do what it takes to succeed. There are a lot of hidden treasures here that students who don't branch out won't learn about, and then they will think that there's nothing to do. But I assure you that if you branch out of your comfort zone you will love this school as well.

Jared

SLU is a good place if you like a smaller campus that is lively and fun. If you want a rowdy state school, take a pass. Class isn't too bad, and the people are pretty cool here. You can find friends, it isn't too hard.

Meg

SLU is essentially a town within a town... Once you step on campus, you won't know you are still in a big city. However, the area right outside of campus is terrible. St. Louis is one of the most dangerous cities in America, and SLU is no exception. I get at least one email a week from SLU's campus public safety about someone who was assaulted, robbed, beaten, etc. The best email was when our campus's bank was robbed in the middle of the day.

Jennifer

The best thing about SLU is how small the campus is, and therefore all classes are within walking distance- with exception of classes on the med campus. It's also a wireless campus, so for the most part, no matter where you are there is internet. Usually when I tell people I go to SLU they think I'm pretty smart, but the truth is, SLU also let in a lot of idiots. There was once a time when a student wanted to dry their pants quickly, so they put them in the microwave- obviously not a wise decision- and the fire alarm went off. SLU has a pretty stupid president, Father Biondi, who thought it might be a good idea to knock down housing and build an arena. The arena may provide a lot of money for SLU, but none of that money makes tuition any cheaper- and it certainly makes it harder to get housing. There isn't much school pride because we don't have a football team. The most recent issues on campus involved the presidential election, where lots of racist students took the opportunity to show their true colors.

Sarah

SLU is the PERFECT size. Small enough that you'll see the same faces (sometimes), and large enough that there are always new people to meet. SLU has a great reputation too - not just the school, but the students. There's a joke that goes, "How do you get a SLU student to get off of your doorstep?" "Pay him for the pizza." But, to be honest, SLU's reputation has played a HUGE part in helping me to network and find jobs. However, if you go there, don't expect to live on-campus past your first year - what housing there is is totally run-down, and it's hard to find a place. There are lots of nearby off-campus (walkable) apartment buildings, though, that are really popular with upperclassmen.

Tom

SLU is the perfect size school. It has enough people to keep life interesting, but it is not so large that there are hoards of people that you've never seen before. Some campuses require shuttles to get from class to class, but you can literally walk from one end to the other in our campus in fifteen minutes...probably six or seven if an ape is chasing you (more on that in a minute). As for the administration, some people say that they are doing a horrible job and that Father Biondi should be replaced, but since I've been here I have had no problem. Ten second breakdown of our school spirit: 1) Being a billiken (and all the glory it stands for, baby!).......yes! 2) Being a Jesuit and learning their way of life.....................yes! 3) Soccer.....................................................................yes! 4) Basketball...............................................depends on what the team does. 5) Baseball..................................................hell no, I went to a game against George Washington and was greatly outnumbered by old people from Virginia. Is our school exciting? Of course. Whether it was my chemisty professor throwing halloween candy at people or Batman busting through the doors asking for Superman's help (it really happened and was hilarious!!!). And then, as promised, there was the guy bolting down the campus being chased by a ape in a tuxedo cranking Ben Folds. If you need controversy to spice up ye dull life, just go down to Grand Blvd...there is always somebody complaining about something (blocking the sidewalk; come on people!).

Katrina

The best thing about Slu is the location, I like living in an urban area. I think the size of Slu is just right, not too big but not too small. People think Slu is really expensive and some have said the school is over rated but college is expensive it doesn't matter where you go. When I'm at Slu I spend most of my time at the gym or in the library. I think Slu is a well rounded school, they have alot of school pride for Basketball and soccer, there are many greek organizations and other extracurricular activities to get involved in, plus they offer every degree and have great professors! One experience that I'll always remember is jumping in the dolphin pond with all the other Zetas on Bid Day!!

