St John’s University-New York Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Deirdre

I would not recommend St. John's University to anyone who is serious about learning, or to anyone who hopes to experience a traditional college campus.

Jordan-Ivana

The best and worst thing about the school is its diversity If everyone were the same we would never learn from each Other. The food is excellent with the exeption of one Dining hall Montgorus. Our campus appears large at first but once you become acclamated with it it becomes Quite small. When I tell people where I go they are astounded and know of it because of The famous Lou Carnesecca. Everyone who goes to my school wears our bright Red and white colors we are St. John's !

Jessica

This school is a great place for networking and you are presented with many opportunities that I feel you wouldn't get at other schools. When people hear that the school is located in Jamaica, Queens New York, the expression on their faces is priceless because the location is often associated with a lot of violence. The schools location and the atmosphere make it just right for people looking for a school that not too big and not too small. Seeing that it's a Catholic school, those who are devout in their religions would be sure to find a church on campus that respects all denominations. Another reaction I get when I say I go to this school goes along the lines of, "you go to St. John's, home of the Red Storm? That's a really good school you know." Our school is very know for our basketball team and also for our Law school and the different programs we have. Our school might have many great factors about it but one thing that you can always hear about that grind your gears is the good old financial aid. Now every school might have problems with the financial aid building but I feel that ours are the worst. One day you can look at your bill and see charges that you know about and then the next day you go in to pay for them and they tell you that you owe more money. There's always mistakes that they take months to sort out and that can effect your registration and enrollment.You only feel ease when everything is done. When I'm on campus I'm usually in one of our dining halls, Marillac, the D'Angelo Center where all the organizations usually are or in the Library.School administration isn't so bad as long as you know who to deal with. If you have problems there are some administrators you just don't go to. I would like the school to bring back the football team they used to have because homecoming isn't really the same without football. Since our school is Catholic there has been a lot of controversy around students being able to bring an LGBT Organization on campus. If you aren't sure what that is it's and organization for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transvestites.

Aysha

Overall, I think my school is a great place to be. Honestly, St. John's is the best of both worlds. It's located in Queens, NY in suburban neighborhood, yet its only 15 minutes away from the Big Apple. We are able to experience a real "college lifestyle" with dorms, sport fields, and cafeterias filled with , but also have access to some really cool "amenities" like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMa, and best of all Broadway! St. John's used to be a commuter school, and it still has that vibe. On weekends, many students return to their families in Long Island and New Jersey, but when they are here on campus, they are boasting with school pride: Red and Black (especially because EVERY student has a St. John's hoodie).

Danielle

In my Sophomore year of college I chose to transfer schools. Like any other student I was very nervous about entering a new school environment. During my first week of classes at St. John's University, I immediately noticed the warm and friendly students and staff that were part of the campus. The professors are extremely accommodating and are always available to help you. The students are diligent and demonstrate a large amount of school pride for our team: Red Storm! Student Government holds several events a week to draw together students and faculty together. The campus is the perfect size. It is not too big or too small, within two semesters almost all of the faces on campus become familiar. I could not be happier with my choice of choosing St. John's University as the place to achieve my undergraduate degree. I look forward to hopefully attending Law School at St. John's University also.

Jaquon

St. John's really helps its students with career preparation and provides the fundamentals and coursework needed in order to enter the professional job market. From my experience I have received complaints from students who go out into the real world after graduation and do not receive the career positions they went to school for. The main reason for this is a lack of organization and campus involvement from the students. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus that meet the interest of all students in some way, shape or form. Companies want to see that a student is versatile and is doing more with their college experience than just focusing on grades. Although grades are of number one importance, organization and campus involvement makes a student well rounded and readily prepared to work with partners, co-workers, and others in a professional high-speed environment.

