The University of San Diego

Date: Jul 31 2011
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a current student at USD. While the school did take some getting used to, two years later I am so happy I chose it and have really found my niche.

In terms of academics, the teachers and faculty are very approachable and are individualized in their instruction, which is something that's important to me. They really focus on how they teach the material on hand, not just preaching to students what they know. Most importantly, a lot of times even if I personally don't like the subject, I can still tell my professor is passionate about the field, which I appreciate.

Social life on campus is what you make of it, honestly. There is so much to get involved in. Our campus has a reputation of having a lot of rich students, which, as a middle class student on a hefty scholarship, I wasn't too pumped about at first. But I've definitely learned not to be judgemental. Honestly, there are snooty rich kids, but there are also some who are super friendly and willing to help anyone. Judging someone for being rich is just as bad as judging someone for being poor. Also, a ton of our students are on financial aid, so there are also a ton of kids who come from diverse financial backgrounds. I have found it doesn't really influence who I'm friends with at all. I have friends who have giant houses and are paying $200k to go here, and I have friends who are on full ride scholarships. It doesn't matter as much as you think it does. Overall, the people on campus are so friendly and so willing to make new friends that it makes for a great experience if you put yourself out there. Get involved, pursue friendships, and you'll have a good time.

In terms of party life, USD is a smaller campus with no frat or sorority houses, and campus security is pretty strict. We party off campus. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach have a TON of upperclassmen, and while it's sometimes a pain to get down there, it's definitely there. A lot of the upperclassmen also like the bars and areas around Pacific Beach and other parts of SD. San Diego overall is an amazing place, so it is really popular to go off campus during the weekends. Even if you don't have a car, people are so friendly and it's not hard to get a group of friends to carpool.

So far, both my academic and social experience have been great. In terms of getting the most bang for your buck, I think paying for school is different in everyone's case. Would I pay $50k a year to go to USD? If I had the money I would, but that wouldn't be feasible. However, I started here paying just a little more a year than I would have at a state school, and I think the advantages of going to a small school have paid off the difference. On top of that, I've gained opportunities financially that I don't know if I necessarily would have gotten at a different school. I will be a Resident Assistant, and I'm also graduating early. The savings there, along with my scholarship, have made the experience more affordable. Consider your options before you write private schools off as "costing $200k".

I am lucky to have USD as my home, good luck to anyone who is looking for their right fit of a university!