Philadelphia, PA: If you feel hesitant about going to college in a big city, after hearing about Drexel University you may change your mind. Drexel, located in Philadelphia, has everything that a college should offer a student. Its beautifully landscaped campus and a variety of majors are just the start of why Drexel is an all-around great choice for college.

The university itself is located in the city, a community of over one million, so meeting people should never be a problem. There are over 12,000 undergraduate students, and with half from out of state, it’s almost a guarantee to find someone like you.

And there’s always something to do. Drexel offers over 60 majors; there are also more than 20 sports. The tennis, basketball, soccer, and wrestling teams are all Division I. An interesting fact I learned while visiting is that Drexel’s paintball team beat West Point in a tournament!

Don’t think that because Drexel is located in the city of Philadelphia there will be 360 degrees of concrete. The campus has many features of any suburban campus, including large grassy areas and spots for lounging or studying. It also has emergency boxes, easily spotted from anywhere on campus. These boxes also contain information buttons in case you need help with directions or would like to be escorted if it’s dark or you feel unsafe.

On-campus living is extremely popular (83 percent of first-year students opt for it). Visiting the dorms, I was actually taken aback - I’m not a fan of dorms but, surprisingly, found these weren’t bad at all. You have opportunities to pick your roommate, change your roommate, and the living space isn’t huge but each room has its own large bay window.

Drexel also encourages its students to get out and enjoy wonderful Philadelphia. All students get an ID, so you can take transportation directly into the city. They also offer free museum admission on certain days with your Drexel ID.

The college wants you to be involved with other students in the dorms, so there are movie nights and floor activity rooms with pool tables and televisions.

I think that not only has the academic aspect of the college drawn me in, but the campus activities and advantages to being a Drexel student are amazing.

I’ll admit that at first I was hesitant to look at Drexel because of my preconceived notion of it being a city school, but my opinion has changed. Visiting broke down these ideas and Drexel proved that a city college can be just as nice as any college. I would definitely recommend visiting Drexel and considering it as an option for a college choice in the future.

Go online for more information at drexel.edu.