DePaul University Top Questions

It is hard to choose one thing about DePaul that stands out as the best. For me, DePaul's whole atmosphere is its best asset. I love the friendly students, small classes and attentive professors. If there were one thing I would change about DePaul, it would be making the winter break shorter so that our last quarter would end in May like most other colleges. DePaul is the perfect size for me, not too big, not too small. I always see familiar faces and I am always meeting new people as well. When I tell people that I go to DePaul, the most common reaction I receive is "Oh, so you must be really smart." I spend most of my time on campus hanging out in the SAC Pit or at the gym. I love the Bean Cafe! I have no regrets about not attending a college in a "college town." Chicago has so much more to offer than many other cities in the United States and never becomes boring. I would say that most people have a definite school pride. Though not everyone goes to all the sporting events and wears only DePaul colors, many students are proud of their school. The most unusual thing about DePaul for me, comes about because it defies stereotypes. DePaul is so welcoming and accepting of all religions, races, and views. Though DePaul is a Catholic school, it isolates no one, choosing instead to embrace its students' very diverse backgrounds to allow students to learn from those who are different.

I really love DePaul for the most part. It's just the right size for me; big enough to meet a lot of new people, but small enough to feel at home. When people find out that I go to DePaul, they are usually impressed or go "Wow, that's a good school!" I would like to see more financial aid and campus jobs available to EVERYONE. Being in Chicago is great because it's not a college town. There is so much to do, you never get bored. DePaul advising services SUCK and the administration tries to screw you out of a lot of money. The food on campus is SOOOO expensive and they have little to no vegetarian/vegan options.

I hate my life at DePaul, and know 4 others that would say exactly the same thing. In addition, a number of others are absolutely amazed at the fact that this was ever put on the "happiest students" list at PrincetonReview.com. This place is ridiculous; there are no facilities, a majority of the kids are absolute idiots, everyone's white or whitewashed (no offense; just to shed some light on the whole "diversity" bullshit campaign they keep touting), the campus is disgusting and only some 3 blocks large (but still no one can tell you where anything is), and all the alumni can only get you into crap like retail banking. DePaul administration, in respect to the staff and information desks, are absolutely useless most of the time - considering there's only some 5-10 buildings as part of the campus outside of dorms, it's just ridiculous that they can't tell you where Anything is. The faculty, as a majority, really sucks - but considering the fact taht I've heard the same from better schools, I could say relatively it's not bad... I've had 1 great teacher out of 8 classes, and 2 others that were good.. the remaining 5 either Really sucked or just sucked pretty bad.

The best thing about DePaul is Chicago- by far! You have so many things you get to do- clubs, nightlife, resturants downtown which is only three miles away from the cmapus but then you can also do the whole Lincoln Park nightlife scene too if you choose. I honestly would not change on thing about DePaul. I loveit here! Even though we are the biggest Catholic School in the country you do not feel like you are at a Catholic school while you are on campus. When I tell people I go to DePaul if I am not in Chicago , at first a lot of people think I said DePauw in Indiana and im like nooo DePaul, but generally I get a wow thats so cool to be going to school in Chicago, or thats a good school! I spend most of my time in the gym , because I am a workout freak and I also work at our schools fitness center . DePaul is located in a college town called Lincoln Park where it seems just like a regular college town but then you have downtown Chicago 3 miles away which is very cool and one the best parts about coming here! The basketball team here is life! Everyone goes to the basketball games the girls team does really well too, but outside of basketball the sports are not really a big deal.

It's in chicago

The best thing about DePaul: the loop campus I'd change: the vending machines (mostly only take correct change) Is your school: just right, the separate locations help divide giving the illusion of a smaller college People's reaction to I go to DePaul: "Ooohh, you go to DePaul, I have a friend there. Do you know____?" Where do I spend most of my time: In my studio apt on Diversey. I am a hermit. College Town?: yes and no. there is an eclectic mix of both college students and families. DePaul's administration?: I couldn't say, I got accepted so, no hard feelings. Biggest controversy on campus?: ..... everything is a controversy, now media coverage, that's a different story School Pride: I'd say yes. I see many students with DePaul gear. Anything unusual about DePaul: um...nothing too unusual. One experience I will remember: what hard time I had finding the elevators that took me up to the 9th floor ( I was a transfer student, did not know that Barnes and Nobel lead you inside the building.) Frequent student complaints: group projects!

