What is it like to go to the university of San Francisco? How does the religion affected life there? What are the pros and cons? What is it like to major in design there? Any financial aid advise?
Pretty religious compared to the liberal bastions that tend to focus around the Bay Area. Nice school. Not sure on fin aid.
USF isn’t religious so much as focused on social justice. A wide variety of courses meet the theology core requirement (example: Religion and the Environment). The students I know who attend don’t feel that religion plays any role at all. It’s there for those who want it.
According to USF itself, most undergraduates are non-Catholic. There is a theology/religious studies requirement, but you don’t have to study Catholicism specifically. Agree that there is more of a focus on social justice than on religion.
https://www.usfca.edu/about-usf/who-we-are/jesuit-catholic
USF is a private school, but it is much less wealthy than other California privates (like Stanford, Caltech, or USC). It does not have a reputation for offering great financial aid. Also, USF has campus housing for freshmen, but upperclassmen typically have to find a place off-campus – in the most expensive housing market in the country.
Given the high tuition, the high off-campus housing costs, and the relatively low financial aid, many applicants find that USF’s price tag is too high. This is especially true if you are a California resident and have the option of low in-state tuition at a UC or CSU. USF is more attractive to out-of-staters; they don’t qualify for in-state tuition or financial aid at UCs or CSUs, so in that case a private school like USF can be cheaper.
If you can afford it (and if you don’t mind fog), then USF could be a great college option. San Francisco is a dream destination for a lot of people, and USF tuition includes a free public transportation pass, so you can explore the city.
A major con is that there is only bus public transportation, no BART, for a university that is smack in the middle of San Francisco with zero urban sprawl. That means car travel to there is also very tedious both with fighting local traffic and with parking. It’s also close to the general touristy parts of SF, which makes housing even more expensive than the already high pricing.
My totally non-religious wife graduated from USF in the 90’s. She liked her time there, and the only thing she ever complained about was that she had to go to graduate school because she couldn’t find a job with her economics degree, That was more a criticism of an economics degree than the school.
Pro - It’s in San Francisco, which is a fun and exciting city to live in. SF has long had a pretty strong arts scene, so that would be a plus for a design major - although many of the artists, designers, and related-businesses seem to be moving across the Bay to Oakland because they can’t afford SF any longer. Classes are relatively small compared to the big state schools.
Con - Tuition, and cost of housing if you live off campus, are very high. The school is in the middle of a residential area without a lot in the way of shops, restaurants, and coffee houses nearby.
Generally, it seems like an expensive place to get a design degree. For something like design, if you’re an American, going to a public, in-state school seems like a better value.
I just had a conversation two nights ago with a parent looking at Catholic schools for his son, who had visited USF a couple of months ago. He cited it as the least Catholic of the schools they visited, and that they almost seemed to be apologizing for their religious affiliation.
To familiarize yourself a little more with USF, look at this link and then click on a the description of core classes to satisfy the theology component: www.usfca.edu/about-usf/who-we-are/jesuit-catholic. USF doesn’t apologize for being Catholic, rather they state the diversity of the student population. They are a Jesuit school with emphasis on social justice, service learning, values, ethics and quality education.
Many students do not self identify with a specific religious group.
While the campus is not located on a BART stop, it is easily accessible: www.usfca.edu/directions/transit-options
USF offers assistance to those seeking off campus housing. They also list the off campus costs equal to the on campus room and board costs. In many cases, students are able to find the cost of off campus living to be a little less than on campus. www.usfca.edu/housing/off-campus-housing. You can’t assume that the cost will be higher off campus because SF in general has high rental rates.
USC is not noted for huge merit scholarships, but offer a combination of need and merit awards. If you are a URM or first gen, your chances are higher of receiving assistance.
I’ve linked the design page for you to see if the philosophy of the courses and opportunities that are offered at USF are worth the cost of attending. This is something for you to look into for all of the schools you are thinking about and will help with your decision. Senior year, you will complete your capstone project and display your body of work: www.usfca.edu/news/students-showcase-designs-sf-art-gallery.
Undoubtably, if you are instate CA resident and have the stats to be accepted to a UC or SCU school, the cost is significantly lower.
May I also suggest that you post your question in the USF forum, I hope that current students will reply to give you a better overview. If you are able, visit USF and the many other colleges in the area. San Francisco is a fantastic place to study design.
In the Class of 2022 thread on the USF forum, most of the kids mention receiving scholarships of up to $25k per year. So it seems the merit aid can be decent.
In housing news, USF is building two new dorms which will house an additional 600 students. Also - by joining a Living Learning Community you are guaranteed on-campus housing.
@oneofthosemoms - thank you for this info! My daughter will need housing which has not been water damaged so new dorms are a huge plus. If you know of the status of any other campus buildings re: water, please let me know. Can anyone weigh in - how are the facilities- science and otherwise? This information is so hard to find. Are there lots of discolored ceiling tiles? Buckets catching drips? Any buildings that were known to have flooded or been damaged by pipe problems? Daughter is interested in Biology so science classrooms are important, but info on any buildings on campus would be great.
@sdidskd - water damage? I’m not aware of any at all. I see you have posted this question on several different college forums. With a concern like this I’d suggest reaching out to the facilities department at each college.
There is an old article here which recommends a variety of school officials to contact. It is a sensitive topic. I’m sorry for bothering you. Thanks for your time.
No bother at all @sdidskd, it’s just that yours is an unusual question and not one that I think most people on this board would have an answer for. Best to reach out to the appropriate department at the schools you are considering. I hope you find the information you are looking for.