I’m currently a junior at Villanova. Ask me anything you want.
Thanks Johnny. How have you found the religious aspect of the school? My D would be coming from a very racially and socioeconomically diverse public school. Do you think a student who is not wealthy and does not know much about Catholicism would feel out of place?
Hi thanks for the question. Freshman year every student takes 2 classes called Augustine Culture Seminar. This is comparable to an english class (read books and write papers). In this class, the most religious book you will read is Confessions. While the work (and some other books you read) are religious in nature, the discussions and essays are more about ethical values/critical thinking. You are also required to take two theology classes. Honestly, I wouldn’t say any of these classes are overly religious in nature. While you discuss religion, the professors tend to have an open mind and not everyone at the school is a “practicing” Catholic. Not knowing much about Catholicism is not a barrier, however, you must be open-minded to learning about it to some degree. You can hold your own personal opinions.
With respect to racial and socioeconomic diversity, Villanova does a great job at including everyone. I believe that everyone, no matter your background, will be able to make friends that are similar to them. While the school isn’t the most diverse, everyone I met here is kind, caring, compassionate, and they judge you on your character.
While there are groups of friends that go out for dinner a couple times a week and live rather expensive lifestyles, the majority of students are more average. There are also on-campus jobs you can work to get some spending money. With that being said, I want to note that people at this school do have money. Some show it and others don’t.
Giving my honest opinion, I think that anyone can feel like Villanova is home (and won’t feel out of place) as long as you are willing to go out of your way to meet people, have an open mind, and want to enjoy your time at Villanova.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks, that eases my mind a lot. My D is applying ED. She loved our campus visit and said she wants to learn more about her Catholic faith. I know admissions are very competitive so I hope it works out for her.
That’s great to hear! Admissions are very competitive, but if you have any other questions please feel free to reach out.
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Weird questions perhaps, but how are people treating you in general? Are they nice and welcoming or what is it like?
Everyone is super nice and welcoming here. Coming from high school, this was a major shock for me, as the community is very different here than what I was used to. The students that go to Villanova are special to say the least. It is very easy to make friends, and overall, there’s just a close-knit sense of community. The University stresses their motto of Unitas, Caritas, and Veritas (unity, communal love, and truth). I am sure many other colleges have something similar, however, spending some time on campus, those values are easily apparent. To sum it up in one sentence, the students at Villanova are not fakes and they’re genuine people.
In addition, Villanova alumni love to spread this caring and love as well. They are always trying to reach out to current students and help then with career advice, class advice, job/ internship search and much more. I think that says a lot about the people that go here.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
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