PUC is a beautiful campus with a strong academic program, friendly students and helpful faculty. You will learn a little bit of everything there is to know about the world and a whole lot about yourself.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Make friends with someone who has a car if you don't already have one. They will save your life on the weekends.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
This is real life, people. College is not a joke. PUC has a hardcore academic program. You are expected to work hard. Your grades are your responsibility. A lot of classes are fun and interesting, but they can be demanding, so just keep in mind that this is no easy task. You can work and play but never sleep, sleep and work but never play, or play and sleep but never work. Some people find a balance between all three, but it's pretty rare.
The teachers are very helpful and always willing to help you if you are struggling, but do not expect them to reach out to you. You have to be the one to show initiative.
For the love of Pete, DO NOT be afraid to ask for help!! Everyone struggles. It's normal, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. That's why teachers and tutors exist, they are there to help you succeed.
Just work hard and study hard. You can do it.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorm life is what you make it, but in my experience, it was awesome. You get really close to your neighbors and RA's. Everyone is really friendly. Graf is a noisy dorm, where no one sleeps and everyone sings and blasts music in the showers at 2 am, but it's all good and it's all part of college. Graf girls are a family, and the community is tightly knit. They are there for you no matter what.
Andre and Winning are the two other women's dorms, and they are pretty quiet compared to Graf.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
If you like meat and fish, you probably should not be looking into PUC. The menu is strictly vegetarian. They also offer vegan and gluten-free options, but you have to ask about that.
The Dining Commons (cafeteria) usually serves three different types of meals: traditional, exhibition, and international. Traditional is usually grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, handmade pizza, lasagna, and so forth. Exhibition is a pick-and-choose kind of deal. You decide what you want. The food is prepared on the spot and served. This usually includes pasta, veggies, fried rice, noodles, omelettes, etc. The downside about exhibition is that the line is always very long.
International is international food, such as curry, bibimbap, chow mein, etc.
Sandwich station is where you can custom order your sandwich. Salad bar is pretty extensive and has a lot of stuff to choose from. They also have soups of the day. HUGE selection of juice/sodas/energy drinks. Lots of different ice cream. A la carte is usually premade sandwiches, prepackaged meals and salads.
There is always fresh pastries and bread and desserts and such. Look out for Hawaiian bread during the Spring quarter. They usually bake it nearing the end of the quarter and it's delicious, but it sells really fast, so make sure you get a loaf or two.
They have taqueria every night, which is basically a nacho/burrito bar.
The Grind is a coffee/tea/every-other-drink-you-can-think-of joint where people usually chill to do homework or hang out. The Grind offers a lot of variety in the items they sell: candy, healthy snacks, frozen foods, yoghurt, Naked juice, sodas, energy drinks, vegan sandwiches, cereals, microwaveable foods, and other stuff.
The food in general is pretty good.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
San Francisco has a ton of stuff to do, and it's only about an hour and a half away from the school. Snowboarding/skiing up in Tahoe and surfing in LA. Hiking in the backtrails of the school and plenty of events during the year hosted by clubs. St. Helena and Calistoga is where students usually go on weekends. There's a Bouchon in Yountville, they have amazing macarons. Hit up Guigni's and Azteca Market for some seriously good eats; these are both located in St. Helena.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Bikini caroling/ Boxer caroling: during the winter at about 12 at midnight, girls will go by the boys dorms wearing bikinis and singing Christmas songs. The guys will do the same, except wearing boxers. It's very amusing.
Midnight Breakfast:The cafeteria will stay open until 1 am for one night during finals week and serve breakfast.
I know people used to get tossed into the fountain on their birthday, but I don't think it's allowed anymore.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
PUC is great for someone who is hardworking, motivated, and dedicated to making a change. If you're friendly and outgoing and social, PUC is for you. The campus is quite small and everyone knows everyone, so even if you are a bit shy, it doesn't take long to come out of your shell.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are plenty of clubs and associations to join at PUC. The most popular clubs are SA, Business Club, Mabuhuay-Filipino Club, KASA, and BSU. Other interesting clubs include Sign Language, Amnesty International, Chess, and Music. The best way to enjoy your school and become involved.
PUC always has something going on. REVO, blood drives, a pumpkin carving contest during the fall, midnight breakfast, free pizza feeds during finals week, visits to the city for shopping, there's a pool and a gym and a running track and hundreds of trails to explore. The Pacific Cafe (more commonly known as The Grind) has movie nights, live music once a month, pie eating contests, ping pong tournaments, random contests for prizes. SA does a lot too. Banquets, cheap tickets for ice skating and trampoline houses and other crazy but awesome and fun things.
There's something for everyone at PUC; just pay attention and look for things that interest you.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Not a thing here
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
The campus is really safe. The school is basically located in the middle of nowhere on top of a mountain, so not much goes on. Though there was never a report on cougar sightings or attacks while I attended, there are most definitely cougars/mountains lions that reside in the back trails. Be careful and try not to explore the back woods alone.
