Samford University
Birmingham, AL, USA

Reviews

Samford University

TYEA from Birmingham, AL

researching this school
12 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Will learn a lot
From the standards of the admissions as well as the partnerships that Samford holds, I really do believe that learning will be taking place, both inside the classrooms and out.
Will enjoy being here
Especially if you love help, a pretty campus, and being a leader.

Mary from Maryville, TN

a current student here
10 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Because of the liberal arts education I am receiving, I have learned several ideas and lessons applicable to my life as a college student and future graduate.
Am enjoying being here
Being four hours away from my family is hard, but I have some great friends on campus that make it worthwhile. I really enjoy my professors who genuinely care about me and strive to help me succeed. Also, there are many fun activities and organizations on campus that keep me busy.
Bang for the buck
Samford University offers many opportunities to further my spiritual, physical, and intellectual well-being. I love the variety of activities it hosts such as intramurals, theatrical plays and musicals, concerts, university ministries, etc. The courses are hard, but I definitely feel better prepared from an academic standpoint.
Tips for prospective students
Be willing to try new things while at Samford. Keep an open mind and make your own college experience memorable by maintaining a good attitude in every situation. Invest in your friendships here, but keep in touch with the ones at home, too.
Great for these types of students
Friendly, creative, and smart students would have a fabulous time here at Samford.

Angela from Childersburg, AL

a current student here
7 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
You learn a lot inside and outside of the classroom. The teachers try their best to help you in as many ways as possible to make things easier.
Am enjoying being here
If you enjoy a quiet peaceful campus this is where you want to go. You can lounge out on the green and study or go grab coffee for the food court with your friends.
Bang for the buck
The college is worth the money but it is on the expensive side. But where it charges more it makes up for it in financial aid.
Tips for prospective students
Have a good attitude and be prepared to be shown lots of southern hospitality.
Great for these types of students
It's great for students who are responsible and willing to learn.

Corey from Mc Calla, AL

accepted here and planning to attend soon
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Will learn a lot
This is an outstanding college with outstanding professors who intimately care about their students and how much they will learn.
Will enjoy being here
It is in a great city with a great campus which I have been to any a time. I know I will enjoy the atmosphere here and am very excited! There are also many activities available both on campus and off.
Bang for the buck
Despite the high prices, Samford is a school that will strive to help you out financially any way they can. It is a quality school!

Marcos from Hoover, AL

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
The classes here at Samford are great! Most classes are small-medium sized (15-30 people on average), so the professors are able to spend more time focusing on student needs. The professors are great as well. Some are serious and to the point and others are laid back with a dry sense of humor.
Am enjoying being here
The campus is AMAZING. Although I do not live on campus this semester, I plan on doing so next year. There are also so many things offered. There are tons of clubs, bible study groups, events and activities for any given day of the week!
Bang for the buck
Samford is incredibly expensive (although they do give very good financial aid packages). However, I believe it's worth it.
Tips for prospective students
Save your money! There is so much you will want to do here, so a comfortable cushion would be nice.

Don't worry about Samford being a small school. Although it may be considered as such, it feels bigger than it is because many people from all over the country (and other countries) study here.
Great for these types of students
Students who want smaller classes. The average class is 15-30 people, BUT there are some big classes (around 75 people).

Students looking for community involvement and extracurricular things. There are A LOT of ministries and outreach groups, as well as community service groups and greek organizations.

