The University of San Francisco can be summed up in a word: diverse. From the students who go there to the classes that are offered, there are hardly any days that are the same. USF is a school where you will be challenged to the very core of what you believe in and will have fun doing it.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you are enrolled or are planning on going to USF, here are a few tips that I wish I had.
1) Expect it to be hard. USF is challenging and difficult: personally and academically. You have to be open to challenge from peers and professor because it will come. With difficulty, you have two options: close up and avoid it or take the challenge head on. My advice? Charge the bull. You probably sacrifice some nights of fun but you will get good grades on your report card (and that is where the personally hard part comes in.)
2) Have fun. Here in San Francisco, there are so many things to do. From concerts in the park (that are free, you know) to shopping at the famous Union Square, there is always something fun to do. San Francisco is famous for never being dull and you willl have some stories to tell. Not to mention, USF hold regular dances, comedy nights, movie nights, sporting events, and other cool things to take the edge off of studying.
3) Stay focused. Like every good thing, there is a catch. USF is a fun place to live. USF sponsored a Macklemore concert not too long ago, serves as the Blue Angels practice space, and is generally a fun place to be. San Francisco is full of great food, awesome sights, and interesting people. But, you are attending a university. I know it is tempting to go wild with freedom but train yourself to see the bigger picture: you are there to make a future for yourself. Remember that, and you will enjoy everything USF has to offer you.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Academic rigor? USF sure has a lot of that! At USF, classes are challenging, difficult, and well designed to stretch student ability In general, classes are inspired, interesting, diverse, and fulfilling. But that does not come easily. Superior marks at USF are very difficult to earn and do not go to those who passively wait for them.
At any one point, students are spending at least 25 hours hitting the books. That is about 5 hours a day in study. That is the norm here and do not expect it to be easy if you skimp.
Let me sum it up:
If you want to be challenged personally and academically, learn like you never learned before, be surrounded by students who have no problem debating with you, and want to have professor and faculty that will test you to the limits with no short cuts, USF is for you.
If you want to breeze through school, get an easy degree without really working for it, and not having a fulfilling college experience, USF is not for you.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Aw, the dorms at the University of San Francisco.
They have their great qualities and their areas of improvement.
Let us start with the good, shall we? Dorms at USF are fun, interesting, and full of great people with interesting and diverse backgrounds. You can share a room with someone from Norway or with someone from rural Montana.
Dorms are safe, secure, and have a very helpful front desk. There are full sized kitchens, pianos, pool tables, board games, video game systems, and other cool things to do while living at the dorms.
However, the dorm room itself varies. Most of the dorms are USF are about the size of your average bedroom and they are generously furnished with closets, desks, and beds. All in all, they are comfortable and enjoyable.
Now for the not so pretty side. Sometimes the dorms can be a little rowdy especially on weekends. No one ever said college was not going to be fun but at times, the dorms at USF can use a chill pill. In addition, two out of the three freshman dorms are not updated. The one that is updated has brand new bathrooms, dorm rooms, and brand new lounge areas. But the other two dorms have not.
Lastly, USF is a very small school. Do not go here if you expect to have privacy in the fullest degree. People know people through people. And you will learn how to choose your friends quickly and keep certain things to yourself lest you want to become subject to rumor.
All in all, USF dorm life gets a four out of five. Great fun and good vibes but they lose a star because of threatened sense of privacy and rowdiness.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
USF offers students a decent cafeteria with many options. On the average day, you can have waffles for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and Kung Pow chicken for dinner.
USF has the main cafeteria in the University Center (which is at the center of the university; you guessed it!), one under the main Caf typically called the Under Caf and one smaller one on the secondary campus. The main Caf has the best options for students as it is the largest.
Sometimes, however, students find that they school provided meals could be improved and that it way too expensive. USF gives each student $2000 worth of pure food money and sometimes, students find themselves running out of it a month before the semester ends. Each meal averages to about $10. Simple math will tell us that that is not enough for a semester.
However, with budgeting and careful spending, the USF meal plan money should last you through the semester.
Sometimes, it is to be noted that the cafeteria sometimes seems to close too early. But, with planning, that should not be an issue for those of you who are savvy at staying fed.
Rating: Three out of five. While the food is expensive and the Cafeteria may have odd hours, the food is decently good, convenient, and well portioned.
All in all: Spend smart, stay fed.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
What isn't there to do? You can go shopping at thrift stores about five minutes away on the Haight and Ashbury Strip, go for a sunny day stroll in Golden Gate park, go dining at one of San Francisco's many first tier restaurants, or go exploring Downtown San Francisco. The city has free concerts, community events, LGBT Pride Events, biking, marathons, shopping centers, clubs, and other things to do. Food here is spectacular. You can grab a bowl of authentic Vietnamese Pho or eat an awesome inexpensive burger that will give you a food coma.
