Here are some things that are not in the brocure... Because there were so many required classes (2 years of a language, 2 years of Humanities, science, philosophy and theology classes) it is difficult to finish the amount of courses you need to take for your major.  There ends up being very limited time to take other classes that may help advance your career.  The worst part of all is their grading policy.  They will deny this until they are blue in the face.  I have spoken to more than one professor that have gotten fired for grading students too high.  For every A, they fail someone.  For every B, they have to give students Ds.  So it turns out that everyone ends up getting C's.  If you get a good professor that will fight to give their students the grades they deserve, they have limited semesters they are allowed to do this.  If they continue, they no longer have a job there.  So if this is their policy, fine.  Atleast admit it.  This is not the worst part though.  It makes the student feel as if they are stupid, and lowers self confidence.  The worst part about all of this is that graduate schools will not even look at me because my GPA is lower than students I am in competition with.  I worked extremely hard for a 2.9.  I stayed in on weekends, I went to teachers for help, I did extra credit, and look where it got me.  I was lucky that my current job did not compare my GPA with others.  Luckily... if you beg the school, they will write a letter explaining that .6 should be added to your GPA and send it to grad schools - so how is this possible, when they “do not have a grading policy?"

Obviously, going to college is to get an education.  That is the most important reason that you are there.  But are you wondering - if the school is that strict about grades… what type of social life is there?  There definitely are opportunities to join groups and make friends… but the school asbolutely encourages volunteering, and community involvement.  All of these are great things, and I did do my fair share volunteer work.  But most students going to college are interested in partying and drinking (obviously!).  Well, for starters, St.  A's atleast used to hire cops to patrol the campus and arrest students.  New Hampshire has an “internal possession” law that allows a cop to pull you aside at any time and give you a breathalizer.  If you are over.02 (about 1 beer) you are arrested, and can lose your license.  First hand, I showed up at a party my freshman year, the door shut behind me, and 150 studnets were trapped in the house, surrounded by cops, and arrested.  Even though I was responsible, took a taxi, and only had 2 or 3 beers that night, it was enough for me to go to court, take a couple alcohol courses, and pay about $800 in fines.  On top of that, even though it was off campus, St.  A's decided it was their responsibility to contact my parents about my behavior at school.  This didn't fly with some of my friend's parents, and it is out of line.  It was off campus, and the police were handling the situation.  I absolutely understand that I was breaking the law, but that was the first time St.  A's betrayed my trust. 

On a recent Alumni weekend I attended, there were RA's walking around and taking snapshots in people faces (unexpectedly).  Their new policy was to bring those pictures to the dean, look up the student, and if they were underage, they would be written up as well. 

To top it off, you are not allowed in the rooms of students of the opposite sex after a certain time of night.  You will have to take a comprehensive exam of your major at the end of the four years there that you absolutely have to pass or you cannot graduate. 

I have met my best friends and husband at St.  Anselm.  I would not have traded my experience there to go to a different school for those two reasons.  But I absolutely do NOT recommend that school for a second.  You will make friends and have good times wherever you go.  This school does not tolerate typical college “fun times.” They diminish your self confidence, and lie about their grading policy.  The professors that acutally seem to care are few and far between.  If you are between St.  Anselm College and another College or University, I would highly recommend you do not attend this school.