UD is a wonderful place to be, from the people you meet walking around campus on a daily basis, to the wide range of diverse professors who genuinely want you to excel and teach the subjects they've loved since their college years, to the rich faith life and the tolerant atmosphere. I have found people of many, polar opposite beliefs, at UD, and have found them to be wonderful people who are willing to challenge their own beliefs and challenge my own, and to be loving about it. Of course there are close-minded people, as at any conservative or liberal university, but at UD, people come first-- many dogmatic and philosophical beliefs are tolerated, but intellectual laziness or close-mindedness is not.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
You will be academically, intellectually, spiritually and morally challenged at the University of Dallas-- but only if you are open to it. There are some Catholic students at UD who could be labelled close-minded or prudish, and some students on the opposite end of the spectrum, but the sheer number of genuine and good people who are trying to live their lives to the fullest is the reason I love being here-- as a prospie, be aware that you will be challenged, and embrace that challenge wholeheartedly, with prayer if you are a person of faith, and get ready to have a life-changing four years.
Also, get a good joke ready to submit along with your application materials.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
As a Biology/English double major with a concentration in Pre-Health studies, I can say that the English department at UD is unparalleled. Most of its professors come from the Ivy Leagues, and the ones who do not are equal in caliber.
If you are coming for English studies, you will find it hard attempting to master the Greek, Roman, and Old English epics, along with Dante's Commedia and Milton's Paradise Lost (don't worry, it's technically impossible), but will especially love the upper-level classes. That's when I really started to develop a love for the curriculum.
All the humanities-- philosophy, theology, English, etc.-- are taught by solid, rigorous professors across the board. Lots of reading, but work hard and you'll get into the swing of it relatively quickly.
The sciences:
The Biology department is solid. Dr. Doe has connections at literally every medical school in Texas; Dr. Cody is an amazing scientist and a solid teacher; among others the newcomer Dr. Phillips is an excellent teacher and fair grader. Very rigorous, but an excellently broad and deep knowledge of biology is to be had here.
The Physics department is also solid; Dr. Moldenhauer and Dr. Sally Hicks, not to mention a plethora of others I just haven't taken are all excellent and are open to being bothered about difficult problems for hours every day. I would sit in Moldenhauer's office for about 6 hours a week asking him about concepts for my Gen Phys class.
Similar comments for the Chemistry department. They are all solid, excellent professors who have been here for many years, and will make sure you walk away with a highly in-depth knowledge of their subject. Very hard work for me, but all the chemistry I've taken here (O'Hara program, Organic Chem) is all extremely rewarding and will be very useful in my career.
Last note: All the professors (or almost all) are extremely available to their students, both in class and out of it. They are required to have office hours...
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Pretty standard freshmen dorms, divided into guys and girls dorms. There are slightly more girls than guys at the university (I think it's a 60/40 split), so there is one more girl dorm for freshmen. The girls dorms are nice, from what I've seen of them. The guys dorms are good, but sometimes they dip down to acceptable. I think the state of the dorm for freshmen depends on the people living in it. Great and approachable RAs, especially right now. The Office of Student Life is one of the friendliest and is really looking out for the students in the dorms.
As a sophomore you can move into New Hall (which has been renamed West Hall because, and I quote, We can't just keep calling it New Hall), which is much nicer, easier to keep clean, and includes your own sink and a nice living area in suites (single, double, triple, and a few quads). Floors are divided by sex-- girls on 1st and 3rd floors, guys on 2nd and 4th.
As a junior or senior you can move into the student apartments, the condos, or Old Mill, all of which are solid apartments and relatively cheap.
In general, dorm life is vibrant, friendly, and fun, and fosters a good atmosphere for jolly comraderie. For girls I don't know, but I'm sure it's wonderful. The RAs are always very on-top of things, as is the maintenance staff in each dorm, so even if a foul odor is emitting from the room next to you it won't be there long if you talk to your RA. Of course, this all depends on how you contribute to dorm life, and the people you are living with. Try to feel it out, depending on your personality and tastes, what dorm is best for you. Generally the OSL places students in dorms that work well for them; if you don't like your dorm after a semester, you can transfer to another one without a problem.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The cafeteria is catered by Aramark, which has a generally very solid staff. Most of them are very nice people, and the food is very healthy. Salads and sandwiches always available, and the full grill is almost always available. Interesting desserts (too interesting, I would say sometimes), soy and dairy milk options, pretty much anything you would want out of a cafeteria. Vegetarian options are always available; vegan options are available upon request. You'll hear a lot of complaining about the state of the cafeteria, and complain a lot yourself, but I think that's the nature of college cafeterias.
