It's been an interesting time reading the other Creighton posts on here. My first comment would be that the degree of negativity on this site in no way reflects the views of the vast majority of students at CU. Most people here are quite friendly and content. That's something you'll realize when you visit and spend just 5 minutes talking to a random group of us. Secondly, Creighton IS NOT NEARLY AS DEAD-MINDED CONSERVATIVE as these other posts make it out to be. Yes, we are a Catholic, Jesuit university. Mass is well-attended on Sundays (as is the twice-daily Protestant service). You will take theology classes (2 for non-honors students, I think), and you will be surrounded by a Catholic majority. But, believe it or not, the Jesuits are actually a more left-wing brand of Catholicism, which is in itself a less literal type of Christianity. We spent 5 weeks in our General Biology class going over evolution and all of the reasons why "intelligent design" is, in the scientific sense, BS. The Jesuits advocate a more liberal social policy than certainly the Republican party would - when asked, our president expressed his preference for a democratic candidate in 2008's election. And you certainly won't be an outcast if you're not Catholic; honestly, people probably won't know or care. Look at your core theology classes as exposure to a major brand of philosophy that has shaped how our modern world has been formed. Agnostic or atheist, Buddhist or Lutheran, that's a worthwhile enterprise.
In terms of academics, Creighton can hold its own with any University at which I've attended classes (Notre Dame, Saint Louis U., far better than U. Nebraska). The professors actually do care about their students; teaching, not research (though they do it), is their priority. Coming in to ask an individual question has always been an enlightening, not intimidating, time. I'm a pretty good student (36 ACT/2310 SAT, 4.0 h.s. gpa, national merit finalist, valedictorian) and could have gone to any of the Ivies that I wanted. But I find myself more than sufficiently challenged and broadened by Creighton's academic rigor. Now don't get me wrong, you can make an easy time of academics here, especially with some of the core classes your freshman year. The onus is on you to make your collegiate academic experience what you want it to be.
If you’re a pre-med/pre-dent (like perhaps 65% of the freshman here, though that number goes down), Creighton is an excellent school, but you’ll have to work at it. You can’t just enroll here, declare your pre-med interest, and expect to magically become a doctor. With that being said, CU’s very supportive and helpful to its pre-meds, and it does sport a medical school that favors CU grads. It’s a similar story for those interested in law, physical therapy, or pharmacy. Creighton’s dominated by those “pre-somethings,†which I think points to the driven nature of the student body. But competition is at a minimum. CU students realize they’re really only competing with themselves, and they’re always ready to help each other out.
If you're an excellent student, I'd highly recommend applying for Creighton's Honors Program. Instead of taking normal core courses, you take 3 foundations courses about the basics of Western philosophy/theology/history, and then 5 seminar-type lectures in areas stretching from cutting-edge psychology to political science to fuzzy math, depending on your interest. Creighton waives pre-requisites for classes for Honors kids, and gives us priority registration for classes - making it easy to get the best professors at the best times.
Aesthetically, the campus is very well laid-out, and much more compact than, say, your typical state school, which comes in handy for Nebraska winters. Though I’ll admit things look a bit drearier in February than they did in September, the landscaping and brick-heavy facilities (especially the science buildings) here really are quite nice. Most of the freshman dorms are typically dorms, with communal bathrooms and 1970s architecture. After that, however, your situation improves nicely, with suite- and apartment- style housing available (though not required) all four years, the vast majority of it <10 years old.
Omaha’s not a bad town to go to college in. Most social options are accessible more by car than foot (though there’s a lot more by foot now – the Slowdown dance/music club, Filmstreams independent theatre, etc. - than there was 10 years ago). Creighton’s very reputable Division-1 basketball team attracts the 13th largest home crowd in the nation at the Qwest Center on the east side of Creighton’s campus. Downtown Omaha, to Creighton’s south and east, is safe and full of stuff to do. The Holland Center (symphony, “classy†music), and the Orpheum Theatre (traveling Broadway shows, ballet) both offer very cheap student tickets. The Old Market has dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops, and is a very popular CU scene. Most CU students do their shopping at the Target at 72nd and Dodge, which emphasizes how handy having a car (or a friend with one) is in Omaha.
Bottom line? You really owe it to yourself to visit here. And, do yourself a favor and buy the Princeton Review’s 366 Best Colleges book. I found the reviews in there to be spot-on for all of the schools that I visited.
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