Devon

Kayla: So, Samir, why did you choose St. John's anyway? Samir (chuckling): Well, to be honest, I got a really great scholarship. I know that's silly, but compared to the other schools I applied to.... Kayla (also chuckling): No, that's the same for me! Erin: Seriously? I felt bad, like I was the only one! This is the typical dialogue that you hear floating around among the students in response to why they chose STJ. The one thing you don't hear though? That it ended up being a totally killer fit on top of the "great scholarship." For me too, it started with the scholarship. Once I saw the campus though, in Spring of all times when the campus looked like a lush, cached garden tucked away in a small corner of Queens, I was more than excited to become a student. This sounds silly, but that was just the aesthetic response. Intellectually, I loved finding out that the class size stays around 20-30, and as a junior undergrad getting deeper into my major, I love that today more than I did two years ago because I find myself fostering discussions in the middle of class that I never knew I could be apart of. I think it speaks for myself that I love my school, but I feel it's also palpable from the university body itself. The student section bleachers are packed during soccer, lacrosse or basketball games; each day strolling around campus you find some club or another with a banner and a table of cupcakes trying to inform you about their cause; and it's rare that on your way to class you don't walk into a friend or classmate with a smile or wave. I don't mean this in some kind of creepy Stepford Wives-y sense, but the camaraderie of the student body is linked by a mutual pride for their school and forms the strings that will hold them together long after June of their senior year, sporting alumni sweaters in front of the TV together rooting on their Johnnies. If there was one thing I'd change about St. John's, it would be the student involvement with administration. I personally feel that the administration claims to poll the students on their opinions about the general politics on campus, but they don't get as far as they could. The student government is great for what it does for the STUDENTS, but I would love to see more cohesive decision-making within the administration, perhaps while working in conversation with the students themselves. I believe it would greater benefit the decisions that the administration is generating. This goes hand-in-hand with what I'd say was the most "recent controversy" on campus, which was a few semesters ago when the administration decided to change the format of the daily class schedule. The students were deeply upset for not being consulted and pitched rally of complaints to the administration, most of which were ignored. I think that everyone by now has adjusted to this changes, but it's not to say that more feedback could be integrated with the administrations decision making to form a deeper student-faculty relationship.

Kumru

My overall impression of St. John’s is great. Unlike many other students, I transferred to St. John’s as a Graduate Student. I met many students, who love the university and remain for many years. The best thing about this school is its warm environment. Unlike the somewhat competitive atmosphere, present at NYU, (my Undergraduate school), the students at St. John’s are friendly colleagues. This mainly has to do with the campus size; it is not too small and not too large, which fosters a tight knit community. The campuses don’t entirely stand apart as “college towns”, but they are convenient for commuters. Despite, it being a commuter school however, many activities are held to encourage school pride; these include sports games and clubs. I enjoy the setting of this university, but if I were to change one thing, I’d want a bigger library. Generally, students complain about the lack of printers or number of computers available. My preference would be to increase the reading selection. Thanks to interlibrary loan, most of the time, this problem can be addressed. However, it’d be nice to have direct access to multiple resources. The library is where I spent most of my time, on campus. Because I was a commuter, it was a productive haven where I could do my homework, between classes. The library staff, like the administration, is generally extremely friendly and supportive. This friendliness extends to all aspects of campus life. My greatest experience has been my participation in varying religious events on campus, somewhat extraordinary and unseen by me at other colleges. I recall watching the lighting of Christmas trees, serving of hot chocolate, caroling, and fireworks around the Christmas holidays, as well as reading Rumi poetry, the day the Muslim Student Association celebrated the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday. This revealed to me the diversity and tolerance, present on campus. With its outstanding reputation, many people are impressed when I tell them I’ve attended St. John’s because it is an academically stimulating school. It has earned a rank among the best National Colleges and has accomplished professors; these aforementioned factors make it an ideal college choice for prospective students.

Rana

Overall, St. John's is a school you will either hate or love. How you utilize what the school has to offer will affect the outcome of your experience. If you simply plan on going to classes and leaving campus, you will not enjoy your college experience at St. John's. However if you become involved, join clubs, become a leader, tutor, intern, you will make your undergraduate experience unforgettable.

Vinny

I have enjoyed my experience at St. John's and the most amazing thing about being a student here is the study abroad program. I did Discover the World in my Spring 2011 semester and had the most amazing experience of my life. I would recommend that to any prospective or current student. One thing I think St. John's needs improvement in, though, is having more housing available to meet the demand of all students. It's definitely a big school but not too big, in my opinion. You won't know everyone but I'm not the type who wants to. I'm in the School of Education, which is a relatively small portion of the school, and all the administrators are helpful and most of us students know each other which is good.

Sasha

I think it has a great learning environment and that it has a very good quality of education. The professors are brilliant and they really care about the students. The school itself is also very community oriented and it promotes a lot of events for students to get involved in.

