<p>I've been on these boards for some time now and still do not hear much about Creighton University. At my school Creighton is a popular back-up for top students, especially those going into premed. I checked out the Creighton forum and found only one thread! What are your opinions of Creighton?</p>
<p>The reason why Creighton isn't mentioned I would have to say is because it is classified as a Top school in the Midwest Master's category and not the National university category. It is a great school with some pretty good programs (med programs and law). They have a few good sports teams. It sometimes get overshadowed by it's neighbor the Univ. of Nebraska. Overall, it really draws in students mostly from the Midwest and not around the whole country compared to other schools. I honestly couldn't tell you the true reason why it isn't mentioned it is a pretty good school.</p>
<p>Creighton University Review</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>"Creighton University is a Jesuit school, and it “expects students to live out the Jesuit values in every aspect of their lives, from community service to being men and women for and with others to believing in themselves to never settling for less than the best to becoming strong individuals with well balanced lives,” and a desire to “strive for social justice.” As one student puts it, “It’s about combining a strong academic education with an education of the whole person: service, faith, and justice.” Premedical and pre-pharmacological studies are among CU’s strong suits, evidenced in the school’s solid reputation among medical schools. Business studies are also popular, but regardless of one’s major, students experience “a heavy liberal arts focus, relatively small classes, and generally very good teachers,” although some here warn that there are “some not-so-great teachers for general education classes” (instructors “get better as you get into upper-level courses,” the same students inform us). Undergrads here also benefit from “lots of study abroad programs, internships, and extracurriculars.” Some here complain that career services is “so focused on Omaha jobs when most people want to leave after they graduate. It doesn’t make sense.” They also feel that “alumni connections” could be better exploited."</p>
<p>Student Body</p>
<p>“Most students are of the same mold” at Creighton. They’re “religious” “white Christians” who “work hard at school” and “volunteer.” They “tend to be middle- to upper-class and focused on education and their futures,” but are “also involved in extracurricular activities like community service or intramurals.” Geography limits Creighton’s draw somewhat. One student explains, “We are a Midwestern school that attracts many students from the area, so our student body reflects this.” With about one in five students in biology or physical science programs, “The typical student is someone whose intent is to be admitted to an excellent medical professions program.” An equal number study business, further augmenting the pre-professional vibe here. Politically, the student body has “its left wing/liberal streak mixed in with a lot of conservatives to live up to the Jesuit status.” Overall, “It’s not near as conservative as the Midwest area values that surround it.”" </p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"“Omaha is a nice town” and “Creighton is really close to downtown,” so students get to enjoy the perks of the city, which include shopping (“the Old Market area with the eccentric little book shops, jewelry stores, family-owned restaurants and so much more” are popular), parks, and “a lot of great bars.” Students report that “Omaha is the indie capital of the world, so it attracts lots of artists and bands, the only drawback with that being that concerts can get to be expensive.” Creighton undergrads “are serious students during the week, but know how to party on the weekends,” reporting that “fraternity and sorority parties are open to all and a focal point of weekend fun,” or at least until students reach 21 and can get into bars legally. On campus, “The student government operates a program board that organizes concerts (such as Black Eyed Peas), BBQ tailgates before games, and other events on campus.” In addition, “Creighton’s NCAA Division I basketball team draws a huge crowd during its season,” so much so that “students plan their schedules around the games.”"</p>
<p>I attended Creighton as an undergrad and graduated in 2002. Here are some of my thoughts: </p>
<ol>
<li>I chose Creighton over local schools like the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Grinnell, and Drake. As you may have guessed, I am a native Iowan and my high school guidance counselors encouraged us to attend our local universities rather than traveling outside of the region. So, if you were interested in agriculture you went to ISU. If you wanted to do medicine you went to Creighton or Iowa, etc. My interests were law and theatre. Now, you may wonder why I didn't go to the U of Iowa. Two reasons: I had lots of older friends who went to the U of I and were either distracted by the nightlife/bars or were lost in the large classes with little personal attention/direction/mentoring (That said, I also had several friends who went to the U of Iowa and then went on to Berkeley Law, Iowa Med. School, etc.). Drake was also an option, but I didn't like Des Moines and I thought the Political Science/Legal Studies profs. at CU were much more interested in placing undergrads in top PhD programs or law schools.</li>
<li>There are three types of students at Creighton (I hate to generalize, but I think this is true): (1) Type 'A' student who wants to be a doctor/lawyer/business leader/dentist/pharmacist (60% of student body); (2) Type 'B' student who does not want to pursue further education after undergrad, but wants a decent job out of school nurse/teacher(25%); (3) Type 'C' student who thought they were a Type 'A' or Type 'B' student upon entering Creighton, but they either lost direction/motivation, did not want to do the work expected of them, or could not handle the work (15%). Many of the Type C students leave after their first or second year.</li>
<li>In part, your decision to attend CU should depend on what you would like to do in the future. Many of my friends from undergrad are doctors and lawyers. Several of them went to more 'prestigous' (read: known) graduate programs, but many more decided they loved Omaha and the Midwest and went to grad school at Creighton or somewhere nearby (e.g., U of Nebraska). </li>
<li>I received a full-tuition merit scholarship to a top twenty law school upon graduation. I was then accepted into one of the top graduate programs in theatre. Several of my CU theatre friends were also accepted into good MA and MFA programs. </li>
<li>Warning: If you go to CU don't expect people outside of Nebraska/Iowa/Colorado/South Dakota/Missouri/Kansas to be overly impressed or to even know where Creighton is located. Two reasons: (1) we are a relatively small university in comparison to most State schoools; (2) we simply do not have the name recognition of the top private schools, and, to be honest, we do not have the overall caliber of student body you may find at the top private National Universities and LACs (e.g., Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Amherst, Williams, etc.) But now that I think about it, if you are Midwesterner do you know the quality of Wellesley, Pomona, Bowdoin, or Vassar? </li>
<li>Overall, I really enjoyed my experience academically and socially. The professors genuinely care about their students (especially if you are earnest and willing to put in the work). The competition is healthy but not destructive. There are several groups/organizations you can join. I was in a fraternity, but I never felt a huge schism between the Greeks and non-Greeks. Although, it was easier to be included in the social scene as a Greek. </li>
<li>Try to gauge what you want out of your undergraduate experience and how you will define "success" in your life. I think Creighton has a unique combination of intelligent, motivated, family- and faith-oriented people. We are not likely to procude a POTUS, but almost all of my friends are leading members of their community and are conscious of their duty to help others. </li>
</ol>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>