University of San Francisco Top Questions

What is your overall opinion of this school?

Wilson

This school is amazing. The system, the city, and the people are wonderful.

Celeste

The best thing about the University of San Francisco is its location, in the heart of San Francisco. I really like that there is always something to do in the city, or see, or eat – the possibilities are endless. Due to this, school spirit is not the highest, especially on weekends. But I wouldn’t want it any other way, being in the city is so fun, exciting, and educational. That is why it’s important to join clubs, so that you can meet people, and hopefully meet life long friends. When I tell people about USF, it’s funny but most of the time, they don’t know it exists. People always think about UCSF or San Francisco State. Our school is pretty small, so classes are small, my biggest class was 60 students and my smallest was 10 students. There is an advantage to this because you’re more connected with the professor and get more attention. Because it is a small school when it comes to schoolwork I spend most of my time in the library, my dorm, or a classroom. I think the administration is great at USF. The professors are very helpful and approachable; there is a myriad of resources and people to help you, in anything you need personal or academic. I would say the biggest controversy would be the prices. So we have a cafeteria and you buy food through Flexi, and you pay for Flexi in your tuition. If you live on campus Flexi is mandatory, I and other think that were charged too much for food, but we can’t change how much flexi we buy. To sum it up, the most important advice I can give is to join clubs and programs, because making friends and being around people is what makes any experience worth sharing and remembering.

Jared

I absolutely loved my first year at this school. It is a very small school, which made me feel very close and incorporated with all the students, faculty and overall atmosphere. I always felt comfortable and safe and just happy to be there. I really enjoyed the fact that this school is focused and committed to providing a high quality education, whereas with other schools can at time seem to focus too much on school spirit and sports teams. I had some amazing teachers, met some life long friends, and cannot wait to continue the rest of my college career at this school

Chantal

Absolutely love it! SO much to do, teachers are helpful and enthusiastic and the campus is perfect for socializing between classes and relaxing! Fantastic library as well!

Tiffany

USF is a really comfortable environment since it is so small. The majority of the students and teachers here are easy going and open minded. USF also does a lot to help out students whenever possible, which is something you might not find at a larger university. The only thing I'd change about the university is it's lack of school pride. Being so small and not having a football team means that many of USF's students don't have many chances to unite and share school pride.

Sarah

I think that the University of San Francisco is a great school! From its rigorous academic courses that challenge you to think differently, to great social events like Basketball games. USF is located in a nice part of San Francisco, close to Golden Gate Park, and only a bus ride away from great restaurants, shopping, and sight-seeing. SF is not a college town, so USF does not put on as many events or have that sports oriented pride of college towns, something I miss, but the city makes up for it by offering so many activities so that you will never be bored! The size of USF is fairly small, which I enjoy. Class sizes are around 40 people in some classes, which means your teachers know your name and can get to know you. There is construction taking place currently at USF which is annoying, but otherwise the campus is very pretty, easy to navigate and dorms are located in great areas. Overall I would suggest this school to anyone wanting to experience a wonderful city like San Francisco, while attending a highly ranked school with great teachers, and beautiful views!

???

Well, this school can be pretty great, but I think that everything depends on your personality. If you would describe yourself as "alternative," "right-brained," or "non-linear" this may not be the best college for you. Both the USF bureaucracy and the professors themselves can be pretty rigid at times. Perhaps this is because at heart, USF is a fairly conservative, Jesuit school-- despite its prime location in liberal San Francisco (everyone has to admit, by the way, that the school's location is absolutely fabulous!! The campus architecture is very pretty too!). There is quite a bit of homework, and a lot of my fellow classmates get stressed out by the constant deadlines and seemingly endless assignments. My experience is that students are not allowed very much freedom and creativity-- they are expected to conform to the regulations dictated by the professors. There are also pretty extensive core curriculum requirements. That being said, classes are small, and professors are extremely nice and approachable. I wouldn't say that there is very much "school pride" here, which in my opinion is a good thing. The frat/sorority scene is virtually nonexistent (thank god!). The student body is extremely diverse, with quite a few international students, though there is a sizable subset of upper-middle class, so-cal transplants. Finally, there is a slightly annoying vocational aspect to this school. Classes are not always pure "ivory tower" experiences (though they can be, depending on the professor). I believe, for example, that most majors have to complete at least one internship in order to graduate. On the one hand, this is great because you will leave USF with a fabulous resume. On the other hand, it is my belief that college should be about learning for learning's sake and encouraging intellectual curiosity, not preparing students for the professional world.