Jeff

A medium sized school of about 12,000 students. Well respected in the midwest, I don't really know the school's reputation on the east or west coast. Definitely not a college town. But not a huge city like Chicago. Good opportunites for internships in the business school. Many companies in Saint Louis hire SLU interns. Administration is not good. They will spend lots of money on the campus to bring in flowers, trees, etc but won't get a well designed system for billing, etc. One of my friends was kicked out her classes because the registrar had it in their records that she didn't pay her tuition bill, although it had been paid. Upon her showing the receipt it was up to her to go to all of her teachers to have to get signatures to let her back into class (although it was SLU's mistake). This may be an extreme example, but there are many like this.

KJ

Great class size, teachers are approachable. Community service projects, and the biliken World Festival in April is always fun! SLU is great for networking with alumni and businesses that work through the university. There is a lot of school pride, but there would be more if our sports teams won more games. Diverse student body of people from around the world. African Americans and Latinos the most underrepresnted on campus which offers close bonding and gossip. Frats and sororities abound, big parties with buses to parties are provided. But there's only one historically black sorority at SLU, and no historically black frats at all. The black frats and sororities are city-wide with members from WashU, UMSL, SLU and other St. Louis univerisities in one chapter. Local universities in illonois offer big campus parties and more interaction with Black frats/sororities in a mixer-style party.

Phil

It has a huge pre-med program (lots of Indians). The business school is well renowned, but fairly easy. It's in a dangerous area (you have to be careful at night). Lots of apartment parties when under 21 b/c no frat houses or open space. Most over 21 partying at local bars. SLU kids are well rounded compared to the stuck up Washu stereotype or the overly artistic and expressive Webster stereotype. Biondi thinks he is the king of the world. He runs everything how he wants to. We don't have a big football team to bring the school together. Hopefully the Chaifetz Arena and the addition of Rick Majerus will give us a good basketball team.

Samael

SLU committees/boards have decided to further inflate the value of a SLU education by increasing prices by approximately 6{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, making tuition $30+ k a year. This is outrageous given the low rating of the university and lack of name recognition across the country. Not to mention, there is a huge safety isses evidenced by weekly emails from public safety frequently regarding muggins and assaults. As if this was not enough, the US Bank in our Student Center was robbed in broad day light. Culprits are still at large... It is sad to say, but a SLU education is worthless outside of St. Louis. The decision to raise prices coupled with the current economic downturn has decreased enrollment at SLU for 08 school year. I can only hope that the decision makers have started feeling the woes that they have imposed on students and families for years. BIG PICTURE? Not worth your money! Side note: The SlU campus is quite nice and well kept however, I believe that an excess of $1 million is spent each year on the grounds keeping. This seems rather significant considering the small size of the campus.

Jessica

The best thing about SLU is that it not only cares about your education but how you develop as a person as well. SLU does in fact look at the big picture and the whole person experience of college. The size of SLU is perfect. People know SLU is a good, well respected institution. I spend most of my time in the business school. Saint Louis is a great city full of excitement for college students. I don't know alot about SLU's administration. The teachers are excellent. Everyone who goes to SLU seems to be proud of where they go, but school spirit is lacking a bit. SLU is a diamond in the rough, and is an amazing secret of the midwest.

Taylor

I really like the size of SLU. It is small enough that I feel at home there, I feel like I know a lot of people, and I feel like I am part of a community, but not so small that everyone knows each other. You meet new people every day. People don't say much when I say I'm going to SLU- it's not that prestigious, although it is a good school. Some people say: "Oh, you go to Wash U?" No, they're not the same. No one outside of the midwest is likely to know about SLU. I spend a lot of time in the library, it's a really good place to study. They also have a recently renovated rec center that's really nice. St. Louis is a fun city, unless you are from a bigger city, then it might seem boring. SLU is very conservative, and that is the part that I was most shocked and disappointed by. The administration banned the Vagina Monologues from campus, the health center isn't allowed to distribute condoms or birth control. You may not think that is important as a highschooler, but opinions and lifestyles change when you move away from home and things you might not of though about before become more important. Father Biondi, the president of the university, is a money driven man. He does not care about the surrounding community, which is somewhat impoverished, and buys up their relestate and puts them out on the street. He plagerized one of his sermons, then denied it. He fired the supervisor of the newspaper, and is currently suing him because he didn't censor the reporters' stories to Biondi's satisfaction. Now the newspaper is very censored. It's disappointing. If you are liberal, don't come to SLU. You could go to better rated colleges for less money and feel more at home. Another thing Biondi did was fail to grant the student refugees from New Orleans who came to SLU in 2006, even though every other Jesuit university in the country did so. The campus is beautiful, the faculty is nice, as parties go, my friends and I always had fun and had stuff to do. However, freshmen boys don't have many parties to go to unless they are in a fraternity, so if you like to party, are a boy, and don't want to be in a fraternity, don't come here. There are better places for you.

