University of North Dakota Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Shawna

LOVE it. Very cold but great community and college

J

Ever since I've been here my freshman year I've always loved the vibrant atmosphere and hospitable ways of the students and faculty at UND. Even the community is always at events whether its the Culture nights at the Union or the football game that weekend. It's a great college town to be in and everyone is welcoming. Many resources are free to students which allow you to make the best of your experience here, both in and out of the classroom. It's fun and easy to get involved. I've never been involved more in anything than I have at UND and it doesn't have to be just in sports. While everyone might think the debate of losing our Fighting Sioux nickname is hurting our school, it really is bringing us closer together to show our pride we have for the university as a whole.

Mark

good instructors, good majors, good ameneties for a public school

Aulia

Overall, I am glad I chose to attend the University of North Dakota and for good reason. Although I attended primarily to pursue my aviation education, I like the fact that this institution is not just dedicated to the study of aerospace. The liberal arts education ensures all students are well rounded. I appreciate that I can meet students in other fields of study outside of aviation and learn from them. Grand Forks may be a small city with not much to do, but there are always opportunities. This can range from being involved on campus to give back to the community through volunteer work to going out and watching a hockey game with your friends during the weekends.

Brian

It is a small campus, where you can easily walk from one edge to the other, but if you dont feel like it you can use the bus system. UND has many different majors to choose from and an excellent aviation program, with very nice equipment. The one of the big problems with UND is that the college was kind of built on one edge of town instead of in the middle so if you dont have a car it is kind of hard to get around the town.

Mari

The best thing about UND, for me, is that it's close to home and they gave me oodles of money to go there. I think that Grand Forks is a great place to live if you can stand the stench of a potato chip factory that makes the town smell like rotten, rancid grease about half the time and the -40 F temperatures in the winter, and I'm not talking wind chill. I like that there's a medical school right there and I think that going to UND gives me a little advantage when I apply there. There are a lot of things to do on and around campus for those who want alternatives to partying every weekend. I do have a gripe, though: the school seems to be out to make money, not to educate students. They are always increasing the price of tuition, fees, and housing. In fact, since our current student body president has been going to UND, the tuition alone has risen, I forget exactly what he said, but it was something like 65{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in the last four years. They told me personally when I wanted to move out of my dorm and into my sorority at the end of the fall semester last year that I couldn't. The reason THEY gave me was that if I did that, they wouldn't be making money on my room or on my meal plan (not that I pay for it anyway; they do, but whatever). The administration also recently signed a contract with a bank somewhere in New England to send every UND student what they're calling the "UND Pride Card," which is a way to reimburse us our overpaid tuition. Umm, hello, we had direct deposit before! We didn't need to send bunches of money to some bank halfway across the country to fix a system that had no problem. The Pride Card thing is new for the 2008-09 academic year and it has some students in an uproar. If I remember right, we're having a Pride Card burning event this fall sometime. The things that makes me really angry about the pride card are these: One, the contract is with a non-state bank. The Bank of North Dakota has been very helpful to those students who need financial aid and does the University do their voluntary business with them? Do they keep our money in our state? Nope. However, more important here is number two, the administration didn't even ask the students before signing this contract. I emailed the student body VP about the Pride Card and he said that Student Government wasn't even asked about this issue before administrators gave it the nod. I cannot imagine that this was an isolated incident. The school is out to make money, that's that, and who gives a darn about what the students want? I digress, and lengthily. Overall, it's a great school. I'm glad to be going here, but no place is perfect, and UND is a good example.

Jordan

UND could use more entertainment. More specifically - Grand Forks as a city could attempt to embrace the students of UND (who are under 21) by contributing something more than just bars.

Ali

best thing is the hockey games, teachers are SO helpful, perfect size, i spend lots of my time in /at fraternities (Sigma Nu) great guys, fun atmosphere, especially when weather is nice!