Wenshan

Overall, USF is a nice school. I can meet so many different kinds of people and contact their culture. It is a good change to get to know the world.

Sheredria-Lee

I love this school overall! This was the top choice for me because I love the city that it resides in, and the atmosphere is amazing. I love the fact that it is a very small school where I don't have to drive or ride a bike to get from one side of the campus to the other. The class sizes are great because you are encouraged to ask questions and participate where that may be harder to do in a larger class.

Monique

I love USF. There are a lot of different types of people here and for the most part they are all really friendly and easy to get along with. The professors are usually nice and relatable, and a lot of them really try hard to get to know their students. The overall vibe of this school is really relaxed which is always a good thing. However, I do wish the school had more sorority and fraternity presence on campus, and it would be nice if there was a stronger sense of school spirit.

Esther

One of the things that I like best about this school is that it is not too large or too small. The campus is easy to get around because it is not that big, and along with that the classes are usually sized pretty well which gives you an opportunity to interact with your professors.

Tori

If you've never been to USF, it's an absolutely beautiful campus. Despite the construction currently going on, the school has wonderful aesthetics. On sunny days, everyone lays out on the grass to do homework, chat, play with frisbee's etc. It's in a perfect location too! Right near golden gate park and Haight-Ashbury. Everything is easily accessible by bus too. It's also a pretty decent size. I personally think it's just the right size because it's small enough that you can run into people you know and also large enough so that you can always meet new people. Also the class sizes are perfect (about 30 people per standard class--there are also auditorium style classes depending on your major, etc) and I am able to form great relationships with all of my professors. There is also a huge amount of school pride, especially with our sports teams (specifically the basketball team). The school's cafe is also really awesome. They always offer organic, handmade, and diverse options. It's also great for vegetarians, vegans, and everyone in between. The only main complaint heard around campus is how ridiculous is it to get up to the Lone Mountain campus because it's literally a built-in exercise program trying to get up to that building. I think it's great though; helps me stay in shape! Overall, I love my University. I feel like I'm getting an amazing education, the location is perfect, and I'm very happy here.

Jerry

My favorite thing about the school is its location in the city. It is very close to the famous Haight street where Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix used to reside. It is also just blocks from Golden Gate Park. Downtown is also only a short ten minute bus ride away. The school is very in touch with the rest of the city more than any other of the colleges in San Francisco. The schools emphasis on social justice provides opportunities to apply studies to volunteer in around the city whether it be at a homeless shelter or a urban farm. I like that this school is very environmentally conscious. Typically people respond positively when I tell them I go to USF. The schools Greek Life is almost non existant. Instead, people go to each others houses off campus and have get togethers. DIY culture is big here, its not uncommon for a student to have a potluck during the week and a BBQ at the park on the weekend. One experience I will always remember about this school is the first time I pulled an all nighter doing homework on our Lone Mountain Campus that overlooks the city. As I came outside you could see the thick fog roll in and cover the city lights and the bay. It is one of the most beautiful views in the city.

