SJU not in the top ten of Catholic Schools

Dear Beast in reply to your post about Holy Cross versus, GTown, BC and especially Villanova:

I most respectfully (and adamantly) disagree, without question when it comes to BC & Villanova.

For example, my daughter received a scholarship from Nova and got into BC, but had to get in off the wait list for HC. It was worth the wait!

G-Town I’ll probably concede, definitely not the other two. HC keeps on getting even more selective too.
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Trying to rate schools anecdotally is impossible. My son got into Nova and HC, and ultimately BC also. From what his interviewer at HC told us, it appears he cleared the bar for HC the easiest of the three. As I stated, I like (love) all three schools, but the small size and lack of anything but a liberal arts school makes it hard for me to consider HC a better school. They are selective because they are small (about 2900 students), and I believe top students go elsewhere because Worcester isn't the most attractive city in the US, and the campus is basically one big steep hill.

But I do think believe that east of the Mississippi ND, Gtown, BC, Nova, and HC (in that order) are the top 5 Catholic schools. I don't think the actual ranking of those Catholic schools and other very good Catholic schools are worth arguing about - they are all great. I wish all would emphasize their Catholic identity more strongly.

Congratulations to the success your daughter has had at HC. It was one of the schools I really liked, and students attending their get a great liberal arts education.
 
I'm a recent grad and I've said it before but I was far more prepared to enter my chosen field than 90% of co-workers who went to schools such as Pace, Iona, St. Francis, Hofstra, Manhattan, Baruch, Albany, Sacred Heart, etc..

When it comes to co-workers I've had that are from more upper-tier schools such as Georgetown, Villanova, Fordham, Binghamton, Notre Dame, Penn State, etc., I can say that the top half of my peers in my classes at SJU were every bit as bright and probably more hungry than most of these people. The problem is the rest of the students in my classes SJU really didn't belong in a competitive program and would've been laughed out of the admissions offices of the schools listed above. I realize that right now the school sustains itself based on quantity of students as opposed to the quality of students but I would like to see them tighten up admissions a bit, especially into the business school.
 
Did I not read not to long ago that SJU graduates earned more than most other graduates? I think the ranking was 19 among all schools if I am not mistaken! And at the end of the day, isn't that what we want for our children! You can keep these rankings, they don't me SH-T! I would gladly compare my financial achievements to many of my peers who graduated from the institutions they classify as elite! We have nothing to be ashamed of my fellow SJU graduates!
 
I'm a recent grad and I've said it before but I was far more prepared to enter my chosen field than 90% of co-workers who went to schools such as Pace, Iona, St. Francis, Hofstra, Manhattan, Baruch, Albany, Sacred Heart, etc..

When it comes to co-workers I've had that are from more upper-tier schools such as Georgetown, Villanova, Fordham, Binghamton, Notre Dame, Penn State, etc., I can say that the top half of my peers in my classes at SJU were every bit as bright and probably more hungry than most of these people. The problem is the rest of the students in my classes SJU really didn't belong in a competitive program and would've been laughed out of the admissions offices of the schools listed above. I realize that right now the school sustains itself based on quantity of students as opposed to the quality of students but I would like to see them tighten up admissions a bit, especially into the business school.
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Congratulations on the success you've had so far, and wish you continued success. It's an old story at SJU - some very bright people have attended over the past century. Today, many bright kids take advantage of SJU scholarship money offered, could have gone elsewhere but didn't. Sounds like you are one of those very bright people.

I've been critical of SJU admitting too many minimally qualified applicants. I think it was an FH business strategy - Pell grants, award donor fueled scholarships and grants, and sock a kid with a low interest government sponsored student loan. Bobby G. has inherited a situation where loan rates have risen - subsidized loans increased to almost 5%, unsubsidized to over 6% - which I believe is a large factor in the drop in applications. It's hard to maintain quality of your student body when 40% of students are Pell eligible. While it's meritorious for a school to offer assistance to high quality economically disadvantaged students, SJU has to figure out what type of school it wants to become. Do they want to elevate academics, or simply run a profitable business?
 
Thanks for the compliment Beast, but no I was not bright! I was a B- student that was fortunate to get into SJU thru their school of General Studies? But I was highly motivated, and I always felt that I needed to parlay my degree into real dollars, in the real world in order to make the time spent make sense! Plain and simple, I was a plodder! When I listen to the way many posters on this forum articulate themselves, and the manner in which they are able to formulate their thoughts, I am very proud to say that I graduated from SJU!
 
Beast, you are correct about Worcester, it has a couple of nice sections (near Assumption College), but overall, pretty lousy.

The Campus is on St. James Hill, and it is very steep, the kids don't need to exercise in the gym, walking the "Hill" is enough, but the grounds are beautiful and nationally recognized as a Campus Arboretum award winner.

The College of the Holy Cross resides on 175 acres and has received national recognition for its beautiful landscape. There are over 115 varieties of trees and shrubs on the Holy Cross campus, many of which are commemorative plantings.

From my experience at SJU from 1971 to 1978, college and Law School, many of my contemporaries could have gotten into academically superior schools, but were held back by finances, poor guidance counselors and families who were not college graduates and therefore this was all new to many of them. That these bright students ended up at St. John's made for a very good experience for us students, especially for the ones who sought out the better Profs and better classes. All in all if you put the work in and tried hard, you came out of St. John's with a good education. If you didn't you got a diploma. My classmates, in '75 and '78, made me proud to have gone to St. John's and there are many success stories, professionally and personally.

Go St. John's! I'd like to see us in the top 25-30!
 
