Academics
Bradley University, a mid-sized private university in Peoria, Illinois, offers more than 185 academic programs throughout its undergraduate and graduate schools, and “if there’s not one that you like, you can make a hybrid degree.” Students say that the university’s biggest advantages are that it combines both large and small school benefits and is “super dedicated to getting all students real work experience before they graduate.” Unique programs like the Hollywood Semester (where students live in Los Angeles for one semester and intern in all aspects of the entertainment business) and the engineering practicum come together with the curriculum in the service of “bettering you for your life after college” by “helping you develop the personal and professional skills you’ll need after Bradley.” Thanks to the school’s size, first-years at Bradley are “able to be involved in hands-on learning... that at larger universities would be reserved for graduate students.” The school “is set up for you to succeed,” so there are resources (such as free tutoring) to support students.
The “challenging and rigorous” curriculum (“grades are earned, not given”) is taught entirely by professors, who present students with lab research opportunities and internship connections. Faculty are “always willing to provide additional clarification and assistance” to help students gain a better understanding of materials. Each professor has office hours when students can ask questions and receive advisement, and “the content of teaching is always powerful and meaningful.” These teachers are beloved across the board, and “are so genuinely caring” about not just students’ education, but their personal health. “My professors regularly check up on me to make sure I am eating, sleeping, and happy,” says one student of the “fantastic mentors” at Bradley.
Student Body
Bradley’s student body is composed of “highly intellectual, diverse” students who push each other “to consider other viewpoints and considerations during classroom discussions.” This “academically-driven” group is “aware of the importance of a good education” and “takes full advantage of the opportunities offered.” “I have never been on a college campus where everyone is so genuinely happy to be where they are,” says one student. Bradley’s sense of campus camaraderie is strong, and “when one good thing happens, it trickles through the Bradley community.” Because students count themselves as members of so many clubs, there are great networking opportunities, and “most students know one another or know someone who knows someone.”
Campus Life
With so many organizations on campus, students tend to fill their time with “volunteering, going to meetings for different clubs, and hanging out with their Bradley family.” Students rave about the “perfect size” of Bradley, which “feels like a small hometown in the middle of a big city.” It is “large enough to have lots of major programs, extracurriculars, and internship connections,” but not so large where one feels lost in the sea of students. Instead, “you are comfortable to go out of your comfort zone.” The campus diversity is evident in the school’s over 240 clubs and organizations, which include the American Sign Language club, the Association of Latin American Students, Jazz Ensemble, Swing Dance Society, Pinterest Club, and Greek life (which involves 30 percent of students). Off-campus, students “go on hikes,” go to East Peoria for food, visit the Walmart, or frequent the very popular Ice Cream Shack. Many students here play intramural sports, and “partying is popular on the weekends” once work is done. However if that’s not your scene, then there are “definitely other things to do.” ”People spend lots of time in the library and in the quad when the weather is nice.”
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