Julian

In a nutshell: SLU is a mediocre, medium-sized private Catholic school in the middle of a somewhat rough urban environment. SLU certainly isn't a perfect place --there's a lot about it that really frustrated and dissappointed me-- but there's also a lot to love about it, and, in the end, I don't regret having decided to go here.

Scott

Every school has a mission statement that they try to abide by, but at SLU they really mean it. "The pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and the service of humanity" is a philosophy that SLU incorporates into everyday life on campus. While it may seem corny at first (and it sometimes it really is), it's an integral part of SLU, because it shows that the school's goal is more than just education, it's goal is to prepare future citizens on how to lead the best life possible for themselves and others.

Bobby

My favorite thing about SLU is its size. It's big enough that you're always meeting new people and small enough that you always run into people you know. It's a happy medium between small schools where everyone knows everyone and large schools where it's rare to pass anyone you know on the way to class. If I could change something about SLU it would be the food system, which is complicated and in my opinion a waste of money. SLU's location is in midtown St. Louis: a short distance from downtown and just a hop from the outlying cities. I love going to school in a city, so it's perfect for me. We don't have the same level of sports-oriented pride that some larger schools have, partly because we don't have a football team, but we also have opportunities to be involved as a fan in a number of clubs. Most students find they don't particularly care for the administration for a number of reasons, but I think that's also a factor of going to a Catholic school that depends on donations to make ends meet. When the donors aren't happy, neither is our administration, and in the past few years that's meant the administration has been more conservative than the students would like.

Katie

I love being at SLU, and I know it is the right place for me. However, I am easily frustrated by the administration's decisions. My main complaint is that they don't allow the Vagina Monologues to be performed on campus anymore, after 6 years! We still put the show on off-campus, but it makes me sad to think that the administration values the money from conservative donors (in this case) over the hard work of the students.

Cameron

Well, up front, one thing I would love to change about SLU is the expensive price that they charge for their education but I always seem to second guess that because the more you stay at SLU the more a person loves it and really appreciates all the goodness of it. I think the education that a person recieves at SLU doesnt compare to any other college in the Saint Louis area, except ofcourse Wash. University. The professors are very smart and educated/prepared to lecture the students, at the same time they are also very close to their students and care about each and every one of them. Most of the classes are 13-90 people at the most. Usually the core classes are larger than the ones that will lead you into your major. The people at SLU are not all necessarily stuck up or too smart, we actually have a large variety of students and I believe that anyone will be able to fit in.

Blake

When I'm at home in Texas, most people don't know what SLU is, but I think that's because we're not terribly strong in sports. SLU is admittedly not the place for everyone, but it's certainly the perfect place for me. It's decently large, but not huge. I've never had a class with more than 30 students, and that provides more attention from the professor. It's a Catholic school, but is rather liberal in the sense that all ideas are welcome, whether they be Catholic, Islamic, Jewish, Atheistic, Agnostic, or non-religious. The SLU faculty certainly believes that things can be learned from people who think differently, so they're very open-minded. Whether someone comes from a different religious background, a different economic background, a different cultural background (American or from the other side of the world), we believe that we can learn from them.

