University of Charleston (UC)

University of Charleston is a perfect place to prepare for life in the real world while benefiting from the friendliness and comfort of a small college environment. A private school in West Virginia's capital city, UC offers twenty-two undergraduate majors, including interior design, education, pre-pharmacy, science, and nursing. A sophomore enthuses, "I had high expectations, and those have been met. My dream [is] to attend medical school, and UC and the staff is there to make it happen." For those who don't have graduate programs in mind, the "school is located in an area where internships are plentiful and jobs are easy to find. Our job placement percentages are nearly at 100 percent every year." With about 1,000 undergraduates, class sizes are uniformly small, and "the professors are very open to interaction with students outside the classroom." You'll never feel like a face in the crowd at this small school, where "professors and administrators are always on hand and get to know you on a personal basis." Despite their accessibility, some feel that administrators "don't listen to students' concerns."

The typical UC student is "smart, social, and friendly;" invested in the campus community; and "truly cares about their academic success." Sports are a big part of campus life, and most students are "very involved throughout the university through various clubs, activities, or athletics." Students hail from more than thirty states, though predominantly from West Virginia and Ohio. There is also a smattering of international students from China, Nigeria, India, and the United Kingdom, among other countries. UC offers financial aid and scholarship packages (including athletic scholarships); however, tuition is pricey, and "students are typically from the middleor upper-class." At the same time, there are also a "growing number of single parents and older students." No matter what your background, "ninety-eight percent of students fit in here at the University of Charleston and feel welcomed by the university residents and staff."

Even though it is a small campus community, everybody at UC "finds ways to have their own fun, whether it comes in the form of playing video games, watching television sitcom reruns, or dabbling into an alcoholic beverage. It's all about individual tastes and preferences." Students lament the fact that "Charleston is a small town that usually stops functioning at about 8:00." Even so, "There is plenty to do on weekends," both on and off campus. In their free time, UC undergraduates "go shopping at the mall, watch movies, and go bowling, and sometimes we go dancing." For penny-pinching college students, "several local bars and dance clubs offer discount prices to UC students, and UC sponsored sports games and social events are always free to students." The Student Life department also offers activities "like dance lessons and Zumba classes." In addition, "many have on-campus and off-campus jobs" to help offset the high price of their educations.