University of St Thomas
Houston, TX, USA

Reviews

University of St Thomas

Karen, Houston, TX

a current student here
9 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
This is an amazing school. I have learned so much. My faith has also been enhanced. They really stress the balance between faith and reason. The professors really care about who you are. You are not just a number, but a person. They enjoy teaching, so you enjoy learning.
Am enjoying being here
There is so much diversity. I've made many new friends. There is always something to do. The people are always friendly.
Bang for the buck
It's expensive. It's a private school. BUT the kind of education you recieve is definitely worth the price. You come out well-rounded and prepared. I truly feel that my life has been enriched with all the philosophy and theology courses that I took.
Tips for prospective students
Be sure to visit any school you are interested in and sit in on classes. Choose a place that is comfortable for you (not just because it has your major... because it will change. Believe me!) :-)
Great for these types of students
Like personal attention, being taught by professor (not teaching assisstants), and a friendly enviornment in the heart of HoUSTon.

Bianca from Humble, TX

a current student here
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am enjoying being here
The balance and opportunities that they provide you with it is beyond just furthering your education but also the support to being a well rounded individual
Bang for the buck
Yes it's expensive but worth it and it won't be out of your pocket if you just look for scholarships. Most of us are on scholarships.
Tips for prospective students
Visit the school and go and sit in a class. Get a taste for what the interaction between students and professors is at UST.

Student

accepted here and planning to attend soon
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
The best University in the city of Houston. The spirituality is evident on campus. All of the students are satisfied with their college choice.
Tips for prospective students
Get to know your admissions counselors.
Try talking to current students.
Visit the campus.
Don't be afraid to sit in a few classes or tour the University.
Academic Rigor
The education you will receive here does not compare to that of another University. You will learn a great deal and grow in your spirituality, whether you are Catholic or not.
Dorm Life
The dorms are like hotel rooms. Very neat. Very secure. Very comfortable to live in.
Food and Dining
The cafeteria food is delicious and if you are not in the mood for cafeteria food; there is a Quiznos on campus and plenty of restaurants around the area.
What to do for fun
The museum district is very close as is the theater district. You are in the heart of Houston and there is plenty to do.
Bang for the buck
It may be expensive, but the University is willing to help out their students pay for their education in any way it can. The education you will receive is worth the buck.
Clubs and Activities
There are tons of clubs to join and the University is very open to students starting a new club or hosting activities.
Campus Safety
There is 24 hour security on campus. The on duty security guards are always willing to come pic you up from any place on campus and help you when needed.