Downstairs is the Rathskellar (which we unfortunately have nicknamed The Rat, where high-quality grill and pizza options are available, as well as regular items for purchase. Generally you purchase the 7-meal plan or the all-access plan at the beginning of the semester, both of which come with a preloaded declining balance account with which to purchase food at the Rat. I'm on the 7-meal plan, which comes with much more money on that declining balance account so that you can eat one meal a day in the cafeteria, one in the Rat for 14 meals a week. I usually make breakfast in my dorm, so it works well for me and saves me over a a thousand bucks. If I have any advice for food and dining, it would be to buy cereal and milk and oatmeal and make your own breakfast in your room, then eat lunch and dinner at the two main dining options.
Last thing-- the Capp Bar. Great, cheap coffee made at a full Italian press. Pastries and whatnot are available, and all your friends will be working there, if you aren't. It's a really fun student worker position if you're looking for one, as are the Business and Admissions offices.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
I am attempting to double-major, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask, but I would say the best things to do are:
1. Get involved in what you're interested in-- clubs, sports, drama, music, societies, etc. Things to do will follow.
2. Talk to people around campus. Actually, just say hi to everyone because you'll pass them 3 times a day and after a while it'll just start to get awkward. It's a close-knit community we have at UD.
3. You have a DART pass on your student ID, and we have our own stop a 5 minute walk from the dorms. The DART can get you into downtown Dallas in 20 minutes, where you can get food, dancing, movies, anything you could want. Dallas is a rapidly expanding city, and we are right on the fringes of it.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
I wouldn't trade my experience at UD over the past three years for the world. The cost is higher than I'd like personally, but I don't even consider it when I think about the value of my experience and education here
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Every Friday night, there is a group of people who go into the woods and play traditional Irish music around a fire. It's been a tradition for some years, and it's always fun. It's a little hard to find, but ask around and you'll find someone who's been there or plays at it. Go and listen and hang out, and sing along if you know the words.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Fun-loving, bibliophilic, serious about their faith and/or career goals, are ready to be intellectually challenged. If you hate humanities and simply will not tolerate having to read tracts on philosophy, theology, and more, this is not the school for you. That being said, you don't have to love reading extended philosophical tracts, just be open to doing lots of humanities work. If you are open to the experience, UD and your fellow students will challenge and humble you in every way, but with love. If you are pursuing a technical/science degree, know that you will get an excellent education in the sciences, but you will be intellectually developed as a person by your humanities classes. UD's students as a whole are extremely tolerant of many viewpoints, but be aware that it is a generally conservative Catholic university, so if you get thrown in Charity Week jail you may have to request that your bail money goes towards a non-pro-life charity and things like that.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
If the club or activity you want doesn't exist, make it happen! We have a sailing club, a swimming club, various Greek honors societies, a huge variety of recreation and sport clubs as well as academic clubs. Club activities are a big part of UD culture. Student Government, SPUD and the Student Foundations all put on tons of activities throughout the year, all of which you can be involved in or take part in. One of my favorite activities is the monthly Cap House performance, which is always performed by one of our own students and generally consists of covers and original pieces. Guitar and vocal is most common, but piano, cello, violin, and harmonica have all been featured instruments at Cap House performances.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
No Greek life. We took a vote on having a fraternity last year, and I think generally we decided that it would be awkward if half the guys at UD were in Greek life, and the other half weren't. I think the campus is just too small for it. But a lot of students are open to having it, so things could change.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Our CSO is fantastic. Always on duty, always handles things well. Officer Tod Walker is a former army medic and civilian paramedic, and the other officers have similar track records of service. All guys who have devoted their lives to protect and serve, and are occasionally slow to let you into your dorm at 3 in the morning if you've lost your key, but I can't blame them for that. UD's campus is an extremely safe one, thanks to our officers.