Xuan (Ellen)

The best thing about St. John’s is our commitment to community service. All aspects of the university supports this commitment, from academic-service learning requirements for classes, Campus Ministry’s weekly service opportunities, and all organizations participating in campus-wide service initiatives, such as University Service Day and Relay for Life. One thing I’d change about St. John’s is it’s criteria for prospective students. One of the main reasons why one of the stereotypes of a St. John’s student is being a dumb minority who has their tuition paid for by the government is that St. John’s is not very selective in its acceptance of students and on a campus that promotes intellectual development, those students stick out like sore thumbs. The average GPA and SAT scores of applicants cover too wide a range to properly represent the caliber of St. John’s students. The size of St. John’s is just right, for the campus is spacious enough to accommodate simultaneous activities and compact enough to give students the atmosphere of a town that contains all one needs. The Residence Village, the array of dining facilities, the library, the D’Angelo Center (the hub of student activity), the buildings with classrooms (whose empty rooms are usually open for independent student usage), the beautiful St. Thomas Moore Church and the sprawling Great Lawn in the middle of campus all provide a premier college-campus experience. People’s first reactions when I tell them I attend St. John’s is, “Oh, that’s a good school!” or “So you want to study Pharmacy?” St. John’s has a fairly good reputation in the Long Island-Queens area, which is where I’m from. Most people congratulate me on choosing a good school to build a foundation of higher learning and networks upon, especially since St. John’s is generous in their scholarship and financial aid offers. I spend most of my time on campus in the Residence Village and the various student centers and classroom-containing buildings, due to my employment as a Resident Assistant, my position as co-Captain of the Mock Trial Team and co-Librarian and co-Chaplain of the Voices of Victory Gospel Choir. Since the choir sings at many campus events, I am seen almost everywhere. Most often, though, I am either in class, helping lead Mock Trial practices in the D’Angelo Center or Marillac Hall or rehearsing with my choir in St. John’s Hall. The town around St. John’s boasts of successful businesses (big and small) and a consistently high level of activity during the school year. St. John’s students are integrated into the already highly populated community by frequenting book stores, local shops, libraries and restaurants. Public transportation cater to St. John’s students by having several stops located around the peripheries of campus and all kinds of services (banks, phone stores, take-out places) are a few minutes away from campus by bus or foot. Since St. John’s is also a Metropolitan university, there are shuttle-buses provided for the students that drive into the city and back several times a day. St. John’s administration is organized, responsible but sometimes unnecessarily strict. Writing from a Resident Assistant’s point of view, I’ve seen the strict side of the administration when it comes to dealing intimately with the students living on campus. However, being a leader of the Mock Trial Team allowed me a closer relationship with the higher administrative officials such as the Provost and Vice Provost. I’ve seen that they are very dedicated to cultivating the best educational atmosphere for their students and supporting the already existing programs that do so. Being a leader of the choir has shown me how dedicated the university is to the arts and creating a lively and social college experience. The biggest recent controversy was a newspaper article that criticized St. John’s students for bad-mouthing a school during a basketball game at Madison Square Garden. The students had held up signs and chanted anti-gay slurs directed at the opposing team. This was done in bad taste and the entire St. John’s community was criticized for the actions of a small portion of students. One of my Mock Trial coaches informed us of this article to remind us to represent the vast majority of St. John’s students in a positive light with our professionalism. St. John’s students have an immense amount lot of school pride. Sporting events are usually filled to the brim with students and St. John’s paraphernalia is worn by many students around campus and the community. Personally, in the organizations that I’m involved in, all the members love St. John’s and show it in all the ways that they can: supporting St. John’s sponsored events, spreading the word to prospective students and wanting to get involved on campus in any way that they can. The most unusual thing about this school is the variety of interests the students have, partly due to their very diverse backgrounds. Each section of the university is thriving with participants and student leaders, from cultural organizations and Greek Life sororities and fraternities, to the performing arts groups and professional honor societies. There is something at St. John’s for everyone! One experience I’ll always remember is my very first Annual Winter Carnival: Tree Lighting and Fireworks Display on the Great Lawn. It was my Freshman year and I was singing with the Voices of Victory Gospel Choir in front of the library, overlooking a magnificent display of lights wrapped around all the trees surrounding the Great Lawn, with swarms of people milling around, drinking their complementary refreshments and chattering excitedly about the impending fireworks. Then night became day as colorful lights exploded in the heavens. Students, community members and children alike “oo-ed” and “ahh-ed” as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” echoed across the wide expanse. It was one of the most magical nights of my life. The most frequent student complaint is that the tuition is too high. However, one way St. John’s tries to remedy this is to award scholarship and financial aid to as many students as possible. Actually, this awarding of aid is one of the most commonly cited reasons why students choose to attend St. John’s.

