St. Edward's University is a diverse campus focused on preparing students for life after college. Their focus on social justice and service outreach allows each student to become more than just their declared major. St. Edward's is about the student and providing as many opportunities to help them excel in their future careers.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
For prospective students, definitely make time to visit campus. Visiting campus allows you to get a better feel for what the university has to offer. Plan to at least sit in on a class or do an overnight stay to see how comfortable you would feel being a student there. Do not be afraid to set up an appointment with admissions to ask them any questions about campus or what you can do to get in as that is what they are there for! They will gladly assist you on making this important decision. Start looking at course catalogs to see the variety of classes they offer to find something that interests you as well.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
The academic rigor of St. Edward's is challenging, but manageable. Classes build upon one another to continue learning about the topic and ultimately prepare you for your last semesters on campus. Science and math classes are just as challenging as english and history classes. Each major has their demanding courses to no one is left out hard classes. A lot of reading is expected for many courses, and most courses throughout each major are content heavy so you begin to learn about your field as early as your freshman year. Classes are small and can range upwards of 30 students. The largest class you will experience is the mandatory freshman studies seminar of your choice, and even then the class size is no more than 150 students.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorm life on campus is great. Each residence hall has their own personality and feel to offer. They offer communities to be apart of and the memories you make last a life time. The RAs in each hall work hard by putting on programs in their respective halls to bring their residents together. Generally, everyone is eager to see how other people have decorated their dorms and that is a great way to make friends on your hall. Everyone is very nice and easy to get along with.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
There is something for everyone to eat on campus, whether you prefer traditional American food or you are a vegan. There are two main dining halls, Hunt Hall and Ragsdale. There is also The Huddle, which offers barbecue and a Chipotle-like style of Mexican food. The food is very good and is made fresh daily from scratch. There is alwasys plenty to choose from whenever you get hungry. St. Edward's is known for using sustainable ingredients, which means that most of their ingredients come from a 150-mile radius, keeping the food fresh and healthy. St. Edward's also offers two on-campus coffee shops through local coffee shop Jo's Coffee, and Starbucks Coffee is served in Hunt Hall alongside a bakery.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
St. Edward's is conveniently located on Austin's extremely popular South Congress Avenue. South Congress offers a unique taste of Austin with many food trailers and trucks, thrift stores, and novelty stores. You are also not far away from the scenic greenbelt that runs through South Austin. St. Edward's is located near four very popular and beautiful entrances. A direct bus route takes you to the Texas State Capital. Many students take advantage of swimming at Barton Springs Pool or kayaking and canoeing on Lady Bird Lake that runs through downtown Austin. There are many yearly festivals that students flock to to have fun. Austin is surrounded by many camp grounds, coffee shops, eclectic stores, and great places to shop and eat.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
With tuition and fees upwards of $40,000+ a year, you will get a lot out of your choice of attending St. Edward's as long as you stay active and engaged. It is true that you get out of something the amount you put into it, and that rings very true in this instance. If you want to be a number at a big school, do not waste your time here. Each student receives personal attention to help guide them along the way. For the location, size, and rigor, St. Edward's has a lot to offer, and is a great investment.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
St. Edward's is positioned on top of the second highest peak in Austin. The hill that campus sits on is an ancient volcano. Right outside the main building is a pretty spectacular view of downtown Austin, and is featured on many local websites for one of the best places to view Austin. Campus has also become home to a hoard of squirrels, cats, and rabbits to look out at night. A widely known fact about St. Edward's is that some of its buildings are haunted. The Hilltopper Tales are shared at every orientation, which are the various ghost stories surrounding various oddities that happen on and around campus. They are pretty entertaining stories, and has even prompted a ghost hunting club if you are interested in joining!
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students who are looking to become well rounded and experience more than just what their major has to offer apply here! St. Edward's is extremely focused on their idea of social justice and service outreach. If you like volunteering, then there are many opportunities to serve throughout the year. It is a very social campus since it has around 5,000+ students, so everyone gets to know everyone due to its small campus and small class size. Personally, I was shy in high school but attending St. Edward's really pushed me out of my shell and made me feel comfortable to pursue new friends.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
For being a small school, St. Edward's does offer many clubs to chose from based on your interests. As incoming freshman, a survey you fill out during orientation helps to match you to clubs that you might be interested in. Also, Student Life helps to put on an involvement fair in the fall and spring semesters that allow students to explore the variety of clubs offered by St. Edward's. The University Planning Board puts on a variety of events each semester, and each residence hall has many activities. Each year, Residence Life puts on Hall Olympics which brings the campus together.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Unfortunately, St. Edward's does not offer your traditional greek life. If this is extremely important to you and your college experience, then you may want to explore your search. There are about five or six organizations that are co-ed academic fraternities that include theater, business, psychology, and even a service oriented frat. Many fraternities and sororities at the University of Texas at Austin recognize that St. Edward's does not offer the traditional greek life, so they leave space open for hilltoppers to rush alongside longhorns. Some students choose to go this route their freshman year.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
St. Edward's is a very safe campus. UPD patrols constantly throughout campus on bike, golf cart, and car making sure no suspicious activity is going on. That being said, use good judgement in your activities. They have been known to patrol certain parts of campus heavily if that area presents itself as a challenge. UPD is extremely helpful however, and work alongside the residence halls to keep students informed about anything going on around campus. They also use Twitter and Facebook to keep students connected that way.
