Hi, if anyone out there currently attends Soka U., I’d appreciate their comments
on this. I’m a high school rising senior starting to finish a college list/ apply, and
Soka U. keeps interesting me. I’ve gotten a packet or two from them, but I’ve never
really heard of them. I like that they require a second language and study abroad, but I’ve
got questions about a few areas, mentioned below.
Environment- While applying to schools, I try to look for places that have a nice
on-campus environment, good relations with their city/town, etc. With a student pop.
of only 450 or more, how active is campus life? Do people pull together to improve
their experience or run for the big cities on the weekend to make up for a lack of activity?
What do you find yourself doing on an average weekend?
Money- I can’t call myself poor, and I’m not rich, which is sort of a problem when
applying to college. If I was poor, I might get better aid, and if I was rich, I wouldn’t need it.
My family makes about 75k a year, but that’s divided among a family of 8, with two older
sisters enrolled in expensive private universities (though under good scholarships, thankfully).
I’ve heard that Soka is generous with fin. aid, but how do you think they would treat me if I applied?
Curriculum- I’m perfectly fine with a liberal arts curriculum, but I’d need a job some time after
graduation. I’m planning a career in environmental science or policy, so are there other courses
offered as well? Specifically, could I be job-competitive after graduating from Soka?
Academics- I don’t know how good Soka is academically, and I’d like a place where I can be
challenged and learn from good profs. While I’m not bragging, I am applying to places like Colorado
College, U. of Richmond, Washington and Lee, places that do brag about their academics. I’d be
uncomfortable living among people who are only geniuses or have already cured cancer, so I’d
sort of like a variety of academic aptitude in people. Does Soka have that in its student body, both
really good students and some perfectly-normal people?
Religious Affiliation- I know that Soka says it’s not affiliated with any religion, but I’ve heard it is
mostly funded by the Soka Gokkai, a Buddhist organization. While I’m not really religious, I have been
raised Protestant Christian and am wondering if Soka has a place for non-Buddhist people, and doesn’t
proselytize for its source of income on the sly.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for your interest in helping me. I don’t want to toss good college options
aside simply because it’s not a famous Ivy League school, so I’m anxious to learn more about this school
and make an informed decision about whether or not I should appy.
Sincerely,
DallasDoer
Hey Dallas Doer,
I am an alumna from SUA and here are my answers. I hope to provide some insight!
Q: 1. Environment- While applying to schools, I try to look for places that have a nice
on-campus environment, good relations with their city/town, etc. With a student pop.
of only 450 or more, how active is campus life? Do people pull together to improve
their experience or run for the big cities on the weekend to make up for a lack of activity?
What do you find yourself doing on an average weekend?
A: To be honest, Soka has got to be one of the one of the most beautiful college environments around. And, by that I mean it’s definitely breathtaking. Everyone has a very comfortable living space and each double room or room suite includes their own private bathroom (which means no communal showers). Our town is a bit small but there are still many things to do. Several of our students and administrators works closely with town officials to become an even more eco-friendly town. We are close to the town center which has many restaurants and a movie theatre, a quick 10-15 min drive to Laguna, Salt Creek, or Aliso Creek beach, if you don’t want to go to the town center you can go to Irvine Spectrum which has all kinds of cool shops, eateries and our own Comedy Improv. In addition, I found out that there are many cool natural places you can hike and bike to such as the Aliso and Wood Canyon Regional Park; plus an area known as Top of the World (once you finish the trail you can see the ocean!) and there are some wildlife sanctuaries too. We also have Irvine’s Amphitheater in case you want to check out some concerts. On campus, the student activities department is really good about making sure there are events such as, movies out on the green, multicultural experiences with musical guests, an annual Luau, indoor and outdoor recreational experiences, off-campus performing arts excursions to theaters for musicals and theatrical performances, sporting events and the popular Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip. I would encourage you to look more at their website and read about their student clubs. Those will keep you busy for sure on the weekends (especially if you are practicing for our annual International Festival where we invite the whole community): http://www.soka.edu/student_life/student-activities/
Overall, I always had something to do but sometimes it was also nice to take the Amtrak and go explore LA or San Diego or stay in and relax on campus.
Q: Money- I can’t call myself poor, and I’m not rich, which is sort of a problem when
applying to college. If I was poor, I might get better aid, and if I was rich, I wouldn’t need it.
My family makes about 75k a year, but that’s divided among a family of 8, with two older
sisters enrolled in expensive private universities (though under good scholarships, thankfully).
I’ve heard that Soka is generous with fin. aid, but how do you think they would treat me if I applied?