Bailey

At the end of the day, I am glad I chose to transfer to St. John's. I have studied at four institutions so far, and St. John's seems to be the most well-rounded out of all of them. There's a combination of academic diligence, social awareness, and strong spirit on campus that is hard to get right; maybe this is owing to the school's location, which gives it both a traditional comfort and a cutting-edge urban feel. The professors are very well-qualified and I have not had one so far who didn't seem at least knowledgeable and approachable, if not very passionate. I have also found the other students to be an engaging and diverse body of people; students from all walks of life end up at St. John's, and the academic requirements put everyone on a level playing-field from the get-go, which gives us all a valuable ability to gain perspective. Of course, the major lump in everyone's throat about St. John's is the tuition cost; I was lucky enough to get an academic scholarship from the school when I transferred, but even with the grant, the tuition cost is huge and sometimes overwhelming. The cost of college is something everyone needs to consider before enrolling; all I can say is that it is obvious that in educating and enriching its students, St. John's doesn't cut corners, so at least the tuition fee comes back to us, in a sense.

Jaquon

St. John's really helps its students with career preparation and provides the fundamentals and coursework needed in order to enter the professional job market. From my experience I have received complaints from students who go out into the real world after graduation and do not receive the career positions they went to school for. The main reason for this is a lack of organization and campus involvement from the students. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus that meet the interest of all students in some way shape or form. Companies want to see that a student is versatile and are doing more with their college experience than just focusing on grades. Although grades are of number one importance, organization and campus involvement makes a student well rounded and readily prepared to work with partners, co-workers, and others in a professional high speed environment.

Anket

I think this is a very good school to attend. The professors are very engaging and supportive, the classes are interesting. It has a good reputation in the area, and I've even gotten praise from my family members and peers for being accepted. I generally spend most of my time in the DAC or Marillac Hall, both of which are well equipped for classes and students needs. While it isn't in a college town, the surrounding area has business that prove useful to most college students, and the city is a simple subway or bus ride away if you're looking for fun. The school pride is strong among the students.

Alexa

St. John's University is located in Jamaica, Queens - a city just 45 minutes (on a good day) outside of Manhattan. Schools located this close to major cities often boast that the city is your campus and playground. At St. John's, we have the best of both worlds. We can take a train into the city to explore, but we also have expansive grounds and a full-size campus to enjoy as well. It makes for exciting experiences everyday and for a unique college experience. While on campus, I spend most of my time in the D'Angelo Center - a student common area that has a large living area with couches for lounging, desks for studying, and a Starbucks to re-caffeinate during particularly grueling study sessions. It is, by far, the most beautiful and comfortable building on campus and is constantly packed with students studying or just hanging out with their friends. St. John's has been the perfect school for me, but I am often upset to hear that not many know about what this school really has to offer. When I tell people about my university, they often give me a blank look as if they have never heard of it - and some really have not. However, thanks to a successful basketball season last year, the opinion of this school is starting to escalate and it is becoming a more prestigious university. This has also helped to boost school pride and morale, as many students on the St. John's campus could care less about sports or the success of our teams. Complaints often heard around campus have to do with overpopulation - which is true. St. John's accepts a great deal of the students who apply and this has made for a crowded campus at times. The good thing about getting accepted to St. John's, however, is their generosity with scholarships and financial aid. St. John's believes in education and wants their students to have the chance to have the best education possible, even if they can not afford it right away. There have been quite a few controversies on campus - including a priest charged with sexual assault and a dean who was charged with embezzlement and fraud. However, this has not changed the standards of the school or the morale of the student body.

Erin

St. John's University does not provide your typical college experience. With the campus located in Queens - just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Manhattan - city life is everywhere. If the few bars in Jamaica begin to bore students, take the subway into the city to find something more of your flavor. Rooftop bars galore take your breath away when you realize that you are going to college in the greatest city in the world. Hungry? Talk about literally being able to land your hands on any type of food your little heart desires. Back on campus there is somewhat of a campus life. With the basketball team on the rise again, school spirit is everywhere. The winter carnival where we light our own Christmas tree, Rockefeller Center style, is one of my favorite days of the year. In fact, carnivals and other free events are hosted throughout both semesters for the students. You can never get enough free stuff at St. John's! If there is one complaint that echoes through the halls it will be heard in the sarcastic repetition of "We are St. John's." The administration tends to be ridiculously bureaucratic and many decisions are made at the great confusion of the students and faculty alike. Some days I wish there were less commuter students that stayed around to make Jamaica more of a college town but overall the plethora of activities to do both on campus and throughout NYC make going to St. John's an experience I wouldn't give up for the world.