KJ

One problem that I have with SLU is that I am 26 years old and do not fit in at all. The majority of the students in my program are between the ages of 18 and 24, and those in my class are just turning 21. They are at the party age, which I have far surpassed. Many of the professors here treat everyone like an 18 year old instead of an individual and don't understand that not all of us have mommies and daddies buying us everything, not all of us live on campus, not all of us skip classes, and some of us HAVE to work to pay our mortgage and utilities.

Kayla

The best thing about SLU is that even if your true home is thousands of miles away or halfway across the world, SLU really makes you feel at home and comfortable. When you tell people that you go to SLU, they're really impressed. Its a competitive school and you can't be someone who scraped along high school with Ds. They're some of the cream-of-the-crop kids and some of the best future leaders. There are tons of school pride (especially if you like soccer or basketball). The friends you meet here become your family and will be your best friends for life and your bridesmaides and groomsmen at your wedding.

Rachel

Its a fun campus.

Lisa

SLU has the perfect amount of students. When you walk to classes, chances are that you will know at least 1/3 of the people you pass. The campus is beautiful and has pleanty of places to study, both indoors and outside. When I tell people I go to SLU, most people are impressed because SLU has a very good reputation. SLU doesn't have the feel of a college town. However, the campus has everything you need.

Ashley

The best thing about SLU is having excellent accessibility to your professors. Classes are almost always taught by professors, not T.A.'s. I would like to see more opportunities to eat healthy food. SLU is just the right size for me. It is relatively small compared to other schools like University of Missouri-Columbia. People seem impressed when I tell them that I go to school, it is in the top 5 Jesuit Universities in the nation. I spend most of my time in the BSC (Busch Student Center) or hanging out with friends in my dorm room. SLU's administration is very helpful and nice. The biggest controversy this past year on SLU campus was the canceling of the play "The Vagina Monologues". Many people felt that by Father Biondi canceling it, he was supporting violence against women. News Channel 4 came to campus because there was a protest on Grand. Sports are not a main focus at SLU so the school pride is probably considered lower than at many other universities. The most frequent student complaints is the food at Griesdieck and Reinert Dining hall.

Rachel

The school is just the right size. A person can be alone when they want to be, or find a familiar face in the student center is he or she chooses to. School pride is not, however, overwhelming. There are those who are smitten with the school, but, for the most part, SLU is the kind of school that is takes time to love. Each person finds his or her niche and gets out of the school as much as he or she chooses to put into it.

Mary

My favorite part about SLU is that it doesn't just focus on the academics, but focuses on the student. SLU is Jesuit and we follow the Jesuit mission which is to create a balanced lifestyle. So they strive to help as grow as individuals in all areas, not just school, but in spiritual, mental, and emotional areas too. I grew as a person at SLU not just as a student. I'll never forget I was filling out an application for an internship. I went to our campus minister to proofread my essay and resume. She went out of her way to help me improve both even though she was incredibly busy. Then my academic advisor also went out of her way to help with the application. Niether one had to help, but they both went the extra step in helping me. Most of SLUs staff and faculty is more than willing to go out of their way to help just as my campus minister and academic advisor helped me to get my internship. I also like the size of SLU, its big enough that I can always meet new people, but small enough that I always see someone I know on campus on my way to class. But I do wish that we had more school pride and got into sports more. I think that will change with the new arena though.

Tate

SLU just built a new arena and it it really cool. The campus has been getting safer. There is a main road that cuts through the campus that people have to cross to get to some of their classes, but you get used to it. you just have to be smart about things. I know there have been assults on campus. Also the US Bank in the student center was robbed this past year. And the DPS couldn't find the guy even though he was on campus for 15 min after he robed the bank, supposedly unarmed.

Tyler

Saint Louis University is a jesuit institution that takes academics very seriously. There is a very diverse student body which provides students with an opportunity to interact with many different cultures. It is located in an urban environment in the heart of Saint Louis. I have never had a bad experience at SLU personally.