UD is a wonderful place to be, from the people you meet walking around campus on a daily basis, to the wide range of diverse professors who genuinely want you to excel and teach the subjects they've loved since their college years, to the rich faith life and the tolerant atmosphere. I have found people of many, polar opposite beliefs, at UD, and have found them to be wonderful people who are willing to challenge their own beliefs and challenge my own, and to be loving about it. Of course there are close-minded people, as at any conservative or liberal university, but at UD, people come first-- many dogmatic and philosophical beliefs are tolerated, but intellectual laziness or close-mindedness is not.
You will be academically, intellectually, spiritually and morally challenged at the University of Dallas-- but only if you are open to it. There are some Catholic students at UD who could be labelled close-minded or prudish, and some students on the opposite end of the spectrum, but the sheer number of genuine and good people who are trying to live their lives to the fullest is the reason I love being here-- as a prospie, be aware that you will be challenged, and embrace that challenge wholeheartedly, with prayer if you are a person of faith, and get ready to have a life-changing four years. Also, get a good joke ready to submit along with your application materials.
As a Biology/English double major with a concentration in Pre-Health studies, I can say that the English department at UD is unparalleled. Most of its professors come from the Ivy Leagues, and the ones who do not are equal in caliber. If you are coming for English studies, you will find it hard attempting to master the Greek, Roman, and Old English epics, along with Dante's Commedia and Milton's Paradise Lost (don't worry, it's technically impossible), but will especially love the upper-level classes. That's when I really started to develop a love for the curriculum. All the humanities-- philosophy, theology, English, etc.-- are taught by solid, rigorous professors across the board. Lots of reading, but work hard and you'll get into the swing of it relatively quickly. The sciences: The Biology department is solid. Dr. Doe has connections at literally every medical school in Texas; Dr. Cody is an amazing scientist and a solid teacher; among others the newcomer Dr. Phillips is an excellent teacher and fair grader. Very rigorous, but an excellently broad and deep knowledge of biology is to be had here. The Physics department is also solid; Dr. Moldenhauer and Dr. Sally Hicks, not to mention a plethora of others I just haven't taken are all excellent and are open to being bothered about difficult problems for hours every day. I would sit in Moldenhauer's office for about 6 hours a week asking him about concepts for my Gen Phys class. Similar comments for the Chemistry department. They are all solid, excellent professors who have been here for many years, and will make sure you walk away with a highly in-depth knowledge of their subject. Very hard work for me, but all the chemistry I've taken here (O'Hara program, Organic Chem) is all extremely rewarding and will be very useful in my career. Last note: All the professors (or almost all) are extremely available to their students, both in class and out of it. They are required to have office hours...
Pretty standard freshmen dorms, divided into guys and girls dorms. There are slightly more girls than guys at the university (I think it's a 60/40 split), so there is one more girl dorm for freshmen. The girls dorms are nice, from what I've seen of them. The guys dorms are good, but sometimes they dip down to acceptable. I think the state of the dorm for freshmen depends on the people living in it. Great and approachable RAs, especially right now. The Office of Student Life is one of the friendliest and is really looking out for the students in the dorms. As a sophomore you can move into New Hall (which has been renamed West Hall because, and I quote, We can't just keep calling it New Hall), which is much nicer, easier to keep clean, and includes your own sink and a nice living area in suites (single, double, triple, and a few quads). Floors are divided by sex-- girls on 1st and 3rd floors, guys on 2nd and 4th. As a junior or senior you can move into the student apartments, the condos, or Old Mill, all of which are solid apartments and relatively cheap. In general, dorm life is vibrant, friendly, and fun, and fosters a good atmosphere for jolly comraderie. For girls I don't know, but I'm sure it's wonderful. The RAs are always very on-top of things, as is the maintenance staff in each dorm, so even if a foul odor is emitting from the room next to you it won't be there long if you talk to your RA. Of course, this all depends on how you contribute to dorm life, and the people you are living with. Try to feel it out, depending on your personality and tastes, what dorm is best for you. Generally the OSL places students in dorms that work well for them; if you don't like your dorm after a semester, you can transfer to another one without a problem.
