Colleges To Consider

DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the United States, offers academically excellent, flexible, practical programs of study in a student-focused learning environment. DePaul is the 13th-largest private, not-for-profit university in the nation. It is located in the heart of the city, offering an urban environment where students gain a diverse, global perspective every day. One of the most important things about DePaul is the number of opportunities that it provides for its students, especially being in the city.

Student Population

The university enrolled 22,437 students who reflect a broad range of ethnic, religious, geographic and economic backgrounds. The student body includes 14,507 undergraduate students, 7,136 graduate students and 794 law students. In keeping with DePaul’s commitment to diversity and access to education, 39 percent of the total student body are students of color.

Requirements

The acceptance rate at DePaul is 68.2%

GPA → 3.7

SAT → 1050 -1260

ACT → 22-27

Sports

DePaul Athletics has built a culture of excellence both athletically and academically. Since the reorganization of the BIG EAST Conference in 2013-14, Blue Demon Athletics has won conference titles in more than 25% of the sports in which DePaul competes and collected more than 40% of all academic team awards.

Men → Basketball, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, Cross Country

Women → Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Track & Field, Cross Country

Clubs and Activities

DePaul has more than 350 student organizations dedicated to community service, student government, professional development, recreational sports and more. The easiest way to learn about all of DePaul's student organizations is to attend the semi-annual Student Involvement Fair. It's held at the beginning of the Fall and Winter quarters at both the Loop and Lincoln Park campuses. Some clubs students can join are 14 East Magazine, 3D Printing, Admin Club Sport, Art and Cultural Heritage Law Society and hundreds of others.

Olivia Boshold, a senior at Elmwood Park High School who has applied and visited DePaul.

Why did you decide to apply to DePaul?

“I decided to apply to DePaul because it is a city school, which is really an amazing factor because you get a chance to live and study in the heart of the city. As well as being close to home, I can easily visit my family and friends without having to travel for hours. The sense of community also made me decide to choose DePaul because it feels like the students and the administrators have a relationship that is beneficial to education”

What most stood out to you about DePaul when you went and visited?

“The thing that most stood out to me about DePaul when I visited was that it was in the heart of downtown, each student receives a transportation pass that allows them to use the trains and buses for “free” due to it being included in the tuition. This would allow me to truly get to know all of downtown and live in the city at a young age which would be a dream. Along with the four story library which is such an amazing space to study and allow for a quiet place to keep up with your classes.”

What aspects stood out to you that made you decide to want to go to DePaul, pros ?

“I am not sure yet if I want to attend DePaul, due to the fact that I am not sure if I want to stay this close to home or branch out and explore a different state. Yet it would be awesome to live in the city and be easily accessible when coming home, it would also be awesome to explore a different state and begin to learn how to live alone.”

What would you change about DePaul if you could?

“If I could change things about DePaul it would definitely be the population of the students along with the campus size. DePaul has lots of students, most of its students are commuting therefore you have a less populated campus, compared to big state schools that are filled with students everywhere. A reason why I would like the campus size to be larger is because I would like to see and participate in those big football games where the whole school comes together and supports their team.”

Cayla Atiles; a senior at Elmwood Park High School who has applied and visited DePaul.

Why did you decide to apply to DePaul?

“I chose to apply to DePaul because of some friends of mine who are currently attending the university. I have heard good things about the campus and education, so I thought about applying for a while. I also wanted to stay in state for college and schools close to the university, since it fits my major. Being close to the city allows for more opportunities regarding law so that was one of the key components in my decision process of schools to apply to.”

What most stood out to you about DePaul when you went and visited?

“The thing that most stood out to me was the community within it. As I toured the campus, I was able to see students living their daily lives and it just felt like home to me. The community had this sense of togetherness that I strive to have within a school setting, and that is exactly what DePaul had.”

What aspects stood out to you that made you decide to want to go to DePaul, pros ?

“One aspect that stood out to me at DePaul was the ambition the students there have. I’ve noticed with my college search that some teens are focused on having that “college experience” but personally, I want to attend an institution that focuses primarily on academics and leading me to success in my future. The location of DePaul and its campuses allows for various opportunities for all majors, and is truly an aspect that makes the university driven to lead its students to success.”

What would you change about DePaul if you could?

“The one and only thing I would change about DePaul is the transportation to classes in the city. As a student who plans to major in political science and take courses on the pre-law track, it requires me to travel by train to the loop campus which can be nerve wracking. Learning how to navigate within the city and by train is going to be something new for me but it’s nothing that can’t be handled.”

Wishing you all the best of luck on your journey of choices and admissions !

Sources:

“DePaul University.” DePaul University | DePaul University, Chicago, https://www.depaul.edu/Pages/default.aspx.