Tricia

smaller school in a big city, always something to do. most frequent complaints are about the lack of financial aid and the fact that father biondi doesn't address student needs at all. faculty is excellent

megan

SLU has a extremely nice campus and may be one of its main attractions. It is landscaped and very green during the summer with water fountains and everything. I feel that the school is just the right size for me. walking across campus you almost always see people you know but every weekend there are always new people to meet as well. because SLU is in a city there arent "house parties" but ive never run out of things to do. a fake ID is almost essential. bars are a huge part of the social life. Frats and Sororities rent out bars and have busses running to and from for their parties. joining a sorority was the best decision i made as a freshman but i have plenty of friends who didnt go greek. School sports arent huge though but i dont feel that it takes away much.

Heather

I love the atmosphere at SLU. Everyone is so accepting of everyone else that it seems almost impossible for anyone not to fit in. Both students and faculty alike are all so motivated by the possibility of living in a truly just world, as service and community are both so highly valued at SLU. The campus is just the right size; it's not too big so that you won't feel lost or like a number, but then again it isn't too small so that there is variety in the SLU lifestyle. One thing I'd like to see more of is school pride, as SLU students seem happy to be there but our school spirit is nothing compared to many other universities. It's a great place to learn and get to know people from all over the country. I think anyone would really enjoy SLU life.

Megan

The school is a perfect size. There are small classes and the teachers really care about you, they want you to succeed. It is the most beautiful campus but very exspensive. When you tell people you go to SLU everyone says wow, you must be very smart. The thing that lacks at SLU is school Spirit. Sports are not that big of deal and there is no football team which I wish they had. If you're a guy and not in a fraternity and not 21 there are not very many parties to go to. Girls have a better time because they can go to all the frat parties and if you are in a sorority their are a lot more social events to go to. Campus is very close to downtown and a cheap taxi ride to go to the landing and all the bars and clubs. It can be pretty dangerous around campus a lot of people get mugged and held up at gun point. I got mugged freshman year, but if your smart you can just call DPS and they will give you a ride.

Nikki

The size of the school is great. It's big enough that you see a ton of new faces every time you walk to class but small enough that, on those same walks to class, you always see someone you know. There are a multitude of places to hang out around campus (tons of bars... not to mention the one we have in our student center and the newly built arena). The campus itself is absolutely fantastic. When you're walking around, it feels like a beautiful, little oasis in the middle of midtown St. Louis. Everyone I've met who has been visiting the school rants and raves about how beautiful it is.

Jessica

The best thing about SLU is that it gives students an opportunity to really grow and see the world. I know sense I came to college I have seized opportunities SLU provided such as study abroad and am a part of one of the newest organizations on campus that was formed while I was here. Students can really find a way to live out the Jesuit Mission if they are willing to challenge themselves. The problem is that it is not a forced Jesuit Mission so some people don't want to challenge themselves. If I were going to change anything about SLU it would of course be the price that everything costs. Everything seems so ridiculously priced here. I also think I would change the way in which our money is spent, but maybe not because I don’t know how it's spent because they won’t really tell us. Things like that make me not too fond of the administration. I have never met Father Biondi, so I shouldn't say anything bad about him, but I think that is a huge problem, I have never met Father Biondi. He is never around, so all I hear about is what kinds of things he's doing for himself or his own fame. I don't know who he is personally though. Although the area SLU is in is not very safe, the campus is safe, and the city is great. I love living in the city and would say I get off some of the time, but only because I am able to have a car here and a job off campus. I think the St. Louis community likes SLU as a whole though. Controversy...haha...I believe there was a protest over the Vagina Monologues replacement, a memory, rant, monologue and prayer. It was approved and then kicked off after the original had been kicked off. It really pissed some people off. I could understand why...it seemed to be all about what rich alums wouldn't send money if they continued to allow the performance, but the replacement really didn't have anything sexual in it. It was all about violence against women and raising awareness. I didn't understand why it got kicked off...outside of the money issue. I think the SLU experience i will never forget will be the whole experience. I will never forget that I was able to go to El Salvador to study abroad through SLU, the days sitting outside by the clock tower, community at College Church, or the day by day walks down West Pine Mall. College in general has been wonderful and I will never forget that.