Santa Clara University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Undeclared Business
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Biracial: Half African and Half Asian Male

Summary

I played on the club tennis team.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Biracial: Half African and Half Asian
Sexual Orientation: Straight

High School Experience: Public school in Davis, CA with a graduating class of about 600 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Undeclared Business
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I played on the club tennis team.
What impact did the club tennis team have on your experience so far?
It’s definitely made freshman year a better experience. It’s a group to hang out with, which was nice. It had a positive impact.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
So far, I’ve taken one Business class and two Economics classes. All of my other classes were general education classes. For my Business class, we had presentations every three weeks and then exams. With Economics, we had one or two presentations throughout the course and then exams. We didn’t have homework every night, we just had to work on the presentations. The exams made up the bulk of our final grade for both Business and Economics.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
We have small class sizes which are a big help. It’s nice to be able to talk with your professors. Also, we did the Mike’s Bikes simulation, which is pretty hands-on for an introduction to business class. I like that they make it feel like you’re learning applicable skills right away instead of learning the basics for the first two years. [About 78% of classes are 39 students are less.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I’d say it’s much more collaborative than competitive. I like studying alone, but the night before finals and midterms we’ll all be in the library quizzing each other and trying to help each other. You want to see everyone do well, so it’s not competitive. It’s collaborative and helpful.
How accessible are your professors?
They’re all very easy to meet with face to face if you really need something. You can always go to their office hours, but if it’s something really urgent, they respond to emails all day.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I’ve been interested in business since the 11th or 12th grade, so I applied to Santa Clara as a business major. I enjoy it and don’t think I’m going to change anything else.
How was transitioning academically freshmen? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
I took a lot of AP classes and one college course before coming to Santa Clara, so the transition wasn’t too hard compared to my senior and junior year. I didn’t really seek any resources because my transition wasn’t that bad.
In what ways do you feel like the academics at Santa Clara have prepared you for life after college?
The professors are always talking about internships and moving into your job and not just focused on what the textbook says, so I feel like it’s preparing me pretty well for the workforce. For example, my Introduction to Business class’s professor worked in industry for a while and he would lecture us on material not just in the textbook but from past experiences. He would also bring in guest speakers from different companies to talk to us about resumes and how to show the best side of yourself. It was nice to learn from somebody other than the professor. Also, a lot of my professors have pushed to get us on LinkedIn and showed us how to make connections, which was good.

Reasons to Attend

1) The small class sizes. [About 78% of classes are 39 students are less.]
2) Professors who care about your grades and that you learn the material.
3) The location. There is a lot of stuff happening in the Bay Area. You have access to internships and a lot of things other schools just physically can’t get access to.
4) The student body is pretty positive.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) If you want to go to a big school, Santa Clara will feel really small.
2) If you’re looking to focus on a field that is not one of Santa Clara’s strengths. I know two of our strengths are business and engineering, so if you’re looking for something outside of that.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Casa Italiana Residence Hall in a suite. I have one direct roommate and six other suitemates. I like it because I get to meet a lot of people other than just one roommate.
How as transitioning from your hometown to Santa Clara, CA in terms of location?
It wasn’t that bad because I moved around a lot as a kid, so I’m used to being independent. Santa Clara’s about an hour away from my hometown so the transition is pretty good.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
I’ve never felt unsafe so far, even if I walk around at night at 1 or 2 AM. I have not had any problems yet.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I usually go to a frat party at an off-campus house on Friday night. Saturdays are up in the air but usually, I go to a frat party too. Sundays I study. Since I’m a freshman, it’s easier for me to get into the frat parties than it is for an older student to get into them because I may rush the fraternity.
What is the impact of Greek life on the weekend options?
If you’re looking for Greek life, you’ll find it. If those are the kind of people you like hanging around, it provides a good group of people for you to be around that are like-minded. If you’re not looking for Greek life, it’s not going to impact you at all, which is nice. It’s not forced on everyone, so you have a choice of whether you want to be part of the Greek life community or not which I think is good.
What is an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a weekend option or night out?
Sometimes with a group of friends we’ll go bowling near campus. If you’re 21, you can go to bars. You can go hiking near Berkeley and the view of the Golden Gate Bridge is nice. You can also go to San Francisco for the weekend since the train is pretty cheap.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Santa Clara? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I’m very happy with the weekend options. I can see as you become a junior or senior how it would become old because there are not many things to do around campus, but that’s like a lot of places. I could see myself getting bored in 2-3 years.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
I met one of them on the Club Tennis team, I met another through one of my suitemates, and then the other two I met during orientation.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Santa Clara?
It’s very accepting. There are a lot of different groups, so you will find a group you will connect with or multiple groups you will connect with. I feel that there are a lot of opportunities to meet people and have a good time.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Santa Clara isn’t that diverse. Most of the fraternities are pretty White so there are some divides. But, at the same time, most of my friends are pretty diverse. So, there’s some mixing and some divides. [The undergraduate population is about 18% Hispanic, 3% Black, 48% White, and 16% Asian.]
How would you describe the Black community on campus? How strong is it?
There’s a Black Student Union that has meetings, but I haven’t been to any so I can’t speak to that. I know there is a community here if that is something you’re looking for.
How do you like the size of Santa Clara in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 5,500 students at Santa Clara.]
I think it is a bit small socially. It’s good now because you get to see a lot of the same people, but I feel like that could get old later on. The small size is why I like Santa Clara because I like the small class sizes, so that is the benefit, but I just think it’s going to get old socially after three years.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
I feel like there is a divide between the two, but there is still mixing. For example, all of my friends in Greek life have friends who are not in Greek life, so it’s not like they only hang out with themselves. But, when you live off-campus with people who are in your same fraternity or sorority you tend to become closer with them than the people you just meet in class. If you’re in Greek life, the most mixing you will do outside of that is with people you meet in class.
How would you describe the student body?
I meet a lot of business majors and that group is a lot of people who are looking to start something. They’re very innovative and responsive. People are pretty connected to each other since it’s a smaller school, which I think is a benefit.

Careers

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how easy are they to work with and how responsive are they?
When I got accepted, I got a certain amount of financial aid and I was confused about it. I called them right away and they answered my questions easily, which was nice. Since then, I haven’t had to contact them. When I called them during the summer, they broke it all down and now it’s very easy to understand.