Tell me about Villanova

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

I am asking because a family member has been invited to interview for a full ride at Villanova. So, the question of how much it’s worth might change.

way to bury the lede

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

I am asking because a family member has been invited to interview for a full ride at Villanova. So, the question of how much it’s worth might change.

Your family member would be foolish to turn down a full ride at what is unquestionably a decent school.

[Anonymous]

To the PP who asked about HC I would say they are pretty different. HC is Jesuit, much smaller, and outside of Worcester. Villanova is Augustinian, almost twice the size, has three train stops on campus to take kids into Philly, and has Greek life. A lot of kids from my kids' private Catholic go to both and they all seem happy. I do think the demographics in terms of students seem similar just based on what I have observed. And both seem to have great alumni connections/loyalty (again, just what I have observed and heard). Just my two cents!
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Holy Cross is in Worcester, not outside of Worcester. There is a fence around part of the campus and Holy Cross is on a hill so the campus is separated from the rest of the city. Holy Cross has a great pre-med program but note that the pre-med committee will endorse only some of the students interested in medical school; the students have to perform well in the first 2 years of college. Clark University in Worcester also had a great premed program at one time. I don't know if that is still true.

[Anonymous]

Getting a new Head Basketball Coach was apparently a big institutional priority for Villanova. Top Catholic schools like Georgetown, Holy Cross, and ND have bad basketball teams and in HC’s case don’t spend $4-6 million per year on a coach’s salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting a new Head Basketball Coach was apparently a big institutional priority for Villanova. Top Catholic schools like Georgetown, Holy Cross, and ND have bad basketball teams and in HC’s case don’t spend $4-6 million per year on a coach’s salary.

Georgetown just beat Villanova in the Big East quarterfinals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had to choose between Villanova and Bucknell ceteris paribus which would you pick?

Very different schools! I would pick Villanova bc Bucknell is too isolated for me. Your kid might disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting a new Head Basketball Coach was apparently a big institutional priority for Villanova. Top Catholic schools like Georgetown, Holy Cross, and ND have bad basketball teams and in HC’s case don’t spend $4-6 million per year on a coach’s salary.

Definitely true. However, HC is not -- and hasn't been in the past 50 years -- a national contender in basketball.

I'm not thrilled with how many universities seem to exist now to market semi-professional sports teams, but a LOT of people love the highest level of college sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you had to choose between Villanova and Bucknell ceteris paribus which would you pick?

One big difference between the schools is that Bucknell has a much stronger Greek system. Students tend to have strong opinions re whether they want to be in a fraternity or sorority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

I am asking because a family member has been invited to interview for a full ride at Villanova. So, the question of how much it’s worth might change.

Your family member would be foolish to turn down a full ride at what is unquestionably a decent school.

OP, kid also has other great financial options at other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Villanova is on a major roll: they've recently acquired TWO adjacent campuses, have great programs, a fun basketball team, and a pope alumnus.

Acceptance rates have plummetted in the past decade (started well before the NCAAs or the pope), and it's harder than ever to qualify for merit.

Most kids have been raised Catholic.

Nice school!

Rosemont could certainly be viewed as "adjacent" but Cabrini isn't in anyway adjacent. It is in on the other side of the Blue Route. It is going to require taking a bus to get back and forth. My guess, if it hasn't happened already, will transform the Cabrini campus into a freshman dorm campus much like BC has done or what Emory did.

[Anonymous]

Villanova is a mediocre Catholic school. UMD fans enjoying today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting a new Head Basketball Coach was apparently a big institutional priority for Villanova. Top Catholic schools like Georgetown, Holy Cross, and ND have bad basketball teams and in HC’s case don’t spend $4-6 million per year on a coach’s salary.

Uh oh. Don’t look at how much ND spends on its football coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rich is a relative term. Villanova not get old line families that send their kids to the Ivies or Williams/Amherst. Nova underperforns at elite Jesuit high schools like Regis and Georgetown Prep. BC and HC do much better at those schools. It is not a factor at Phillips Andover/Exeter, Choate etc. It’s a nice school but very expensive when the school is poorly ranked.

It’s cute you think Prep is elite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Villanova is on a major roll: they've recently acquired TWO adjacent campuses, have great programs, a fun basketball team, and a pope alumnus.

Acceptance rates have plummetted in the past decade (started well before the NCAAs or the pope), and it's harder than ever to qualify for merit.

Most kids have been raised Catholic.

Nice school!

Rosemont could certainly be viewed as "adjacent" but Cabrini isn't in anyway adjacent. It is in on the other side of the Blue Route. It is going to require taking a bus to get back and forth. My guess, if it hasn't happened already, will transform the Cabrini campus into a freshman dorm campus much like BC has done or what Emory did.

I had heard that Cabrini might be used more as a grad campus. Haven't followed it closely, though. I think the plans for Cabrini are pretty evolved and were well thought out in advance, but the Rosemont campus was a pretty quick decision (Rosemont College is perfectly located and gave Villanova a great deal).

Either way, I think true integration of new facilities is likely not going to happen before current high school seniors graduate from college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here,

I am asking because a family member has been invited to interview for a full ride at Villanova. So, the question of how much it’s worth might change.

If your DC gets a full academic ride to Villanova -- a school that only gives merit money to the tippy-top of the class -- that would be a very compelling offer. Kid will get lots of attention / support in the honors program, and Villanova will be (literally) invested in your DC's future. I don't know anything about the pre-med program, but the school has a well-respected nursing school so there are a lot of people interested in and knowledgeable about local hospitals.

Good luck!