University of Delaware Student Reviews

Big Picture

The best thing about UD? There is literally something for everyone. If you just get out of that dorm room and research some stuff going on, you'll realize how many groups, activities, sports, etc. there are to get involved with. You can start your own club if you want. You can go see new movies in our theater, see special acts like Jon Stewart and Dane Cook. You can eat at our famous restaurant Vita Nova which has been given 4 stars and run by the hotel restaurant and instutional management students. You can get a job on main street, at the mall, or on campus. You can write for the newspaper, become involved with a club that reflects your academic interest, play on an intramural sport, take dance lessons, take music lessons, take art lessons. Anything you have in mind, we have it. One thing I would change about the school...the parking. It seems stupid but it honestly is a mess and very frustrating. Where ever you park you have to worry about getting a ticket. But if thats the worst thing about UD...well then I'd say we have it pretty good here. My school is just right. People hear 16,000 undergrads and almost die. They think it is ridiculously too big. I think it's perfect. If you give it a chance you will soon realize how small it really is. As the days, weeks, months, and years go by you recognize the same people in your classes, out at night, or just walking around. You create how big or small it is...how many colleges can offer you that? People always react positively when I say I go to UD. They either say "Oh wow that school is so hot right now everyone I know is applying, but its hard to get in." or "oh I hear UD is a lot of fun and everyone I know that goes there loves it" and of course "UD...thats in Newark right? As in Newark NJ?" As an ungrad I spent most of my time at my resident hall/appartment, my friends places, Sharp lab (for physics) and of course the beautiful and wonderful main street. COLLEGE TOWN 100% UD has a rather new administration this year since President Roselle has recently retired and President Harker has taken over. My parents are co-presidents of the Parent Board here and I have had the pleasure to meet everyone high up in administration. They are without a doubt the nicest and most intellegent people I have ever met. Although it may be hard to show with a larger school, they really do care about the students. Every morning President Roselle took a walk around campus with his wife, Louisa, to show his love for the school and its students. Roselle has brought in a ridiculous amount of money for research and renovations. There are new buildings going up everywhere for classes, administration, and dorming. There are so many opportunities to do research for the school and GET PAID FOR IT. All the Deans are so pleasant and constantly ask me what THEY can do to improve their school. The new President, Dr. Harker, started off by going around to each dining hall and eating with the students for weeks to talk to them, get to know them, show them he's real, and ask them what he can do to improve their experience at UD. There is nothing bad to say about the administration and if you can think of anything I challenge you to let me know...I'm sure I can prove you wrong. Biggest recent controversy...this past fall a former student of UD wrote for ESPN (I think) that UD is racist and refuses to play Delaware State because we don't want to be associated with them. There are so many things wrong with this assumption that if I get into it, you'll be reading for hours. Besides the fact that the person is a former UD student which shows how pathetic and disgraceful he is, the accusation was completely out of line and just plane wrong. To prove so we did play Delaware State this past fall in Football...and beat the *** out of them. There is a TON OF PRIDE at UD...from the students walking around campus with UD clothing on to the pride shown at our sports games. Just go to a UD football game and you'll see how much pride we have...but get there early or you'll find no seats. UD has an unusual smell. I'm not kidding. It has been around since I started school here and I'm pretty sure longer than that. There is some talk that it comes from mushroom farms down south, but who really knows. It is the worst in the cold winter mornings. You get used to it though I will always remember the month I studied abroad in Australia and New Zealand. UD is ranked #1 in study abroad. We go to every continent and over 100 countries. It was the best month of my life. Other than that...graduation...I will never forget it. The most frequent complaints from students are about the parking...like I addressed above.