Alejandra

expensive

Gabriela

I first decided to attend USF because of it's location. Found in the very heart of San Francisco and perched on one of the tallest hills, USF offers spectacular views of a city bursting with diverse cultures and social scenes. As a university, it seems to gather respect from local bay area residents, although everyone in my hometown constantly mistakes it for SF State and UCSF. As a student, I appreciate the general scale of the university. I'm from a small town, and my transition from high school to college was made easy by the small, intimate class sizes and the general availability of my professors. However, I have felt some frustrations towards our administrations. I occasionally feel as though there is a lack of communication between the different departments, and there seems to be a lack of agreement between the academic and financial aspects of our school. Despite the number of problems I've had with housing and employment, as well as the number of complaints I've heard from fellow students, I've noticed that we share a quiet pride. Most of the students are willing to befriend everyone on their dorm floors, most are willing to experience new clubs and activities, and our basketball games can inspire enthusiastic cheer from even the least sports-savvy aka me.

Alexander

The most appealing aspect of the University of San Francisco is the availability and proximity of the beautiful city of San Francisco. To risk the cliche, the city truly is part of the classroom. Many of the courses at the University feature an aspect of the class which involves the students immersing themselves in San Francisco culture, by utilizing its many museums, performance venues, and cultural centers. One aspect of the school I would change is the emphasis the school has on graduating in four years. I can remember in my orientation program, one of the first things which was addressed in the welcome speech was the need, almost the requirement of graduating in four years. This pressure sometimes looms over the possibility of things like study abroad programs, which, if timed incorrectly, could cause a student to fail in meeting this four year requirement. For a school which is located in one of the most popular cities in the United States, the University of San Francisco is the perfect size, small, but large enough to see and meet new people regularly. Athletics at the University are a palpable part of student life. Pride surrounding these sports teams and student life in general definitely makes being a student of the University of San Francisco something to brag about.

Sandra

I truly love attending USF. Not only do you get the comforting setting of a real college campus, but it's a campus in the center of an amazing, mesmerizing city. The University provides a comfortable range of classes when it comes to size, subject and structure. The living situations of the school help students with their transitions from teenager into adulthood: slowly allowing for more responsibility at a comfortable rate. USF has few shortcomings, and they're not so much shortcomings as differences from most universities. We do not have a lot of school spirit when it comes to sports, so don't expect to spend a lot of time in sporting venues, and we don't have your "typical" fraternities and sororities; that is, we have them but they're clubs, they don't have houses, they don't have raging keggers. If you're looking for that USF is not the school for you. Instead the experience leans more towards the side of intimate with variety: you spend a lot of time in smaller groups, classes, and at parties but you are always hanging out with different groups because of the range of activities the city and school provides.

Paul

Overall I thoroughly enjoy the University of San Francisco. It is a great place to learn while having a lot of fun. USF offers abundant resources, such as the massive library and online library database, as well as a myriad of extracurricular educational events, making it easy for new students to become immediately immersed in academia. When you're ready for a break, USF's prime location makes for an easy escape into the heart of the city or Golden Gate Park. Between the school and the city there is never a shortage of things to do and in my entire first year of college I don't believe I ever fell victim to boredom. USF is a mid-sized school with an undergraduate population of about 5,000 students. I think this size is just right as it is large enough that I continue to meet new faces everyday, but I can still expect to run into acquaintances everywhere I go. I think USF excels over nearby public universities when it comes to class size. USF offers small classes (usually 20-30 students per), which allows for one to meet with teachers individually and get to know their peers. USF also offers excellent teachers; I've found ALL of my professors thus far to be highly knowledgeable and excited about the topics they teach. My main complaint about USF comes from dealing with administration. The "One Stop" office which helps students file paperwork and deal with administrative issues always takes more than one stop and usually leaves me feeling helpless and frustrated. To be fair I have an innate hatred of excessive paperwork, and I am not sure if I wouldn't have the same complaint about every college across the country. Despite the red tape, I have loved my time at USF; I've made many friends and discovered interests I never imagined myself pursuing. I recommend USF for both it's central San Francisco location and it's educational merit.

