We live about 45 minutes from Seattle University. However, I rarely hear of anyone attending. When I mention it as an option for my daughter, I am usually met with a blank stare or a polite smile. What are people not telling me? It seems like a great school! What am I missing?
It’s a great school.
Most people don’t know smallish private schools at all. You’d probably get stares if you said Beloit or Westminster, or even Williams or Grinnell. Plus, it’s a Catholic school. They get a little less notice - unless they’re Notre Dame. I expect most people haven’t heard of Georgetown, and its actually pretty famous - if that makes sense.
So even locally, I can see how that would happen. No big deal
My kid was admitted EA, and is still considering it. People also confuse it with Seattle Pacific U. Indeed, most of these Jesuit schools (other than Georgetown) tend to fly under the radar.
Being both urban and Jesuit, I think SU has a self-selecting group of students.
Cost is likely an issue from those in-state. But being from CA, the price ends up lower than UCs after merit aid.
Arc918, what do you mean by self-selecting? I think I know, but wanted your definition.
I just mean that it take a certain kind of student who is attracted to a Jesuit school with an urban campus. If you aren’t interested in both, then I’m guessing you cross SU off your list pretty quickly.
Just looked it up. I wish I’d known about it before deadlines have passed. I totally would have applied. (I was one of those who applied to Georgetown, for reference.)
It’s a pretty cool place, we’ve visited twice. My daughter isn’t quite sure, but with the campus literally in the shadow of downtown, it would be a great place to study business.
I think it really depends on the crowd you’re around. For example, I go to a private catholic school in the Bay Area and almost every senior attending has heard of SU (some of the faculty are alumni and their children currently attend), with 45-50 of us applying this year and up to 80 in the past few years. Although when I mention it to family friends or strangers who aren’t the “private catholic” type, I’m often met with things like “oh that sounds nice” and the like
I am STILL getting those “bless your heart” smiles when I mention it as an alternative to other Jesuit schools.