San Francisco is a place for artists, activists, foodies, students, diversity, learning, and change.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Simply put: USF is expensive school. The reason why it is so expensive is because they only hire the best professors, have a great location, have up to date and advanced facilities, and is, in general, a great school. So, you get for what you pay for. You pay for a free bus pass, a brand new gym which is free to students, awesome classes, and awesome staff that care about your future. Every penny is spent well.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
USF, being Jesuit, has a giant church that happens to be the largest on the West Coast. It is absolutely gorgeous. You would have to see it to get the immensity of it. And to add, the only people that are allowed to marry in that church are students who graduated from the university and faculty.
USF also has its secondary campus called Lone Mountain. Lone Mountain used to serve the main campus back when USF was a woman only school. It also happens to be the second oldest university building in California. Oh, and it is not called Lone Mountain for just any reason. It sits on the highest point in San Francisco, hence it's name, which also makes it the safest place to be during an earthquake or flood. That is just a bonus.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
It's great for students who want to be challenged, exposed to many different people, and who want to have an odd mix of hard schooling with hard fun.
You will meet gay people, Chinese people, people from England, people from all over the world basically. And you will get a world class education in a world class city. So, if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you will love USF.
It's great for student's who just can't get enough of school and just love to get wild when homework is done.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are many clubs here at USF. From the African American Student Union to the Queer Alliance, you will find your niche here at USF. And if not, you can always make your own club.
In addition, activities at USF are always on. Baking cookies for charity, taking a retreat, hiking, going on a tour of Alcatraz, and concerts are just the start of the fun here at USF. Seriously, there is hardly a week something is not going on.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Not much of a Greek life at USF. There are about five societies that I know of that range from business to leadership in the community but they have no houses or special areas. Therefore, USF Greek life is not the strongest.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
USF is a safe place. It rests right between the two most secure neighborhoods in San Francisco, has a 24 hour security task force called Public Safety, there is someone on duty all day, every day, and their response if quick. Public Safety Patrols the halls of every dorm at least twice a day and they will not hesitate to stop someone suspicious.
In general, there is nothing to be afraid of when attending USF. Public Safety is a call away and everyone at USF is safety conscious
The University of San Francisco can be summed up in a word: diverse. From the students who go there to the classes that are offered, there are hardly any days that are the same. USF is a school where you will be challenged to the very core of what you believe in and will have fun doing it.
If you are enrolled or are planning on going to USF, here are a few tips that I wish I had. 1) Expect it to be hard. USF is challenging and difficult: personally and academically. You have to be open to challenge from peers and professor because it will come. With difficulty, you have two options: close up and avoid it or take the challenge head on. My advice? Charge the bull. You probably sacrifice some nights of fun but you will get good grades on your report card (and that is where the personally hard part comes in.) 2) Have fun. Here in San Francisco, there are so many things to do. From concerts in the park (that are free, you know) to shopping at the famous Union Square, there is always something fun to do. San Francisco is famous for never being dull and you willl have some stories to tell. Not to mention, USF hold regular dances, comedy nights, movie nights, sporting events, and other cool things to take the edge off of studying. 3) Stay focused. Like every good thing, there is a catch. USF is a fun place to live. USF sponsored a Macklemore concert not too long ago, serves as the Blue Angels practice space, and is generally a fun place to be. San Francisco is full of great food, awesome sights, and interesting people. But, you are attending a university. I know it is tempting to go wild with freedom but train yourself to see the bigger picture: you are there to make a future for yourself. Remember that, and you will enjoy everything USF has to offer you.
Academic rigor? USF sure has a lot of that! At USF, classes are challenging, difficult, and well designed to stretch student ability In general, classes are inspired, interesting, diverse, and fulfilling. But that does not come easily. Superior marks at USF are very difficult to earn and do not go to those who passively wait for them. At any one point, students are spending at least 25 hours hitting the books. That is about 5 hours a day in study. That is the norm here and do not expect it to be easy if you skimp. Let me sum it up: If you want to be challenged personally and academically, learn like you never learned before, be surrounded by students who have no problem debating with you, and want to have professor and faculty that will test you to the limits with no short cuts, USF is for you. If you want to breeze through school, get an easy degree without really working for it, and not having a fulfilling college experience, USF is not for you.