Jared

I love the school and the people in it. I am never ashamed to say the name of my school, but I do not enjoy the city of Grand Forks because of the terrain or lack there of. My love for my school out ways my dislike of the area, campus and town are two completely different monsters . When coming to UND you should read up on our issue with our logo to stay with the only current issue that matters. Its an unfortunate time for the Sioux name that was been so proud and the past years and the fact that a few will ruin it for everyone is a shame, but to each his own, just as long as we are not named the flicker tails (ground squires) I think I should be ok. My home on campus this last semester was firmly planted in O'Kelly hall in the Geography wing and I would trade a moment of my time spent there for anything. I have made a lot of life long friends and meories that I will carry with me for the rest of my days.

John

Family and friends were pleased to see me go to UND

Kristen

The size of the campus is just right! There's not so many people that it's crowded but still enough that you can meet new people everyday. We have quite a few foreign exchange students which is really great to meet people from other areas of the world. I don't think students expect that from this part of the country. We are also so close to Cananda we get quite a few Canadians! The biggest controversy is the Fighting Sioux nickname. There is alot of pride attatched to the name and what has been achieved since we've had the nickname. But slowly it's becoming an issue that everyone is realizing is just detracting from continuing to move this university forward. Too many people misunderstand the issue and the people are getting sick of the debate. Grand Forks is growing, adding a nightlife downtown that did not exist a couple of years ago... If you want a city that hasn't outgrown itself yet then Grand Forks is the place to be!

Shane

UND is a nice size and offers a good education in just about any field. We've got one of the best Aerospace schools in the country. The School of Communications, however, is in a big mess, the best advice there is to stay away. Grand Forks itself is a decent town, there are things to do, just not very many. It really seems like the city of Grand Forks hates us because of the ridiculous laws they pass regarding noise, alcohol, and other typical college things. I know they're looking out for themselves, and thinking "screw the college kids, they'll only be here 4-5 years anyways". UND's administration is going through a change right now, along with our athletics move to D-I. They have us in their best interests, though it may not seem like it at times. Overall we've probably got the same issues that any other school might have.

Toby

This is the absolute worst college I've ever been to. No diversity. Small town nonsense. Lots of people who have and never will leave the state. Racism is the norm. If you're not white and conservative and alcoholic, go somewhere else.

Angel

UND is nice in the aspect that everything is decently close together. You can walk from one side of the campus to the other in approximately 15-20 minutes. In the aspect of on campus housing: I would highly recommend living in a hall the first year. Co-ed is also a recommendation; female halls get too dramatic, and male halls... well, they have their own issues. I know that I was wary of a co-ed hall my freshman year, but they are actually quite safe and not as shocking as I imagined. I also recommend being in a hall for the first year because you meet a lot of new people. Even two years isn't that bad. Don't make the same mistake I made and live there for 3 years though. If you still want to live on campus for the third year, I would recommend either out of UND housing, an apartment with UND housing, or one step away from the halls is University Place (which is apartment style housing accommodating 4 people per apartment, a living room, and a kitchen... either 4 bedroom or 2 bedroom....however, there are only eight 4 bedrooms.) When making a hall decision, try to get one with AC. Even though the school year is mostly submerged with winter weather, it still gets pretty warm in the beginning and ending school year. UND housing can also get quite expensive; make sure to be aware of what you are paying monthly and try to compare with other places. There are also some really nice places that have a waiting list. This would not be a bad idea to get on that waiting list so you can get in by the time you would like to move off of campus.

Caroline

UND is really a place where students can feel at home. From the moment students step on campus, they feel welcome. Not only is UND a home, it is also a place with amazing opportunities to get involved with organizations and projects you are passionate about. These numerous opportunites also allow students to venture out of their comfort zone and try new things, whether it's judo, ballroom dancing, or leadership through student government.

