University of the Pacific

Date: May 19 2009
Major: Political Science (This Major's Salary over time)
This is a beautiful, high-quality university for students who want a small campus and a close community. The academics are challenging (in most departments) and the professors really concentrate on teaching. Pacific is not a big research university, so the professors are more focused on teaching than on their own projects and studies. All of my teachers have had regular office hours and encourage students to come in and ask questions. Studying abroad is also very easy to do here, and we have over 100 abroad locations to choose from, so Pacific is a great school for those planning to extend their education outside of the U.S.

The extracurricular opportunities are mostly in the Greek system. There are 4 social sororities and 4 social fraternities for people who want the experience of living in a Greek house, and then there are also many professional multicultural fraternities and sororities. These non-social Greek organizations include music, foreign service, biology, pharmacy, theater, community service, Honors societies, and countless others. There are also non-Greek clubs on campus, although those are far less numerous, as well as recreational sports groups. There are many opportunities to get involved on campus, and since it is a small school you have good chances of holding officer positions.

The people at Pacific are friendly and down to earth. There is a good diversity of people here, which makes it easy for people to find friends and feel they belong. Many individual programs and groups create very strong communities; I have found this in the Honors program, the School of International Studies, and the Conservatory of Music, for example.

I do have a few words of caution. First of all, Stockton is not the best city to live in. Although it's not as terrible as its reputation makes it seem, it is a dirty city with a lot of petty crime. The bubble around Pacific is quite nice and safe, so if you don't venture too far off campus (and you usually don't need to) then you will be fine. Another note: the pre-professional programs here are very competitive and intense. If you are going into Pre-Pharmacy or Pre-Dentistry, expect tough competition for grades and many sleepless nights studying. The teachers aren't as understanding and personal as teachers in many other departments around the school, so don't expect to form close relationships with them.

Over all, Pacific is a beautiful school with many great things going for it. Don't come here if you want to disappear in the crowd, attend huge lecture classes, or go to crazy parties every night of the week. If you want to build close communities and take small, personal classes, Pacific is the school for you. Pacific is especially great for those wanting to study music, international relations, geosciences, and engineering.