St. Edward's University is a diverse campus focused on preparing students for life after college. Their focus on social justice and service outreach allows each student to become more than just their declared major. St. Edward's is about the student and providing as many opportunities to help them excel in their future careers.
For prospective students, definitely make time to visit campus. Visiting campus allows you to get a better feel for what the university has to offer. Plan to at least sit in on a class or do an overnight stay to see how comfortable you would feel being a student there. Do not be afraid to set up an appointment with admissions to ask them any questions about campus or what you can do to get in as that is what they are there for! They will gladly assist you on making this important decision. Start looking at course catalogs to see the variety of classes they offer to find something that interests you as well.
The academic rigor of St. Edward's is challenging, but manageable. Classes build upon one another to continue learning about the topic and ultimately prepare you for your last semesters on campus. Science and math classes are just as challenging as english and history classes. Each major has their demanding courses to no one is left out hard classes. A lot of reading is expected for many courses, and most courses throughout each major are content heavy so you begin to learn about your field as early as your freshman year. Classes are small and can range upwards of 30 students. The largest class you will experience is the mandatory freshman studies seminar of your choice, and even then the class size is no more than 150 students.
Dorm life on campus is great. Each residence hall has their own personality and feel to offer. They offer communities to be apart of and the memories you make last a life time. The RAs in each hall work hard by putting on programs in their respective halls to bring their residents together. Generally, everyone is eager to see how other people have decorated their dorms and that is a great way to make friends on your hall. Everyone is very nice and easy to get along with.
There is something for everyone to eat on campus, whether you prefer traditional American food or you are a vegan. There are two main dining halls, Hunt Hall and Ragsdale. There is also The Huddle, which offers barbecue and a Chipotle-like style of Mexican food. The food is very good and is made fresh daily from scratch. There is alwasys plenty to choose from whenever you get hungry. St. Edward's is known for using sustainable ingredients, which means that most of their ingredients come from a 150-mile radius, keeping the food fresh and healthy. St. Edward's also offers two on-campus coffee shops through local coffee shop Jo's Coffee, and Starbucks Coffee is served in Hunt Hall alongside a bakery.
St. Edward's is conveniently located on Austin's extremely popular South Congress Avenue. South Congress offers a unique taste of Austin with many food trailers and trucks, thrift stores, and novelty stores. You are also not far away from the scenic greenbelt that runs through South Austin. St. Edward's is located near four very popular and beautiful entrances. A direct bus route takes you to the Texas State Capital. Many students take advantage of swimming at Barton Springs Pool or kayaking and canoeing on Lady Bird Lake that runs through downtown Austin. There are many yearly festivals that students flock to to have fun. Austin is surrounded by many camp grounds, coffee shops, eclectic stores, and great places to shop and eat.
With tuition and fees upwards of $40,000+ a year, you will get a lot out of your choice of attending St. Edward's as long as you stay active and engaged. It is true that you get out of something the amount you put into it, and that rings very true in this instance. If you want to be a number at a big school, do not waste your time here. Each student receives personal attention to help guide them along the way. For the location, size, and rigor, St. Edward's has a lot to offer, and is a great investment.
St. Edward's is positioned on top of the second highest peak in Austin. The hill that campus sits on is an ancient volcano. Right outside the main building is a pretty spectacular view of downtown Austin, and is featured on many local websites for one of the best places to view Austin. Campus has also become home to a hoard of squirrels, cats, and rabbits to look out at night. A widely known fact about St. Edward's is that some of its buildings are haunted. The Hilltopper Tales are shared at every orientation, which are the various ghost stories surrounding various oddities that happen on and around campus. They are pretty entertaining stories, and has even prompted a ghost hunting club if you are interested in joining!
Students who are looking to become well rounded and experience more than just what their major has to offer apply here! St. Edward's is extremely focused on their idea of social justice and service outreach. If you like volunteering, then there are many opportunities to serve throughout the year. It is a very social campus since it has around 5,000+ students, so everyone gets to know everyone due to its small campus and small class size. Personally, I was shy in high school but attending St. Edward's really pushed me out of my shell and made me feel comfortable to pursue new friends.
For being a small school, St. Edward's does offer many clubs to chose from based on your interests. As incoming freshman, a survey you fill out during orientation helps to match you to clubs that you might be interested in. Also, Student Life helps to put on an involvement fair in the fall and spring semesters that allow students to explore the variety of clubs offered by St. Edward's. The University Planning Board puts on a variety of events each semester, and each residence hall has many activities. Each year, Residence Life puts on Hall Olympics which brings the campus together.
Unfortunately, St. Edward's does not offer your traditional greek life. If this is extremely important to you and your college experience, then you may want to explore your search. There are about five or six organizations that are co-ed academic fraternities that include theater, business, psychology, and even a service oriented frat. Many fraternities and sororities at the University of Texas at Austin recognize that St. Edward's does not offer the traditional greek life, so they leave space open for hilltoppers to rush alongside longhorns. Some students choose to go this route their freshman year.
St. Edward's is a very safe campus. UPD patrols constantly throughout campus on bike, golf cart, and car making sure no suspicious activity is going on. That being said, use good judgement in your activities. They have been known to patrol certain parts of campus heavily if that area presents itself as a challenge. UPD is extremely helpful however, and work alongside the residence halls to keep students informed about anything going on around campus. They also use Twitter and Facebook to keep students connected that way.