The cafeteria is catered by Aramark, which has a generally very solid staff. Most of them are very nice people, and the food is very healthy. Salads and sandwiches always available, and the full grill is almost always available. Interesting desserts (too interesting, I would say sometimes), soy and dairy milk options, pretty much anything you would want out of a cafeteria. Vegetarian options are always available; vegan options are available upon request. You'll hear a lot of complaining about the state of the cafeteria, and complain a lot yourself, but I think that's the nature of college cafeterias. Downstairs is the Rathskellar (which we unfortunately have nicknamed The Rat, where high-quality grill and pizza options are available, as well as regular items for purchase. Generally you purchase the 7-meal plan or the all-access plan at the beginning of the semester, both of which come with a preloaded declining balance account with which to purchase food at the Rat. I'm on the 7-meal plan, which comes with much more money on that declining balance account so that you can eat one meal a day in the cafeteria, one in the Rat for 14 meals a week. I usually make breakfast in my dorm, so it works well for me and saves me over a a thousand bucks. If I have any advice for food and dining, it would be to buy cereal and milk and oatmeal and make your own breakfast in your room, then eat lunch and dinner at the two main dining options. Last thing-- the Capp Bar. Great, cheap coffee made at a full Italian press. Pastries and whatnot are available, and all your friends will be working there, if you aren't. It's a really fun student worker position if you're looking for one, as are the Business and Admissions offices.
I am attempting to double-major, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask, but I would say the best things to do are: 1. Get involved in what you're interested in-- clubs, sports, drama, music, societies, etc. Things to do will follow. 2. Talk to people around campus. Actually, just say hi to everyone because you'll pass them 3 times a day and after a while it'll just start to get awkward. It's a close-knit community we have at UD. 3. You have a DART pass on your student ID, and we have our own stop a 5 minute walk from the dorms. The DART can get you into downtown Dallas in 20 minutes, where you can get food, dancing, movies, anything you could want. Dallas is a rapidly expanding city, and we are right on the fringes of it.
I wouldn't trade my experience at UD over the past three years for the world. The cost is higher than I'd like personally, but I don't even consider it when I think about the value of my experience and education here
Every Friday night, there is a group of people who go into the woods and play traditional Irish music around a fire. It's been a tradition for some years, and it's always fun. It's a little hard to find, but ask around and you'll find someone who's been there or plays at it. Go and listen and hang out, and sing along if you know the words.
Fun-loving, bibliophilic, serious about their faith and/or career goals, are ready to be intellectually challenged. If you hate humanities and simply will not tolerate having to read tracts on philosophy, theology, and more, this is not the school for you. That being said, you don't have to love reading extended philosophical tracts, just be open to doing lots of humanities work. If you are open to the experience, UD and your fellow students will challenge and humble you in every way, but with love. If you are pursuing a technical/science degree, know that you will get an excellent education in the sciences, but you will be intellectually developed as a person by your humanities classes. UD's students as a whole are extremely tolerant of many viewpoints, but be aware that it is a generally conservative Catholic university, so if you get thrown in Charity Week jail you may have to request that your bail money goes towards a non-pro-life charity and things like that.
If the club or activity you want doesn't exist, make it happen! We have a sailing club, a swimming club, various Greek honors societies, a huge variety of recreation and sport clubs as well as academic clubs. Club activities are a big part of UD culture. Student Government, SPUD and the Student Foundations all put on tons of activities throughout the year, all of which you can be involved in or take part in. One of my favorite activities is the monthly Cap House performance, which is always performed by one of our own students and generally consists of covers and original pieces. Guitar and vocal is most common, but piano, cello, violin, and harmonica have all been featured instruments at Cap House performances.
No Greek life. We took a vote on having a fraternity last year, and I think generally we decided that it would be awkward if half the guys at UD were in Greek life, and the other half weren't. I think the campus is just too small for it. But a lot of students are open to having it, so things could change.
Our CSO is fantastic. Always on duty, always handles things well. Officer Tod Walker is a former army medic and civilian paramedic, and the other officers have similar track records of service. All guys who have devoted their lives to protect and serve, and are occasionally slow to let you into your dorm at 3 in the morning if you've lost your key, but I can't blame them for that. UD's campus is an extremely safe one, thanks to our officers.