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I went into college undecided, which seemed scary at first but the school provided many resources to help find a degree that interested me. All undecided students took an exploratory class in which we explored our values as people and what we might value in a career. Additionally, I worked with the Career Center on campus to identify potential careers I would have interest in using personalized extensive reports from career assessments. Furthermore, many professors were eager to assist me in exploring... Read More careers and majors, which speaks to the character of the university. Eventually, I stumbled upon a Sociology class fall semester of my sophomore year. Out of all the classes, I had taken thus far I enjoyed this class the most. However, my biggest question was "how do I apply these concepts?" and I decided to go to my professor ask this. Her response was that I should take some more social work courses, so then the next semester I took 4 social work classes without ever taking a social work class before. Before the semester had ended, I worked on my admission paperwork to the program (a statement of interest and an interview with a professor.) This process seems intimidating, but all of the staff and faculty involved were very nice and welcoming. Soon I would learn that Heidbrink Hall (the social work building on campus) would become a second home on campus.

Once I started to take social work classes, I had realized I stepped into a rigorous academic program for which I am very grateful for. I enjoyed every minute of my social work classes; my professors were thoughtful and challenged us in ways that would make us grow as individuals and as a cohort (class of students). As graduation approached, I began filling out graduate applications and learning the power of Valparaiso University's Social Work Program - it was fully accredited by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE). This would allow me to be admitted to many graduate programs across the country and begin with "advanced standing status" and receive credit for that school's foundation courses. I ended up choosing the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis for concertation and the number of research centers the social work department has (about 15!)

Had I not chosen to have the experiences I did at Valparaiso University, I would not be where I am today - about to start a prestigious graduate program! I could talk all day about my student activity experiences and positions I held on campus, but that would require another 300 words, just know your ultimate campus experience is what you make of it.

Best of luck in finding your school, it will work out!

Valparaiso University is a one of a kind institution that celebrates diversity and strives for excellence. Professors are dynamic and involved in the lives of their students beyond the classroom. Valparaiso University is known for it's dedication to service, and the college of nursing is no exception. Professors and students alike are often found in the community serving locally and abroad. The attitude of servitude that was fostered here has developed in me a passion for service in my nursing career... Read More today by devoting volunteer time to my community each week. Valparaiso University is a terrific place for learning skills for careers and an even better place to learn how to love yourself, others, and the community. I am forever thankful for my education and life learning at this institution.

Valparaiso University ranked on the top 5 Lutheran College in the Mid-West region for many reasons. The campus size is small but comes with a strong sense of community as students enjoy knowing many of their classmates and faculties. There is a good ratio between domestic and international students from 70 different cultural backgrounds. Academics are taken quite seriously by students and staffs with The Honor Code is written on all the main assignments and tests and the grading scale. Outside of... Read More classes, there are many cultural and educational events offered on campus throughout the year, as well as off-campus activities are also available including Downtown Valpo, the Dunes Beach and National Park nearby that take no longer than 30 minutes drive. There are also accessible free transportation available for students who wish to travel around town to Target, Walmart, Movie Theather, as well as late night van to pick up and drop off students within campus area from 11 pm to 3 am. The University also has its own Solar Energy Generator, Astronomy Observatory Lab, Art Museum, Marketing Agency, Convenience Store and even three different Starbuck locations. One of the very few draws back is Dining Service open hours are limited, the food is not as diverse and somewhat overly charged. ( eg: a tea bag can cost almost $2, a mini size of soup can cost over $3 and a healthy choice salad wrap can cost up to $8). The second draws back is the degree did teach me many things but somehow, it feels like it prepared me enough fo my Career as there are too many GenEd credits to complete where I should have more freedom to invest my credits hours in classes that actually matter. The overall Valpo experience is one worth living. It's overall the perfect place for students like me and hopefully you too!

I am honored to participate and study in the Humane Education degree offered by Valparaiso University partnered with the Institute of Humane Education. In this degree I will obtain the information and skills required to offer my services as an advocator for environmental preservation, animal protection and human rights. This degree offers a new approach to educating our children regarding these issues and more so, provides new ways of thinking of our interaction with our world today. I believe this... Read More program will revolutionize my thought processes and how I interact with the world today. I strongly recommend this program to those who seek to enrich their connection with our world and offer what they can to do to help those around them and our planet.

I attended VU for my bachelors in Business Management and wanted to attend their MBA program. I was told that Management isn't a real major and was not accepted to their MBA program. When I asked for a recommendation to attend an MBA program in Chicago (University of Chicago and Northwestern) I was told by a faculty member that I wasn't smart enough to get in and that I should set my sights lower. Fast forward a few years and now I own a multi-million dollar business... but I'm not smart enough.... Read More Interesting... VU prepared me with excel skills and a solid background in business law. Everything else, not so much. I honestly could've learned the rest online through basic research. Needless to say, they will never get a penny from me, except the reimbursement for the scholarships I received.

The pros of Valpo Law are that the courses teach you to work hard. I learned my first year how to write relevant legal documents, and many law students don't do that until they are a second year. I love Valpo Law, and it has one of the best programs in the area. We have more clinics than any other law school in the Chicagoland area. The cons are that the hard work keeps me from having a social life, which is to be expected. Also, it doesn't have any housing for the law students, but the housing off... Read More campus is very reasonable.

VU has a great nursing program that incorporates class lecture and clinical experiences at hospitals around Northwestern Indiana. Most of the professors at VU are very helpful, experienced, and enjoy their job. Although the nursing program is distantly removed from the rest of campus and the student body, it emerges you in everything involved in your future career in nursing. You will feel separated from other programs though and will rarely see the heart of campus, the student union, chapel, etc.... Read More The hands-on skill experiences incorporated into the nursing program could have been better, included more practice time, and been more emphasized in classroom learning. Overall I feel that I got a good experience at VU that will benefit me throughout my career. VU is very expensive and offers no scholarships or minimal aid to students enrolled in a second degree program, so be prepared to take out a lot of private loans. Otherwise, I have no complaints and value my time spent at VU; I am proud to have a degree from this esteemed university, although it took a lot of hard work and the burden of many loans to earn.