Aw, the dorms at the University of San Francisco. They have their great qualities and their areas of improvement. Let us start with the good, shall we? Dorms at USF are fun, interesting, and full of great people with interesting and diverse backgrounds. You can share a room with someone from Norway or with someone from rural Montana. Dorms are safe, secure, and have a very helpful front desk. There are full sized kitchens, pianos, pool tables, board games, video game systems, and other cool things to do while living at the dorms. However, the dorm room itself varies. Most of the dorms are USF are about the size of your average bedroom and they are generously furnished with closets, desks, and beds. All in all, they are comfortable and enjoyable. Now for the not so pretty side. Sometimes the dorms can be a little rowdy especially on weekends. No one ever said college was not going to be fun but at times, the dorms at USF can use a chill pill. In addition, two out of the three freshman dorms are not updated. The one that is updated has brand new bathrooms, dorm rooms, and brand new lounge areas. But the other two dorms have not. Lastly, USF is a very small school. Do not go here if you expect to have privacy in the fullest degree. People know people through people. And you will learn how to choose your friends quickly and keep certain things to yourself lest you want to become subject to rumor. All in all, USF dorm life gets a four out of five. Great fun and good vibes but they lose a star because of threatened sense of privacy and rowdiness.
USF offers students a decent cafeteria with many options. On the average day, you can have waffles for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and Kung Pow chicken for dinner. USF has the main cafeteria in the University Center (which is at the center of the university; you guessed it!), one under the main Caf typically called the Under Caf and one smaller one on the secondary campus. The main Caf has the best options for students as it is the largest. Sometimes, however, students find that they school provided meals could be improved and that it way too expensive. USF gives each student $2000 worth of pure food money and sometimes, students find themselves running out of it a month before the semester ends. Each meal averages to about $10. Simple math will tell us that that is not enough for a semester. However, with budgeting and careful spending, the USF meal plan money should last you through the semester. Sometimes, it is to be noted that the cafeteria sometimes seems to close too early. But, with planning, that should not be an issue for those of you who are savvy at staying fed. Rating: Three out of five. While the food is expensive and the Cafeteria may have odd hours, the food is decently good, convenient, and well portioned. All in all: Spend smart, stay fed.
What isn't there to do? You can go shopping at thrift stores about five minutes away on the Haight and Ashbury Strip, go for a sunny day stroll in Golden Gate park, go dining at one of San Francisco's many first tier restaurants, or go exploring Downtown San Francisco. The city has free concerts, community events, LGBT Pride Events, biking, marathons, shopping centers, clubs, and other things to do. Food here is spectacular. You can grab a bowl of authentic Vietnamese Pho or eat an awesome inexpensive burger that will give you a food coma. San Francisco is a place for artists, activists, foodies, students, diversity, learning, and change.
Simply put: USF is expensive school. The reason why it is so expensive is because they only hire the best professors, have a great location, have up to date and advanced facilities, and is, in general, a great school. So, you get for what you pay for. You pay for a free bus pass, a brand new gym which is free to students, awesome classes, and awesome staff that care about your future. Every penny is spent well.
USF, being Jesuit, has a giant church that happens to be the largest on the West Coast. It is absolutely gorgeous. You would have to see it to get the immensity of it. And to add, the only people that are allowed to marry in that church are students who graduated from the university and faculty. USF also has its secondary campus called Lone Mountain. Lone Mountain used to serve the main campus back when USF was a woman only school. It also happens to be the second oldest university building in California. Oh, and it is not called Lone Mountain for just any reason. It sits on the highest point in San Francisco, hence it's name, which also makes it the safest place to be during an earthquake or flood. That is just a bonus.
It's great for students who want to be challenged, exposed to many different people, and who want to have an odd mix of hard schooling with hard fun. You will meet gay people, Chinese people, people from England, people from all over the world basically. And you will get a world class education in a world class city. So, if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you will love USF. It's great for student's who just can't get enough of school and just love to get wild when homework is done.
There are many clubs here at USF. From the African American Student Union to the Queer Alliance, you will find your niche here at USF. And if not, you can always make your own club. In addition, activities at USF are always on. Baking cookies for charity, taking a retreat, hiking, going on a tour of Alcatraz, and concerts are just the start of the fun here at USF. Seriously, there is hardly a week something is not going on.
Not much of a Greek life at USF. There are about five societies that I know of that range from business to leadership in the community but they have no houses or special areas. Therefore, USF Greek life is not the strongest.
USF is a safe place. It rests right between the two most secure neighborhoods in San Francisco, has a 24 hour security task force called Public Safety, there is someone on duty all day, every day, and their response if quick. Public Safety Patrols the halls of every dorm at least twice a day and they will not hesitate to stop someone suspicious. In general, there is nothing to be afraid of when attending USF. Public Safety is a call away and everyone at USF is safety conscious