Anyesha

To be perfectly honest, I find my university quite overrated. This was my dream school, so much so that it was the only school that I applied to; that was how badly I wanted to get in. In my opinion, the best thing about this school is the campus itself. It's beautiful and quite spacious. You can really see where your tuition is going as far as landscaping. But that's about where it stops. Don't get me wrong, I think St. John's is a very good school with wonderful teachers and great programs, but its one downfall in the minds of all the students is its ridiculous tuition. If I had to change one thing, it'd most definitely be the price. We understand that higher education is expensive, but when you're more expensive than most Ivy League schools, there's a problem. Most of us just don't transfer because we feel stuck with many core classes that won't transfer to other schools, such as theology and philosophy. When I tell people I go to St. John's, the sad but honest truth is that the first thing most people ask me is "why?" I hate not having a very good reply to that. It doesn't help that you get virtually no help from the school's administration; financial aid is a nightmare and residence life is even worse (for anyone who dorms, which I have had to two years in a row.) There hasn't been one major controversy amongst the student regarding the school, but our two main issues is the annual tuition increase and the horrible state of the dorms. Every year the price of tuition goes up, and no one told us to combat this, we had to check the 'fixed tuition' box while applying to the school, so most of us were not privy to it. Also, the dorm policies here are ridiculous, such as kicking us out the dorms and not letting us back in for a month during Christmas vacation, unless we pay $1,000 dollars to stay the duration of that month. I've never heard of any other school doing that! None of this is represented during the school tours that so slyly sell you pipe dreams of an extraordinary campus experience, one that I so naively fell for. There seems to be a lot of school pride on campus, but that's just the school's marketing campaign, which includes the Red Storm logo T- shirts we wear simply because they periodically give them out free, not due to some deep- seated pride we have for our school. There's nothing unusual or unique about this school except its uncanny amount of Public Safety officers that unnecessarily harass students, but coincidentally are seen doing little to keep the public safe.

David

I must say that I was hesitant to come to St. John's when I was a Freshman, but over the last two and a half years I have really come to love this school. The opportunities you find here are really one of a kind and make these four years of my life truly the best I will ever have. Since coming to St. John's I have studied under Harvard graduates, gained valuable job experience within the university, traveled to 6 different countries (and I plan on going abroad again next fall!), lived in downtown Manhattan in one of the nicest neighborhoods in all of New York City, and gained friends that will be with me for the rest of my life. Granted, it is a university and has its faults, one of them being a somewhat disconnect, as it seems, between students and administrators, often resulting in administrators making large changes with little to no input from the student body. However, this has not hampered my education or great experience here. If anything, the somewhat troublesome administration has motivated me to get involved with the student government and work with my peers to make changes for a better future. We are always optimistic in those regards. St. John's has its ups and downs like any university, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else for these four years of my life!

jennifer

I think that St. John's University has an amazing alumni program that allows us to create a solid foundation for networking in the real world, our professors are awesome and very considerate, they are very eager to help students stay on the right path towards graduation and help meet the students academic goals, i honestly cant say i have one regret about choosing St. John's University as my undergraduate school

Ashley

Before I came to Saint John's, I didn't know what to expect. But since I've been here, I have loved every second of it. The campus is beautiful, and the students are very friendly. I wouldn't change one thing about this school, there are many opportunities here and an ensured life changing experience.

Ashley

Before I came to Saint John's, I didn't know what to expect. But since I've been here, I have loved every second of it. The campus is beautiful, and the students are very friendly. I wouldn't change one thing about this school, there are many opportunities here and an ensured life changing experience.

Melissa

There are two things that make saint Johns stand out. That is our athletic competitiveness and location. It is located in New York City, one of the most well known cities in the world. On a consistent basis our men and women's athletic team are nationally ranked. The school is a good size. Big enough to roam around and small enough to get to class within five to ten minutes. When I tell people I attend this school they recognize the school and acknowledge it is good. The school's administration is committed to the students needs, as well as establishing a well circuit of communication. Saint Johns has plenty of school pride. Our mascot is Johnny Thunderbird which is the most animated mascot I have ever seen. One experience that I will remember is the winter carnival. There is a variety of things all from a horse carriage to fireworks. A complaint that I hear often is the distribution of financial aid. It is not the quickest and often times you find yourself at the financial aid office trying to fix things.

