Brigham Young University (UT) (BYU)

Brigham Young University works with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to provide undergraduates with a "very uplifting and spiritual" community. Students truly appreciate the school's focus on "character building" activities and "long-term service. Many undergrads also like that BYU has placed an equal emphasis "on being affordable." Of course, BYU's "greatest strength [just might be] the academic rigor of the university. Regardless of your department, you are guaranteed to get a strong education in your field." Indeed, there are "many great nationally regarded programs;" a few "that stand out are the accountancy and animation [departments]." No matter your course of study, "the workload at BYU is intense, and that is something one should be prepared for." Fortunately, professors "tend to be really encouraging and look to help students do the best they can." They truly "embody the values of the school and are inclusive and collaborative." It's also evident that most professors here "have a passion for what they teach which makes it easier to learn." As this satisfied undergrad exclaims, "BYU only hires the best!" Just as critical, undergrads can rest assured that they'll leave college ready for the real world. Students attribute this to having "fantastic internship opportunities" along with "many resources for getting hands-on experience" through experiential learning. This involves everything from conducting field research and attending symposiums to studying abroad and completing capstone projects.

Many Brigham Young undergrads recognize that "the most obvious thing that's unique about BYU is the percentage of the student body that is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." As this undergrad explains, "BYU is very faith-based, so many of my peers hold strong religious opinions and motivations." This helps to establish "a common set of core values" among students and fosters "a genuinely fun, wholesome, and productive learning and social environment." Another classmate concurs: "The students are kind and outgoing, and they always strive for the highest level of excellence academically and spiritually." Some students disagree on the extent of the "predominantly white" community being "very loving and inclusive," with a few noting a "small but extremely vocal population of hyper-conservatism, and a relatively conservative majority who do not step in to protect the interests of the minorities." Others assert that "you can start a conversation with anyone, anywhere." As this undergrad concludes, "My peers are actually a huge inspiration to me. It's evident that everyone is doing their best to be a good person [and a] real contributor to society and it motivates me to try harder every day."

Brigham Young University has close ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and there are consequently many faith-based extracurriculars. For example, "students attend church services all over campus for two hours each Sunday [and] many...participate in temple worship (a little more sacred than a regular church service)." Those looking for secular activities will find that "there are always lots of events and clubs and festive things going on around campus and the great thing is you don't have to be a member or anything to join in." These include everything from folk and ballroom dancing to volunteer service projects and marching band. Sports-including "the pickleball obsession ... we all love to play"-are also quite popular. As one undergrad shares, "there are tons of intramurals that students join that are fun and competitive." In addition, there are "lots of outdoorsy activities such as hiking, frisbee, [and] spikeball [along with a large] amount of board games and Harry Potter in the winter months." Students also like taking a break from campus life periodically. Stroll around downtown Provo and you're bound to spot some BYU undergrads attending "local community events such as farmer's markets or holiday activities."