Santa Clara University Early Action / Early Decision for Fall 2024 Admission

They definitely yield protect. One of my son’s friends has stellar, Ivy-caliber stats. He was deferred.

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Anyone know when EDII decisions come out for SCU? thanks.

I am also wondering. Thinking maybe today or next Friday?

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I have tried to find out when they released last year but haven’t found yet. Only thing I saw was by 2/15 - next Thursday. (Nail biting continues over here.)

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Are we thinking it comes out today?

Yes the decisions have come out just a little while ago.

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OK. It’s looking like Santa Clara and University of San Diego are my S24’s top picks. And SCU has been a fav of mine for any number of reasons from my online comparisons of the schools on his list.

But one thing has been worrying me/us about SCU. I was down in the Bay Area in October and dropped by the campus on a Saturday mid-afternoon to just walk around. And there was hardly anyone out and about. It felt really empty. And I left concerned about student life- whether it’s a ghost town when students aren’t in class.

I have heard SCU described as a work hard play hard school.

Does anyone have experience with the on-campus vibe? Such a gorgeous place. I expected more going on.

And if you have comparisons with the feel of University of San Diego, I’m also interested.

Thanks everyone.

My kid is a Santa Clara graduate. She had a great time there, was busy all the time, had a great social life and made great friends.

What exactly did you expect to see going on while you were there?

My DD also got accepted at USD. She dropped that from consideration when she realized the campus wasn’t really within walking distance of…anything. It’s up on the hill.

If you have any specific questions about SCU, I’d be happy to answer or reach out to my DD to get an answer. But she absolutely loved her four years there.

Thanks so much. Just what I was hoping to hear is folks saying that they or their students were really happy and engaged by a vibrant student life/community at Santa Clara.

On that one day (data point of one) there were just few students, anywhere. Expected Frisbee or studying out on the lawns or a student union spilling over with kids eating out at outdoor tables, skateboarding, biking across campus, etc. What I wondered was if maybe many students leave to go to SF or the mountains or Santa Cruz or somewhere on weekends.

“Many” students leaving to go somewhere? That wasn’t my kid’s experiences.

You wouldn’t have seen my kid out on the grass doing anything on a Saturday. That’s when she worked in the undergrad admissions office…every week. Then she went back and did her laundry, etc. She also liked studying in the library/learning commons. And sometimes she did go shopping on Saturdays with friends.

When the weather was gorgeous there in the winter, that’s when she spent time outside.

Really, my kid says there was no shortage of fun things to do. She routinely went to soccer games and basketball. She also was the statistician for men’s club hockey and lacrosse. She played in the university orchestra for four years also. And she also worked out in the very nice gym just about every morning…or went for a swim. And did these things with her friends. She worked in undergrad admissions for 3 1/2 years also.

I asked her…and she says there is something for everyone at SCU. But that is her opinion.

I’m going to tag @mominva IIRC, her student had the same two final choices as yours, and her student chose USD. Perhaps she can add some color to this discussion.

As you can tell, our family loved everything about SCU. But I will readily admit, it’s not the college for every student. I would suggest attending the admitted student days, and let your student make the call.

Congratulations on their wonderful acceptances. I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.

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This is terrific feedback. So grateful! Thank you.

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Hi 5Rios,
@thumper1 is right, my DD had it narrowed down to USD and SCU. We came out west for accepted student days.
The first visit to SCU was on a very dreary, wet day and had us hear presentations in lecture halls.
The following visit to USD was on a gloriously sunny day; the campus was in bloom. My DD was paired with a student ambassador and followed her schedule.

The weather and style of the day at USD pursuaded my child to go there.
My gut was that the academics of SCU was more to her style, but it was her choice.
My daughter had a fine experience, particularly enjoyed her study abroad semester and January term. She participated in an elite choir, was in a steady long-term relationship (with a non-student), and completed a philosophy major with 2 minors. But as @thumper1 pointed out, the campus is not contiguous with the neighborhood, so it’s a bit isolating.
After graduation, in a retrospective conversation, she admitted that the weather on accepted student days, is what actually swayed her away from SCU, and wondered if that might have been a better academic fit for her.

But now she has a graduate degree and a successful career focused on one of her minors.

Congrats to your student on having gotten this far. Having choices is a wonderful thing.
Don’t discount the financial aspect, if that plays a part.

Best of luck.

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Here is why this CC forum is so terrific. Thanks much for the perspectives and help! Seems like my S24 can’t go wrong on this (and he’s not into USD, yet, so here’s hoping he does ultimately have a choice!), but there are some subtleties that it is worth trying to tease out.

I totally get the weather thing. We were in LA at LMU and it was just a dreary, rainy day in the summer with not a single student on campus. We got matched with the absolute opposite student ambassador type (who would have been perfect for another type of student). S was done on that decision in like four minutes.

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I need to add…it very seldom rains in Santa Clara, and when it does, it usually isn’t a full day wash out. Many if not most days are bright and sunny.

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Hey folks, heading down on Thursday for the Business School Discover SCU days. Any recommendations for what else to do and see while we are down there? And, if any CC folks are going, maybe we’ll meet up :slight_smile:

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I’ve posted before about my D’s great experience at SCU. She was also a little worried that there wasn’t a “college town” feel and wondered if there was “enough going on”, but it hasn’t been an issue at all. At the risk of sounding like a one-woman cheering squad–and I know every kid is different–I can’t overstate what a great experience it has been across the board, academically and socially. There is a lot happening on and adjacent to campus in terms of student/social life. While students have to take the initiative, I know she feels like her professors and advisors have been supportive advocates and have offered up opportunities. We are big fans of SCU. Good luck with the decision!

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@cuppasbux and I are totally on the same page. So…we have a two person cheering squad. Add in my husband and likely hers, and we are up to four!

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Any ED2 receive merit awards yet?

DD just got the email that she’s a Johnson Scholar Finalist. Full tuition if she gets it. Yowza. (Already has a large merit award).

ETA: Johnson would also include a $10k grant for project work. WOW.

2ETA: 30-40 finalists, 5 get the award

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