Benjamin

St. John's is a funny place. For the most part, its a commuter school, and it seems like event the kids who dorm are from long island, or new jersey. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm from California, and it seems like everyone here knows each other from high school. If you're not from around here you feel a bit alienated. Campus life is pretty boring, and the surrounding area of Jamaica, Queens is even less exciting. Most students take the F train or the campus shuttle into Manhattan when they have free time. The cool thing about the school is that it is pretty big. No matter who you are it's not very difficult to meet people, and make friends who share similar interests.

Afiya

The best thing about my school is how diverse it is. In just one class, I had students from over six different countries. This amazed me coming from a high school where the majority of students came from only two different cultures and were predominantly African American. I would not change anything about my school. In fact, the school makes changes very frequently and i always think, "Why didn't I think of that?". My school is always two steps ahead of its students so by the time I think of something that needs improvement, St. John's is already on its way to improvement. I spend most of my time on campus in the D'Angelo center which is our new student center. It has everything that I need; breakfast, study area, computer area, lunch, and just a great place to socialize. The school's administration couldn't be more helpful. It was a change from high school where my counselor's and teachers told me which classes I had to take and did not give me any choice whatsoever in my interests. At St. John's the administration works with you every step of the way and I feel like they genuinely want students to get a good grade. They are always available and I haven't had to hunt any professor or advisor down. When I tell people that I go to St. John's, they immediately are familiar with my school. Sometimes when I ask people which school they go to and I have to think, "That school exists?!" Everyone always asks me about the basketball games and campus activities because St. John's is known for school spirit. At orientation, I received a free red St. John's hoodie and umbrella, then when I started school that is all I saw when I walked to class. Day after day, my mornings were greeted with a sea of people wearing red hoodies walking to class. It's still my favorite hoodie to this day! One experience that I will always remember is my orientation. How many schools incorporate community service into their orientations? This teaches students about giving back to their community from the start of their college careers. Also, the cruise on the same day was a welcomed surprise to end our day of community service. They're not afraid to throw us a party after working so hard for eight hrs. My overall opinion of St. John's is it is one of the best schools that can be found. I have no complaints about this school because it made my transition from high school to college flawless and easy.

Natalie

Saint John's is what you make it. Personally, I love it here. I've met a lot of great people from so many different backgrounds and situations, my classes match my academic level exactly, my professors genuinely care about how I do in the class and take the time to remember my name, and if you put yourself out there, people are generally very friendly. The size of the school is perfect; it's a mix of small and large. When classes are in session, you won't see anyone you know on campus because of the huge commuter population. But when it's only the residents on campus, you get the smaller-campus vibe; I always see people I know in the dining hall and around the dorms. I'll never forget the first weekend I moved in; there was a huge storm and everyone was staying inside on a Friday night (unheard of!). All of the residents had their doors open, were meeting people, laughing and talking and having random dance parties, and it was a blast. Some of the friends I made that night are the people I spend most of my time with. If you take the time and effort to meet people, you will be rewarded with some great friendships. However, you have to put yourself out there; if you have trouble meeting and talking to new people, it may be hard for you to make a lot of new friends here. The best part about going to this school is having the city so close by. There's usually a lot going on at campus (whether it's a sports game, school-hosted event, club activity, movie, lecture, or the zillion other things that happen weekly) but if there's a lull, there's always something to do in New York City. Watch out though, it can get expensive. I highly recommend keeping track of the amount of money you spend if you plan on spending a lot of time in the city. It's worth it though; shopping, a movie, Broadway show, concert, clubs, partying, museums...the list goes on forever. Here, basketball is a huge thing. Players are treated like stars on campus and the entire student body has a great amount of school spirit. The games are one of my favorite things to attend. As a Tier One university, St. John's has a good name. Many people recognize it and the name will help in the job search. Something to watch out for is that St. John's is a Vincentian university; thus, it has strict policies in almost every aspect. The biggest complaint about St. John's is the signing in policy, overnight guest registration, and the fact that if you're caught with alcohol/being drunk on campus, there's a price to pay. If you're a commuter this doesn't concern you as much, but for residents, it's something to consider. Despite its strictness, it's easy to have a great experience at St. John's.

Samantha

I have honestly never been happier with my college experience than by attending St. John's in Staten Island. There isn't really anything that I would have to change except, I wish that it wasn't so far from home. St. John's University's main campus is rather large and overwhelming and students lack the chance to truly communicate with their professors. While the campus in Staten Island allows students the smaller class sizes in which they are able to fully communicate and get to know their professors. In allowing a smaller campus but having a name like St. John's it gives the students the opportunity to work closely with their professors and expand their knowledge in a way that would have be impeded due to a larger campus.