Alexandria

USF recently accepted another award for being not just a diverse university, but the number one most diverse university in the United States. This is definitely what I consider to be the best thing about this university. Growing up in the Mid-West it is easy to come across those exclusive suburban towns and cities that seem to be filled with people who all look alike. I did not grow up in one of those towns, but I did live in a place that was very segregated in who was considered acceptable by the town's authority figures. Coming to USF exposed me to world views that had previously been limited. Since coming to the university I have learned so much about Asian culture and history because of the friends I have made and discussions from fellow classmates. The Honors for Humanities program provides great classes for in-depth discussion on ancient Greece and Rome and the history of the Western world. The school is the perfect size, not too big but not too small. I can walk around campus and recognize people from my classes, but there are still plenty of new people to meet everyday. As for a college town, what type of college town do you need? USF is surrounded by the city of San Francisco, and that is one awesome college town! The school is right next to Golden Gate park, a twenty minute bus ride to the beach, a twenty minute bus ride to downtown, and a short walk away from Haight-Ashbury. Not to mention the university is close to some of the most important Muni bus lines to get you around the city. Sometimes people assume that I come from a wealthy family when I mention that I go to USF, but a lot of people I have met recognize USF as a good school that helps launch students into a career right after graduation. In fact, I have met many people who have gone to USF or know someone who has gone to USF and cannot stop praising the school for the opportunities it opened up and provided. If I could change one thing about the school, then I would change the amount of grass we have on campus. The school has recently been under construction and part of their plan for the new look of the campus took away a nice section of lawn that students used to sit and chat with friends during lunch or breaks between classes or meet to study and have small student meetings. Everyone is hoping that when the construction is over we will regain some of that lawn.

Michael

I love this school. Within in it there is something for everybody. Because we are a private school and therefore have smaller class sizes, communicating with our teachers or getting extra "out of class" help becomes much easier than it would be at a larger campus. The campus itself is small and as a result, it takes no more than 15 minutes to get to any class or building, granted you live on campus. The school is in San Francisco! One of the greatest cities in the world, on the weekends there's always a place to go and its basically "city life", something that's different than my original "suburb" life. The school is a great place where everybody is able to find a spot that fits them and allows them to become active on campus.

John

USF is a great school. Coming all the way from the east coast to San Francisco, I had a lot to loose. I left my family, friends and home when I came out here. If I genuinely and sincerely did not like USF, I would have packed my bags and went back to New York. Our school is the perfect size, not to big not to large. It is not the type of school where you know everyone, but, is small enough to the point where you see familiar faces just by walking around. Additionally, our school is located in San Francisco, and we are given free bus passes. San Francisco is one of the greatest cities to go school in and is rapidly growing. The rapid growth, and success of the internet and technology businesses of Silicon Valley, speaks for itself, and makes San Francisco a cradle for opportunities. Also, USF is one of the few four-year universities in San Francisco, giving the students an even more bountiful amount of opportunities. However, our school does lack in a few areas. The core curriculum is rather flawed. The ration of social science and humanity classes required to take compared to the science and math oriented classes is blatantly immoderate. The administration is rather slow, unorganized, and annular at times,but that is the nature of bureaucracies. The schools size and intimate location within San Francisco, heavily outweighs the its unbalanced core curriculum and seemingly disjointed administration.

Katherine

University of San Francisco is unique. It is for individuals who crave a city, yet want a calm place in order to settle down. USF is placed in the middle of San Francisco, which gives students access to exploring the city. Yet USF offers a beautiful campus with abundant places to study and relax. This is one of the many things I love about the university - there is a balance thats accessible for everyone. USF is small, and the size reflects in the size of the campus. All of the professors I have met have been passionate about what they teach; they are eager to help their students. USF is for students who are independent - who can manage their time effectively and engage in a difficult yet interesting curriculum. Unfortunately, there is controversy over how USF spends its money. For example, USF just recently, and suddenly, stopped funding its student run radio station. Besides money difficulties, I would recommend USF to many people: I believe that it is a school that will be highly regarded and known in the future.

