Villanova University Top Questions

The best hing about this school is its values. Not only is Villanova impeccable when it comes to academics, it also possesses a wonderful sports team which encourages pride and school spirit amongst all who attend. Additionally, Villanova is Catholic and Augustinian school meaning that it holds true to service, truth, and loyalty. Because Villanova has three wonderful aspects, academics, spirit, and service, it is beyond wonderful to attend.

The best thing about Villanova is the importance placed on social justice. Even though I am not Catholic, this is one of the values that I cherish about Catholicism and I believe that if I had gone to another institution I might not have been as involved within the surrounding community. My freshmen year I had the opportunity to go on a service break trip to Kingston, Jamaica and this experience completely changed the path that I was on at Villanova. Before this experience, I did not really have much direction as to what clubs and activities that I wanted to be involved with. One thing that I would change about Villanova is the administration emphasis on athletics. Although this is an important part of Villanova and most likely brings in a lot of revenue for the school, I believe that much can still be done to improve classroom space and support. I think that Villanova is just the right size. It is big enough so that you don't feel like you're back in high school but also small enough so that you can see many familiar faces when walking to class. When I tell people that I go to Villanova they normally react by saying wow, that's a great school. I am honored to go to a school that has such a good academic reputation. On campus, I spend most of my time in the library. There are so many spots to not only study but also hangout with friends and catch up. The entire mainline has many universities and colleges in the area which makes it very welcoming to students. There are many local restaurants that support students and make it convenient for students to eat or hangout there. It is not unusual to see many students sporting 'Nova gear because many students are proud of the institution. Although there is definitely still some room for improvement, Villanova has been a great place to spend my last four years!

Overall, Villanova is my home away from home. I love it here. I think the best thing about it is that it feels like a college when you are on campus; minus having a Frat Row, you get the real college experience here. If I could change one thing, however, it would be having guaranteed Senior housing. Size-wise, we are a medium sized school which I think is perfect because there are always more friends for you to make but its not too small that you feel claustrophobic. When I tell people I go here they usually respond with "Oh, good school!" Although, I wouldn't call Villanova a typical college town, it does have its 'college-town' aspects like hang-outs and accommodating businesses in the area. There is so much school pride. On any given day, you will see half of campus wearing their Villanova gear proudly for everyone to see. The food could be better, but they do something to try and fix that every semester.

I love it here! It is easy to get involved and find your niche. The annual homecoming party was at Opium in the Hard Rock Cafe this year and it only cost $10! There are always fun events going on. Also, the dean of my college knows me by name as do many other administrators and all my professors. Professors are readily available to help during office hours, and take interest in helping you accomplish your career goals. I have experienced this first hand and already have 3 mentors. Classrooms usually do not exceed 25 students. There are many opportunities to network with faculty through the Honors Program, and general functions. The undergraduate program is not that well-known which is sort of annoying. The school is growing, though, so I'm sure that it will gain recognition. The new president of NSU is an amazing individual and he has a great vision for NSU. There is no football team, but I enjoy watching the soccer and basketball teams play. There is also a great swim team, rowing team, and many others. School pride isn't that great, but I think we have a cool mascot: Razor the Shark. I live on campus and the residential facilities here are awesome. They are not your typical college dorms with community bathrooms. Laundry is free and I feel very safe here. We have an awesome gym that offers a variety of group exercise classes. I will always remember this past homecoming week because I participated in the annual raft races which takes place in a lake behind the library (which is by the way huge!). I love commuity service and NSU is a great community partner and there are always opportunities to serve.

The best thing about this school is the community it creates among its students. From the very start of freshmen year, there's the freshmen orientation that is designed to get freshmen comfortable within the college campus. There are also many events that bring together the Villanovan community, such as the Day of Service or Special Olympics. These two events not only bring together students, alumni, and families of students/alumni, but we also have the opportunity to give back to the community.