A: I can’t really speak for the Financial Aid departments but I can tell you that Soka is definitely very generous. When I was a first year student, the Soka Opportunity Scholarship was only meant to cover up to the cost of tuition for student’s whose family income was less than 60,000 USD. Now, SUA has expanded that bracket and customizes packages for families of higher income. Given that you are at 75k with 8 family members and 2 in college, I am sure you could qualify for scholarship if you are admitted. SUA also provides merit scholarships that go up to 15k USD. This can help pay for your room and board if your tuition is covered by the S.O. scholarship. I was a pretty good student in High School and average in my grades, so my merit scholarship was not super high. However, I didn’t mind taking out a couple subsidized loans that were easy to pay throughout the 4 years… or you could begin paying back 6 months after graduation. Plus, they have work-study opportunities. You can learn more by contacting the Financial Aid office at financialaid@soka.edu.
Q: Curriculum- I’m perfectly fine with a liberal arts curriculum, but I’d need a job some time after
graduation. I’m planning a career in environmental science or policy, so are there other courses
offered as well? Specifically, could I be job-competitive after graduating from Soka?
A: Really cool! If you are planning a career in ES or policy you are still looking at the right school. A few of my friends actually chose the Environmental Studies concentration (I secretly wish I did too) and had so many cool experiences. Soka is very research oriented but also very hands on. Some of my classmates had the opportunity to do research in the Amazon and Galapagos. Others took advantage of our surroundings and stayed local, exploring the Wood Canyon Wilderness Park. Check out some of the Learning Clusters too! Just look it up online for Soka Learning Cluster 2015. Here are some examples:
From Field to Cup: The Politics, Economies, and Ecologies of Sumatran Coffee | Singapore and Indonesia
Biosecurity in Aqua-structure: Parasites in Food | Iquitos, Peru
Sustainable Housing and Urban Development in Argentina (Sustainable Housing in Argentina)
THE RESOURCES ARE THERE- if you take advantage of these opportunities you will be successful. Fortunately, SUA has some of the best staff, support, resources, and high academic standards. You should check out the Environmental Studies Website to see where some of the students continue on to: http://www.soka.edu/academics/concentrations/main-environmental-studies-website.aspx
Q: Academics- I don’t know how good Soka is academically, and I’d like a place where I can be
challenged and learn from good profs. While I’m not bragging, I am applying to places like Colorado College, U. of Richmond, Washington and Lee, places that do brag about their academics. I’d be uncomfortable living among people who are only geniuses or have already cured cancer, so I’d sort of like a variety of academic aptitude in people. Does Soka have that in its student body, both really good students and some perfectly-normal people?
A: While we might have a few geniuses, prodigies, and more… what I love about SUA is that it’s very diverse and inclusive. One of the cool things about SUA is that it has a holistic application process, which means that they look for more than just numbers- they look at the student as a whole. SUA offers a very rigorous curriculum. The average class size is 12 and I remember that one of the smallest classes only had 5 students. At times I felt that that was rough but thinking back, I am grateful for having the opportunity to really understand the subject and even have opportunities to learn outside the classroom with all my peers. Just to give you an idea, SUA has become one of the top 50 National Liberal Art Schools according to U.S. News. It accomplished this in less than 15 years! Since it opened in 2001, I am sure this university was created to provide a prestigious education but with an additional twist: to create global citizens and teach them to be contributive. All of the students have to study abroad in order to graduate… Although challenging, I believe it’s such a wonderful experience and provides valuable skills. In regard to our professors, most of them, if not all, have a PhD and we do not have any teacher assistants or graduate students teaching our classes. So to answer your question, SUA does have challenging curriculum and no one has cured cancer here- yet (One could hope). We have a diverse population and according to what you describe, I think you will find it to be a right fit. You should definitely schedule a campus tour and see it for yourself.
I apologize I am having trouble posting with my browser… here is the last question:
Q: Religious Affiliation- I know that Soka says it’s not affiliated with any religion, but I’ve heard it is
mostly funded by the Soka Gokkai, a Buddhist organization. While I’m not really religious, I have been raised Protestant Christian and am wondering if Soka has a place for non-Buddhist people, and doesn’t proselytize for its source of income on the sly.
A: Totally understandable question. I myself am not SGI Buddhist and never felt like I was ever being persuaded to becoming one. That type of Buddhism is part of SUA’s heritage and there are some students that may still practice, but in no way is the religion applied or forced on to students. Not through activities or through the curriculum. Its principles of peace and human rights, which are values of the university, can also be seen as plain HUMANISTIC principles. Again, SUA is inclusive and has students from different backgrounds. When I was a student, I learned so much about many cultures and religions due to co-existence and educational events (attendance is optional) and from my peers that came from all over the world. Soka also offers a 3 week “Core Class” for first year students during their orientation. This one is especially interesting if you have students from different parts of the world or out of state (which you most likely have) in your class. The description states “Core explores a range of issues related to the mission statement of the school, including its commitment to such values as peace, human rights, and the creative coexistence of nature and humanity.” “In this exploration, Core courses stress an understanding of the social and historical contexts necessary to make meaningful comparisons among civilizations both of the East and the West.” So not only does it explore religions, but it helps you to be a critical thinker from week one. So again, I think you will be fine. If anything you will learn so much that in the future you will be able to relate, communicate, and understand many people. I guess that’s what makes you a global citizen.
