University of San Francisco Top Questions

This school is amazing. The system, the city, and the people are wonderful.

The best thing about the University of San Francisco is its location, in the heart of San Francisco. I really like that there is always something to do in the city, or see, or eat – the possibilities are endless. Due to this, school spirit is not the highest, especially on weekends. But I wouldn’t want it any other way, being in the city is so fun, exciting, and educational. That is why it’s important to join clubs, so that you can meet people, and hopefully meet life long friends. When I tell people about USF, it’s funny but most of the time, they don’t know it exists. People always think about UCSF or San Francisco State. Our school is pretty small, so classes are small, my biggest class was 60 students and my smallest was 10 students. There is an advantage to this because you’re more connected with the professor and get more attention. Because it is a small school when it comes to schoolwork I spend most of my time in the library, my dorm, or a classroom. I think the administration is great at USF. The professors are very helpful and approachable; there is a myriad of resources and people to help you, in anything you need personal or academic. I would say the biggest controversy would be the prices. So we have a cafeteria and you buy food through Flexi, and you pay for Flexi in your tuition. If you live on campus Flexi is mandatory, I and other think that were charged too much for food, but we can’t change how much flexi we buy. To sum it up, the most important advice I can give is to join clubs and programs, because making friends and being around people is what makes any experience worth sharing and remembering.

I absolutely loved my first year at this school. It is a very small school, which made me feel very close and incorporated with all the students, faculty and overall atmosphere. I always felt comfortable and safe and just happy to be there. I really enjoyed the fact that this school is focused and committed to providing a high quality education, whereas with other schools can at time seem to focus too much on school spirit and sports teams. I had some amazing teachers, met some life long friends, and cannot wait to continue the rest of my college career at this school

Absolutely love it! SO much to do, teachers are helpful and enthusiastic and the campus is perfect for socializing between classes and relaxing! Fantastic library as well!

USF is a really comfortable environment since it is so small. The majority of the students and teachers here are easy going and open minded. USF also does a lot to help out students whenever possible, which is something you might not find at a larger university. The only thing I'd change about the university is it's lack of school pride. Being so small and not having a football team means that many of USF's students don't have many chances to unite and share school pride.

I think that the University of San Francisco is a great school! From its rigorous academic courses that challenge you to think differently, to great social events like Basketball games. USF is located in a nice part of San Francisco, close to Golden Gate Park, and only a bus ride away from great restaurants, shopping, and sight-seeing. SF is not a college town, so USF does not put on as many events or have that sports oriented pride of college towns, something I miss, but the city makes up for it by offering so many activities so that you will never be bored! The size of USF is fairly small, which I enjoy. Class sizes are around 40 people in some classes, which means your teachers know your name and can get to know you. There is construction taking place currently at USF which is annoying, but otherwise the campus is very pretty, easy to navigate and dorms are located in great areas. Overall I would suggest this school to anyone wanting to experience a wonderful city like San Francisco, while attending a highly ranked school with great teachers, and beautiful views!

Well, this school can be pretty great, but I think that everything depends on your personality. If you would describe yourself as "alternative," "right-brained," or "non-linear" this may not be the best college for you. Both the USF bureaucracy and the professors themselves can be pretty rigid at times. Perhaps this is because at heart, USF is a fairly conservative, Jesuit school-- despite its prime location in liberal San Francisco (everyone has to admit, by the way, that the school's location is absolutely fabulous!! The campus architecture is very pretty too!). There is quite a bit of homework, and a lot of my fellow classmates get stressed out by the constant deadlines and seemingly endless assignments. My experience is that students are not allowed very much freedom and creativity-- they are expected to conform to the regulations dictated by the professors. There are also pretty extensive core curriculum requirements. That being said, classes are small, and professors are extremely nice and approachable. I wouldn't say that there is very much "school pride" here, which in my opinion is a good thing. The frat/sorority scene is virtually nonexistent (thank god!). The student body is extremely diverse, with quite a few international students, though there is a sizable subset of upper-middle class, so-cal transplants. Finally, there is a slightly annoying vocational aspect to this school. Classes are not always pure "ivory tower" experiences (though they can be, depending on the professor). I believe, for example, that most majors have to complete at least one internship in order to graduate. On the one hand, this is great because you will leave USF with a fabulous resume. On the other hand, it is my belief that college should be about learning for learning's sake and encouraging intellectual curiosity, not preparing students for the professional world.

Overall, USF is a nice school. I can meet so many different kinds of people and contact their culture. It is a good change to get to know the world.

I love this school overall! This was the top choice for me because I love the city that it resides in, and the atmosphere is amazing. I love the fact that it is a very small school where I don't have to drive or ride a bike to get from one side of the campus to the other. The class sizes are great because you are encouraged to ask questions and participate where that may be harder to do in a larger class.

I love USF. There are a lot of different types of people here and for the most part they are all really friendly and easy to get along with. The professors are usually nice and relatable, and a lot of them really try hard to get to know their students. The overall vibe of this school is really relaxed which is always a good thing. However, I do wish the school had more sorority and fraternity presence on campus, and it would be nice if there was a stronger sense of school spirit.