Villanova's the perfect size. You're meeting new people all the time, but you will see a ton of familiar faces no matter what side of campus you go to. I love Villanova and I would choose coming here over and over again. It helps that Villanova also helped me get my dream job, as a senior, and I've had some extremely passionate and fun teachers who have really prepared me for the future.

The best thing about this school is that you can surround yourself with like minded people and do your own thing. You wanna frat hard? Go for it. You wanna spend your days and nights in the Bloomberg lab, getting the low-down on whats going on in the finance world? You won't be alone. You want to join the breakdance team or students for liberty? It's all there. The one thing I would change is to make the curriculum a little more vigorous. While there is an Honors core, it's mostly viewed as a joke, and to my understanding, the classes are easier than the regular core. When I tell people I go to Villanova, there is an immediate stigma of "this guy must be a boss." More and more each year the school climbs the rankings; both quality and price. The school is well on its way to being recognized as one of the top 10 in the country. In fact, the business school in #7 for 2011 (Bloomberg Businessweek). I spend most of my time in the Business School. Most of my classes are there, and the business societies all hold meetings in the evenings. The university and VSB career centers do a stellar job at bringing top companies to campus, and most hold their info sessions in Bartley. Arguably, Bartley has the best food on campus, so for someone with my interests, the only reason to leave the business school is to get some sleep at night. This is not a college town. It's an incredibly affluent suburb of Philadelphia. There are many bars nearby, and most Frat's have house parties, but they are driving distance only. Administration does a great job accomodating any request. Recently, there has been a decline in "Customer Service," but I find if you're kind to them, they'll take care of you. Recent controversy: undercover officers selling drugs on campus to bust things. It's a bi-product of residing in a township with no crime. The cops have nothing better to do than to pick on us. There can never be too much school pride, but Nova kids find a great balance. We won't jump off buildings or riot after a loss (PSU??). The school's Catholic roots lend it to be very charitable, which is awesome. The environment on "Days of Service" is incredible. Most memorable experience cannot be discussed in a proffessional setting, but it was A LOT of fun. Most frequent complaint has to deal with student parking.

Villanova is a perfect fit for me. Its close proximity to Philadelphia provides students with a plethora of things to do on weekends. The campus is beautiful and is small enough so that students can walk everywhere, yet big enough so you are not seeing the same people everywhere. There is a lot of school pride because everyone is so proud to go here.

I could not be happier at Villanova. The sense of community that can be felt here is amazing - I felt it from the first day of Freshman Orientation! The community feeling extends through your college years, well past graduation. The Villanova Alumni network is a great resource when looking for a job or an internship because any Villanova alum that I have met cannot wait to help another Villanovan out! The school is the perfect size, in my opinion. It is large enough that you can meet new people every day, but not so big that you will get lost in the shuffle. Most of my time on campus is spent in the lounges and dining halls, hanging out with friends. It's definitely located in a college town, as the student ID or "Wildcard" as we have come to call it, is accepted as a method of payment at many restaurants, bars, and businesses around town. A lot of the people who live and work in the area went to Villanova and love the students! School pride is huge here. When you go to Villanova, you're part of something big. It's something that you feel as soon as you come to campus. You're more than just a student - you're a Villanovan.

Going to Villanova is like buying a $70 Ralph Lauren Polo when a $20 knock off will suffice. It's sadly all about name and reputation, with little to do with overall quality, honesty, and integrity. Also, too much lip service is paid to Catholic "ideals." It's just part of the marketing. Justice and fairness is only applied when it's considered to advance the overall agenda of the school. The agenda of the school is to present itself as some rarified bastion of virtue and intellectual integrity to be had at premium prices. The reality is that one can get the same thing at a state college for much less.