Adam

This school is a great place if you want to feel like you belong. There is great school pride at North Dakota and we do whatever we can to show our school spirit. If you come to this school you will feel a sense of belonging. When you originally tell people about UND they always have the same question and what questions is why would you go to a school where it is always cold and is in the middle of no where? My response is always the same. Yes it does get really cold, but only for about two months of the whole year. Dealing with the cold is almost a victory in itself and it makes the spring that much more amazing. UND also is not in the middle of no where. There are 50,000 people in the city of Grand Forks and you are only an hour away from Fargo, which has 100,000 people. UND is an overall amazing school and there are plenty of memories that i will have for the rest of my life. If you want to experience the sense of pride that this school has, just go to a North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's hockey game!

Bethany

UND is a great school. I feel like it's a really great sized school. It's not so small that there aren't many extracurriculars but it's also not so large that you don't run into people you know. I feel it's the perfect size. The town itself could have more opportunities. There are numerous restaurants and places to hang out but it also has small town opportunities. It's actually fairly large to me coming from a tiny town but I know people complain there is not enough to do here. I haven't had too much of a problem though! Overall, I enjoy the UND campus greatly.

Charlie

UND is a wonderful school. it is really pretty when all the flowers and everything are in bloom, but it is very white in the winter. That is, there is a ton of snow, if you love snow UND is the place for you. Grand Forks is your normal college town. I love how when you're on campus it feels like you are in your own little community. The size is just right, big enough that you don't know everyone, but yet your professors can still get to know who you are. My chem teacher's goal, in a lecture of 200 people, was to learn everyone's name by the end of the semester, and well she did it! I'm sure you've all heard about our logo controversy. So, right now that is always a big deal. The sporting games are so much fun to attend, football and hockey are huge. The best part is we can go to the games for free except for hockey. There is always something going on around campus to keep you busy, and the weekends are never dull.

Tyler

Coming from the suburbs where I was only minutes away from the city, I could always find something to do. UND is a little small for me and doesn't have to much going on off campus.

Matt

This is a good school. Good size. The staff is good except some departments they could be better (physics, math, chemistry). I think this is a good school though for most people. I think there's very little drawbacks to this place. UND has everything a university should.

Ben

The community is definetly against the college here and have the impression that we are just a bunch of trouble causing party makers. One of the greatest points on this mater is the noisy party ordinance. It is the most vaguely worded ordinance that is open to interpertation. Also, the punishment is way to harsh for the crime. This community is definetly against the college. Some of the best things are about UND are the multitude of things to do around campus. Whether you like to party or just hang out the is always something going on. People have the impression that there is nothing to do around campus but drink and this is totally false. There are many things to do, you just have to look around and read the bulletens.

Julie

I think this school size is just right. I think there is a lot of school pride for the hockey team, I also think that might change if the Sioux logo is changed. I believe the Sioux logo is an extremely prestigous logo an I believe it is portrayed as that and not as a degrading name to the Native Americans. I also belive that if the Sioux can say that the Fighting Sioux is degrading, I can say that the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame is degrading me since I am of Irish decend.

KC

My school is just right, not too big or small. I spend most of my off campus, dorm life sucks. The administration is taking over wayyyy too much, and spending our money foolishly. The smoking ban sucks, even for nonsmokers. It's taking away our rights! what's next?!

Johnson

The best thing about UND, is certain members of the staff. They are outstanding teachers as well as great mentors. I think UND is a perfect size, its small enough so you can make connections with other students and staff, but still have the feel of not knowing every single person on the street. I spend most of my time on campus either in class or at the libray. The most recent controversy that I'm aware of would be Gammi Phi's Date Party.

Karen

I love the campus, but the town itself is a tad boring for me.

Laura

The best thing about UND is that it's a large school but it still has the feel of being a tight knit community. There are some 12,000 students here but I run into people I know everywhere I go. I think the size is just right in that regard, it makes me thankful that I didn't end up at a very small school. When I tell people I go to UND, they ask if I party alot because the school has that stigma about it. But when I tell them about my classes and activities they realize there is much more to it than that. I spend most of my time on campus in my various classrooms, on breaks or after class is done for the day, I go to one of the several coffee shops to study. I think UND is definitely positively impacted by being a college town, you get the sense that the city of Grand Forks really cares about the school and the businesses and community refelcts that. The biggest controversy on campus is the drama over the Fighting Sioux name and logo. But, I find that this has only increased school pride.

