West Chester University is an interesting blend of the urban and suburban. The school while in the shadow of the Philadelphia metropolitan area stands alone as its own entity and treats the community as such. The school has a somewhat diverse yet separate student body that leaves many satisfied and many not sure how to feel.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you're planning on coming to West Chester know what to expect. It's not Philadelphia, it's a small town and the people treat it as such. There's not trash everywhere and noise in Philly which is nice but there's also a lack of diversity you see in an urban center and there is a much much much smaller creative community in the town than Philadelphia.
That being said West Chester is in its own right an interesting college town that can keep your attention pretty well if you aren't looking for a large creative community. There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the town which are fun(if somewhat expensive) but if you're underage in West Chester you'll likely be spending a lot of time socializing at parties in West Chester (if drinking is your thing that is). On parties too, most parties are ticket parties which can be really frustrating to Freshman who may not have friends with apartments but that's a temporary thing as almost everyone makes friends in college and you'll find a place to wind up eventually.
Overall just do your best to keep an open mind when at West Chester but know what you want to do. If you're going for Business, Science, Communication, Nursing, or Education, West Chester is a great choice. If you're not going for one of those careers, keep your options open.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
West Chester offers a pretty decent level of instruction for the price point. The teachers generally speaking are very knowledgable and are willing to teach you what you need to know and want to know. The problem usually stems from students being too apathetic to ask the questions you wish they would. If you come into your classes with enthusiasm and curiosity, you'll do just fine at West Chester.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Dorms suck but we all have to put in our time right? Next question.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The food is your standard Aramark food on campus. Sometimes you wonder where they found the food in Lawrence but it kind of becomes a running joke after a few weeks. If you'd rather eat something less sketchy, the food trucks on campus are a great choice. The town itself offers AMAZING restaurants but they are pricey as West Chester is an expensive town.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
For most people drinking is the activity of choice. You'll find a numerous amount of bars in West Chester (Including some of the residential streets) and a handful of beer and liquor stores in the area. There are some decent venues for music as well but sadly you need to be 21 to get into them. There are some public parks that make for good fun and the quad is a great space for soccer or football or what have you. The student rec center does a good job at entertaining a lot of students as well.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
For the cost of West Chester compared to other schools, you do get quite a lot. A lot of people choose West Chester as their Safety School and don't take any shame in that. It's a good place to go for people to get a quality education at a cost that won't take them till their 50's to pay off.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
STEM students, Communications students, Nursing students, Accounting and or Finance.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
For the size of the student population West Chester has a surprising amount of club s. There are clubs for virtually everything from fishing, to politics, language and community service, students should have no trouble finding activities to occupy their time after classes.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Greek life is extremely present in West Chester. It can be a little overwhelming because some students may feel as if they can't have as much fun here without joining a Greek organization but there are still plenty of other ways to make friends in this town.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Safety is almost never a concern here. The campus is well lit and so is the town. While crime is not totally absent from the town the isolated incidents usually result from alcohol or just bad luck. In my time here I've never been accosted or harassed and there are emergency poles on campus to call campus security.
West Chester University is an interesting blend of the urban and suburban. The school while in the shadow of the Philadelphia metropolitan area stands alone as its own entity and treats the community as such. The school has a somewhat diverse yet separate student body that leaves many satisfied and many not sure how to feel.
If you're planning on coming to West Chester know what to expect. It's not Philadelphia, it's a small town and the people treat it as such. There's not trash everywhere and noise in Philly which is nice but there's also a lack of diversity you see in an urban center and there is a much much much smaller creative community in the town than Philadelphia. That being said West Chester is in its own right an interesting college town that can keep your attention pretty well if you aren't looking for a large creative community. There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the town which are fun(if somewhat expensive) but if you're underage in West Chester you'll likely be spending a lot of time socializing at parties in West Chester (if drinking is your thing that is). On parties too, most parties are ticket parties which can be really frustrating to Freshman who may not have friends with apartments but that's a temporary thing as almost everyone makes friends in college and you'll find a place to wind up eventually. Overall just do your best to keep an open mind when at West Chester but know what you want to do. If you're going for Business, Science, Communication, Nursing, or Education, West Chester is a great choice. If you're not going for one of those careers, keep your options open.
West Chester offers a pretty decent level of instruction for the price point. The teachers generally speaking are very knowledgable and are willing to teach you what you need to know and want to know. The problem usually stems from students being too apathetic to ask the questions you wish they would. If you come into your classes with enthusiasm and curiosity, you'll do just fine at West Chester.
Dorms suck but we all have to put in our time right? Next question.
The food is your standard Aramark food on campus. Sometimes you wonder where they found the food in Lawrence but it kind of becomes a running joke after a few weeks. If you'd rather eat something less sketchy, the food trucks on campus are a great choice. The town itself offers AMAZING restaurants but they are pricey as West Chester is an expensive town.
For most people drinking is the activity of choice. You'll find a numerous amount of bars in West Chester (Including some of the residential streets) and a handful of beer and liquor stores in the area. There are some decent venues for music as well but sadly you need to be 21 to get into them. There are some public parks that make for good fun and the quad is a great space for soccer or football or what have you. The student rec center does a good job at entertaining a lot of students as well.
For the cost of West Chester compared to other schools, you do get quite a lot. A lot of people choose West Chester as their Safety School and don't take any shame in that. It's a good place to go for people to get a quality education at a cost that won't take them till their 50's to pay off.
STEM students, Communications students, Nursing students, Accounting and or Finance.
For the size of the student population West Chester has a surprising amount of club s. There are clubs for virtually everything from fishing, to politics, language and community service, students should have no trouble finding activities to occupy their time after classes.
Greek life is extremely present in West Chester. It can be a little overwhelming because some students may feel as if they can't have as much fun here without joining a Greek organization but there are still plenty of other ways to make friends in this town.
Safety is almost never a concern here. The campus is well lit and so is the town. While crime is not totally absent from the town the isolated incidents usually result from alcohol or just bad luck. In my time here I've never been accosted or harassed and there are emergency poles on campus to call campus security.