Delaney

I love my University. USF was the first college campus I toured and I just knew it was for me. As cheesy as it sounds I fell in love first with the City and second, with the campus. The best thing about being a student at USF is that the City is really well integrated into the curriculum. With nearly every class I've taken here, I've had an off-campus project/interview/trip that connected theory to practice. I've had "field study" assignments to essentially go out and explore the City, classes held in Art Museums, and Internships in local institutions. I also love our location within the City (we are anything but a college town) -USF is not right in downtown, but about 15 minutes away via bus in a charming residential area near Golden Gate Park. We're a 15 minute bus ride away from anything (the Wharf, Downtown, the beach) so in a sense, we're in the heart of the City. Also, our size is ideal. I come from a small town where everyone knows everything about everybody, so USF is a happy medium between that and a school where I'm just a body in a lecture hall. There's always a handful of people I know coming in to class the first day of school, but at least half the class is new people to meet and get to know better. My least favorite things about the school are a) I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct someone for thinking I go to San Francisco State or University of South Florida and b) our general lack of school spirit. We all have a very big appreciation for our opportunity to study in this wonderful city and on this campus, but oftentimes I feel our passion for our City overshadows that for our school. San Franciscans have a lot of Pride for their City, which is amazing to see in the attendance at different city-wide festivals and events and there's always those moments where your out in the City and you just stop and think with just a mix of pride and disbelief, "I live here."

Charlene

The best thing about this school is that it has an ROTC program which gives me a full ride scholarship (to include room and board). One thing I would change is the fact that we do not have a football team - fussy neighbors prevent this from happening.. I would consider the school to be too small because it is small enough where the professors will notice if you missed even one class - freedom from roll calls was something I looked forward to for college but I didn't get that here. The usual reaction people give me when I tell them I go to this school is "Oh, how is San Francisco State?"; they don't even know about this place. I spend most of my time either in the library or in the cafeteria when I am on campus. This is definitely not a college town considering there is not much school spirit without a football team and there is a residential area right in the middle of our "campus grounds". With that said, there is unfortunately not a lot of school pride. One unusual thing about this school are the numerous "haunted" sites we have around to include Hayes-Healy 9th floor and the Lone mountain bell tower - due to suicides at the locations. The most frequent student complaint is the cost of this university.

Cydrienne

After four years of being at USF, I feel that it accepts an eclectic group of students into its University. I've made some interesting friendships with people I'd never expect through clubs such as Alpha Phi Omega & Hui O Hawaii. Academically, USF provides a pretty well-rounded core curriculum with emphasis on service learning and social justice. We're one of the only schools that offers Philippine Studies as a major and a minor. I do have my reservations on how the school spends its money though. It amazes me that they have all this money, time and effort to make a statue of two wolves in front of our library and place plasma TVs in study rooms, while the science majors have to sit in these really old laboratories that are ancient compared to other places on campus. & the cafeteria? Pretty snazzy looking. But don't be fooled. The quality of the food is just subpar & the prices are... ridiculous for off-campus starving college students like myself.

Cydrienne

After four years of being at USF, I feel that it accepts an eclectic group of students into its University. I've made some interesting friendships with people I'd never expect through clubs such as Alpha Phi Omega & Hui O Hawaii. Academically, USF provides a pretty well-rounded core curriculum with emphasis on service learning and social justice. We're one of the only schools that offers Philippine Studies as a major and a minor. I do have my reservations on how the school spends its money though. It amazes me that they have all this money, time and effort to make a statue of two wolves in front of our library and place plasma TVs in study rooms, while the science majors have to sit in these really old laboratories that are ancient compared to other places on campus.

Morgan

I think the best thing about USF is the size of the school. It is small but that is what is so great about it. It is so much easier to get to know people and professors. With smaller class sizes, you really get the opportunity to talk to your professors which makes it less likely that you will fall behind in your classes. I have loved coming to this school because of where it is located! It is right in the heart of SF and there is always something fun to do in the city. I think one thing I would like to change about this school is the school spirit on campus. Sports wise it seems that our teams don't have that much support from the students. It would be nice to see more students at games and cheering on the Dons.