Cassie

UND is a big school compared to my previous school. I used to be able to walk down sidewalks and know everybody. Kids at UND tend to keep to themselves, so that is not the case here. Everytime I tell people I go to UND they ask me why. I tell them "aviation" and "I ran out of money" - honestly, it's way too cold here for me. I'm used to sunshine and beaches!

Andy

My favorite thing about UND First off, I am not a big party person, but here at UND, parties are very different than what I've seen other places. I It is such a great way to meet friends and to make new people. The parties exemplify how good the students here are about balancing education and social time. Most of my friends do very well in school, and at the same time are able to go out with friends and have a good time. Further, it is such a great feeling to walk into a house filled with people who all welcome you, and it is definitly not about alcohol or the partying itself, but the feeling of relaxing along with your best friends, at the same time as you are able to make new ones.

Laura

The size is just right, you have big lectures but also have smaller discussion based classes. Grand Forks is definitely a college town, and everyone young and old in the town loves UND, so it is really great to see UND everywhere you go projected in good light. There is tons of school pride, especially for athletics, namely hockey. The largest controversy on campus now is centered around diversity. We are battling the NCAA for our mascot, the Fighting Sioux. The next couple years will really show the community the effects of discrimination, whether intended or not, and I feel that the community will be strengthed by the controversy.

Ryan

the school is average in size a good learning place the teachers are friendly our hockey team keeps the school spirit pretty high there are a lot of extra clubs and such to get involved in

bethany

I enjoy going to UND. I attended NDSU last year and I feel like I learn more in my classes here and my grades have gotten much better. I don't think it is too big or too small of a school. I think that we have a lot of school pride for hockey, but we need to give our support to other sports.

Shannon

UND seems fairly large when you first come here; however, by the time you're a senior it is as though everybody knows everybody through somebody - especially now with Facebook being so prevalent. However, it is nice to be walking across the beautiful open campus and seeing multiple people you know - it offers a sense of welcome and belonging. Now if only there was a place for everybody to park that would be convenient for the classes they have to attend - it seems as though all of the parking is located on the far end of campus.....

Sarah

I think the best part of UND is the people. People are so friendly here and willing to help others. I think our campus is just the right size. We have great faculty members that go the extra mile to make sure that you understand the information. The biggest recent controversy on campus it the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. We have a ton of school pride and it comes out at sporting events and homecoming!

Emmerson

cold, lots of extracurriculars, great occuaptional therapy program

Allie

I think the best thing about UND is the campus...I like the way it's set up. I would change the fact that it's in Grand Forks, because our weather here sucks. I think my school is just thr right size. It depends on who I'm telling. When I was telling my friends in high school, I felt like some of them judged me for staying here, but when I tell other people that I meet they seem just as curious and pleased about my choice as they would be with any other college. I spend most of my time in my dorm room or at my sorority. It is a college town, for sure, but I think it's a good thing because it really helps the school, it's students, and the athletic teams to have the entire city behind them with everything they do. I think the biggest controversy was the President passing the smoking ban, and also the nickname issue, but that's been going on for a long time. I think there is definitely a ton of school pride.

Torry

I like UND because it is not too big or too small. you can meet a lot of people by joining a lot of the things that are offered at UND.

Ashley

The reason why I choose UND is because it is a large campus where you can always keep meeting and getting involved in different activities. It is an ever changing atmosphere but you can always find a strong familiarity. The campus is also small enough so that you can run into people you know every day and can build up great relationships with faculty and with other students.

Lauren

One of the best things is the campus in the fall. It's the prettiest campus in the world. The size of the school is perfect. Everyone can find their clique. When I tell people that I go to UND, first they are surprised that I can handle the cold, then they ask about hockey. You can always find someone you know at the memorial union. Definitely college town.There is alot of school pride, especially at the hockey games.

