The University of St. Francis describes itself as a Roman Catholic college "rooted in the liberal arts." It requires all of its roughly 1,000 undergrads to take core courses in communication, philosophy, religion and statistics. Located in Joliet, Illinois, about 35 miles southwest of Chicago, the university has small classes with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1.
Most students receive institutional financial aid to bring down the sticker price: The school says 98% of first-year students received some financial aid, and Illinois residents receive about $28,000 in gift aid.
The University of St. Francis offers some unusual programs, including a concentration in digital and recording arts, and its campus culture prizes music, hosting several ensembles such as choral group Singing Saints.
Greek life is a relatively small and new aspect of student life — it’s only been on campus since 2014 — but students interested in joining will find opportunities to do so. Otherwise, there’s a plethora of other school organizations to participate in, from the yoga club to the social work club to the student nurses association.
