University of St. Thomas (MN) (StT)

University of St. Thomas is Minnesota's largest private university. The Catholic institution "[holds] a high standard of academic excellence," and in turn, "[offers a] myriad of resources for each student to take advantage of." Students have the opportunity to participate in honors classes that are "more discussion-based." Many students appreciate the chances to participate in non-traditional learning, citing activities such as "going" down to the Mississippi River to do research for geology class" or "attending the Nobel Peace Prize Conference," and "listening in on court cases."

Professors have the ability to "make or break the experience," and many faculty members prioritize "intellectual curiosity" and "get excited when you want to dive deeper into course material outside of the classroom." The modest student-to-faculty ratio makes it "easy to connect in the classroom, which then makes it easier to succeed in a class." Plus, many love that there are "professors who actively help find internships and jobs that expand learning and experience." And the relationships go beyond just the academic: "The faculty at St. Thomas [serves] as teachers, guidance counselors, career advisors, and even friends."

People at University of St. Thomas are first and foremost "friendly and nice" and "very respectful of each other." Here, your peers want you to succeed and are "eager to help each other out." In fact, some even say their student body is one of their "biggest motiving factors." For many, the student body "energy is very supportive and comforting."

Despite a lack of diversity on campus, students are focused on "always making connections." Most feel "there are lots of opportunities...for supporting underrepresented identities and magnifying those voices." Many students are "passionate advocates for inclusivity and representation," and in recent years, "creating a culture of love and kindness toward one another has been effective at changing the culture on campus and helping everyone feel more included." Even with the current advancements, some students would like to see further improvement in "diversity and outreach to underrepresented populations," but still acknowledge that it "is getting better."

The greatest strengths of St. Thomas would be [its] dedication to making students feel at home through an "impactful focus on building community" among undergrads. As one transfer student puts it, "As soon as I moved in I felt like I found my home." In their free time, St. Thomas enrollees-affectionately known as "Tommies"-can be found working out at the gym, exploring "neighborhood bars and restaurants" and "[taking] advantage of our numerous coffee shops on campus and off." The school "offers free transportation to locations all around the T win Cities," making it easy to get off campus even without access to a car. In the warmer months, people leverage the "many open grassy areas that allow students to hang out, hammock, play causal games, and even study," and they're "able to rent out yard games and other activity supplies either at a low cost or for free." If organized fun is more your style, "There are a lot of school-sponsored events" featuring "free goodies around campus (such as crafts, T-shirts, [and] food)." T ruly, "You'd have to be actively trying to be bored" at St. Thomas.