<p>My son and I just returned from a wonderful visit to SLU and honestly, it was the nicest college visit I have ever been on, either my own or with both kids. WOW! What is it about this school? Yes, the campus is beautiful, but there was just something about the place. Everyone was so warm and welcoming and the students seemed hard working yet very content, not way over stressed. No one we spoke with was aloof or bored, impolite or condescending. Everyone was eager to talk to us and show us around campus and St. Louis. We were made to feel incredibly welcome. Those of you who have students at SLU or have graduated from the school: Did I only imagine it, or is SLU the friendliest, happiest campus around?</p>
<p>With an incoming freshman and many friends with kids at SLU, I must agree with you that SLU is home to a great group of students! The kids we have met are, without exception, nice, hard-working, polite kids with great spirit for their school. The student population, without a doubt was the biggest selling feature for my son and myself as well. It really seems like a great place to send your kids as well as a great place for those kids to go…</p>
<p>Irishcali, what is your incoming freshman planning to study? Did he/she consider many other schools before choosing SLU? My son was planning on another college before last weekend and is now reconsidering his plans. We were both really taken with the university.</p>
<p>HeartArt, which other school was your son considering?</p>
<p>SLU is a very warm, friendly, welcoming school. My DD and I went up there from Fl on a cold, windy, freezing rain weekend for the Presidential Scholars weekend 6 years ago. We got there a day early so she could tour Wash U. The SLU students were so much nicer. It was a perfect time to be in a foul mood, but no one was. At least no one we talked to. Students helped us find buildings and rooms. These weren’t the students who were helping with the Prez scholar weekend, they were just the ordinary students. It really made an impression on my daughter. She was awarded a Presidential Scholarship, and decided to go. She was very, very happy there. She had been admitted to some much higher ranked schools, but it was hard to pass up the kind of money that SLU was offering her. She graduated in 4 years, got a job in New York, and has never been sorry about her choice. (Her first choice was Georgetown, but they didn’t give her any money.) She was very active while on campus. I can’t recommend the school more highly. They are just great.</p>
<p>Irishcali and silverlady: Thank you for sharing your experience with St. Louis. When we got home from our visit, (don’t laugh) I honestly thought, was that school for real or did I just imagine it? The first impression was so positive that I did not trust it, if that makes any sense. Your thoughts on the school mirror mine exactly. I am hoping my son will also see in SLU what your students did and decide to become a Billiken.</p>
<p>The other school he is seriously considering is Marquette, another wonderful school which I recommend highly.</p>
<p>HeartArt, my son is planning to study education and business. He considered many schools, Marquette one of them, and just felt at home at SLU. I am convinced that it’s the students…without exception, we met great kids. They were so nice and helpful to him and every time we have visited it hasn’t changed. He is very excited and feels like he already has friends there.</p>
<p>As a note, and not to diminish Marquette, we have known a couple of friends now whose kids have tranferred from there to other schools after freshman year. They were not happy there and moved on. For some it was the neighborhood and the security there and for others it was the spirit. That said, I also know some kids who are very happy there. It’s just an fyi.</p>
<p>Let us know if you decide on SLU!!!</p>
<p>Irishcali, I am with your son because I felt “at home” as a potential SLU parent. I am trying to not show how much I like SLU so my son can come to his own conclusions, but it is hard! We just got back from our second Marquette visit and will be headed back to SLU in April before decisions are due. Even though I have a preference, I do think they are both excellent schools and I love the Jesuit atmosphere. Plus having 2 schools you like is not a bad situation to have.</p>
<p>How far are you from SLU? We are at least 6 hours away.</p>
<p>We will be visiting both Marquette and SLU in April with my daughter, who is a junior. I’m eager to see what her impressions will be.</p>
<p>jklm: I am very interested to hear what you and your daughter think as well. I have become a big fan of Jesuit schools in general after visiting the four my son applied to. Each one of them is uniquely wonderful and offers something special. I even have a friend who won’t let her kids apply to any school that is not Jesuit, so they have 28 choices for college! </p>
<p>Does your daughter have a major in mind?</p>
<p>HeartArt: Probably marketing or communications. She’s undecided at this point.</p>
<p>Is anyone’s son or daughter attending Billiken Bus In day this Sunday and Monday?</p>
<p>i am going on the billiken bus in from Omaha, NE</p>
<p>Heartart, we are in the northern Chicago suburbs, so SLU is about 5+ hours away. I have heard though, that lots of kids take the megabus or train to get “home”. </p>
<p>I know how you feel about SLU…it was my first choice for my son, but I wanted him to come to his own decision. We are very excited!</p>
<p>Let us know what you decide!</p>
<p>I got into Saint Louis, but I honestly don’t know anything about it. Anyone want to fill me in?</p>
<p>My son graduated from SLU in 2008. It was for him a great four years. He attended Parks College at SLU (for aviation science). Great group of students he thought. They had a lot of fun but serious about their future too. There was a lot to do around the campus, he took us around to a lot of their haunts. He liked the fact that you had a real college campus feel but yet a good sized city there to explore as well because after all you do have four years there. He lived off campus 2 years but a lot of his friends lived on campus all 4. He was very happy with SLU and would do it again.</p>
<p>For an urban campus, this one is beautiful. We were shocked how nice many of the buildings were. Nice students all seem happy. This is a place to check out if you want a Jesuit education.</p>
<p>to jklm1983, my son is a junior as well, and is very interested in Marquette, wants to study biomedical engineering.</p>
<p>please post how your two visits go: Marquette and SLU</p>
<p>coming from the north chicago suburbs, are you looking for a warmer climate at SLU?</p>
<p>how far is each school from the other: ie, how long does it take to drive from Marquette to SLU?</p>
<p>grandparents are very concerned about son being so far away from home, ie, if he gets sick or an emergency, will be very difficult to get to him from New Orleans, where we are</p>
<p>but son does not want to go to a southern school</p>
<p>looking forward to hearing all posts after visit days</p>
<p>My daughter is going to SLU this fall also. We are in Chicago suburbs and her choice came down to Marquette and SLU (for nursing). Marquette is closer (90 mins, where SLU is 5 hours) but she felt more “at home” at SLU from the first visit. Marquette does a better job of selling their nursing school/program and making you feel honored to have been admitted, etc. but the bottom line was the medical campus at SLU, the campus in general, the study abroad options, and the friendliness of everyone. She now proudly wears the “I am a Billiken” tee shirt she just got in the mail and can’t wait to come for SLU 101 this summer!</p>
<p>After visitin both campuses…Marquette and SLU, I can only state my opinion. SLU’s campus is much more beautiful. It has numerous “quad” areas of green space, loads of fountains, statues and flowers. The buildings are all situated around each other making it very easy to get around etc. Marquette is much more of a “city” school without the green space. They have done a lot lately to pretty it up, but it is still a ways off of SLU. Just my opinion and yes, son is going to SLU!!!</p>