University of San Diego Top Questions

This is a great school if you love San Diego, a smaller-school feel, challenging classes, and getting involved. Because the school has under 10,000 students total, you will most likely know some people you pass as you walk across campus. Teachers will know your name, and you'll have more than one class with some of the same people. There's also a lot of support and encouragement when it comes to getting involved. Also, because of USD's location in San Diego, there is always stuff to do on campus. If you're considering USD, beware of the school spirit. Because the beach, downtown, and the mall are all a mere 10 minutes away, students are often drawn to other activities. Attendance at sports events are not incredible.

This school is amazing! It's 10 minutes away from the beach, which is perfect for going out on the weekends as well as laying out in the sun. It is a Catholic school, but going to Mass is not required. USD is the perfect size also so you see familiar faces around campus but also have to opportunity to meet new people. When I tell people I go to USD, they are so jealous! A gorgeous school on a hill in the heart of San Diego? What isn't to love?! The one thing I would wish to change though is the lack of school spirit. I went to a high school that was extremely school spirited and miss that excitement at USD.

My overall opinion of USD is that it is a beautiful university with top notch academics and professors who care. I love having small classes (20-30 students). Having small classes allows lots of discussion to be held between the students and professor. To me, USD is the perfect size. About 5000 undergraduates troll the campus and I love seeing familiar faces, but also meeting new people every week. USD is up on a hill, so i wouldn't exactly call it a "college town." That is something i don't like about USD. Although it is in a beautiful city, it is rather isolated and unless you have a car, it is difficult to get off campus. There is not a lot of school pride here, although most people are very happy to be here and show their pride other ways. One of these ways include getting involved in clubs and leadership positions. Overall, USD is a great place with many different kids of people and interesting professors. Although i wish it were more diverse ethnically, it is constantly growing.

I think this school is great. It is fun well organized, and well run and they really do try to make you feel at home here. I think the size is just right if you actually want to be part of a community, often being in a school with 20,000 or 30,000 can feel overwhelming and it can be much harder to make friends. A downside to this school is that there is hardly any school spirit, nobody really goes out to the football or basketball games unless you know a player personally.

At USD, we have some amazing food that is a bit overpriced. I would add more parking if I could change anything. Our school is a bit small, but that's a good thing if small schools are right for you. We lack in school pride, though I know that some campus organizations really strive to change that. Our campus is gorgeous, with a beautiful view of San Diego and the ocean and bay to complement it. USD is close to downtown, the malls, and beaches which constantly provide something to do for students.

I think that the University of San Diego is an amazing university that offers all students a wide range of opportunities. I think the best thing about the school is its location and its professors. The location of the school is unbeatable, a mere minutes from the beach. As well, the professors are what make the classes interesting and make you want to learn more. Before coming to University of San Diego I never experienced loving my classes so much and finding them so interesting and I owe that to my outstanding professors. The school size is just right, not to big and not to small. It is roughly 6,000 undergraduate students, allowing you to have a good group of friends perfect for you and still allow you to meet new people throughout your years in school. People tend to react when I tell them that this is their school by saying "woah, thats awesome!". People realize what an amazing location the school is in and are impressed and probably jealous that I go to this university. I spend most of my time on campus either in class, in the library or at one of our restaurants. The library is nice and quiet, but on the majority of the sunny days in San Diego, it is nice to be outside and enjoying the weather. Although we do not have a "college town", a majority of students live on one road in Mission Beach when they decide to move off campus. Mission Beach is a nice area right on the beach, only 5 minutes from school, that allows you to still be right near all your friends but also separate school from home. The school's administration seems very good in my opinion. I think they are all strong and intelligent people that want the best for all of the students at USD and do everything in their power to give them that. One of the biggest controversy's recently was the basketball point shaving incident that happened last fall. The controversy put USD in the limelight, however the public relations team handled the issue and the university has been able to move on since than. There is not a lot of school pride, however it is present. There are many sporting events or student events from concerts to contests for students to come together and support their school, however there is definitely not nearly as much school spirit as large state schools. Not that this is unusual, but a fun fact is that USD is ranked number one in the national for study abroad programs. One experience I will always remember was on my tour of the school, near the end, when we went to the reflection pool at the far end of campus that overlooks San Diego. It is the most peaceful and beautiful view and upon seeing it, I immediately felt at peace and knew that I needed to attend USD. I currently cannot think of any very frequent complaint that students have.

