Quinnipiac University

Date: Aug 28 2018
Major: Physical Therapy/Exercise Science (This Major's Salary over time)
This school was the worst decision of my life. Of course when you're 16 and you want to do the whole "going away" thing this school is attractive. Close-ish distance to home, pretty campus, automatic enrollment into the PT program (no GREs or reapplying processes), scholarship rolls over if you keep up a 3.3 GPA, etc. But all those "perks" were not worth the money I put into this school at all.

To start, if you were a good student in high school they may suggest to enroll in the honors program freshman year. STAY AWAY. They give you the worst housing assignment (4th floor ledges is the furthest away from classes and other facilities and they are in disgusting condition). They also give you WAY too much work for classes that were meant to be GPA boosters. Science classes are already challenging at this school and the honors level classes make them a living hell. You don't get to register early for classes or get any special perks besides a flimsy medal at graduation. You're better off graduating WITH honors instead of from the honors program here.

As far as dorms, it really is a lottery system here. Freshmen and sophomore dorms are either brand new and gorgeous or they're disgusting and cramped. It's all just luck if you get the nicer dorm. Not like at other schools that may give you the nicer dorm if you have a higher GPA. York hill (upperclassmen) always have the same setting. It's a nice facility but it's a pain in the butt to always take the shuttle to get to class. They used to be so unreliable but lately, they have been improving.

You'll definitely need a car on campus as soon as you can get one. Nothing in the area is easily walkable from the campus besides the sleeping giant park. There are shuttles to New Haven but they only run constantly when everyone is getting wasted there on the weekends.

Speaking of social life at this school, the main event for everyone underage is Toads. Like any bar that clearly lets underage kids in, it's tight, dark and slimy. Your sense of dignity is ripped out of you once you step inside. It's sad that the students here find that it's the only thing to do on a Saturday night here. Some people just hang out in their friends' rooms/apartments instead, but then they get depressed about not going out. The other bars in New Haven tend to be a little more strict. So forget about having a more diverse social experience until you turn 21.

Greek life here is stupid. There's a strict law in Hamden that doesn't allow 4 girls in one house. There is no traditional greek housing so usually, a bunch of seniors rent out a house off campus and call it the "frat house". Only the frat houses throw parties, not the sororities. Some sororities have over 120 girls in them but then get upset how they feel that not everyone knows each other. Like did you really expect me to call 120 high maintenance princesses my closest friends? They also form a strict "no hazing policy" but it seems that every semester there's another frat or sorority getting in trouble. Most of it is because they force them to drink or they do "dirty rushing" which is pretty much only picking girls based on looks and GPA. Some of their philanthropy events are fun and creative, but you're better off just attending them not actually being involved in the organization.

The general stereotype of kids at QU are

popular kids in high school who were clearly C students but parents had a lot of money

Unless you're in the 3+1 business, PA, PT, OT, or nursing program, these kids are complete dumb bimbos. It's honestly one of those schools that you have to say you're in a special program for in order to get respect. Cause if you're just a general major here, people laugh at you. I haven't heard of anyone getting waitlisted or denied from QU. It's easy to get scholarship money if you did okay on your SATs. But the money you get is like pennies compared to the cost of tuition.

Academics here reflect on the students as well. My non-science classes were a complete joke. Most of the quizzes were taken online and I barely had any work in them. My science classes though were extremely tough. The professors add way too much work for only 1 credit courses. Most of it is just extra fluff material that doesn't relate to our professions at all, instead, it's their way of trying to drown you in work. The professors were also extremely condescending and had the attitude that they wanted nothing to do with the students.

Don't even get me started on the PT program. Some of them were some of the NASTIEST people I have ever encountered in my life. They had no organization regarding the paperwork we needed for our clinical assignments. They told us LAST MINUTE to get our physicals done in order to go to a clinic. Like excuse me but most of us aren't able to get a PCP appointment in 2 days before going back to school especially if you require a 2 step PPD. They rave about how we should demonstrate professionalism yet they make racist and derogatory remarks towards the students. (A few people in the program required extra time on exams and one professor told them 'special needs kids shouldn't be here'). Forget about asking them for help on exams, because yes it is a very challenging program. They'll just call you "stupid" and "idk how you don't know this you should know this". They also tend to favor the males in the program considering the 70-30 ratio between girls to boys. As an undergrad, these professors will be your academic advisors. They tend to have the "money grows on trees" mentality because they'll force you to take certain classes even though there are alternatives. They know nothing about how transferring credits work and how to adjust courses with work/life balance. Also, no help if you get closed out of a class even though it's required for your program (cough cough biology). They are also forcing students to take a minor now for the program but they tell you that you must do a psychology minor. I asked if i could do a general business minor in case i wanted to open up a practice someday and they said "that's the stupidest thing i have ever heard." Meanwhile, a bunch of the students in the program asked the same thing…

The students in the program are disrespectful and immature. For adults in GRADUATE SCHOOL, they act like middle schoolers. They even made an Instagram page posting embarrassing pictures of everyone without their consent and the administration did nothing about it. They are quick to shut everyone down and try to make themselves look superior. They rave about how much money their parents have and how they were so "involved" in undergrad. Yeah your involvement included you acting like a toddler by pissing on the street in New Haven in front of your frat brothers…

Out of everything I just wrote, these are my main points of advice for anyone looking into this school

If you want to go to a respectable university, don't go here. No matter if you took out loans or if your family paid for the tuition, everyone will think you're a privileged brat just by saying you go here.

If you really want a change from the high school environment, don't go here. It's essentially high school on steroids.

If you aren't white, be prepared to stand out.

If you don't own a macbook, get one.

If you don't own a car, get one.

If you are financially struggling, don't go here. save your money and go to a state school. You'll probably have better academics there anyway.

If you like football, don't go here. No football team.

If you don't like the cold, don't go here. Winters are FRIGID.

If you do end up here, get an off-campus apartment ASAP. The houses are trash in Hamden. The apartment complexes are much cleaner and well maintained. Rent is usually around $650-900 if you have roommates.

If you expect to go to college to mature and grow up, certainly don't go here. I was appalled by the way even SENIORS acted. Might as well go back to the abercrombie and ugg days from middle school.

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