Duquesne University

Date: Oct 25 2014
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
I'm so glad I came to this school. If you're looking to major in OT, Duq has one of the most prestigious programs in the country, and it definitely shows in the school's academic and professional standards. It's a lot of work. BUT, the faculty is always there if you need help. Even though the school is a medium-large sized school, you really get a personal feel as an individual. Each professor is required to have office hours where you can come in and get help with anything. The faculty really wants you to succeed.

The campus is gorgeous and well-kept. The freshman dorms are not as nice, but what can you expect from freshman dorms? The freshmen can live in Assumption, Martin's, Ann's, or Towers. Assumption is the quietest, Towers is arguably the nicest (not many freshmen live here, though). No matter where you live, everyone's going to be super down to earth. The idea that Duq students are arrogant and snobby is a total myth.

There's always something to do on the weekends. If you party, there's a bus that runs up to Oakland (Pitt parties), and a bus that runs to South Side (Duq parties). If you like shopping, there's also a bus that runs up to the Waterfront. The South Side is also easily accessible in walking distance from Duq's campus. You'll find a lot of "Duquesne" school spirit in South Side as well. If you're in the Honors College, you can get into any Pittsburgh museum for free with your Duq ID. Most of the museums are scattered around the North Shore. The cultural/strip district are also in walking distance from campus. Basically, you'll never run out of things to do.

There's a club/organization for pretty much anything you're interested in. During the second or third week of school there's a day called DuqExpo where every club spreads out a table on Academic Walk and tries to get you to join. Don't be afraid to sign up for things that look fun to you, even if they don't particularly pertain to your major. The Greek system is pretty large at this school, but the Greeks don't have any kind of privilege over the students who aren't involved in Greek life. The freshmen aren't allowed to rush until Spring semester. There's an unofficial "Greek row" on South Side, but, officially, the frats and sororities live on-campus in their own wing in Towers.

Athletics aren't huge here, but they're fun to follow. You'll find the most support for soccer, football, and basketball. The athletes at this school, for the most part, are really friendly.

Duq IS a Catholic school, but it's easy to forget that once you're on campus. I never felt like the religion was shoved down my throat and they're really respectful of other religions. Not much of the student body seems to be super religious. During Orientation week, they really try to reinforce the idea that it's a Catholic uni, but that subsides once Orientation week ends.

I would highly recommend Duquesne. Like I said, I'm really glad I came here. If you're looking to go into the field of Health Sciences or Pharm, Duq is one of your best options as far as prestige and academics go. The students and faculty are friendly, the food is decent, and there are so many things to do on and off the Bluff.