The best part about USD is the small community. Opportunities for networking, campus and off-campus involvement, and strong relationships with peers and professors are the benefits. The University is well-respected in the San Diego community, mainly because most USD students are involved in some type of community work. This is where I feel the Catholic tradition and identity of the school best reveals itself: in the selfless and active desire to make a difference in every student. Mission Beach is located about eight minutes away from campus and is a very popular spot for USD students to hang out on weekends and after classes on weekdays. The Fashion Valley Mall is about five minutes down the hill from campus and provides a large variety of shopping options. Mexican restaurants are very common all around, especially in Old Town San Diego, located just down the hill from the school. The campus is absolutely gorgeous, and if I am not mistaken is considered one of the top five most beautiful university campuses in the country.

USD looks like a castle situated at the top of a mountain, which leads to a different university experience than you may find at a bigger school that boasts its college-town feel. All freshmen are required to live on campus their first year, but after that, most students move down to Mission Beach where the nightlife rages all year long. I mean, if you can live on the beach, why not? As a result of this living situation, most students spend their time off of campus and this leads to a pretty quiet campus. This even includes our school spirit, or really, lack thereof. Furthermore, student activism could use some work. We have extremely passionate students, but they're not the outgoing or in-your-face types you would find at a UC Berkeley, etc. A word to the wise, however, is that this school is on the small side. With about 5,000 undergraduate students, it's difficult to not know the hot gossip - especially if you're involved in the Greek life system. Although it only makes up about 27{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the student body, it seems like Greeks are everywhere! There about a billion other things to get involved in at USD though, especially newer clubs like Be Green, Go Blue!, our sustainability club. USD, as a Catholic university, is very socially-minded and works to create a better local community and world through its service and outreach. If you're interested in making the world a better place, I'd highly recommend this school. I think it's our highest selling point (besides the hot girls and wonderful location). The administration has been loosening up in my four years here. Because we are so reliant upon our donors, it's hard to become a serious liberal arts school that hosts controversial discussions or allows some types of expression. For example, you have to fill out a liability form and ask permission before hosting a riot, parade, or demonstration and you must explain how your event falls in line with the university's mission. So much for last-minute activism.... Luckily the administration seems to listening to its students and we were FINALLY allowed to have a LGBT club a few years ago. Overall, this school is a blast. It's filled with hard-working students whose interests and passions are all over the place and you'll be sure to find your own place as soon as you get involved.

Although there seems to be a great divide between many opinions on campus, stemming mainly from its Catholic conservative background, and newer liberal interests, I would say there is a general respect for all people at USD. Regardless of what ones opinions or lifestyle choices are no one is going to be ostracized for it. It definitely makes it more difficult to find your place though since there are so many different people and it can feel a bit cliquey at times. San Diego is a beautiful and awesome city and that definitely makes it worth it. Most programs have good teachers. The business school has a good community. Its the perfect size. Not too small, not too big. Sports aren't big, but the greek scene is quite noticeable. That being said, it is absolutely possible to have an amazing time as USD without it. Depends on the people you like. I wish the student body was a bit less ignorant and apathetic at times. It is getting a lot better though. Also some of the conservative tendencies are getting old fashioned if this school really wants to grow and become more competitive.

Overall, University of San Diego is an amazing school. It has top-knotch professors that offer a personalized education to each and every student due to the small class size. It is absolutely beautiful--the campus overlooks Mission Bay and the beach. The food is delicious. Make sure to stop at La Gran Terrazza on your campus visit--it's a fine dining restaurant which was featured in San Diego Restaurant Week. The living situations are ideal. I had my own closet a very spacious dorm my freshman year! The school isn't large by any means, but definitely not small. I like the ability to spot friends in the crowd while walking to class, but seeing new faces as well. Also, USD isn't situated in a "college town" which is a good think. It encourages students to branch out--lay out at the beach, get some authentic Mexican cuisine at Old Town, or have a night out downtown (home of the Padres and Gaslamp)!