Seattle Pacific University Reviews

"Regret that I chose to go here. The tuition is very high, yet the school doesn't offer much at all. The facilities are old and low budget. Sports teams, clubs, and school events are lousy. Few classes are offered- some required courses are only offered once every other year. The students are very spoiled, snobby, and unkind."

"Overall, I really enjoyed the program at Seattle Pacific University. The Music department was a friendly and welcoming place, and I really enjoyed the variety of options for choirs and ensembles to get a lot of experience performing. A particularly sunny spot for me was the Percussion Ensemble- led by the fantastic Dan Adams. Getting to travel with these musicians and bonding together was a cherished part of my education, and with it I gained lifelong friends."

"I transferred to Seattle Pacific University half way through my degree. While it was a difficult community to break into as a transfer student, eventually the school, students, and professors came to be my home. Professors seemed to not only thoroughly love the topics they were teaching, but also be practicing in the field."

"I love that Seattle Pacific University has a cohort-based curriculum towards its therapy program. The cohort is small, about 30 students so everyone has the chance to personally interact with everyone in their cohort. I also appreciate that the 2nd year and 3rd year courses are combined initially so that peers can learn from each other's experiences (especially those who have already begun their internships and can offer advice). Faculty is very approachable and every instructor I've had is on a first name basis (this is drastically different compared to my undergrad experience with over 30,000 students). Instructors, not only know all their students names, but they genuinely care. They will take the time to reach out and assist you if you have personal hardships that interfere with your academics. While this is a Christian based university (and while I identify as agnostic) I never feel inhibited or unwelcome among my instructors and peers. If anything, I've appreciated the assignments that ask students to question their faith and their own epistemology. This not only educates Christians about their own beliefs, but also asks any person to consider their current beliefs and how that influences interactions with others (very important for future therapists to recognize). What really made me interested in Seattle Pacific University is that the counseling program takes into consideration a person's well being goes beyond their physical, mental, even emotional states and includes their spirituality as well. I feel grateful that I will be exposed to counseling techniques/topics that are not as widely explored in other graduate therapy programs."

"I was so happy with my experience. My instructors were so invested in us as students and committed to preparing us for our roles as educators. I felt very prepared when my program was over"

"I was not sure what to expect with attending SPU. I went to a private Catholic university for my undergraduate degree, and wanted a similar environment for my graduate school experience. I was not affiliated with the faith that SPU is based on, so I was hesitant about possibly feeling ostracized. That was not the case. Although it did take some adjustment, I found the faith-based education warm, welcoming and very supportive. I started looking beyond the literal message and saw the reminders of this faith coming from a true interest in seeing me succeed in my education and life. The campus is beautiful. I feel very safe here, the presence of campus security is frequent and reassuring. Due to unfortunate past events on campus, security is obviously a strong priority of the university. SPU is fantastic about alerting the campus about any potential changes that could impact the day. The faculty is great, easily accessible and supportive. I can only speak for the graduate program, but the students I have encountered are amazing. Not only did I have supportive staff to encourage me along this difficult academic endeavor, but I made some life long friends in this program. I am set to graduate in June and feel SPU has really prepared me for the real world. I am so glad I chose to go here for my graduate degree. I highly recommend it."

"I have appreciated the small class size which is very helpful in facilitating relationships with fellow students and faculty. Faculty are there to assist with helping students network and find jobs in their field of choice. Faculty and administration are very responsive. Wide variety of classes offered each quarter"

"I liked the idea of a Christian liberal arts college. I made meaningful relationships with teachers and staff. My university president was reachable and knew me personally. I wished it was more diverse, but overall I had a great time there. Definitely go there if you want a small tight knit community."

"The best thing about the school was the close knit community. The worst thing about it was that it's hard to get out of the "bubble" at the school."

"Seattle Pacific University offers graduate programs in which students find themselves integrated into the community that surrounds the campus, whether that be in working with nonprofits, homeless groups, or with the most savvy professionals in your respective field. In my program specifically, a vast network supports student endeavors in the classroom, in the community, and across the nation. Frankly, the greatest con is the religious foundations on which SPU is founded, as it often leads to conversations that are less than balanced."

"Seattle Pacific University offers more than just classes. It's classes in the subjects you're interested in but with an eternal perspective, because we're about engaging culture with our lives."

"Great college. For many, it is a great place to develop a close group of friends. Great professors. Coming out of SPU, you are exposed to many different views with little to no biases. They try hard to display the facts."

"I love attending SPU. It is an evironment filled with great people who really aim to make a difference with their talents, for the greater community . I have been able to connect with the professors and staff on a personal level that I could not get elsewhere. I have grown SO much in the little time that I have been here and I look up to my advisors and professors with a fond admiration."

"While the Marriage & Family Therapy program at SPU is rather costly, it is an excellent program with faculty that are truly invested in the lives & education of their students. I love the environment and culture that the program provides, along with equipping me for my future career in therapy."

"The greatest pro of this program is it's contribution to students' clinical development. Many doctorate level clinical psychology programs focus on research solely and care little about the clinical development of the students. After interviewing at two other schools, I felt as though the other schools almost used the students for research output as opposed to developing their independent goals. However, these schools provided much more funding, therefore the students serve as professionals in their field and have an obligation to contribute to the academic world of psychology. That being said, there are few opportunities at SPU for grants and funding outside of loans. While we are being trained more heavily than in other programs, we are simultaneously contributing to the research, with each student publishing about three articles on average, by the end of the program. Therefore, a con of our program is the lack of grants/funding. Additionally, there are few teaching opportunities or trainings. Many clinical psychologists, including myself, have the ultimate goal of contributing to future generations of psychologists. Other programs provide courses in preparation for professorship and also provide multiple TA positions at the very least. Here at SPU, there is a high level of competition to obtain any TA position. That being said, I have managed to teach twice in the 1.5 years I have attended."

"the pros are it's a small university with accessibility to teachers and the con is the high cost of tuition which makes going there financially difficult."

"My graduate program is an excellent program for developing clinical skills. However, i do wish we had more accesability to the factulty and perhaps a little more continuity between our internship and academic load. The program is well planned and thought out however, the student diversity is very low. Overall it is an excellent program. There a few areas our program could make better."

"Overall, it is a great program! The faculty has important connections and gives us all support we need. It is an exciting intensive program with the opportunity to a Study Abroad program that brings a global perspective to business. It is expensive, but I believe it is a competitive price since it is an intensive program."

"Seattle Pacific University provides an education that is a worth-while investment by offering academically challenging courses taught by knowledgeable professors who show care for their students in and out of the classroom."

"SPU is an amazing faith based community with an incredibly strong academic program and an awesome student life program!"