<p>Can someone please shed some light on Jesuit Colleges............What is the environment like (is it too religious) and the benefits (less drinking)? </p>
<p>Looking at Santa Clara and perhaps at a few others. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>The Jesuit schools provide a very welcoming environment to all people. They are about caring for the whole person or “cura personalis”. The fact that it is a Catholic school is generally obvious, but religion is forced on no one. The only religious requirement at the college my kids go to is, as part of the core, they must take Theology I and Theology II. But they are simply studies of theology, not courses of preaching. </p>
<p>We have firsthand experience with 2 Jesuit schools - Fordham and the University of Scranton. My H went to Fordham and felt that was where he got his best and most complete education (he has his PhD, having gone to 3 different schools along the way). My kids both go to Scranton and despite not being Catholic or even overly religious, both love their time there. S had a Jesuit priest living on his floor freshman year which was a great experience because this priest was such a wonderful guy. Although many of the kids there are Catholic, my kids both fit in fine.</p>
<p>I would not say there is “less drinking” as compared to other colleges. But it is certainly possible to avoid it and find other friends who are like minded. There are plenty of clubs and activities in which to get involved.</p>
<p>My H and our kids have benefited greatly from the Jesuit education and it has been worth every penny we have put into it,</p>
<p>Like most things in life, it varies. My experience at BC (many years ago), was far less religious than a high school classmates experiences at Georgetown. It really comes down to the individual institution, though I second kitty56’s points about inclusion and acceptance.</p>
<p>Drinking exists everywhere, though I would think it is far less ingrained than at a big state public.</p>
<p>I agree it varies by institution. I have no direct experience with colleges, my oldest S is still in HS, a Jesuit HS. My non Catholic S must take “religion” all 4 years at his Jesuit HS but religion is not pushed. What they do push is more of becoming an ethical and good person type of thing.</p>
<p>While visiting Notre Dame this summer, one of the security guards we ended up talking to told us ND hates it when they play football against BC @ND. The BC kids come early in the week, hang around the campus and spend the time getting drunk and leaving messes. He said BC was the worse of any school they play. BC is one of my S’s top choices BTW, hopefully not for the partying. My neice is going to a Jesuit school near DC and although there is partying, I don’t get the impression it is binge city every weekend, at least for her.</p>
<p>My daughter is at Marquette University and never feels any pressure to become involved in/conform to the religious side of the community (although since we’re Catholic, I sort of wish she would :)). As kitty56 pointed out, the Jesuit education is holistic and welcoming to all. From the website:</p>
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<p>In my daughter’s experience, students at Marquette complain about only one aspect of the Catholic influence: Visitation Hours.</p>
<p>Mamom, did anyone ever ask the BC security guards what they think of the Notre Dame students’ behavior? There is a very, very strong rivalry between the 2 schools which can result in some good-natured trash-talking. Please remember that less than 10% of the BC student body makes the trip to South Bend and act that way. My D attended BC and the drinking was no worse than most schools. The school’s location, on the outskirts of Boston, means that students have many other social options besides sitting around drinking. </p>
<p>As far as a Jesuit education is concerned…it is excellent! The theology requirement is non-threatening and enriching. All religious views are encouraged and welcomed. Although my H and I were raised Catholic, we have many issues with the Catholic church. The Jesuits are the liberal side of the Catholic church and are often in trouble with the Vatican for their positions. Bear in mind that some Jesuit colleges are more liberal than others (BC & Georgetown, for example) and are more secular than others. The focus of a Jesuit education is on social justice, as well as developing the whole person. </p>
<p>By sheer coincidence, both kids ended up at Jesuit schools. It has been an excellent experience.</p>
<p>Any difference between Jesuit and Augustinian? (Villanova)</p>
