Saint Louis University

Date: Dec 04 2007
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
On the whole, SLU has disappointed me. I thought that I would love it here. Instead, I only tolerate it. The campus is great, immaculately landscaped. I love walking around on campus. That said, going off campus is just something that isn't done, at least not wisely. The administrators claim that SLU is one of the safest campuses in the nation. I find that incredibly difficult to believe (its better than it used to be, but its still not good). People on the streets around campus are regularly victims of gunpoint robberies. What scares me, is that the crimes have started moving on campus. This year students have been robbed in parking lots and on campus sidewalks. Also, the bank in our student center was robbed by an unarmed man who then ran across campus without being stopped. Does that really sound like one of the safest campuses in the country?

The administration operates in a very opaque manner. There is minimal, if any, actual student-administration interaction. Dealings with Student Financial Services/Housing and Res Life/Academic Services tend to end in frustration. The financial aid counselors are great at being outright mean. I think that they must go through training to learn how to be rude. For academics, I have four counselors. They never communicate with each other and never know what is going on.

Classes have, for the most part, been excellent. Though they can be difficult. Most of the professors are helpful and knowledgable. The Honors Program classes have been great. Only once have I had a professor who was truly unqualified to be teaching.

SLU is overpriced. I understand that college is expensive. But between my first and second years tuition went up 8%. Between second and third years it went up 6%. Keep in mind that scholarships never increase. What I get isn't worth what I'm paying.

There are a TON of extracirriculars. It might take a while, but it you look you will find a place to fit. There are also several community service options. The Jesuits do a pretty good job of getting their mission accomplished. Though sometimes I feel that the Catholic foundations of the school should be more prominent. I suppose that can be good or bad depending upon your views.

Dining services isn't good. Chartwells has a monopoly on campus dining. So, if you enjoy mediocre food and getting yelled at by Chartwells employees then SLU is the place for you.

SLU, like many colleges and universities, has a problem retaining students. They recently implemented learning communities where you live with all the same people who are in your classes. Personally, I hate this. I feel that in order to foster a true community, you need to know more than just a few people. If the school wants to improve student satisfaction, then they need an open dialogue with students. In my three years here at SLU truly open dialogue with administration is something that has never happened. SLU students are not stupid. We are, for the most part, responsible young adults. The university needs to stop acting like a condescending parent. Honesty on the part of the administration would, I think, be a refreshingly welcome change.