Cara

I adore St. John's! I've found myself faced with so many opportunities pertaining to my major, including on-campus jobs and internships. All the professors I've had over the past two years care about helping their students learn. The social life might not be flourishing to the extent where there are constant parties, but since St. John's is only a few trains away from the city, it's easy to have a fun night out. I've made tons of friends, all who are just as interested in learning as I am. There's also a ton of school pride. There are carnivals, barbecues, and on occasion, dance parties out on the strip. Although I'm not a huge sports fan, St, John's is perfect for students who are. Students usually flock to sports games, crowd the stands, and cheer until their throats hurt.

Ajia

Overall I really enjoy being at St. John's University. One of the best things about being at St. John's is that the University is really diverse. Because the university is diverse it allows students to learn about culture and different aspects of foreign countries through the people that are from there as opposed to having just one view from across the water. One thing that works with the diversity aspect of St. John's is that there is a club to accommodate anybody's interest. When I tell people that I am a student at St. John's University their reaction is very positive because they know that St. John's is a very well known school and that the student's that attend this university are very intelligent. St. John's administration is very helpful with any questions that you may have about career paths and fields of study. If a class is closed and you're really passionate and have your heart set on being in a particular class the administration will personally register you for that class themselves. Another good thing about the administrations is that someone in the administration always knows another person that can give you a better insight on any potential careers you may want to pursue. The Career Center is very good about helping students experience different careers through the shadow program where you get to follow someone, in the career field you prefer, for a whole day. They are also very good at setting students up with possible jobs and internships when they host the job fair once each semester. There are many places on campus for students to get work done or relax during a busy class day such as the D'Angelo Center which has a larger sitting area on the second floor with a huge fireplace that sometimes is lit on cold winter nights. Some other interesting features of the D'Angelo Center is the Starbucks on the third floor and the pool and air hockey tables on the first floor. During the evenings throughout the week, many of the students sit in the Cafe and play music through the speakers of the D'Angelo Center on the first floor. Sometimes the fraternities and sororities will come in and put on a showcase of their dances and strolls for the people that are siting down there. I spend much of my time in the Institute of Writing Studies, also known as the Writing Center, because I'm an English major but aside from that I enjoy the relaxing vibe of the Writing Center. The Writing Center helps students of any major form ideas for papers they have to write no matter what the topic is. The writing consultants are students themselves and usually have different ways they write. They also come from different majors to better accommodate the students that come for guidance. One unusual thing about the campus is the amount of hills to walk up to reach the classrooms but at the same time everyone is getting a workout even if they are complaining about it. One thing that is beautiful about any college campus is the amount of school pride that it has and I have to say St. John's has a huge amount of it. Most of what you see around campus is students either wearing St. John's apparel from head to toe or limiting it to sweatpants and the very popular St. John's sweatshirt with the hand stitched letters on the front. And that it just outside of our sports games. During our sports games, such as basketball and soccer, all one person can see is red. We scream and shout to support our teams; we chant "Lavinwood" to support our basketball coach and tell opposing soccer teams that the storm is coming. St. John's school pride is over the top. One amazing experience I've had at St. John's was at a basketball game held at Madison Square Garden. Just when I thought I've seen the most red at Carnesecca Arena, I saw 10 times as much in Manhattan on a Tuesday night. Some of the students complain about the amount of lights that are placed around campus during the Christmas season but I think its beautiful because right now everyone's going through the stress of finals and the lights create a relaxing atmosphere when you need to take a study break in the middle of pulling an all nighter.

Cara

I adore St. John's! I've found myself faced with so many opportunities pertaining to my major, including on-campus jobs and internships. All the professors I've had over the past two years care about helping their students learn. The social life might not be flourishing to the extent where there are constant parties, but since St. John's is only a few trains away from the city, it's easy to have a fun night out. I've made tons of friends, all who are just as interested in learning as I am.

Teresa

My school is very diverse and well endowed. The size of my school is adequate, especially the class sizes. I would change the amount of our tuition, it is too high for the things we receive. i get a good reaction when I tell people that I go to St. John's University, specifically because it is in the heart of New York City. Overall, I love my school and the opportunities it has given me.

