University of Tulsa Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Gregory

My classmates are intellegent and focused people; many are perfectionists.

Bridget

If there were ever a class that could successfully take over the world and do so with finesse and in a way that appeals to the masses, it would be the University of Tulsa student body.

Megan

The majority of my classmates are kind, intelligent, and driven individuals who are striving to do the best they can in their classes in order to prepare themselves for their future careers.

Marsel

My classmates are confident individuals looking to get an education to further their lives in the future.

Victoria

The classmates are very self-modivated and excited to learn and do their best in all classes.

Mary

My fellow classmates are driven, focused, smart, friendly, helpful, and eager to learn.

Andreas

Generally speaking I would say they seem well grounded people who want to just get through their current chapter of their lives.

Melissa

My classmates are dedicated in their school work, motivated in their extracurricular activites, and helpful towards other students in need.

Candace

Generally, TU students are wonderful, committed people who are passionate about their field, open to friendships, and hope to make a difference in the world.

Kami

My classmates are from so many different places from all around the world so they share what their culture is like and it helps me become more familiar with the world.

Emily

Hard working, kind, funny, smart, cultured

Rachel

The people that I go to class with seem to be very studious and focused, but are usually willing to help you out if you need it.

Evelyn

My classmates come from a very diverse background and we are all willing to help each other out or point each other in the right direction

Lucas

Students at the University of Tulsa are very serious and dedicated to getting the best education available to them. The majority of students here know what they want to do with their lives and are working very hard to move in that direction.

James

My classmates are very studious and serious about their class work, but also enjoy hanging out and having down time to either party or relax depending on their mood.

Ashley

Most of my classmates are academically driven, very friendly, came from the top of their high school class, nerdy (I mean that in the nicest way because I am one myself), usually from families that are financially well off, and willing to engage with other classmates as well as with the professor.

Davi

The classmates you have depends largely on what you intend on majoring in. The majority of my classmates are pre-med majors who intend on higher education past an undergraduate. I think that many people at TU intend to do that. Also, the atmosphere is very academic, so everyone is on top of their studies.

Kolton

My classmates here at The University of Tulsa are driven, well-organized individuals who are determined to succeed in the classsroom in order to put themselves in a position to have great job oppurtunities that they wish to pursue after graduation.

Jackson

My classmates at the University of Tulsa are some of the most respectful and intelligent individuals I have ever come across. I have yet to meet someone who does not care about the academic success of themselves or others. Those who live on campus are keenly aware of those who live around them within the dorm and maintain a courtesy I have not encountered in any other living environment. In the classroom, my classmates are both willing and eager to help others who are struggling while maintaining a humble attitude towards their professors during lectures.

Natalie

All of us work together and help one another!

Joe

Since arriving on campus, my classmates have not just simply been accepting, caring, and trustworthy towards me, but they have also broadened my narrow worldview by teaching me firsthand new things about different religions and cultures that, before this year, simply existed within a textbook.

Amber

My classmates, for the most part, are just like me in my major-concentrated classes. There are a few core classes in which meshing is a little interesting, but we're all just trying to get the best possible grade we can.

hai

Students at The University of Tulsa are smart and enthusiastic people, and they are eager for learning and willingly helping one another.

Chase

My classmates are creative thinkers and committed volunteers to their communities.

Megan

My classmates are diligent individuals working to furthur thier knowledge and future careers by means of a quality education.

Sherry

My classmates were friendly.

Ashley

They are diversified, but willing to help each other.

Jessica

Most of the student body is Caucasian. I have not run across many African-Americans, or Hispanics, although there are some. Individuals come from so many different countries it really provides you a cultural experience. They have different events on campus to introduce you to all these cultures and it's just amazing. There are so many different religions too. Even though it is technically a Presbyterian University, you see Methodists (and other Christians), as well as Buddhists, Jews, etc. The LGBT community is well accepted here. It's nice. Most students see the price of tuition and fees at TU and automatically think that all the students are rich. That is not the case. They help you get a good financial aid package so that all students, regardless of their socio-economic status can attend there. Most students wear shorts or jeans and flip flops to class. It's pretty laid back. I think hardcore Goth students may feel out of place at TU, but if they tried they could definitely fit in and be accepted.

Sarah

The classes are small and engaging with intelligent students willing to participate in class discussions. There is typically a variety of ages, genders and races in every classroom. Most are willing to participate in study groups as well.

Lauren

Open-minded, active, involved, friendly, loud and quiet, party-goers and bookworms, expressive, preppy and free-spirited, work-horses and slackers, sports-fanatics and musicians, mostly intelligent... and they all seem to mix pretty well, at least better than in high school.

Tiffany

There are a lot of Middle Eastern students on campus who I have never spoken to. They are almost all studying Petroleum Engineering and they don't integrate much w/ the rest of campus. Besides that group of students, everybody interacts with everybody. There isn't much rivalry between frat and sorority houses because most Greek students have friends in other houses.

