Providence College, founded in 1917, is the nation's only university administered by the Catholic Dominican friars. The college is located atop Smith Hill in the city of Providence, Rhode Island's capital; as such, about 10% of undergrads are from Rhode Island (another 56% are from New England in general).
In the classroom, the roughly 4,200 undergrads find the coursework generally fulfilling, but they express some mixed feelings about the college's Development of Western Civilization requirement, or "Civ," because of the sizable course load necessary to complete it. The average class size at Providence College is 20 people; its most popular majors include finance, marketing, biology, and business administration.
There is no Greek scene on campus, but students enjoy an active social life. The bars near campus are the go-to hangouts, and students who want more nightlife can travel an hour away to Boston. On campus, there's nearly always a game to attend thanks to the school's varsity sports — the men’s basketball team won the 2022 Big East regular-season title — and a vibrant set of recreational sports — more than half of students play on an intramural team.
Ring Weekend, an annual two-day bash themed around senior class rings, dates back to 1966, and basketball season kickoffs feature performances from big musical acts like John Legend and Ludacris.