<p>There are 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States, among them some of the top schools in the nation. Some of the better known Jesuit institutions are Georgetown University, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, and Fordham University. According to the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, “though each institution is separately chartered by the state and is legally autonomous under its own board of trustees, the 28 schools are bonded together by a common heritage, vision and purpose.” </p>
<p>While Jesuit schools are Catholic institutions, forget about the stereotypical images of nuns whacking students with rulers for not memorizing the “Our Father.” These days, Jesuits make up a small percentage of the faculty of your average Jesuit university. Jesuit schools usually require you to take a basic theology course, but their rationale for this requirement is that religion is a strong force behind human history and culture. Even if a student is not religious and has no desire to change, an understanding of religion is important to an understanding of humanity.</p>
<p>We just visited Georgetown. There are Jesuits living in most (all?) of the dorms. There are crosses in all the classrooms except the building that used Federal funds. There are inspirational banners and plaques on the wall. There is a long tradition of religious toleration - at least at Georgetown. You have to take two theology courses - but they can be fulfilled by courses that are more like overviews of the world religions, or like the one our tour guide took about Existentialism and how it grew out of the conditions in postwar France. </p>
<p>I got the sense from one of the student newspapers that there was a fair amount of drinking. There was an article about the history of drinking on campus: [From</a> dry to debaucherous: Georgetown through the ages : The Georgetown Voice](<a href=“http://www.georgetownvoice.com/2009/09/03/from-dry-to-debaucherous-georgetown-through-the-ages/]From”>From dry to debaucherous: Georgetown through the ages - The Georgetown Voice) and another (I think tongue in cheek) article about how to get around rules about drinking in public. [Bottoms</a> Up: Secret drunk : The Georgetown Voice](<a href=“http://www.georgetownvoice.com/2009/09/03/bottoms-up-secret-drunk/]Bottoms”>Bottoms Up: Secret drunk - The Georgetown Voice) And another article about drinking and alcohol education at Georgetown: [AlcoholEdu:</a> a lesson in futility : The Georgetown Voice](<a href=“http://www.georgetownvoice.com/2009/09/03/alcoholedu-a-lesson-in-futility/]AlcoholEdu:”>AlcoholEdu: a lesson in futility - The Georgetown Voice)</p>
<p>Here’s an article about where Georgetown falls in the Catholic school continuum. It might be interesting to read the article to which it refers: [Georgetown</a> is great, just not Catholic anymore : The Georgetown Voice](<a href=“http://www.georgetownvoice.com/2009/04/23/georgetown-is-great-just-not-catholic-anymore/]Georgetown”>Georgetown is great, just not Catholic anymore - The Georgetown Voice)</p>
<p>Thank you all for your responses, it was very helpful.</p>
<p>mamom,</p>
<p>LOL! Yes you really should talk to a BC security guard about ND students, it would be an eye opener. FWIW, S1 and I visited ND when he was looking. It was by far the most overtly religious of the Catholic schools we saw, chapels in nearly every dorm, weekly mid-week masses, etc. That’s not a knock, just something to be aware of if you have a concern.</p>
<p>I should add re Georgetown, there are four side by side offices at Georgetown for the campus ministry. One Catholic, one Protestant, a Rabbi and an Imam. [Georgetown</a> University: Campus Ministry](<a href=“http://campusministry.georgetown.edu/]Georgetown”>http://campusministry.georgetown.edu/)</p>
<p>Folks - Catholics drink. Just look at the Irish. Most Catholic colleges have a drinking culture. Very few have a dry campus - St Francis PA is one. A few Catholic U’s have very strict rules and more or less closed campuses.</p>
<p>I don’t think dry campus and Jesuit college belong in the same sentence. A Jesuit education is generally considered to be philosophical, questioning and embracing social justice.
The Jesuits are a group of monks and priests who belong to the Society of Jesus as founded by St Ignatius in the 16th century. They continue to be dedicated to social justice and education.</p>
<p>This is not to say that other Catholic colleges don’t embrace social justice - many do. There are many different Orders that have slightly different perspectives and origins.