Juliette from Houston, TX

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
It is a school with a genuine interest in the students' overall growth with a focus on liberal arts aiming to make every student his/her own teacher for life, and has a super well rounded basics structure. There is always a source of help for any question or problem easily accessible on campus with an actual person to individually assist you for your particular situation. It is a campus with a grand international community which encourages diversity, leadership, community service in every student with active professionals and Doctorates in every classroom to teach.
Tips for prospective students
Incoming students should know not to by shy, to ask as many questions as they feel an impulse to, and to explore every club and activity available because there is always a group which will share your interests. Even if it isn't already an organized club because you can always make one with just three other people. The Catholic faith is present at the school but not overbearing or imposing on non-Catholic students, yet the school's values are based on a balance between faith and knowledge so it is a personal balance one is encouraged to achieve on one's personal faith values. New students should be prepared to be challenged to always place their greatest effort before every assignment, if one thing is certain it is that the professional level at which one is expected to perform not only in the classroom but transitioning into life, is ever expected. This doesn't mean creativity is stunted though; on the contrary it is encouraged to groom and grow into one's individual passions. An open mind is not optional because the sheer variety of different views will always be present and will often force one to think and consider.
Academic Rigor
As mentioned, because every classroom has an active Doctorate professor who is obviously there because they have a natural interest in teaching and in their vocation of their field, these professionals expect the same desire to be attendant and fervent from their students. St. Thomas expects academics to be a priority in the student's lives so the work one must endeavor is not to be done carelessly or without drawing out something more out of the student with every passing week, but it is a university that promotes involvement in non-academic activities so as to keep with their goal for a well-rounded overall informed person. From the first day of classes to the last weeks of finals in every semester the students are vigorously at work but the library is not a scene of dead cemetery-like isolated desperateness instead it is a lively place of interchanging ideas, a collective community of ingenuity even with respected areas of silence/privacy if that is your preference.
Dorm Life
The best part about the dorm life is that you're practically never confined in your room and the atmosphere is comfortable enough to feel like a miniature community with their own committees and activity groups, with some event always on the weekly schedule if not daily and exclusively for members of the dorms. Housing/Dorm options vary in aesthetics and structure from building to building but there always is some community formation, comfort, and privacy. The school itself has many activities to join so even if the dorms happen to unusually end up in a dull week there's an event on the school campus which is a walking distance away from the dorms.
Food and Dining
I personally am acquainted with the cafeteria staff. The schools kitchen staff is very friendly and not having dinned there every day it truly says something, it means that the employees are given a respect and liberty which places them in a position greater than just cook or cashier or cleaning duty. Every dinning station in the cafeteria is matched to the staff member's personality in my mind because they bring that little bit of themselves into the food I believe. The neighboring foreign English language building has many customers come to our schools cafeteria, and if the students get tired of that, they're traditional Spanish, Greek, Indian, and Chinese restaurants a walk away even. Talk about variety. The best part is, the above mentioned restaurants have lunch specials and even university student discounts.
What to do for fun
A variety of supermarkets, art galleries (as the university is located in the art district), different cultural restaurants, book stores, and buzzing downtown itself surrounds the school placing it in an ideal location for even someone without a vehicle. The Houston zoo is located not too far either, and public transportation in our dear city is quite reliable.
Bang for the buck
The university goes out of its way to have the world visit the students in the forms of conventions, sessions, presentations over subjects covering important issues currently in discussion and evolution in the world. The topics covered by international leaders are the topics touched on and brought up to for the students to be engaged in.Innovations for the campus and new programs for student benefit are very frequent and students hold weight on these decisions. For example, the soon to be new arts devoted building which will not only be available for the use of the university but will be an asset to Houston as well. Year round the school facilities are available for the students to use just by simply reserving ahead of time; the school hires professionals to give an assortment of body fitness classes such as: yoga, at-your-desk yoga to take with you in any situation, dancing, weightlifting, cardio-focus, and so on without any additional fee to the student that are available year round and some even in the summer.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
At St. Thomas there is a list of traditions for so many yearly occasions. A few examples, we do not celebrate Halloween we celebrate Neewollah, we have a spring formal, Catholic traditional events, secular events such as the Italian arts festival, Christmas events, charity events, organizational events like the International Festival, careers week, the job festival, the mental health week, dealing with stress week, eating healthy focus week, we have traditional furniture even! The library chairs are the most comfortable you will ever rest in and a popular napping spot, they have been there since the day the library opened and have been reupholstered but will never be sold! Another lovely little quirk I love about the school is that there's cookies, water, tea, and coffee scattered about the school at least once a week throughout the year for students to enjoy. Right when you've just come out of you last class and you're in the mood for something sweet, or just feeling down in the dumps, or u need that re-hydrating or caffeinated push, as if the magical refreshment fairies have just granted your wish, there it is! It is the fact that the school is based on tradition from its Catholic roots but extending to its non-Catholic population that gives it a fun anticipating atmosphere season round.
Great for these types of students
I like a more involved and personal community-like atmosphere at a school, not being lost in a crowd or simply being a number on the roster for the professor, so St. Thomas is the school for me but even so I can testify that not running into everyone I know on a daily basis keeps things fresh. So I get to know my teacher on a personal level and I never know for certain who or what kind of cultural mixture I'll be surrounded by for each class. The varying department buildings are conveniently located in the center of the campus facing each other so even though you may be let's say a science major and most of your classes are in that one building you will make contact with everyone from the other buildings as well. You aren't really allowed to hole yourself up in one place or another unless you really want to, but who would when the campus has so much to offer. I love this environment and the fact that the campus is easily accessible in walking distance, I'd get lost with a bigger campus!
Clubs and Activities
It's not difficult at all to start a new club if you don't find what you want with the current sixty-seven already existing clubs/organizations. There seems to be a club for the elite of every interest and a club for every sport, there's clubs with particular credentials and those with none but the enthusiasm to participate, there's humanitarian groups, student organizations built for the pure ambition to further themselves in their fields of study and gain grown in the actual profession, a club for first-generation college students, even clubs for members of a certain ethnicity though they are not exclusively for that one pool of students. More than one of my acquaintances has decided to join these ethnic groups when they're of a completely different heritage and they feel very comfortable. Whatever tweaks your interest it's most likely already an student activity option but if it's not just grab two other people and make it one.
Campus Safety
The campus parking garage is a well-lighted concrete fortress with a security watch always coming round, even on street parking. The helpful security office located adjacently to the first floor of the parking garage keeps contact information from car owners and a ready tool box to give a student a hand whether it's a flat tire or a start up to a dead battery. There are emergency help buttons placed strategically around the campus which is small enough to cross in minutes in order to aid a student. Drills and security systems are tested routinely, and there is an emergency text alert network that one may sign up for and receive in case of an urgent announcement. If one desires, a security guard may escort you to your vehicle. If any incidents or near incidents happen the campus is alerted immediately for precaution.

