Transylvania University
Lexington, KY, USA

Reviews

Transylvania University

Oriana from Lexington, KY

a current student here
7 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I have taken Biological Interactions, Women's Studies, Cultural Anthropology, Latin-American Civilizations, Computer Science, and Lifetime Fitness. I do not regret taking any of them because they have all taught me so much. The teachers are all passionate about their subjects so it is easy to get interested in the class and actually want to do assignments and join discussions.
Am enjoying being here
The faculty and staff are friendly and proud to work here. My friends are awesome. The dorms are a little hard to plan around and can be crowded. Easy to get to classes and fun events always happening. Various and delicious meal options. Opportunities to volunteer are very frequent.
Bang for the buck
Definitely worth everything I pay. The school listens to demands from the students (most of the time) and they are very big on sustainability to decrease spending on wasteful things. They have tons of resources such as a writing center to help with papers, a career center to help you plan for the future, a resourceful library, a really helpful staff, and a fitness center to improve yourself overall.
Tips for prospective students
Decide whether a small college is best for you and how much you are open to becoming a better and more successful person.
Great for these types of students
Science, Business, Teaching

Kayla from Lexington, KY

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
In love with the atmosphere. Professors are outstanding. Close-knit, fun, academically challenging and prestigious school.
Tips for prospective students
Be open to classes outside of your intended major and prepared to take these classes, as well as learn about a variety of brand new things.
What to do for fun
There are always fun activities being put on by various groups, greek life, and organizations. There are also exciting sporting events to attend.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
A room in the admissions building, Old Morrison, supposedly contains the corpse of an old professor who is said to have placed a curse on Transylvania after being fired.
Great for these types of students
Students who love furthering their knowledge and education beyond their own career intentions. There are still plenty of fun things to do, though. (yes, parties too) close-knit envioronment really helps the process of making friends and meeting new people.
Clubs and Activities
Greek life, Quidditch team, all sports (except football), InpromTU (improv group), and others
Greek Life
Even in a smaller school enviornment, Greek life still plays a large role in campus activities and events.
Campus Safety
Department of Public Safety is always on call and is located on campus for any form of emergency that may occur, 24/7. Also a school nurse and athletic trainers on campus. Very safe campus.

J. from TN

a current student here
5 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Academics at Transylvania are great, but that is not all that college is about. There is other learning to do, such as growing as a person.

I am one of the few Classics majors on campus, but my two professors—Dr. Russell and Dr. Svarlien—are amazing! A class is crowded if it has more than twenty students in it, and professors are happy to meet with students whenever they are in their office. Being a liberal arts college, Transylvania is not all about answering multiple-choice questions correctly. Rather, it's through the discussions you have in your classes that you learn the most.
Am enjoying being here
The small atmosphere of Transylvania's campus makes it nearly impossible not to know students from all over the academic spectrum. And it's mixing an economics student, a music student, a biology student, and a Spanish student together that makes the classroom atmosphere vibrant.

Now, about Greek life. No, you can't avoid it. The campus is too small for that. But as someone who is independent of Greek life, I can let the Greeks do their thing and I can do mine. And it's more fifty-fifty than eighty-twenty.

Drinking goes on, too, but again, you can either choose to partake or choose to abstain.

I'm not much of the outgoing type, but there is usually something to do on campus. And if not, there is the surrounding city of Lexington to explore.

Athletics are not an embarrassment to the college, but an enhancement to it. Our sports teams are annually in the running for conference championships, and there are always a few that make it to the NCAA's.

The campus has the feel of being very liberal, but conservatives like me are around. If you are conservatively minded, though, be prepared to be outnumbered.
Bang for the buck
Transylvania is a private school, and it is therefore expensive when compared to the tuition of state schools. However, Transylvania was one of the cheapest private schools I looked at in high school. For a private school, it's a great bargain.
Tips for prospective students
A warning about tuition: It will go up. It will go up anywhere you go. For me, the difference is about six thousand dollars more as a rising senior than when I entered as a freshman.

It's a broken record, but please visit campus. There's no better way to get a feel for a prospective college than by experiencing it yourself. Come be a student for a day or two and see if you like it.
Great for these types of students
Transylvania students are not confined to the classroom by any means, but they do love learning. If you have an academic work ethic, check Transylvania out!