Chelsea from Sand Rock, AL

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Growing up a preacher's daughter, I figured Samford would be a generic college where everyone was a Christian and believed the same way and we would all be best friends. I received a pleasant surprise when I learned more about different religions and cultures just in my first semester as a Freshman. Since then, my knowledge has grown and I have come to respect people who believe different from me and it has been a wonderful experience! I am so glad that even though Samford is a Christian college, the professors and faculty members remind us that we are all different and that the world contains people who are going to be different from us. From my experience so far, my closest friends come from different denominations that I do, and it is so refreshing to hear different views which makes me study the Bible more to learn new things as well as strengthen my believes. Even though I am an Elementary Education major, I have loved taking history, cultural perspectives, and religion courses.
Am enjoying being here
I love being at Samford. I have grown close to so many wonderful friends that I have developed life-long friendships with that I would have never gotten to experience anywhere else.
Bang for the buck
I will be the first to say that you don't have to be the smartest kid or have the highest ACT/SAT scores. I had a 4.28 GPA in high school, but only made a 25 on my ACT, so I didn't receive any academic money. But Samford worked with me and my family and offered me leadership, a minister dependent, general, and need-based scholarships. Also, departments offer scholarships when you talk to the Dean and tell them what problems you may encounter. The faculty members really do care about you and want to invest in you if you are willing to to work hard and make good grades and make the investment worth while. You may take out loans, but receiving a Samford education is worth it in the long run.
Tips for prospective students
Really get involved your first year, but don't over-commit yourself! If something sparks your interest, try it! By your second semester, you should have a feel for where you want to focus your attention whether it is through SGA or Greek life or UM. Once you find where you fit, put your passion into it and connect with others.

Anna from Huntsville, AL

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Samford is a small university where you will build lasting friendships and the professors know your name. It is located in Birmingham where there are lots of things to do when you have the time to explore.
Tips for prospective students
Sit in on a class, eat in the Caf, and stay overnight. Also schedule a meeting with your advisor.
Academic Rigor
Samford is pretty academically rigorous! It is a liberal arts school so all the liberal arts classes are harder than the ones at state schools. The religion classes are also hard because it is a religious school and they have a divinity school. They also have a pharmacy school so the science classes are really hard. They also like to combine classes into one. For instance, a chemistry class I took in one semester would be two different classes in two different semesters at a state school. I've heard they do this in other departments as well.
Dorm Life
Most of the dorms may not be as fancy as at some other schools, but you will make lasting friendships in the dorms and they have a friendly atmosphere. There is also less pressure because there are no co-ed dorms. Freshmen start out with a room that is kinda small and they will have to work hard to fit the furniture in the room and a community bathroom. But then upperclassmen can live in Beeson Woods, where people get a three-room deal. There are two bedrooms with two people each and a bathroom for each bedroom and a living room/kitchen area to share. West Village is very fancy and everyone gets their own room with a kitchen and two bathrooms, but it is very expensive to live there and it is not centrally located.
Food and Dining
The Caf has the same food a lot of the time and a lot of it is sub par. You should also check to make sure your dishes and cups are clean before you use them. But there is a health food place called Freshens in the college of health sciences building that has really good food until they run out of ingredients. They also take meal plans instead of bulldog bucks which is a huge plus. The food in the food court is also pretty good and the ladies at Chik Fil A are generous with the fries! Einstein's bagels in the library is pretty good too and is a yummy option when you have too much studying to do to leave the library.
What to do for fun
There is always something to do on campus. I joined a weekly bible study. There are also movies shown on campus on the quad or in the planetarium. The planetarium also has shows often and they are spectacular! There is also a free movies website open to all students that has the most popular, newest movies mixed with the most obscure, downright strange movies. There is also a swimming pool in the gym. There is also so much free food on the quad during football season! And local restaurants bring free food to advertise as well! There are also concerts on the quad sometimes and there is free food then too! Harry's coffeehouse also has concerts sometimes. And in February step sing happens and the whole campus gets involved! There are also various things to do in Birmingham. I personally like to visit the museums.
Bang for the buck
Samford tries hard to give a bang for the buck, but I would like to see the money put in some other places. It would be nice if they used some money to improve the dorms instead of building new buildings or planting more flowers. But I do like that samford is worth the money because of the more rigorous academics and professors who get to know you. They also work hard to put together great student activities like connections weekend, lighting of the way, the easter egg hunt, and step sing. They make sure to have quality free food and good entertainment. Local businesses also come and have a huge free giveaway.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Step Sing is an annual sing and dance show where the whole campus gets involved. There is a banner drop in the wright center with fake themes and everyone tries to guess each others' themes until the big show. We also have an annual easter egg hunt where we have free food and a concert and of course an easter egg hunt. It is also good luck to rub the nose on the beeson statue in the library entrance. People also like to jump into every fountain on campus, climb the roof to every building, and I've heard people have gone into the tunnels beneath the wright center (but I would definitely not recommend that last one).
Great for these types of students
Samford is a great fit for serious students who are friendly and have a religious background. Samford is a nonalcoholic campus so people who like to drink would probably not fit in really well.
Clubs and Activities
There are a lot of religious clubs and activities and also some clubs that depend on majors so that people of the same major can meet each other.
Greek Life
The Greek Life on campus does not have as strong a presence as at other schools. I did not rush and I have had no problem making friends both in sororities or independent.
Campus Safety
I have never felt unsafe on campus. However, if someone did, there are blue buttons across campus that you could push to call the campus police. The campus police also have a centrally located office in the hub. You can also request a safe ride at any time, which is easier now that there are shuttles.