Simberly from Houston, TX

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
This school is a catholic school and brings students closer to their faith while keeping a small community on campus. Their objective is to help students exceed in school and provide an easy learning environment with great professors. The campus is beautiful, and the area its in has everything you need within walking distance.
Tips for prospective students
Take advantage of everything offered your freshman year. The classes are easiest your first year so do not mess up. Try to attend events held on campus since your money funds them, and balance your social and school life.
Academic Rigor
Some classes are more difficult than others, but if you go into class knowing what to expect, it will motivate you to study more, and the professors help you out a lot. Do not be afraid to ask questions!
Dorm Life
The dorms are one of the best so far and have a small waterfall in the middle of the dorms. You have a big room with a balcony and share your bathroom with only one person. The halls are always decorated and the RA's hold an event for their residents once a month.
Food and Dining
The food varies from time to time, but everyday there is a grill for burgers and Veggie burgers. Also we have Quiznos available and its covered by your meal plan. There is always a variety of food, and if not there are really cheap restaurants and fast food places down the street.
What to do for fun
The campus is located in the museum district, so students get in for free or with discounts to museums and the Zoo. There are also parks and shopping stores around campus where students ride their bikes to, and ten minutes away are performance halls, nightclubs, and shopping centers.
Bang for the buck
The school is pricey, but the school offers many scholarship opportunities and payment methods. They don't want students to not attend because of financial purposes,so they will find scholarships and loans for you to stay enrolled in the school.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The school is located in the Montrose area known as the museum district and people are very liberal and artsy. The night life is always busy and there is always something going on nearby. The school is known to have their infamous crawfish boil, salsa night, neeowallah (Halloween party), and Spring Fling every year, with many more mini events.
Great for these types of students
Friendly, cultural, international, diverse, and liberal people. If you love being outdoors, small campuses, classes, and things nearby, this is perfect.
Clubs and Activities
There are about 80 clubs on campus and they are all different and unique. From cheer leading club to the chemistry club. They all vary and all you have to do is sign up to become a member. Its a great way to get involved, and host events on campus.
Greek Life
There are no Frats or Sororities, but males are allowed to join at the University of Houston fraternities.
Campus Safety
there are always campus security officers on campus, doing rounds till late in the morning. All over campus there are also emergency telephones, but rarely has anyone been in danger on campus. Students tend to always feel safe, but just in case we always keep them close by.