Chelsea

UND is just right size wise. The last big controversy was when one of the sororities put on a Cowboys and Indians themed party. A lot of people got angry about it and thought it was offensive to Native Americans.

Aimee

When I first came to UND, it was with the intention of transferring after a semester or two. Now I wouldn't trade my experiences here for anything. UND is large enough to have many choices for majors, yet small enough to know a good fraction of the student population. I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond. I never leave campus, unless it's to go downtown. There is no point to leaving campus because everything to do in Grand Forks is at UND. School Pride? Just a little bit. Try having classes canceled so students could watch a hockey game.

Amanda

The size at UND is a great size for student, faculty and staff. You are able to get to know your professors and they know you. I feel there is a lot of school pride at UND. There is great pride among all students.

Rachel

The best thing about UND is our school spirit... we love our sports team no matter how they do and we are very proud of them. I spend most of my time at the school of medicine because that is where 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my classes are and I just like to study there. The biggest controversy on campus would probably have to be the sioux logo at the moment. Everyone is kind of up in arms about that whole thing. I will always remember everything that I have done with alpha chi.

Reese

great school and campus. not much to do in the town when you leave campus. souix is a big controversy right now, I hope we can keep our university's name. good people and good organizations on campus. great way to learn and develop as a person and get involved.

Krista

I would change the classes offered at UND. I think that some of the required classes for my major are a joke. I feel UND is an amazing school, and will always be in my heart.

Amy

The size of UND is just right. It's close to home, but not too close. I have met many people here and still get to be with those that I knew before college. I am proud to be the Fighting Sioux. Grand Forks is a college town. There is a ton of school pride - on and off campus - students and nonstudents.

Chelsea

The best thing at UND would have to be my Alpha Phi sisters. One thing I would change is that everyone bows down to anything hockey, and that isn't the only thing that happens here. It is just right in size. People ask why I chose UND and that I must stay pretty cold. I spend most of my time in class on campus. Grand Forks is definatly a college town, I lived here this summer and it was pretty quiet but that all changed when the fall semester started. I don't really know much about UND's administration. The biggest recent controversy on campus is the Sioux nickname. There is alot of school pride. One unusual thing about UND is that it was actually founded before North Dakota became a state. I will always remember my sisterhood.

Lindsey

UND is a great school with many leadership oppurtunities on campus.

Jody

UND gives you the opportunities to participate in a wide variety of activities outside of the class room. It really is all up to you. There definitely "clicks" on campus and it can be hard to meet new people if you are not involved in activities outside of class. The big thing is that you need to take initiative to make your experience here what you want it to be, no one else is going to do that for you. Aside from having fun one of the biggest problems that I have with UND is the administration. Dealing with the registrar's office, business office and financial aid can be a royal pain in the ass. This is one area where NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU. You can go to three different people with the same problem and get three different answers. If they don't want to deal with you they will simply tell you that the person you need to talk to is out of the office. Yeah, it has happened to me more than once.

Beth

The worst part about this school would have to be the town of Grand Forks. It is definately not a college town. This may be why we get the reputation of being a party school because students feel that there is nothing else to do. One the best parts would have to be our hockey team, which a majority of the school takes great pride in. Although recently there has been great controversy surrounding the Fighting Sioux name and logo.

Amanda

One thing I really like about UND is the campus. I think the campus is nice and pretty up to date with facilities such as the Ralph Engalstad Arena and the Union. I think our school is the perfect size. When I tell people I go to UND they assume I drink a lot. I spend most of my time on campus in the Union. Grand Forks is for sure a college town. I feel that if UND wasn't here this town wouldn't be what it is. My opinion of UND's administration is that they are nice and willing to help out students. The biggest controversy on campus is between the Sioux nickname and the Gamma Phi date party controversy. There is a lot of school pride here especially when it comes to hockey. One experience I'll always remember are the events that take place here such as Big Event. The most frequent student complaints are usually about how cold it is here, or about how some facilities such as the dorms are getting really old.