Reese

the student association is TERRIBLE. since all officers are greek, they blatantly provide more for the frats and sororities on campus, and plan activities that are more of interest towards them. the organization does improve somewhat each year, although it is only marginally less corrupt. the best thing is probably that they provide free tickets to all sporting events. the student body is actually very diverse, and by the end of freshman year, it seems everyone has found their niche. you can find anime/computer nerds, student athletes, religious fanatics, and extreme liberals all on our little campus, you just have to know where to look. in general, everyone is incredibly tolerant, and discrimination is not something i have ever come across.

Mike

TU is racially diverse with students of all ethnic backgrounds. There are a lot of ministries on-campus, which a lot of students seem to enjoy ranging from Baptists to Catholics to Muslims. In addition, the LGBT community is active and has a voice on campus. For an incoming freshman, the most likely person to feel out of place would be someone from a small town that hasn't had much exposure to different types of people. Although TU isn't a large campus, it has a lot of diversity that could overwhelm someone not used to people thinking differently from them. However, most of the students are from Oklahoma and the surrounding states (Texas, Missouri). Politics does play a role in the student body, and there is some grating between the right and the left. I would say that most students are moderate because there is an equal balance of conservatives and liberals.

Amy

TU has an outstanding student community. With less than 3,000 undergraduate students, the university provides a friendly atmosphere for students to get involved and interact. The Greek system is very positive: there is no tension between the various organizations, Greeks constantly perform higher than the all student average, and Greeks hold the majority of campus leadership positions. We have many diverse religious organizations for students (including everything from a nondenominational chapel to a mosque on campus). Residence Halls frequently offer events and opportunities for students to get involved. During our first annual Service Day, more than 800 students volunteered across the city of Tulsa. Even students from very different backgrounds come together well here.

Megan

I had friends from all walks of the student body. I was in the greek system and had many friends in it, I was friends with numerous athletes, I also had friends in the study abroad program, and from just every walk of life. I think any type of person will find a home and wonderful group of friends. Most people at TU are very accepting and sterotypes are not anything like they are in college, in fact that goes away all together. The best way to describe this student body is, diversity.

Laura

TU is composed mainly of whites, athletes, and international students. I think diversity could use improvement, but in terms of groups on campus, diversity is great. There is a club for every interest. Students wear jeans and t-shirts to class with sweatshirts on cold days. The four tables at the dining hall include the Honors House (nerds) table, the frat boys table, the Arab (sometimes Saudi, sometimes Kazakh) table, and the theater table, or when they aren't there, everyone else. I think different students do interact, but there are groups of people from different places that stick together. Most students are from around Tulsa, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, or Houston, with a heavy emphasis on the first three. I'd say that though there are some really rich families in Tulsa, most people are from middle-class backgrounds and are on some sort of scholarship. Politically, I'd say TU has a very diverse range of opinions, and I could not situate it on any side. Students do not talk about how much they'll earn one day.

kyle

Middle class white students make up the primary demographic. There are a lot of Saudi Arabians, Kazaks, and Africans in the Petroleum Department. The foreigners generally stay to themselves. A lot of students are from Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, but there are plenty from other areas. Dress is really casual-- sometimes I wear gym shorts. Sorority girls wear dresses on Mondays, which is nice.

Dale

wherever you go, you must find people care about race, religion or some other things. However, personally I found very few problems with race and religion. Generally, I have never find BIG issues about that. Neither troubles from students.

Amy

I believe that any kind of student would fit in on the TU campus. Whether you are male or female, whatever religion or race, there is a spot for you here. There are many different religious centers on campus, there are many different clubs to get involved in. I believe that anyone can find an aspect of TU that makes them feel right at home. In my experience, it seems that most TU students are from Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. That said, there are people from all over the world here! We've got a huge international population, as well as people from many of the states. I'm from Seattle, WA; there are students from just about everywhere: Florida, California, Oregon, New York, Chicago, and Arizona, just to name a few places.

Laurel

Students are active in just about everything. Most students are really there for learning, but there are occasional people who don't care about their education and are only there because A: their parents could pay for it, or B: athletic scholarship. Most students do come from wealthy families, but even then they require financial aid. Most students will hang with people that don't fit their subculture, just because everyone can get along at TU, but still subgroups and clicks are all around, especially when it comes to sororities and different majors. Arts and Science majors tend to have a beef with the Engineering department and sometimes look at Engineers and Natural Science majors with contempt. And it doesn't help that a lot of Engineers seem to think Arts and Science majors are blow off majors. But one thing remains common: everyone thinks the business school is a joke.

