I visited the University of Delaware in April for a few hours.

Situated on a large, beautifully landscaped campus, the University has large brick buildings, shady walkways, and a bustling, exciting atmosphere. The college town of Newark (Delaware) is a rather quaint town with shops and small restaurants suited to satisfy the needs of its 16,000 students. In some areas, the university seems to have taken over the town!

I was impressed with this state university. Overall, the library was spacious and modern, equipped with up-to-date facilities for the students' use. It was populated with busy students writing papers in the computer lab, doing research with microfiche, and some just hanging out near the magazine section! There are several storeys with 1,700,000 volumes. Unfortunately, the student union building wasn't quite as nice. There didn't seem to be one obvious place for kids to hang out or grab a bite to eat. The school store was well-equipped to serve all the students. The athletic facilities are separate from the college, about a seven minute shuttle bus trip. The sports area includes an ice arena, a sports building, fieldhouses, a stadium, pools, and other facilities for the students' use.

According to some students, there seems to be a heavy emphasis on local nightlife at bars, clubs and other parties off campus. On the other hand, there are many lectures and social events held on campus, which include a "Spring Fling" and Delaware football games with tailgate parties.

The students and the faculty were very friendly and went out of their way to make visitors feel welcome at their school. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and were able to answer all our questions.

The best aspect of this university was the obvious presence of the students. I couldn't believe all the exciting, bustling activity. The student life is obviously diverse and interesting. The people themselves resemble all walks of life.

Overall, the University of Delaware seems like a great school. The competitive nature attracts the 60% out-of-staters who attend. If you're interested, the best way to find out more is to visit.




Reviewed in 1990