For instance, Villanova is a Catholic University that was founded by and is run by Augustinian Friars. </p>
<p>Also, not all Catholic U’s are run by or related to an Order. Some are run by a Diocese, e.g. DeSales University is run by the Diocese of Allentown; and some are independently run.
Mount St Mary’s Univeristy, Emmitsburg MD is an independent.
This is not meant to be a theology lesson just trying to simplify the similarities and differences.</p>
<p>Catholic colleges are generally well known for offering a good education to all. They are welcoming of people of all faiths. Most colleges will have daily Mass offered and the vast majority do not require any religious attendance. The classrooms will have a Crucifix on the wall (they won’t take it down and bless you with it or excorcise you) and they also generally will be decorated with religious art.</p>
<p>My daughters are at Fordham. They went to a Jesuit high school. Neither is religious, but they are spiritual and socially minded. They never throught they would end up in a Catholic college, but the Jesuits have a philosophy of teaching that is great. Fordham has a core curriculum- lots of variety within that core. At first my younger D balked at the idea, but now she is very happy to be taking art history and calc. </p>
<p>There is drinking, but not so much in the dorms, and if there is, its not blatantly out in the open, the school is strict on underage drinking. Seems most of the partying happens in off campus housing, and if in the room, it below the RA’s radar. Some think the RAs are too strict, but having some order isn’t such a bad thing. </p>
<p>We looked at Georgetown, and BC. Georgetown felt to serious for my one D, and BC seemed, to my other D, HS 2. Not that BC isn’t an amazing school, it just reminded D of her HS in form, I guess.</p>
<p>What my Ds love about Fordham and their jesuit education is the wealth of opportunities, the openess of the classroom, the variety ot professors. THere is no birth control or such at the health clinic, but we knew that going in, so we looked for other clinics. This is irksome, but not a deal breaker.</p>
<p>Both Ds are into community service work, and Jesuit Schools really really encourage getting into the world to help, in a real way. </p>
<p>All in all, a great place to be, but as stated, each Jesuit College will have a different feel, some a bit more conservative some much less so. But all should be welcoming.</p>
<p>Just pointing out that Notre Dame is run by Holy Cross fathers. It is not a Jesuit school.</p>
<p>I went to a Jesuit high school and my sister works at a Jesuit college. Jesuits are interested in educating the whole person (spiritually as well as mentally.) They provide a great education! They are not the type of people who are going to tell a non-Catholic they are going to hell or to go around trying to convert everyone they see. Indeed, in high school the Jesuit priests who taught religion classes displayed respect for and understanding of other faiths. They were great teachers and great people.</p>
<p>As for drinking, I would not say there’s less drinking on a Jesuit campus. The college my sister works for is “officially” a dry campus, but I went in the library once and some student had put up a big poster announcing a kegger that weekend. (Not school sponsored, of course!) The rental houses near the campus would often have red cups scattered across the lawns after a weekend.</p>
<p>DD is not Catholic. She goes to Santa Clara University. There is a religion requirement but there are about 100 different religion courses from which to choose (one of DD’s favorite was “Women in Religion”…she also took an Eastern Religion course). The school is very ecumenical.</p>
<p>The Jesuits have a large presence on the campus an my DD says they are simply terrific and approachable folks. They are an intergral part of what is happening at SCU…attending most functions (orchestra concerts, plays, meetings, etc).</p>
<p>The emphasis on community involvement is terrific.</p>
<p>I think if you really want a dry campus, go to Brigham Young or one of the military academies.</p>
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<p>As a 1974 graduate of Marquette I can only say…“some things NEVER change…” :)</p>
<p>Can you name the Jesuit Colleges and Universities? See how many of the 28 you can guess.</p>
<p>[Can</a> you name the Jesuit Colleges and Universities? - sporcle](<a href=“http://www.sporcle.com/games/jesuit_colleges.php]Can”>Jesuit Colleges and Universities Quiz)</p>