Assumption University (AC)

Curiosity, faith, and learning are cornerstones of an Assumption University education, which "helps foster well-rounded, creative, intelligent and caring young adults to be successful and morally sound in their future endeavors." The Catholic school's curriculum begins with the Foundations Program, which encourages self-exploration and introspection to help students discover who they want to become; this is achieved through "service, meaningful discussions, and liberal arts classes." To help students make the transition from high school to college, all first-years also participate in COMPASS (Common Pursuit of Academic and Social Success), a semester-long program. Assumption is a "very welcoming and inclusive institution" that focuses both on education and "core values." Experiential learning is emphasized, with the idea that students "receive a greater impact" through the application of skills via service learning, study abroad (the school has a campus in Rome), and internships; campus jobs represent another avenue for experience and are said to be "abundant." Within the classroom, the "beyond helpful" professors are engaging and approachable, "willing to talk to you whenever you need it and [caring] about your wellbeing." Their "diversity of teaching styles," complemented by a variety of backgrounds, allows them to "bring their personal experiences into the classroom" and make classes "interesting and enjoyable." Students take note of these efforts: "the professors here at Assumption all love what they do, and it is obvious in the classroom." This level of support extends to all arms of the university, including the Academic Support Center (which provides tutoring) and the Career Development and Internship Center. As far as students are concerned, this level of care and support is "truly a blessing."

Hound Nation "is like no other" in terms of community and manners, and everyone is "courteous and [will] hold doors open or lend you a calculator in class if your forgot yours." According to their peers, students tend to be "generally middle-class Caucasians [who] are heterosexual" and the school has "a very conservative feel." While the school itself is described as "very Catholic," students qualify this as meaning that most undergraduates "come from Catholic upbringings or have attended Catholic school but are not necessarily religious." The biggest separation between students seems to be whether they're athletes or not, but even in this case, everyone remains "generally happy" and "very sociable and approachable," with no airs put on. In short, people here "genuinely care about each other and it makes for a wonderful experience."

Students love their "beautiful, diverse, and secured campus," and 85% of attendees choose to remain on their picture-perfect campus thanks to a four-year housing guarantee. Assumption has "a tight-knit, faith-based community where everyone is part of a family" and students feel that "there is a great sense of belonging" that makes it "easy to meet new people," especially for those who are "very invested in academics, sports, extracurriculars, and social experiences." The town of Worcester, Massachusetts, is a New England college hub, so there is "always something to do if you want to get off campus" or want to socially mix with students at other nearby schools. This may actually be too true in some cases where students note that as the Thursday weekend rolls around, the on-campus scene gets quiet, with many of the older students heading off-campus, because Assumption is "strict as far as drinking goes." That said, students describe local activities "like Bingo Nights, movie nights, trivia, [and] Family Feud" as being "really fun."