To end, I really hope I provided some useful information. If anything here resonates with you, I would definitely encourage you to apply. I also encourage you to talk to an admission counselor. Call the Admissions office and ask to speak with one Phone: 949-480-4150 or email them admission@soka.edu. I hope you have an opportunity to visit the campus. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Best,
A Proud SUA Alumn
Gotta love the new user who registers just to answer one question. Take it with a grain of salt.
Although I live near Soka, I had not heard of it until fairly recently, and that’s because it is pretty much brand new so there isn’t much information or track record… It seems to have a lot of funds from the founding organization.
Run the Net Price calculator to see estimated cost to you. Check scholarship page on website to see what you qualify for.
Hello!
I am currently attending Soka as a first year and I would love to answer your questions!
Environment- Soka is absolutely a beautiful school. Only 10min driving from the beach, and is surrounded by a Wilderness Canyon where you can hike anytime. The neighborhood has a very high standard of living and we have a very good relationship with the community. Since there are only 450 of us (400 on campus, 50 students are always studying abroad), I get to know each of the students here on a much deeper level. They are not just someone that I say hi to once in a while but people that I can call my friends. There are many campus activities and clubs (if you can't find a club that you want to join, you can create one!) I personally am having a wonderful time here at Soka and I am positive my classmates are as well.
Money- The fees for Soka is about $40,000 a year. However, every students here at Soka receives some form of financial support. If your family income is under 60,000 a year, then you get your tuition covered. If you're an athlete, you can get a scholarship for being in a Soka Team. If you're doing well in academic, you might also get scholarship for having good grades. I have multiple friends that got refund from the school because of the scholarships they received. Soka covered 75% of my fees this year, and I feel great knowing that I won't have to worry about debt when I get out of college. The education system here at Soka believes that everyone should be able to receive education, even the poorest. That is why Soka is so generous with financial aids.
Curriculum- The reason why I chose to come to Soka is because I knew Soka would teach me about myself where other schools won't. I do not know what I want to do after I graduate. But I'm not worried at all. Here at Soka, they teach us the basics of living life: the motto of the school is to foster a steady stream of global citizens living a contributive lives. Not only do they have basic classes such as biology, mathematics, and history, they also have classes dedicated to a concentration. There are 4 concentrations students get to chose: Humanities, International Studies, Social & Behavioral Science, and Environmental Studies. In your case, you can study in Environmental Studies concentration, as well as other classes you're interested!
Liberal Arts Degree will help you go into any field after graduation. There are students who decided to go to master program in Harvard or UCI. There are students who found their own passion after taking many classes here. Liberal Arts can take you anywhere!
Academics- The average class size here at Soka is 12 people. It is a 9:1 student faculty ratio, so us students know our professors very well. Unlike other college classes where there are 100-300 people in class and the professors lectures while students take notes, every classes here are solely discussion based. The education system believes that students learn by asking many questions. Newton discovered gravity by first asking the question "why did the apple fall from the tree?" The thing is, since it is a small class, you unfortunately cannot sleep in the class, or skip the class because the professor will notice haha. In US News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2014, Soka ranked in the Top 50 National Liberal Arts Colleges.
Religious Affiliation- Soka was founded by a Buddhist leader, with a Buddhist principle of peace, human rights, and the sanctity of life. However, the classes do NOT teach Buddhism. SGI and this school is completely separated. There are no chanting room with Buddha statues anywhere on the campus. There are many non-SGI people on campus as faculty and students, so you don't need to worry about feeling like you are left out.
I hope I answered your questions! if you have more questions, feel free to ask me!
much love <3
Note that you can attend a college with 2,000 to 3,000 students and have classes with 12-15 classmates - the choice is not a college with 100 students per graduating class, or 10,000 per graduating class. Explore alternatives and visit them all so that you have comparisons - there are quite a few universities in California with different environments.
If you feel that a college with about 400 students is what you want, it’s a good choice.
Not all people consider Sokka Gakkai Buddhist, in the same way not all Christians consider Jehovah’s Witnesses to be Christians. They, however, consider themselves Buddhist, and tend to refer to “SGI” as their denomination.
The campus is indeed beautiful and resort-like.
If you like beautiful campuses, near the beach you have UNC Wilmington, Chapman, and Eckerd; for superb dorms you have Loyola Maryland, Bowdoin, CNU, Sonoma State.
In short, compare offerings and apply if it matches what you’re looking for.
Explore alternatives and visit them all so that you have comparisons - there are quite a few universities in California with different environments.