Anonymous

researching this school
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
One thing I absolutely love about Samford is the atmosphere. Everyone there is very friendly and the faculty and staff actually care about you and your academic achievement. It has small classes and many different opportunities for students involved in the School of the Arts.
Dorm Life
Some of the dorms are kind of small but they are all good dorms!
Food and Dining
Good food and a variety of choices.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Step Sing!
Campus Safety
The campus is gated and there is a guard that is on duty at the front gates.

Francois-Oliver from Birmingham, AL

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Samford University is fantastic in every way. I love the students that attend it, and the professors genuinely care about the students. It's the best decision I've ever made to attend Samford.
Tips for prospective students
Talk to the teachers. Get to know them. They actually care about you and want to see you succeed.
Academic Rigor
The work can be difficult, but know that your professors are here to help you every step of the way.
Dorm Life
The students are amazing and the dorms are beautiful...if you're not a freshman.
Food and Dining
The caf offers many different specials in an all you can eat buffet style.
What to do for fun
Intramural Sports are a really big thing, as is Step-Sing, our yearly musical show performed by many different groups.

Anonymous

accepted here and planning to attend soon
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
The campus is lovely and staff that I have met so far are very friendly. The atmosphere seems to be very welcoming and accepting. The campus is located in a wonderful part of Birmingham.
Tips for prospective students
As I am not yet a college student, I would give generic advice and say to study and try hard in class. Show up for class. Do not skip class.
Academic Rigor
I hear that academics are taken seriously but I cannot give my own opinion. My department of interest, the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education has been nationally recognized of academic excellency.
Dorm Life
The dorms I visited were very clean and were in a good location on campus. Freshmen are required to live on campus. There are separate men's and women's dorms which I know many parents prefer. This is also not a surprise since it is a college affiliated with the Southern Baptist Church. I am not bothered by this.
Food and Dining
There is a Chick-fil-A on campus along with a coffee cafe which has been voted by students to surpass Starbucks. I went into the cafeteria and the menu all looked very delicious. There was a salad bar, sandwich bar, and a section devoted to home-style cooking. My guide also told me that if there is a type of food that you really would like to eat, you can make a suggestion and the staff would cook it. She also told me that the pizza was top notch.
What to do for fun
I've heard about swing dancing every Friday night on campus.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Nearly everyone I have met from Samford has mentioned Step Sing. Students group together into teams and design sing and dance number along with costumes. This is a huge competition and my tour guide told me that even professors lighten up on the workload during the Step Sing season!
Connections is an event in which new students get together and are shown around campus and around the surrounding Birmingham area there is also a concert given on the quad.
Great for these types of students
Students who value their faith and making deep friendships.
Campus Safety
My tour guide told me that the biggest safety concern that has occurred in a few years was when a snake was in the middle of a walkway and a police officer was called to remove it.