Sophia

There is a wide variety of students at TU. They dress differently: from high heels and Coach purses to pajamas and slippers. There are snobs, jocks, "cool kids," dorks, choir nerds, loners. The TU student body is colorful and different. There are students who really want to learn, and there are students who are there just because their parents tell them to go. Of all of the people I talked to, it seems as though the political ideas of students is varied, although being in Oklahoma, the right seems to drown the others, which is unfortunate.

Katie

There is definitely a diverse campus. I personally had a major in the engineering school and that is where I ran into the most diversity. I never had a problem with it but at times it was very different b/c sometimes they would talk in different languages. However it was nice to make friends from different places. Some students dress up for class, some wear athletic clothes, and I have seen some in pajamas, I think it completely depends on the person. Coming from St. Louis, I found that there was a large amount from my hometown. It was fun however to become friends with people from home that I had never met before.

Robin

People that are not open minded would not like TU. It is very diverse.

Jordan

There are plenty of minority social and honors groups on campus. I myself am not involved with them, however, because I am caucasian. There is an LGBT group that a friend of mine is involved in; campus is very tolerant of them from what I have seen. I'm involved in the nondenominational religious group called StuMo and it's a good group for fellow Christians to get to know eachother, worship God, and grow in faith. There are also several other religious groups for Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Jews, and Muslims. A student that won't fit in at TU is one that is not responsible for their actions. I have seen many students leave at the semester or end of their first year because they neglect their grades for social events and/or make social decisions they regret. Other than that, you would have to try hard not to be able to fit in; we are a very diverse community. I'm friends with students with all different types of majors. I'm friends with students in different Greek houses. I'm friends with students who hate Greek life. I'm friends with students who are extroverted and I'm friends with students who are introverted. I'm friends with the starting basketball players. I'm friends with the top students in the Engineering college. At TU, it's very easy for completely different people to come together and bond socially. Politically, most students are split right down the center. TU has a handful of conservatives, a handful of liberals, a handful of moderates, and a large portion of people who really don't care or admittedly don't know enough about politics to have an opinion. Politics usually aren't that dire of an issue for students, so most will not end friendships over the topic.

Melissa

TU's student body is pretty diverse...for the Midwest. Because of our Petroleum Engineering program we have quite a few students from the Middle East and South America. We also have a large amount of Angolan students. Campus is definitely more diverse than the surrounding community, but still has a much larger percentage of white, Christian, heterosexual students than anything else.

April

It is a small school. Personally, my high school is only a bit smaller than TU. Most of the students are from Upper-middle class, but most of the students on campus have some sort of finical aid, & financial backgrounds aren't that important. There is a surprisingly large amount of international students, a lot from the middle east. Some of them are a bit creepy, I'll admit. Most students dress fairly well for class, considering it's college.

Jay

Large enouph to never run out of people to get to know, but small enouph to have a million friends that you feel very close with. Any where you go there will be ten people new to meet, and ten people you consider close friends. They all are spirited, kind, and unique.

Michelle

The student body here is very diverse. TU encourages study abroad and hundreds of students every semester take that opportunity. Being located in Oklahoma, TU does have a pretty conservative stance on many issues however, it doesn't mean that students would be degraded for being different. The students here are very welcoming. I, personally, have friends in my different circles and I adjust well being placed in any one of them. The students at TU come from many different places but mainly the midwest: 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} from Oklahoma and 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} from areas outside Oklahoma. Because TU is located in Tulsa where the population is the second highest in the state, many students don't want to come here becasue it's too close to their parents. This issue is understandable but I would not have been able to handle the larger state schools.

Caroline

I have noticed that when I visit larger state schools, it seems as if the Greek system dominates life on campus. It's different here at TU. Greeks hang out with non-Greeks, and vice-versa. It's not a big deal, and that is so refreshing. Seriously, everybody hangs out with everybody else. My friends are physics majors, mechanical engineers, political science majors, Greeks, non-Greeks, computer engineers, and art majors, along with my fellow film students. Coming from a high school that had a huge problem with exclusive cliques, TU allowed me to become whatever I wanted to be, and I greatly appreciate that. Looking back on it now, I can see how much I have grown and changed since I was an incoming freshman, and a large part of that is due to the friends I have made here from all over the world.

Karl

I was very disappointed to find out that the activist and LGBT groups on campus were really more focused on self-congratulation than they were on activism; as a result, I do not participate very much in those groups. Racial diversity is high, although there is a big disconnect between racial groups. It is hard not to adopt racist opinions when living near students from other countries who are very unconcerned with being considerate of others. Students tend to come from very rich backgrounds. People like me, who are on full ride for National Merit (and could not be here under any other circumstances), find it very difficult to interact with people who seem to take their parents' unlimited financial support for granted. Students tend to be very apathetic in terms of politics as a general rule. In terms of people who swing left or right, I would say that there is probably an equal number, although the people on the right are usually more moderate than crazy conservative. The crazy conservative people are the business majors and engineers.