Liz
Villanova is a great size. You see people you know when you walk around. Yet when you go out on the weekends you can still meet new people. People here have fun, but they could have a little less uptight. Villanova's administration works hard to make everything very personal. They are usually pretty easy to get in contact with. We do NOT live in a college town. Radnor is about as evil as they come. There is a TON of school pride, especially with our basketball time recently making the Sweet Sixteen! woohoo! Overall, I'm proud to go to Nova.
Kate
I love the student masses at Villanova. I did not like church at home and now the one thing I don't want to leave behind are these student masses with standing room only and wonderful student musicians. There are a wide variety of service opportunities on campus, in fact this is one of the most service oriented schools I know of or have heard of, and we exceed others by a lot. That culture and the community here makes Villanova a very welcoming place.
christina
there's definitely a lot of school pride here. villanova is a pretty prestigious university, and aside from priding itself in continuously top-ranked competitive programs, villanova also takes great pride in its athletics, particularly basketball. being a part of the nova nation is a huge factor that helps you to feel welcomed and included when you arrive on campus as a freshman.
Jesse
By your senior year, Villanova is like being in high school all over again. You see the same people at the same places. I think Villanova is a little bit too small, but then again they
don't really have any room to expand because the surrounding neighborhood HATES Villanova students, yet they choose to reside so close to us. Odd.
Amy
Good size... I'm not terribly proud to say I go to Villanova, a lot of times you get the reaction you would if you say your from Jersey. No college town. Pride during Bball season. Theres a lot of superficial BS here.
Mari
I would make Villanova more diverse. I haven't been able to meet different kinds of people from different parts of the world. It's not international at all.
Ellen
I think that Villanova is the perfect size, walking from one end of campus you can't help but see at least 2 people you know but with that there are 100 people you have never seen before. There is no way that you could ever know eeveryone in the school or even in your grade but you will know almost everyone from someone who knows someone who knows someone. MOre and more when I tell people that I am in the Villanova School of Business they are visibly impressed. VSB has developed a great reputation with employers and the public alike.
Kevin
Great size, classes are small, but always can meet new people. Great opportunities to get involved. Not the greatest party school.
Jess
I have to say that there is something very special about this campus that I have had a lot of trouble putting my finger on. I don't know whether it is the emphasis on community at this school or the spirit that spreads like rapid fire when we rally around the basketball team, but there is something about this school that I tend to notice is missing from my high school friends' college experiences. Maybe it is the fact that everyone feels the need to be involved in some way on campus. I can't say that I know a single person that isn't involved with something here (whether it be the tour guides, special olympics, greek life, orientation, student government, habitat for humanity, etc.). Maybe it is the fact that even though this school has over 6000 people, everyone still knows everyone else. You can't walk from one end of the campus to the other without stopping to say hi to at least ten people. There is just this incredible aspect of community that I have not seen at any other school I have gone to visit or heard about from any of my friends back home.
Beth
perfect size - get to know a lot of people but never know anyone. people love nova, so excited. great to be close to philly. SO MUCH school pride it's awesome! will always remember leading search (retreat) and going on break trips. some complain about not enough partying, most say you can find what you want.
Jennifer
Villanova is an awesome atmosphere and I love it so much. Everyone brings something new to the table. There is a great sense of community and everyone is so welcoming to other people. Villanova students want to be involved and they want to help others. I stay on campus every weekend and I never want to leave and I think that it's the same for a lot of students. The Nova Nation is so powerful and so school spirited.
Bridget
I think i would change the range of types of students that come to villanova, if thats even possible, more diversity, especially financially. i think it is a little too big, but thats just for my liking. A lot of people are like wow thats a good school or they dont know what it is at all. I spend most of my time in my dorm and at the library. I think there is a lot of school pride. one experience i will always remember is orientation and fun times in my dorm. The most frequent student complaints i think are about the food and the amount of parking space which doesnt allow for everyone to have a car on campus if they choose to do so. But i like villanova.