Nicholas from Katy, TX

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
I would give University of St. Thomas a perfect ten!
After visiting several colleges, I felt this university was the perfect fit for my personality.
The campus feels like home and is very welcoming along with great people!
Tips for prospective students
Apply for the fall session as early as possible due to the limited amount of students that are accepted.
Also, apply for housing early because the dorms get filled up fast.
Your textbooks can be purchase through the campus bookstore or Amazon.
Academic Rigor
The rigor can be very difficult but with time management and some organization it can be achieved. Once you get your school schedule you will be able to balance your time between study time and free time. Everyone needs some free time for a healthy college experience.
Dorm Life
The dorms rooms are very clean and spacious. Dorm life gives you a feel of independence and helps you grow into a responsible adult. You will also meet a lot of students who you will become great friends with.
Food and Dining
The campus cafeteria is very clean and offers a wide variety of foods from salads, hamburgers, breakfast items, and daily specials. There is also a Subway Restaurant on campus. If you want to go off campus to dine, there are several restaurants within walking distance.
What to do for fun
On campus there is a volleyball court, basketball court, swimming pool, media room, ping pong, video games, board games. Activities are planned each Wednesday night for the students. Also, there are museums, the zoo, Outdoor Miller Theater and more close to the college.
Bang for the buck
This college is cheaper than some of the other private colleges in the area and they are able to offer scholarships depending on each individuals needs.
Laundry service is free to the students at St. Thomas, unlike some other colleges where the students have to pay.
The parking garage has several spaces for parking and the fee for parking is reasonable compared to other colleges.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There is a chapel next to the college that is for all faiths. There is religious material at the chapel that can be utilized by each faith. Many people like to sit outside the chapel for relaxation.
Great for these types of students
This college has great professors who are willing to listen to your ideas and views.
There is always tutoring help for students who need help with certain subjects. The class sizes are small so you can ask questions and get to know your classmates.
Clubs and Activities
There are several clubs offered on campus or you can create your own. There are several activities that are planned each week and throughout the year. Also, there are basketball games that students enjoy attending.
Greek Life
There is no Greek Life at this campus.
Campus Safety
The campus has an onsite police department. There are emergencies buttons located on poles throughout the campus that can be pushed to alert the police to come to the students aid. The police are there twenty-four hours a day for everyone's safety.

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
St. Thomas is a great Catholic school that offers great academic and variety of degrees. There are many clubs of all types and staff are very caring and are willing to help you. This school is small but full of activities and lots of friendships.
Tips for prospective students
This school will help in achieving the academic goals of anyone that commits into being successful. There ar small classes in which one will have the opportunity to speak with the professors and ask for help.
Academic Rigor
Academically speaking, this school will offer and help one decide what career to take. There are many tutors available that will you help you throughout all the questions one has.
Dorm Life
I do not live on campus but I heard they are really nice. And the students living there spent a wonderful time together.
Food and Dining
The food is okay, but there is a subway where you can eat and many great restaurants around the campus.
What to do for fun
There are many clubs and activities to be involved. I have not seen any moment where a club does not have any activity for the week.
Campus Safety
Very safe since it is close by the museum district

