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What do you like most about this school? What do you like least?

What I enjoy most about Valparaiso University is the tight-knit group of students that attend. Although I do not know everybody at Valpo, I feel comfortable almost all the time, and the other students and the staff members are very friendly. Another great thing is the student-teacher ratio, which is much lower than most schools. The largest class I have ever been in had 64 students, and I still received a great deal of personal attention whenever it was needed. Valparaiso also offers some wonderful professors,especially with the Lilly-Fellows program, which brings professors from very prestigious schools such as Harvard and Princeton to teach for a year or two at Valparaiso. The school also has very strong international programs, and has received acclaim for its acceptance of international students. Valparaiso also offers a pretty enjoyable social system, especially as far as Greek life is concerned - fraternities and sororities are not too big, nor too small. 

What I like least about Valparaiso University is the inadequate technology and low number of support staff. Internet on campus gets better every year, but is still years behind that of most other schools. There are problems abound when students try to access Registrar services, and the staff in the office is often very unconcerned when direct communication is required. The school appears to waste a bit of money at times, such as the construction of the Harre Union, which was necessary but perhaps was made a bit too extravagant for such a small campus. The food on campus is terrible, with very few meal options, most of which are very unhealthy. The school policy about living off-campus is almost unheard-of, requiring students to live on campus until their senior year (unless they join a fraternity with approved housing). The school policy on drinking is controversial to say the least, as it is a dry campus. However, a violation of this rule/law at most schools ends up with a ticket, whereas in Valparaiso, it most often ends with the minor in a jail cell. This policy has been controversial for years, along with the unnecessary accoutrements of the VUPD, but the future of this policy and the official campus police department is not clear.

Overall, Valparaiso is not a typical school, as it most definitely has its quirks and downers. Most students who give it a chance, however, will find themselves in a comfortable social atmosphere with professors who really care.