Duquesne University Admission
Duquesne University Undergraduate Program
Duquesne University Application

The Facts

Duquesne University is a moderately sized private university affiliated with the Catholic church and located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . The school is home to over 5,000 undergraduate students and approximately 4,000 graduate and part-time students. The university is actually divided up into several smaller undergraduate colleges, including schools of liberal arts, business administration, education, natural and environmental sciences, pharmacy, nursing, health sciences, and music. The school definitely focuses on preprofessional studies and prepares its students to enter the “real world” after graduation. Some of the most popular majors are in the areas of liberal arts, business, pharmacy, health professions, and education.

Admission to Duquesne University is not very competitive, which gives students who may not have done as well in high school a chance to get a good, solid education. Last year, just over 3,100 students applied to the school for admission, and approximately 3,000 of those students were accepted. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 980 to 1180, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 23 to 25. Additionally, over 43% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about 3.4.

Duquesne University has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of about 14:1, and students applaud the dedication of their professors, and say that during their time at the school, they receive a large amount of one on one attention from their teachers. It is rare to find a class at the school containing more than 50 students, and even the first year required classes are usually in discussion form. This structure helps teachers get to know their students right off the bat, and many professors stay in touch with their students long after graduation.

The Social Scene

The city of Pittsburgh is a rather vibrant city, and has been growing in size and popularity throughout the years. While it doesn't have a very solid reputation for being safe, most students say if you are just street smart and hang out in groups, you should have no problems. There are some great clubs and bars nearby that are popular with students (and lax on carding) as well as some great restaurants and shopping. Many students have cars, and take weekend road trips to nearby cities such as Philadelphia and occasionally, New York City.

There are several national fraternities and sororities at the university, and they are quite popular. The Greeks are known for throwing some of the best parties around that are always well-attended. The houses also organize many fundraising events throughout the year that raise a large amount of money for various charitable causes.

We hear the dating scene is pretty standard; most of the students are white, Catholic, and wealthy, so you probably won't be going on many dates to Ozzy concerts...

What’s Good

“There is a great sense of community here, and the religious aspect is just present enough. It really ties us all together.”

“The preprofessional studies here are terrific and when you graduate, you feel very secure on the job market.”

“The housing is very nice, and it is a great opportunity to develop your social group, particularly for freshmen.”

What’s Bad

“The students here tend to be really conservative, and don't really care about anyone else's opinion.”

“The party scene can be pretty lame. People get way too fixated on success and forget how to have a good time.”

“Pittsburgh can be a dangerous city. I definitely wouldn't advise walking around at night by yourself.”

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