Tayler

I am enjoying my time here at the University of San Francisco. I am in the Nursing program, and it is a great experience and I feel good about where I am, preparing for my future career but having a blast in the City!!

Chantelle

When I had first been exposed to The University of San Francisco I noticed it was very clean and calm. It is a quite campus unlike other colleges and that is what I love about it. It is a calm oasis in the middle of the city. There is a good separation between work and leisure, which is what most people, may need- I know I do. I love that I was able to get right into my major courses. All of my classes taught me from the book and then took me into the city to see if come to life like my theology class on religions in Asia. Classes like that made me even more excited about what I was learning even though in previous years I was not as excited about it. My teachers are full of life and always willing to help. When I leave campus, I always come back with a story to tell. On campus, everyone knows each other and if you don’t know a particular person, you know them because of a mutual friend. While attending USF you end up finding yourself and learning a lot, not just in an academic sense. Here you learn about different cultures and religions then get the privilege and honor of meeting people from all over the world. You then are able to appreciate and understand them as a whole person without any barriers. Many people underestimate our school and may think there isn’t a lot going on just by driving by or looking at pictures but the city is our classroom and our event venue.

Kathryn

The University of San Francisco is an amazing place. I came all the way from Boston so I am 3,000 miles away from home. It is so important for me to love the school that I go to because I'm traveling so far. There is an unbelievable amount of diversity among the student body. You meet people from all walks of life and who have different ideas about every topic. One of the most important parts of USF to me is the class size. I have never had a class larger than 28 students and that was in a basic core class. My teachers know exactly who I am and what I do. They understand how I learn and what I'm interested in. I have all of their emails and some of their phone numbers so if I have a question, I never hesitate to ask. My teachers really push me to learn. I want to get grades not only because I want to learn but because I like my teachers so much that I don't want to disappoint them. And I would say the greatest part of the school is the location. We are in the middle of one of the best cities in the world. There is always something to do. You can never really be bored unless you try to be. At any time, I can hop on a MUNI bus and in about 20 minutes, get to anywhere I want. There's always awesome stuff going on in Golden Gate Park, like free concerts or events. And we're surrounded by some of the best restaurants in the country. You really can't go wrong with the location.

Kathryn

The University of San Francisco is an amazing place. I came all the way from Boston so I am 3,000 miles away from home. It is so important for me to love the school that I go to because I'm traveling so far. There is an unbelievable amount of diversity among the student body. You meet people from all walks of life and who have different ideas about every topic. One of the most important parts of USF to me is the class size. I have never had a class larger than 28 students and that was in a basic core class. My teachers know exactly who I am and what I do. They understand how I learn and what I'm interested in. I have all of their emails and some of their phone numbers so if I have a question, I never hesitate to ask. My teachers really push me to learn. I want to get grades not only because I want to learn but because I like my teachers so much that I don't want to disappoint them. And I would say the greatest part of the school is the location. We are in the middle of one of the best cities in the world. There is always something to do. You can never really be bored unless you try to be. At any time, I can hop on a MUNI bus and in about 20 minutes, get to anywhere I want. There's always awesome stuff going on in Golden Gate Park, like free concerts or events. And we're surrounded by some of the best restaurants in the country. You really can't go wrong with the location.

Charlie

The number one reason students come to USF (drum roll) is San Francisco, hands down. The administration would like to think that the biggest draw is our school's supposed Jesuit Vales, but the truth is that the city, as both a playground and classroom, is the reason most students come to USF. I am no different: I love this city. It's not too big, not too small. There is enough of a turnover of local interest to keep me always exploring. Whether you seek good food, music, fashion, art or education, this city is ideal. The school understands this, too. My teachers are always looking for ways to bring us out of the classroom and into the city to augment their lessons: lectures in art galleries, hikes on Angel Island, movie night at locally owned cinema houses. The USF community has a very good relationship with the city at large.