Our student body runs the gamut where wealth is concerned. Traditionally, DePaul is a first generation school meaning many of our students are the first people in their families to go to college and sometimes to even graduate high school. Rather makes sense, then, that some of our students don't have wallets bulging. On the other hand, we do have quite a few Lincoln Park Trixies. "Trixies?" you ask. Picture a thin bleach blonde wearing high heels $200 jeans and giant sunglasses...on her way to class with a Starbucks in hand. That, my friend, is a Trixie. That isn't to say that Trixies are bad or even always living off of Daddy's credit car. I have student loans and financial aid but I still rock the giant sunglasses. They just hide a multitude of sins, you know? Believe it or not, Chicago is definitely a college town. We're just a few miles from Northwestern, Columbia College, Loyola, The Art Institute, Robert Morris, UIC, U of C, etc etc and people in the city love to hand out a college student discounts. And I am always willing to accept. DePaul also does a great job of getting its students involved in the city from day one. All students are required to take what is known as a Chicago Quarter course in one of two ways: Discover Chicago or Explore Chicago. Discover, in my humble opinion, is by far the most rewarding experience of the two. Students move in to their residence halls (if they are living in them, it's not required or available for all freshmen) a week early and spend the next five days in an immersion course based on some element of the city. Titles I can think of include The Chicago Cubs, Theater in Chicago, Chicago Jazz, and my personal favorite (because I took it and it changed my life), the Diverse Faces of AIDS. I know it sounds depressing, but believe me it's phenomenal and it lead me to become an AIDS activist in a way. The course acclimates you to the city by taking you all over - always via your own two feet and public transportation - and in the meantime you get to know your fellow terrified freshmen. Piece of advice: strangers our age always bond over classic Nickelodeon. Explore is the same concept only it doesn't start until school officially does and you don't get the same intensive opportunities to travel or get to know one another. If you're coming to DePaul and you're already familiar with the city and how to get around it, Explore could be the best option for you. If you're coming and know not a single soul nor the difference between the Green line and the #8 Bus North (my favorite bus by far), then Discover is definitely the place for you to be. We're not very into our sport spirit, though Lord knows we're trying. As a rule of thumb, the girls do better. Our Theater and Music Schools (both conservatory programs) are amazing. Our administration is great for the most part but I do have one qualm. Perhaps its the aforementioned AIDS activist in me, but I have a problem with the fact that the administration does not allow for the distribution of condoms on campus because it does not align with our Catholic values. Loyola is Catholic and historically more conservative as a campus than we are...they hand out condoms. This does lead me to an important point that needs to be made about DePaul: yes, we're associated with the Catholic Church. Yes, you'll have to take at least one religion class no matter what your major or home college. No, you don't have to be Catholic. The second highest religious population at DePaul is Muslim - not something you'd expect from a Catholic school, right? We're open to all beliefs or non-beliefs for that matter. As long as you respect others and can articulate yourself well, more power to you, your religion, or lack of it. I'm only genetically Catholic and I've done quite well here. My religion courses didn't even discuss Catholicism. One was about how Judaism came to be what we know today, the other about women's roles in five of the world's religions. The thing that surprises people the most about DePaul is how big we actually are. We're the largest Catholic university in the nation (take that Notre Dame) and the ninth largest private university in the nation. We have two urban and four suburban campuses (the suburbs are mostly for graduate and non-traditional students, I've never even seen them) but a student to teacher ratio of 16:1. Quite honestly I recognize almost everyone in my major classes if I don't already know them by name and our general education classes have almost as many familiar faces. It's a big school by numbers but the community is small. I love it.

The best thing about DePaul is the atmosphere of being in the city. I would want DePaul to have a more closeknit community. The school is a little bit too large with having the loop and lincoln park campuses separated. People usually know about DePaul and are really positive about me going to a well known University.

trimesters are not as cool as they seem.

The best thing about DePaul is the city, definetly. Chicago is a college town, theres alot to do. It's definetly a bar school, and that sucks if you don't have a fak ID.