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Thanks!

Can you talk about the Learning Communities; what are some general thoughts on them, who should consider which ones, which ones are popular, etc.

hey @TereJackson! congrats on joining the Nova Nation! I don’t know much about the honors program, but I do have a few friends that are in it. let me reach out to them and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

@parksgary207 I actually participated in a Learning Community myself! I’d say they are all equally popular, and they are all very different. They are similar in the sense that you share your Ancients and Moderns classes with the other people in your Learning Community, so therefore you get to know everyone in your group really well and it’s a great chance to meet new people! you also live in the same dorm as all of the people in your community (during freshman year only).
however, each Learning Community is different in its purpose, activities, meeting schedule, and grading system. in my Learning Community we met outside of Ancient/Moderns class one time per week where we participated in activities and discussions pertaining to our community’s overarching purpose.
i would look on the Learning Community website, read through each community’s purpose and goals for the students, watch the videos provided (not all have one), and then decide which one is best for your son or daughter based on his/her interests and goals for the best chance of meeting people similar to him/her who they can become good friends with.
here is the Learning Community website: https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/studentlife/be_home/learningcommunities.html
this will take you to the videos, and for a description of each community click “Residents” on the left-hand side.

@TereJackson here’s what my friend said about the honors program:
“I’d say that the honors dorm is a great dorm, and that I’ve formed a ton of really close relationships with almost everyone on the floor. The dorm life is relaxed, and you don’t have to party if you don’t want to. If partying is your thing, I’m sure you can meet similar people who would be interested. I’m not quite sure what the academic standards are for the honors program, but I didn’t expect to get in and I did, so maybe it isn’t as tough as people might think. As far as the academics go, I highly recommend it as I’ve bonded closely with my ACS class and the professors are top notch.”
hope this helps!

Thanks a lot!!! : )

How bad is the forced triples for freshman? Is it true that there is a lack of social life or did I just read one bad review? Is the Communications Dept considered strong? What’s it like if you are a non-Catholic? Thanks so much.

@citymama9 the forced triples for freshman aren’t terrible. obviously the situation could be better as the room is meant for two people, but if you organize the room correctly, it isn’t that bad! my roommates and I spent a lot of time organizing our room, and set up in a particular way, we were able to get the maximum floor space so our room seemed a little bigger than it actually was. it also depends on if you get good roommates or if you really don’t like sharing space with other people.

I would say that there is social life…if you are referring to partying, there are definitely opportunities to go out and meet people that have similar interests. if you are not the partying type, there are different social events and sporting events on campus, there are restaurants/movie theaters off campus you could go to, you could take the shuttle to the mall on the weekends, you could go into Philadelphia, etc.

I’m not sure about your question regarding the Communications Department, but it would also depend on whether you mean Communications in CLAS or VSB.

being a non-Catholic at Villanova may not be as bad as one would assume. it may be awkward if some of your friends are more religious, and at certain meetings/school events they may lead the students in prayer, but religion is not forced upon anyone. like I said before, I am not particularly religious, and I was afraid I may not like some of the classes at Nova because of it. however, some teachers in certain classes will discuss religion (Catholicism in particular), but it is mainly just a DISCUSSION. they do not force anything down your throat and are very open to different opinions and beliefs.

@novanationer12 Thank you so much. That was very helpful. In terms of communications, I was referring to the major in the arts and sciences school.

@citymama9 it’s not that there’s NO social life… it’s just kinda exclusive. Greek life is a big aspect of the social life here. You’ll have a hard time getting involved right in the beginning, but it gets better over the course of freshman year! I assume the OP is a girl, if you’re a boy, you probably won’t see a real party until January ONLY IF you choose to rush.

@a20171 Thank you. I have a daughter who is very much interested in being in a sorority when she goes to college. Is it ridiculously hard to get into a sorority at Villanova?

@citymama9 I’d say about 350/550 people this year ended up in a sorority they felt comfortable in. It’s not ridiculously hard, but it isn’t a given. I’m in a sorority and I have friends at aren’t and I’m able to include them in my sorority stuff, and we all go to parties together still regardless of which one you’re in or if you’re in one at all.

At Villanova, especially for girls, it’s easy to get involved in greek life parties/events even if you’re not a part of it. It’s a little different for boys.

@a20171 Thanks again! Wow. So 200 girls wanted to get in, but didn’t? That’s kind of scary. Do you think it’s about who you know or is it based on how you present at rush? I wasn’t in a sorority so I don’t know much about it, but I know my D has been thinking about this for years, lol. She watched some show callled, “Greek” and she was hooked. Is it hard emotionally for the girls who don’t get in?

@citymama9 I’d definitely say it’s how you present. I didn’t really know anyone in my sorority before rush. It’s hard for the 2 weeks when you’re going through it and maybe the 2 weeks of “pledging”, but once it’s over everything really goes back to normal!

You’ve been really helpful. Thanks so much.

yeah like I said before I don’t go to parties at all so I don’t really know much about that, thanks for your help @a20171 !

What would you recommend as far as meal plans are concerned? There are a few options available and my son is not sure which one makes the most sense.

@psssthoy

Villanova has a few different systems. “Meals” are used to get into the main dining halls (Donahue, Dougherty, St. Mary’s). “MPE’s” are used sort of a “meal,” but you use them for places like Cafe Nova, Belle Air Terrace, or at any of the Holy Grounds coffee shops. “Points” come with your meal plan, and are used for food from the Sparket/Convenience Store in Connelly, coffee (if you have a smaller meal plan), etc. Lastly, “Nova Bucks” is money that you load onto your card, and is basically a debit card that you can use in the University Shop, for food, and even for certain restaurants/takeout places. oh also, each plan comes with Guest Meals in case friends/family come so that students can take them to lunch on campus.

the unlimited plan, for example, will get you an unlimited amount of meals per day but only 2 MPE’s per day and around $160 in points. there is a PDF online that shows the plans in more detail.

freshman year, it may be nice to have unlimited just so you can test out the different places to get food, you can make sure you always have enough meals when you are planning when to eat based on classes and friends, and you can judge if you will really benefit from having unlimited versus a smaller plan. then you will be able to choose the correct plan for your specific needs for the future years. overall, it is up to your son and his preferences, how many times per day he will be able to eat based on his schedule, how often he will order in/go out to eat, etc.

hope this helps!

@novanationer12 Can you give me an idea of move-in day? Do the students get a time slot or appt for moving in their stuff, or is it any time during the day? I am thinking that because we are flying in, we would just mail a box or two in advance.

@novanationer12 My son wants to bring his bike, skateboard, or both. What do you recommend?