Lily from Houston, TX

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
At the University of St. Thomas one has the opportunity to not only excel in one's role as a student, but also explore one's other roles, so be it daughter, friend, sister, or brother. One learns to discover personal strengths and values. An education fostered by UST guarantees a productive and happy future.
Tips for prospective students
Learn to ask for help, because everybody at UST is willing to give it!
Academic Rigor
A Liberal Arts education in general requieres a lot of determination, so it is understandable that the academic rigor at UST requires diligence and passion to EARN a degree.
Dorm Life
The dorms in Guinan Hall are well equipped, spacious, and it doesn't hurt that every dorm has a personal bathroom! The dorms are also very safe - no one comes in unidentified by the front desk!
Food and Dining
The food is tasty, and it is provided without the anxiety of gaining the dreaded Freshman 15. There is also a Quiznos on campus that offers a lot of choices!
What to do for fun
UST is located within minutes of...almost everywhere! The Village is great for shopping and dining out, and the museums are great to visit on the weekends. UST usually always has something exciting going on like: Salsa Contest (the kind you eat and the kind you dance too!), Italian Festival, Movie Drive-In Nights, and cheering on the basketball team is also always fun!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Crooker is a very popular place for students to hangout, BUT if you go to the second floor it is also great for studying or simply getting away to catch up on TV!
Clubs and Activities
UST has a club associations for anything you can think of!
Campus Safety
Campus ia really safe. People are constantly on patrol. You can call security at ANY time to drop you off where you need to go on campus.

Alexandra from Houston, TX

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
This university has a very welcoming faculty and staff and fantastic students. The professors are all very personable and are easy to connect with in such small class sizes. The campus is small, yet located in a big city with a lot to do.
Tips for prospective students
Take advantage of the small classes! Get to know your professors and definitely go to class. Also take advantage of the tutoring center. They are fantastic and almost everyone goes to them at least once. There is definitely no shame in going twice!
Academic Rigor
Every class is challenging, yet enjoyable. The professors all love their subjects and are complete experts, so there are always good conversations to be had and interesting things to learn.
Dorm Life
The dorms are completely safe and secure. The staff puts a lot of effort into offering fun things to do in the lounge area, and have lots of tvs and games to play around with. The dorm rooms themselves are spacious and fantastic. Every room has a balcony and it's own bathroom!
Food and Dining
There are several places to eat on campus, especially in the cafeteria. There is also a Quiznos on campus, which is an awesome place to go if you get tired of cafeteria food. If you are wanting to go out to eat, there are hundreds of places within walking distance. Not to mention all the free food available on campus. It is IMPOSSIBLE to go hungry here.
What to do for fun
There are several clubs that have events open to everyone constantly on campus, always with free food, including a social night every Wednesday in the dorm. We also have free access to several museums in Houston and to the zoo! There are plenty of things to do in Houston, you are definitely never bored.
Bang for the buck
It's a private school, so it's definitely expensive. However, I feel like I am definitely getting my money's worth in education and atmosphere.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Do not walk on the seal on the ground! It's disrespectful! :)
Great for these types of students
Anyone who is studious and interested in a really laid back atmosphere on campus, regardless of their religion.

Allison from Kingwood, TX

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
University of St. Thomas is a great school for those who like small classes and one on one attention from professors. It provides many resources and networking opportunities for students that many other colleges do not provide. University of St. Thomas provides a superb academic environment as well as a rich campus life experience.
Academic Rigor
University of St. Thomas takes pride in the fact it is a writing intensive school. Just about all your classes will have essay formatted exams and every class from english to astronomy will have at least three essays per semester. The school has received many academic honors over the years and has an pressive reputation for getting its students to top notch graduate schools, medical school, and law schools (this includes a high number of students going to Harvard Law School).
Dorm Life
The residence hall comes with 24/7 security, wifi, a media room, conference room, computer lab, kitchen, chapel, and countless study rooms. Each spacious room comes with its own A/C control, microwave, refrigerator, balcony, and private bathroom! There is always an event taking place and everyone gets along. The only downside is that a lot of people go home on the weekends, but you can still always find one smiling face looking for someone to play ping pong or pool with him or her.
Food and Dining
The dining room is really nice and there is always other students or professors you can hang out and eat with. The cafeteria has many options ranging from a salad bar to a grill. There is also a convenient store within the cafeteria with anything you may need. If you get bored with the cafeteria food, there is also a Quiznos, Starbucks, and Freshens smoothie shop on campus. The only downside is that the food and convenient store can be kind of expensive. The good news is that you pay for everything with your student ID so you never have to take out your wallet :)