The best thing about Villanova... it's size. And therefore its spirit. I love the fact that I can walk through the Oreo and recognize someone from class or that I've walked past before, and after a few steps more see a new face. It makes Nova feel like a home away from home - it really isn't far-fetched to say there is a kind of Villanova 'family' at work here. NovaFest especially brings this out, because for this one weekend the entirety of the school all put a mental stop on any pending exams, papers and homework and just laid back to drink, barbeque, and donate money together. I never felt more like a Nova student.

Villanova is the perfect size student body for me. The classes are roughly 20-30 students per class. You get to devlope a relationship with the professor, and attendence is important, especially the first two years. There are numerous councelers and peer guidence allecated to each student. The Villanova network is one of the strongest in the nation as far as connections and getting jobs/internships. It carries a lot of weight in the East coast but not so much on the West coast. The town of Villanova is small and near the Main Line; which is one of the wealthiest areas in the nation. There are huge mansions on numerous acres of land and you definetly get a sense of upperclass around the area. And then about 20 minutes away, you have the big city feeling of Philadelphia. The downside is that it is not a collegetown atmosphere minus the bars where the upperclassman go. And often times you have to take expensive cabs to get to places. The cops are strict and don't like college students. But when it's all said and done. Villanova was the BEST pick for me, and I met a lot of great people; everyone is driven, well rounded, and really want to do things with their lives. I had the year of my life and can't wait to go back in the fall for another year.

best thing: you can meet some great friends here. one thing i'd change: soph housing. most soph dorms are absolutely TERRIBLE. also, we NEED a performing arts center, desperately. size-wise: it's just right. could be a little smaller, but medium is a nice middle ground. how do people react when i them i go here: some light up and seem very impressed. others say "oh..." and trail off. others have never even HEARD of villanova unless i mention basketball! so it's a mixed bag. most time is spent in my dorm, or at the library. Not really a "college town," unless you head over to bryn mawr... administration = not incredibly connected to the students school pride = yes, lots of it. unusual = dynamic between the guys and the girls. very old fashioned, with guys mostly hanging out with guys while girls do the same with girls. i don't like it. student complaints = OVERPRICED MEAL PLANS! and crappy soph housing. Also, tolentine hall is as old as the hills and needs a renovation desperately.

Villanova, and the reason I think most prospective students end up choosing nova is because of the camraderie. The spirit among the students and the faculty too is what makes this campus so great. It is a place where everyone finds their home or their "thing". Its the perfect size because there is enough people to meet new people all the time but small enough that you will run into familiar faces when walking around campus. Faculty want their students to succeed. They are always willing to sit down and talk about classes or even family. The most frequent complaint I think is about the parties. There is always something to do but sometimes it is a little difficult to get a ride so you have to take a cab.

The word that best describes Villanova is "community." When first looking at the school as an option for college, I heard them use this phrase a lot but never quite knew what they meant. After spending three years here, the meaning is clear to me. Community is found at Nova in vounteer work around the area, Special Olympics every year, club and varsity teams, and evening masses on campus every Sunday given by the President of the school and attended by students of many religious backgrounds.

Villanova is a place that really takes a lot of motivation to get anything out of. The school provides you with everything that you need and much, much more, but you really have to get your ass up and say "I want to do this today because it is good for me to do." You can either choose to learn and be successful, live like a loser who has no friends and hate your way through college, or fit in perfectly with the "in" crowd, buy a bunch of madras shorts and Ralph Lauren oxfords, and simply coast until someone carries you along with them. People are generally either boring, ostentatious, quiet, or horribly obnoxious and stupid. You'll probably spend a lot of time thinking "Why do I spend so much money going somewhere where nobody cares about learning?" The thing to remember is that you really can learn a LOT at Villanova, you just have to ignore all the people who piss you off. The teachers are generally great and very accessible, and the class sizes never disappoint.

