Why Catholic University?

By Emily Prendergast

Picking a college to attend is the apex of many people’s high school careers. Teachers, parents, and classmates can put a tremendous amount of pressure on this decision which makes the process of college applications even more difficult. Catholic University’s unique campus, location and name attracts students from across the nation. Here are some reasons why your classmates decided to apply and eventually attend Catholic University. The Tower Staff believes collecting this information from students themselves is extremely important for the future of the university. Asking questions like, “Why did you apply to Catholic, Why did you choose Catholic, and why do you like it here?” will hopefully bring some clarity of what brings people to this university.

1. “When I toured Catholic, I had already looked at over ten other schools and none of them were a good fit for me. One of my friends that went here offered to give me a tour and I fell in love with it.  It’s a great school with a beautiful campus and even better people, plus an awesome location only a few metro stops from the center of DC.” –Caterina, Class of 2020, Marketing

2. “When I first started my college search, Catholic was always in the back of my mind because my father went there. Although I liked Catholic, it wasn’t my first choice until I went to Odyssey Day. It was a while since I had seen the campus and I only went to DC once before as an 8th grade field trip. When I was driving down with my family, once I entered the District I knew Catholic was the one. There are so many cool areas like Adams Morgan, Georgetown, and so many others that have cool restaurants and things to see and do. I couldn’t have been happier in choosing Catholic. Coming from a suburban neighborhood in Long Island, I’m used to seeing a lot of concerts and attractions. Washington DC is a major metropolitan city that has all these sights as well. Catholic has a wide variety of majors and clubs which added to my interest in coming to DC. Overall, Catholic University has impressed me time and time again, whether it’s going to events in the Great Room in the Pryz or a teacher offering to spend time after class to help, attending the Catholic University of America has been one of the best decisions in my life.” –Ryan, Class of 2022, International Business

3. “When I first began to research schools, one that really called my attention was The Catholic University of America. I chose this school initially because of the Nursing program that it offered. Then, throughout my semester, I realized that this was the school for me, not because of the program but because of the people. The environment at Catholic is unlike any other. Everyone is extremely kind and welcoming. Although I switched majors my sophomore year to Social Work, the students and teachers in this program treat me like I have been a part of their family since freshman year. Something that this school offers that is worthwhile is the study abroad program. I went to Rome the spring semester of my sophomore year and it was indescribable. Overall, I love Catholic and would not trade these years for anything. –Gabriela, Class of 2020, Social Work

4. “I first applied to CUA because I wanted to attend a good Catholic school and to travel far away from home to a new place, I am originally from Salem, Connecticut. I then decided to commit to Catholic University because of the community, I’ve never met more friendly people in my life than at CUA and I am truly blessed to have met all of the wonderful people that this school has brought to my life.” –Charles, Class of 2021, Finance and Theology

5. “I applied to Catholic because I saw that they had a prestigious engineering school that would then provide many opportunities for me after I graduate since I would already be in The District. I committed to Catholic because my brother was going to be a Senior when I would be coming in as a Freshman, so having a familiar face starting out would be good! In addition, I really loved everything DC had to offer me and Catholic has just the right amount of open area and green grass but close enough to the district to be able to go sightseeing.” –Frank, Class of 2019, Civil Engineering

6. “I loved Catholic University’s campus and felt like it was Hogwarts. The people seemed nice and the volunteer and service days made Catholic stand out over other universities for giving back to the community. I really enjoy politics and business plays a large role in marketing a candidate, organizing campaign funds, formulating a budget and management are all important in politics. By studying business here, I can develop the skills I need and intern around dc to get a well rounded education.” –Hannah, Class of 2020, Management

7. “I applied to Catholic because my mom went here in the 80’s, but when visiting I fell in love with the campus and the architecture program.  CUArch has provided me with opportunities I never thought imaginable. D.C. allows me to make the city my classroom, with the beautiful architecture all around us, it was the perfect place for me.” -Kelsey, Class of 2020, Architecture

8. “I applied to Catholic just because they had a nursing program and had never visited. I finally visited in March of my senior year of high school, and the moment I stepped on campus I knew it was the place for me. From the start, I knew this was the perfect place for me to both learn about nursing and grow into the person I was meant to become.” –Mary Kate, Class of 2021, Nursing

9. “I am a Theology and Philosophy double major from St. Augustine, Florida. I applied to Catholic U because I felt that there couldn’t be a better place to study Theology than THE Catholic University of America- being right next to the USCCB and in the heart of the Archdiocese of Washington DC also helped. During my time studying theology, I also fell in love with philosophy, which is great because the Philosophy School here is also one of the best in the country. I plan to continue my studies here at the School of Canon Law, and I’m looking forward to spending the next few years here at Catholic U.” –Bray, Class of 2019, Theology and Philosophy