Pace University

Students at Pace University follow the Pace Path, a personalized approach to education designed around each individual’s goals, with immersive learning at its core and opportunities that offer “a little bit of everything for students, allowing us to gain enough experiences, recognizing our own selves as students and individuals.” Leveraging its strong industry connections and New York location, the university excels at “providing a working environment for students to thrive,” while academic programs consistently “focus on how [the] university can help you get a job.” This emphasis on real-world readiness is reflected in the more than 9,000 experiential learning opportunities, including internships, co-ops, and clinicals, completed by students in the past year through more than 1,000 employers. In the classroom, “very well-versed and experienced” faculty lead “fast but interesting” courses, sometimes taking innovative approaches like “[requiring] major projects over exams for knowledge of material to be shown,” all within modern learning environments that include simulation labs, VR classrooms, and Bloomberg Terminals. Beyond coursework, students can pursue their interests through more than 50 centers dedicated to research, training, and professional development, while also benefiting from experiences like “[field] trips where we learn more about the lectures,” along with access to some of the nation’s top museums. As one student puts it, “Pace University’s greatest strength is its strong focus on career readiness. With personalized support, industry connections, and practical learning opportunities, it equips students with the skills, experience, and networks needed to succeed in their chosen fields.”

Pace attracts a wide range of students who “bring global perspectives, work hard toward their goals, and create a collaborative, career-focused community.” On this urban campus, this “very diverse” student body is “from all different states and countries, with a wide variety of side hustles and activities outside of school,” contributing to an environment that “feel[s] very international and dynamic.” The student population skews female, is “accepting of queer community,” and is “expressive and independent.” It is composed of “self-determined students, focusing on their studies and school while also having friends and collaborating with one another.” As one student notes, “You can find just about any kind of person and all different kinds of career goals; it’s really refreshing and comforting.” At the same time, it’s not all business; most undergrads are “fun and relatable” and “always there when needed,” with classmates described as “very sweet and respectful…[and who] help each other when needed.” This “very hardworking” community is driven to succeed, and “they know how to advocate, explore, and have fun.” One grateful student says, “My peers push me to be the best version of myself. They inspire me to reach my goals and enact change within my community.”

Pace students “balance heavy workloads but still help each other, creating a friendly and collaborative campus environment,” fostering a strong sense of community both on and off campus. With its NYC location, students note that “there is always something to do outside of school, whether that be for food, shopping, or anything [else],” and many cite “exploring the city with friends” as a favorite pastime. The university enhances student life with special events like “visiting JPMorgan Chase Headquarters and seeing alumni in the workforce,” alongside “a lot of interactive clubs” such as the Criminal Justice Club, intramural sports, and “Pace Film Club, where we not only create our own films, but we discuss the history of other directors and cinematographers.” Across these experiences, students share a common focus on “getting involved in activities that help build community on campus,” which gives them “a chance to meet new people, de-stress, and feel more connected to the school.”