<p>I was hoping to get some advice off of this forum.</p>
<p>I currently attend a top school on the east-coast but don't feel like I'm growing as much nor in ways I would prefer; I am considering transferring to SCU.</p>
<p>I see Santa Clara as sort of an ideal school with 1. caring professors who will take a keen interest in me should I display requisite effort and 2. a welcoming environment overall where people are just generally more friendly and congenial to my own liking 3. I have the room and pastoral guidance to fully develop and stretch my potential</p>
<p>Well, your questions are somewhat vague. How SCU fits you is a subjective thing, and also a bit comparative to whatever college you are at now.</p>
<p>*1. caring professors who will take a keen interest in me should I display requisite effort and *</p>
<p>It is true that most the professors at SCU have generous office hours and tend to be very receptive to students who go and talk to them in person outside of class. But the student generally need to take the initiative. However, the professors don’t dream about the students on their off hours–they have families, hobbies, and of course, still need to publish. </p>
<p>*2. a welcoming environment overall where people are just generally more friendly and congenial to my own liking *</p>
<p>This is entirely a comparison thing… SCU is probably more friendly than BC but less friendly than St. Olaf College. Etc. This is a flavor kind of thing that is best discovered by simply visiting a campus. I have found that friendliness of a campus can be based also on a dept by dept thing… certain dept may have a more collaboration feel at one college that is missing at another college.</p>
<p>3. I have the room and pastoral guidance to fully develop and stretch my potential</p>
<p>I am not sure what you mean by pastoral guidance. There are definitely ministries at SCU that a student could get involved in. SCU in general allows for a lot of stretching of potential but I find that to be the case of a large majority of LACs in general.</p>
<p>I suggest you visit SCU to get the real vibe of the place. Good luck.</p>
<p>I currently attend an ivy and I just feel so stifled here.
I apologize about the vagueness; I just feel I don’t belong here at this particular time.</p>
<p>I’m more of the entrepreneur/searcher and this place is conducive to neither.</p>
<p>I’ve been a vessel for the vicarious-inclined around me my whole life, and I realize that prestige means little if happiness is not concomitantly in tow.</p>
<p>I simply heard that scu professors were very caring and nurturing - I really miss the ability to have mentors who are glad to take up such roles.</p>
<p>I came to SCU as a transfer from a four-year school, albeit one much less prestigious than the one you’re currently attending. I know it is a tough (and annoying) process.</p>
<p>SCU professors seem to focus more on teaching than research. Some departments seem to do more research than others. For example, it seems like our religious studies department does a lot of publishing. (N.B. This is just a personal, unqualified observation that isn’t backed up by any numbers!) That being said, I’ve never run across a professor who seemed to think that students were just a distraction from more research. </p>
<p>Our student body is friendly. There is a small Greek population, but they aren’t cliquish by any means. I don’t know how much more detail I can go into this, so if you have specific questions I’ll do my best to answer them. That being said, I’ll say as an East Coaster that Californians are generally more friendly. </p>
<p>I do have to warn you about giving up such a prestigious name for SCU. We’re a good and well respected school, but our diplomas certainly don’t carry as much weight as one from an Ivy. Think about that carefully.</p>