Beast, you are correct about Worcester, it has a couple of nice sections (near Assumption College), but overall, pretty lousy.

The Campus is on St. James Hill, and it is very steep, the kids don't need to exercise in the gym, walking the "Hill" is enough, but the grounds are beautiful and nationally recognized as a Campus Arboretum award winner.

The College of the Holy Cross resides on 175 acres and has received national recognition for its beautiful landscape. There are over 115 varieties of trees and shrubs on the Holy Cross campus, many of which are commemorative plantings.

From my experience at SJU from 1971 to 1978, college and Law School, many of my contemporaries could have gotten into academically superior schools, but were held back by finances, poor guidance counselors and families who were not college graduates and therefore this was all new to many of them. That these bright students ended up at St. John's made for a very good experience for us students, especially for the ones who sought out the better Profs and better classes. All in all if you put the work in and tried hard, you came out of St. John's with a good education. If you didn't you got a diploma. My classmates, in '75 and '78, made me proud to have gone to St. John's and there are many success stories, professionally and personally.

Go St. John's! I'd like to see us in the top 25-30!
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No doubt that your bright kids take after you. Mine took after my wife - thankfully.
 
Inherited their mom's brains too.

She is a double alum too, St. John's Notre Dame College (name back then) on Staten Island, then like me to Queens for post grad, Professional diploma in School Psychology. Sadly, not a hoops fan, not a sports fan at all. :-(
 
Most posters on Redmen.com openly state that they had a great educational experience at StJohn's. Unfortunately for whatever reason seemingly few of the Redmen.com posters have had their children attend St.John's.

The above statement is offered as an observation, not a criticism since neither of my children attended St.John's. Hopefully President Bobby G can change the perception of the school among its alums and their children.
 
Most posters on Redmen.com openly state that they had a great educational experience at StJohn's. Unfortunately for whatever reason seemingly few of the Redmen.com posters have had their children attend St.John's.

The above statement is offered as an observation, not a criticism since neither of my children attended St.John's. Hopefully President Bobby G can change the perception of the school among its alums and their children.
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My mom is an alum and tried to steer me away from SJU. She grew up with little money and SJU was the best option for her at the time as she had to work to pay for school. She wanted me to get the full college experience that she never got by going away to a more traditional school. Most alums with kids probably have the same mindset. I wanted to stay close to home though and the dorms made going to SJU possible for me. My mom still doesn't agree with my decision but it worked out in the end. If I had kids today I probably wouldn't even let them consider SJU for various reasons but it was a good fit for me.
 
I was very fortunate. I had a NY State Regents Scholarship and a SJU Competitive Scholarship and actually received a check each semester for the excess of the scholarships over the tuition and books and fees. Do not know if they still do that. I would send my children there but they are in Wisconsin and went to Marquette.
 
St. Johns not even in top 50 here. Some surprises, Fordham being ranked so low just one of them

http://www.collegechoice.net/rankings/top-catholic-colleges-and-universities/
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It looks like the academic reputation score may use subjective criteria in this list. Also, it appears that when the schools report the average financial aid package awarded, I believe from some of the numbers that schools are reporting what the average aid package to students awarded aid, and not including students who don't get any aid at all. Fordham being so low on this list is a little ridiculous.

To tweak Bmoran, I will say I agree with Villanova being #1. :)
 
Speaking for my SJU era and maybe 15 years beyond, when I still had a strong association with SJU through some charitable endeavors, I will say this:

I'd put SJU in the top 5 of Catholic schools for the quality of people I met and became friends with there. I'd compare them with products of any Catholic school in America and not trade a single one of them. (Many of you included)
 
I graduated from the pharmacy school at St. John's in 1961. I can only say it was a wonderful experience, and they prepared me for the state boards, and 52 years of practice in the profession of Pharmacy, allowing me to have a wonderful life and I still have friends from that time. Our faculty was superb and caring. Through the years I have always been proud to say I was an alum.i of St, John's. I never lost my interest or excitement for the school or our athletic program, particularly our Redmen Basketball team. I was from Syracuse and still live here, and my memories of college are warm and memorable. I would say St. John's was number 1 for me and my family.
 
I graduated from the pharmacy school at St. John's in 1961. I can only say it was a wonderful experience, and they prepared me for the state boards, and 52 years of practice in the profession of Pharmacy, allowing me to have a wonderful life and I still have friends from that time. Our faculty was superb and caring. Through the years I have always been proud to say I was an alum.i of St, John's. I never lost my interest or excitement for the school or our athletic program, particularly our Redmen Basketball team. I was from Syracuse and still live here, and my memories of college are warm and memorable. I would say St. John's was number 1 for me and my family.
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Same here, @frank61 - I wouldn't trade my SJU years for anything.
 
I am not as interested in where St.John's University undergrad is ranked today as much as I am interested in where it will be ranked 5 years fron today after the implementation of professional style management and policies of President Bobby G.

St.John's lost academic standing under Harrington and his posse. From all indications President Bobby G is an astute, results oriented professional, who understands that changes in the organizational structure of the institution must be made.

I am confident that Bobby G will restore st.John's lost academic standing.
 
I am not as interested in where St.John's University undergrad is ranked today as much as I am interested in where it will be ranked 5 years fron today after the implementation of professional style management and policies of President Bobby G.

St.John's lost academic standing under Harrington and his posse. From all indications President Bobby G is an astute, results oriented professional, who understands that changes in the organizational structure of the institution must be made.

I am confident that Bobby G will restore st.John's lost academic standing.
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What was STJ ranked before Harrington?
 
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