Miguel from Lexington, KY

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Transylvania University is a magnificent school with a great curriculum. Students are pushed to learn, especially once the student starts to get involved in the area they are interested in. The professors are great and knowledgeable and are willing to help students, all they need to do is ask for it. Professors are always willing to meet up with students to help them. Also it is helpful that overall the classes are pretty small, the majority of my classes have not had more than 16 students in them and this allows the class to be more personal. Also the set up of the academic calendar is nicely structured. There are two, four month semesters and then mayterm. During the regular semester one takes regular classes and such, but then the year is ended with mayterm in which students only take one class everyday. Some of the classes even travel abroad. I like it as a nice way to end the year without the usual stress of a ton of finals, but rather just ending with one final.
Am enjoying being here
I absolutely love the community here. Yes, greek life is a major part of the community here on campus and I myself have joined a fraternity, but one does not need to join a fraternity/sorority to be a part of the community. I love the size of campus and that it's a nice small private university.
Bang for the buck
Because of the fact that Transylvania is a small private university, it is a little expensive. However The school does offer scholarships and financial aid. Also the tuition from year to year does increase like every other school, but the difference is that the tuition increase is below the average national increase. In other words, tuition does not increase as much as it does at other colleges and universities. Also the school is generally pretty well known among graduate schools as a good school. I believe the price of everything to be worth it.
Tips for prospective students
I definitely recommend that prospective students visit and/or do an overnight visit. It's important to get a feel of the community and the university as a whole. Also if possible attempt to schedule sitting in on a class. Sometimes prospective students have a general idea that's not always correct about the school they are looking at, so therefore it is important to see firsthand what the college is really like before making a decision.
Great for these types of students
Transylvania is great for students who are willing to put in the work it takes to make good grades.

Also it's a small private university, so therefore the community is pretty close and just about everybody knows everybody compared to a large public university.

Lauren from Walton, KY

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Transylvania is a great University who hopes to uphold its identity as a liberal school and provide opportunities for its prospective and current students. Here you are given a world full of knowledge and discussion where your opinion matters and wants to be heard. Here you are able to recreate yourself as a human being to open your mind and offer your skills to the awaiting world around you.
Tips for prospective students
Becoming a student of Transylvania is wonderful once you get past the fees. They offer you many majors and minors that you can look into, and the opportunity to create your own major if you wish. Once you become a student here, try everything. Try classes you would never picture yourself taking in fields that you have no intent on pursuing. You never know when one might become your future. Also, the faculty is always available and willing to help you in whatever you need, or if you just want to talk.
Academic Rigor
The Transy campus strives to keep an open mind and ear. They teach you in the first week to question everything- the key to the liberal arts education. There are many classes that offer different political or artistic classes past what your major might be to open yourself to the sides of life you would never imagine yourself to see. Students and Faculty always try to look towards the future into the liberal progression as the way we see life is constantly changes.
Dorm Life
Most people will tell you all about the moldy rooms and showers, the broken furniture, the cracking structures, the slow wifi, the ancient plumbing, and never regulated heating/cooling units. I, however, will focus on the community. We know our neighbors, talk to them and hang out. It is a bit like high school except you get to know more about these people and grow real friendships and relationships with them.
Food and Dining
The food is decent. I am a Vegetarian, so it was always my worry that i would not have a lot to eat. This school offers many choices for Vegetarian, Vegan, gluten-free restricted diets and are willing to make you something if you are not satisfied. Jazzman's is my favorite on campus, they have great coffee and huge cookies the size of your face. Erica is super nice too and she will make you the best Sunrise smoothie.
What to do for fun
The great thing about this campus is that we are surrounded by what Lexington has to offer. Besides school activities and Greek Life, there are Gallery Hops, movie theaters, sketchy bowling alleys, great restaurants, and plenty of shops to go to with friends on the weekends.
Clubs and Activities
There are many clubs on campus and they are growing. Students always have the opportunity to start their own if they wish. One that is my favorite is the Quidditch team, something that is unique for our school.
Greek Life
I'm an independent at the school. Although, I do have a lot of friends in Greek. Although it is nice to have that feeling of sister/brotherhood, you do not have to be a part of Greek life to be active or have friends on campus.
Campus Safety
DPS is always dependable. You can call them up whenever you need a ride home or feel unsafe walking down the streets. They are casual and will talk to your like your best friends. We are in Lexington, but as long as you stay aware and cautious, you are always safe.