Valparaiso University

Date: Dec 17 2004
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
VU is a school with a great faculty, and thats where the postive comments stop. The administration is completely worthless. They are intolerant hillbillies lacking a better word. If you want to attend a university that is a private religious institution with its own militant police department this is the school for you. If you beleive in far right Christian morals this is the place for you. There are still visitation rules in the dorms, possession of alcohol even by those of age is an arrestable offence on campus, and not being Lutheran is sure to create some uncomfortable situations. Actually, if you're ELCA you get clumped in with the rest of us heathens so even you might want to think twice. Geographicaly Valpo is in a good place, near the dunes and Chicago. Otherwise the town around it is very conservative and views students as worthless scum no matter how much community service we do for a town none of us have a real attachment to. The campus itself is composed of deteriorating prarie style buildings from the 50's through the 70's. The Hill neighborhood to the west is a declining older dense urban area with a significant crime problem and an even worse law enforcement incompetence problem. There is a law school here, but don't let it lure you, its fourth tier and worthless like almost everything here. The only thing of any value is the faculty. The professors are here becaue the genuinely enjoy teaching. They're here for undergrad education not research. I have not had a single prof. in my three years that I did not respect for their devotion and ability. The CORE program ( a 5 cr. course taken both freshmen semesters) makes transfering about impossible because most universities will offer you about 3 credits of composition for the 10 cr. of CORE. Required theology also is a hassle, but that kind of comes with the Lutheran heritage. Valpo is a solid school for an educational expereince, but if you value cultural tolerence and a liberal community give it some thought before coming here.