One major thing people think of when you say Villanova is basketball because we have such a well known program here. That aspect of school is extremely fun and unique. There are many schools who have large, well known programs, but there are few schools as small as ours with as much support and enthusiasm about our team. Every basketball game is a blast and you always know our team can come back from major defecates. We were down something like 17 with 4 minutes left in the game against LSU.(I'm not exactly sure about those numbers) We came back to win it on the final shot of the game. A major factor in that game was how our fans rallied and it was impossible to silence us. As an engineer, another part about school frequently asked is, do engineers have a life outside school? Although engineering is very rigorous and can seem overwhelming at times, it is not difficult to have lots of fun in addition to your studies. I have many engineering friends who seem to keep up a high GPA, are still involved in extracurricular activities, and still seem to keep up a pretty normal social life.

Villanova is just the right size, while you have the comfort of not being just a number when it comes to classes (attending, as well as getting written into them), problems (scholastic, financial, and/or personal, or just walking around school; there are enough students where you dont feel like you know absolutely everyone, there is familiarity versus complete anonimity and just being a number. It is steadily increasing in rank. Town where it is in is very safe but not that student friendly. Villanova's administration is great, always understanding, they really care about the students. It is catholic so you have to adhere to certain rules that at times seem stupid. School pride is great, basketball games, special olympics, etc... Most frequent complains are the special treatment certain people get, the more money you have the more you can get away with.

Villanova is a very friendly campus. I have never had to open a door for myself when other people are around. The sense of community at Villanova is completely palpable, as seen in how the campus comes together during events such as the Special Olympics, Basketball Season, and Nova Fest. As I wasn't involved much in service in high school, I was not expecting a very service-oriented school to change my mind. That changed about 2 weeks into school when I signed up to work at the Special Olympics. Since then, I have become so involved with service that I feel like I have done it my entire life. It is such a rewarding experience to participate in service with your peers. The best thing about Villanova is definitely the people. I have found so many people that are just like me. Obviously, you won't be friends with everyone you meet, but it is definitely big enough to meet a new group of friends but small enough to know a lot of people within the community. I would change the living situation for sophomores. Even though the Quad is the main hub of campus, the quality of the rooms is poor as compared to the rooms for the freshmen and juniors. When I tell people I go to Villanova, all of the stereotypes that I left New York thinking come back. They say "So you go to Vanillanova" or "Ha! Villanofun." However, I think that those people really have to experience Villanova, because I have not found either of those to be true. I am not a preppy person in the least but I still feel comfortable walking around in my beat-up Converse shoes as does the girl next to me in UGG Boots. On campus, I spend most of my time in the Connelly center. It is the main student center, and a great place to sit and do work. Everybody comes through, so it is a great social atmosphere. It has an ice cream shop, a restaurant, a coffee shop, an internet cafe, couches, lounges, a movie rental center, a movie cinema, everything a college student could want. As for the town surrounding Villanova, we are located within the richest part of Pennsylvania, so it is completely safe to walk outside at night, and I have never felt any need to use the safety call buttons, even though an officer could be there in 37 seconds. Right next to Villanova is Philadelphia, which, though it does not compare to my native New York, is still an amazing city. It is so historical, but also young and fresh with the music scene. We also have King of Prussia mall within driving distance, and it is the second largest mall in the country! The shuttles run there on the weekends, so we never have to pay for transportation. If you want to go somewhere, though, there are two train stations that run right through campus, which makes it easy to make the trip home. Like all college campuses, the students sometimes have issues with the decisions that the administration makes, but I don't have anything that has made me really upset with the Villanova administration. During basketball season, the school pride is busting through the seams of our Nova Nation fan shirts. The entire campus comes together to support our team and creates such a fun, energetic atmosphere among the student body.

College basketball is the best aspect of the school because it gives us great school pride. There is a big problem with diversity on campus- we need more minority and international students. The rules are very strict on everything, especially on parties and alcohol. The administration is too conservative and should do more to promote safe sex and allow kids to have fun. The campus, food and surroundings are very good. Most of the dorms are respectable. The campus does a poor job at providing fun activities and you need to leave Villanova to have fun.