PUC is a beautiful campus with a strong academic program, friendly students and helpful faculty. You will learn a little bit of everything there is to know about the world and a whole lot about yourself.
Make friends with someone who has a car if you don't already have one. They will save your life on the weekends.
This is real life, people. College is not a joke. PUC has a hardcore academic program. You are expected to work hard. Your grades are your responsibility. A lot of classes are fun and interesting, but they can be demanding, so just keep in mind that this is no easy task. You can work and play but never sleep, sleep and work but never play, or play and sleep but never work. Some people find a balance between all three, but it's pretty rare. The teachers are very helpful and always willing to help you if you are struggling, but do not expect them to reach out to you. You have to be the one to show initiative. For the love of Pete, DO NOT be afraid to ask for help!! Everyone struggles. It's normal, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. That's why teachers and tutors exist, they are there to help you succeed. Just work hard and study hard. You can do it.
Dorm life is what you make it, but in my experience, it was awesome. You get really close to your neighbors and RA's. Everyone is really friendly. Graf is a noisy dorm, where no one sleeps and everyone sings and blasts music in the showers at 2 am, but it's all good and it's all part of college. Graf girls are a family, and the community is tightly knit. They are there for you no matter what. Andre and Winning are the two other women's dorms, and they are pretty quiet compared to Graf.
If you like meat and fish, you probably should not be looking into PUC. The menu is strictly vegetarian. They also offer vegan and gluten-free options, but you have to ask about that. The Dining Commons (cafeteria) usually serves three different types of meals: traditional, exhibition, and international. Traditional is usually grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, handmade pizza, lasagna, and so forth. Exhibition is a pick-and-choose kind of deal. You decide what you want. The food is prepared on the spot and served. This usually includes pasta, veggies, fried rice, noodles, omelettes, etc. The downside about exhibition is that the line is always very long. International is international food, such as curry, bibimbap, chow mein, etc. Sandwich station is where you can custom order your sandwich. Salad bar is pretty extensive and has a lot of stuff to choose from. They also have soups of the day. HUGE selection of juice/sodas/energy drinks. Lots of different ice cream. A la carte is usually premade sandwiches, prepackaged meals and salads. There is always fresh pastries and bread and desserts and such. Look out for Hawaiian bread during the Spring quarter. They usually bake it nearing the end of the quarter and it's delicious, but it sells really fast, so make sure you get a loaf or two. They have taqueria every night, which is basically a nacho/burrito bar. The Grind is a coffee/tea/every-other-drink-you-can-think-of joint where people usually chill to do homework or hang out. The Grind offers a lot of variety in the items they sell: candy, healthy snacks, frozen foods, yoghurt, Naked juice, sodas, energy drinks, vegan sandwiches, cereals, microwaveable foods, and other stuff. The food in general is pretty good.
San Francisco has a ton of stuff to do, and it's only about an hour and a half away from the school. Snowboarding/skiing up in Tahoe and surfing in LA. Hiking in the backtrails of the school and plenty of events during the year hosted by clubs. St. Helena and Calistoga is where students usually go on weekends. There's a Bouchon in Yountville, they have amazing macarons. Hit up Guigni's and Azteca Market for some seriously good eats; these are both located in St. Helena.
Bikini caroling/ Boxer caroling: during the winter at about 12 at midnight, girls will go by the boys dorms wearing bikinis and singing Christmas songs. The guys will do the same, except wearing boxers. It's very amusing. Midnight Breakfast:The cafeteria will stay open until 1 am for one night during finals week and serve breakfast. I know people used to get tossed into the fountain on their birthday, but I don't think it's allowed anymore.
PUC is great for someone who is hardworking, motivated, and dedicated to making a change. If you're friendly and outgoing and social, PUC is for you. The campus is quite small and everyone knows everyone, so even if you are a bit shy, it doesn't take long to come out of your shell.
There are plenty of clubs and associations to join at PUC. The most popular clubs are SA, Business Club, Mabuhuay-Filipino Club, KASA, and BSU. Other interesting clubs include Sign Language, Amnesty International, Chess, and Music. The best way to enjoy your school and become involved. PUC always has something going on. REVO, blood drives, a pumpkin carving contest during the fall, midnight breakfast, free pizza feeds during finals week, visits to the city for shopping, there's a pool and a gym and a running track and hundreds of trails to explore. The Pacific Cafe (more commonly known as The Grind) has movie nights, live music once a month, pie eating contests, ping pong tournaments, random contests for prizes. SA does a lot too. Banquets, cheap tickets for ice skating and trampoline houses and other crazy but awesome and fun things. There's something for everyone at PUC; just pay attention and look for things that interest you.
Not a thing here
The campus is really safe. The school is basically located in the middle of nowhere on top of a mountain, so not much goes on. Though there was never a report on cougar sightings or attacks while I attended, there are most definitely cougars/mountains lions that reside in the back trails. Be careful and try not to explore the back woods alone.