Christine
-the best thing about villanova is its committment to service
-one thing i would change is the selectivity of most campus organizations
-villanova is the perfect size for me, you can walk across campus and see twenty people you know, but still meet new people everyday
-the reaction i get from people when i tell them i go to nova has improved in recent years, but generally people are impressed by it; you usually get a few basketball comments as well
-as am off-campus senior i spend most of my time on campus in class; when i have time in between classes and meetings i usually go to a computer lab or connelly center
-villanova is definitely a college town, plus philadelphia is so close and accessible
-i think that the villanova administration is great in general; there are certain aspects that could use work, such as academic advising
-the biggest recent controversy was probably the conversion to organic and trans-fat free food in all the dining halls and markets
-there is an amazing amount of school pride at villanova, it is one of the best things about going here
-i cant think of anything unusual about villanova, expect maybe that you cant always use your meal plan during lunch hours
-there is so much that i will remember about nova, such as habitat trips, fr. peters inauguration and the inaugural ball, every novafest, i could go on and on..
-students usually complain about meal plans, the selection process for certain service activities and organizations, and parking
Katherine
Villanova has a huge basketball following. The team fluctuates year by year, but the fans are extremely loyal. There is a lottery for student tickets, but if you really want a ticket for the game, and you didn't get one in the lottery, you can find someone who has an unused ticket. They're also free!!
The school is just the right size, right in the middle. It's not too small where everyone knows everyone's business, but its not too big where you are intimidated by huge classes and huge masses of people.
One experience I will never forget are my service break trips I have taken through Campus Ministry. You DO NOT have to be religious to go on these trips. They are habitat trips throughout the United States or Mission Trips that go around the world during week long breaks during the semesters, or the month we have off after Christmas. They are a great way to meet people and learn more about yourself and global issues.
Sarah
Villanova is a small, private, Catholic school located on the prestigious mainline of Philadelphia. It is beautifully landscaped, and even more interesting, it is an arboretum. Freshmen are located on south campus, which is about a 5 minute walk from main campus. Juniors and Seniors have the option of living on campus in new apartments on west campus, which is also about a 5 minute walk from main campus, or off campus. The Villanova athletics bring great pride to the school. There are many food options on campus, all of which provide healthy, tasty selections.
Christina
Villanova has a really wonderful sense of community and a lot of volunteer service opportunities. Also, it isnt a large campus so it is easy to know a lot of people. The only bad thing is that villanova isn't really a "college town" so for freshman it is difficult to get places in the surrounding area. Sometimes we feel stuck on campus.
Matt
I love going here, even if there are some things that take away from my expected college experience. Freshman life is a little rough with certain curfew rules, and partying is strictly controlled, but you can get away with it if you know where to go and what to do and how to keep things under control. I wish it was a little bigger. The area is very strict on drinking, so it is tough to go to bars unless you are truly 21...which is i guess how it should be. There are tons of schools nearby and theres plenty to do in Philadelphia.
Brittany
Our school is the right size, though at times I wish it was bigger with larger facilities. People are very impressed when informed I attend Villanova University. While here I mostly hang out in my dorm room or other friends dorms. Villanova by no means has a college town and that often makes things difficult when looking for places to eat/ buy necessary products. Without a car it can be difficult to restock simple thing such as water. There is definitely a lot of school pride targeted behind our academic achievement and basketball success. I will always remember Jay Wright speaking at the end of orientation. It truly made me feel part of a community right away.
Alex
The best thing about Villanova is the people. The sense of community is great, everyone you meet is welcoming and friendly. The professors become more like friends and really are there for you and understanding. I'd change the spirit at football games--it's lacking. Just right size. They say 'oh thats a great school'.
Shannon
Villanova is a nicely sized school it's large enough to not feel confined, but small enough to not feel lost. One thing I would change is that I would make it easier to get involved. Even community service organizations have very competitive application processes. I would also ban sororities. Most of them are very shallow and hurtful towards others. Villanovans have a lot of pride in their school, much of which comes from the success of the basketball team. Many students, especially those under 21 complain that their is not a very good social scene on the weekends.