Boris

St. Johns offers you a bright future plus a great present. St. Johns is known throughout the world. The school has a great population that has people from most close to 50 countries and all 50 states. The best thing about this school is its diversity plus its ability to offer you an opportunity to get lots of hands on experience through internships. Throughout my four years I have had three different internship ranging from the New York Mets to Avis Budget Group and New York State Banking Department. When a person hears the name St.Johns University they think of hard working people that strive for greatness and success. I feel that the school is a perfect size because it prepares for the world where there is competition on every corner of the street. The school administration is really good, they have a lot of real world experience as lots of experience in academia. The biggest recent controversy on campus was changing the schedule to better accommodate more students who range from commuters to residents. The one experience I remember is getting my first internship which was with the New York Mets during their grand opening of their new stadium Citi Field. I was able to meet a lot of players plus management. I also gained valuable experience plus it had also helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

John

One of the things that really stands out to me about Saint John's Staten Island is the apartment dorms. They are very nice and a lot better then living in a small dorm. The classes are personable and small. However the class maybe small the community is good and bad at times. The small campus allows you to establish close friendships, but on the other hand everyone knows your business and there is very little privacy in a social respect. We have Wagner College literally down the road and we have no involvement with Wagner which I wish we had. A lot of people on Staten Island consider this high school part two. However most of the people who say that do not go to school here or commute, but for the people who spend a lot of time here feel like this is their home. We are not really a college town most students spend there time in their apartment or in the cafeteria. I work for the Office of Student Life and I would have to say that Adminstration really tries the best they can to give their students the full college experience. There is a lot of school pride on campus you will see a lot of Saint Johns Sweat represented. In comparison to the Queens Campus we have very limited funding. However we have my students play events and things mange to get done..

Evan

St. John's is a small liberal arts college in central Minnesota. What's wrong with this? Well, there could be two things. First, it's in Minnesota. That means it gets cold in the winter. That ALSO means that there are so many things to do in the winter (i.e. sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, building massive snowmen, etc). Secondly, I will admit that the school is pretty small. At roughly 2,000 students (CSB has another 2,000), this school may be smaller than the high school you went to. Some people find this to be irritating. The most unique thing about St. John's is it's affiliation with St. Ben's. All things considered, there are essentially two full schools that students can take advantage of. Classes on both campuses, food on both campuses, recreation on both campuses. Whatever you need can be found at either campus. It's also nice to be able to get away from those Bennies at some point (sorry ladies, but I'm sure you feel the same about us), so having two uni-gender campuses can be a valuable asset. With that said, I know many Johnnies who spend most of their time over at CSB (and vice versa). You can do whatever fits your needs; no one asks questions.

Anthony

St. John's is the perfect size, although it is growing at a rapid rate. When, on campus I spend most of the time in the dorms and for the most part they are brand new. When I tell people I go to St. John's they immediately think of the basketball team, but in accounting world I have found that the school is very repsected.

Katie

the class sizes are small. even for a core class i have maybe 28 kids in it. parking is a bitch and there seems to always be construction going on. security hands out parking tickets like tomorrow isnt going to come but its really not too bad, just dont park illegally. financial aid, bursar, and registrar are a joke - they really need like people to help out there just to make sure all the information on students can be read correctly, instead of a different interpretation every time someone reads your file. when i tell people i go to st johns they always say what a great school and it is. the teachers are awesome. i have never had a problem that a teacher of any subject (not just my teachers for my major) didnt want to help out. the library (on the internet) is wonderful, everything is on there. security does have it good point. the guy with the gun took him down in less than 30 mins. we had a bomb scare and it was taken care of before classes started. it is awesome

Charlie

the campus has outgrown its current student population, and the with school actively looking to increase student numbers, there is just not enough space.

Brett

The best thing about St. John's, for me, is it is two blocks away. One thing I would change is, adding Air Conditioning to all buildings. To me, the scool is just right. People seem to be impressed when I tell them I go to st. johns. Some immediately ask me if I'm in the pharmacy program, and I tell them I'm not... Most of my time on campus is spent in class. The college town is Jamaica, NY (11435) The St. John's administration does a great job. They're not perfect but no one is. Bottom line; if there's a problem, they'll take care of it, which is all anybody could ever ask for. The biggest recent controversy was last semester's incident in which a student named Omesh walked on to campus with a rifle. School pride is there, but not prevalent. It's not something which is important to me. St. John's unusual characteristics is its constant construction work being done. All our tuition money flying and skyrocketing upward because of it :( My St. John's Orientation is one experience I'll always remember :) The most frequent student complaints are professors who are idiots, the timing of spring break, and lack of air conditioning in certain classroom buildings.