Wanted private school to have more and better research opportunities. I wanted to attend school in an urban area, so the Twin Cities was a great choice. I also wanted to have small lecture sizes so that I could engage with my professors more and make connections.
Course Curriculum :
The core curriculum just changed to reduce the number of theology and philosophy courses that students are meant to take which is awesome. You will instead take some diversity courses that are focused on social awareness and not explicitly from a Catholic point of view. The neuroscience curriculum just changed to eliminate the need for more than a year of chemistry which is unfortunate if you plan to attend medical school. The neuroscience program hardly offers any of the advertised neuroscience specific classes which are really frustrating.
Exams :
I took the ACT and got a 33. I am planning to take the GRE and I am hoping to place in the 90th percentile. I took the math, science, and engineering scholarship exam at UST, but did not do well enough to receive a scholarship.
Placement :
If you are a business major, you are guaranteed a job. The Tommie alumni business network is extensive in the Twin Cities and you are basically guaranteed a job. If you're in the sciences, good luck. You'll probably get into medical school and grad school if you work hard.
Internship :
The college itself doesn't offer internships, but they will help you find them if you are a business major. UST is a business school and they favor business students over everyone else. From what I've heard, the internships usually give very competitive stipends, earning 20-30 dollars an hour.
Events :
Welcome week: tons of free events for first-year students that upperclassmen can also attend. It is really fun. Homecoming is fun because there is usually free food. Tommie-Johnnie is the biggest division iii football game and it is a blast. Everyone goes and celebrates.
Fees :
Tuition is 5028 per class at the moment. Housing is astronomical: you?ll basically be spending a thousand dollars a month on rent and you won't even have AC in the first year. You have some academic charges that cover the use of facilities like the gym which is really nice. Lab fees are about 250.
Scholarship :
You automatically get considered for an academic scholarship which is basically based on your GPA and ACT score. They are pretty generous but your scholarship never increases. I also won a competition by putting forth a new business idea and won a thousand dollar scholarship.
Examination Structure :
Most classes have 3-4 exams which are very doable. Some multiple choice but a lot of hypothetical questions to make sure you engage with the material. They can be quite difficult when you enter upper-level courses.
Faculty :
The faculty have overall been amazing. I email professors that I haven't had since freshman year just to chat. They are quite receptive to emails and want you to succeed. I have only had one truly awful professor who grades based on his favoritism of students. Many professors welcome you to walk into their office for help even if it's outside office hours.
Hostel :
I lived on campus for three years. The accommodation was pretty nice. Freshman year I had more than enough room and shared with a roommate. There was a communal shower. The rest of the floor was very rowdy. The second and third year I lived in an on-campus apartment which had AC and free laundry outside the door with a kitchen. Overall the rooms are nice but it?s almost impossible for upperclassmen to find on-campus housing.
