Canisius College Snapshot

I mean, it's not the safest place. I'm from a big city and I don't think Buffalo is generally quite as safe as where I am from, but it's not too bad. Don't walk around at night, and try not to go places alone unless you know the area. There are occasional break-ins, etc., but nothing awful, and the crime that does take place around the school never seems to involve Canisius students. Never a huge worry. The campus is definitely safe, as long as you don't go walking down Delavan alone at night or something. I had a good experience with campus safety at Canisius. Also, if you need to go somewhere on campus late at night (Like, from Village to Delavan), you can just call Public Safety, and they'll pick you up. It's no Wisteria Lane, but you really don't have to worry about your safety, either. Just be smart.

If the area outside the school you mean the city of Buffalo than yes, it is not the safest place. But then again, no big city is if you do not know how to handle yourself properly. However, if you meant the area and neighborhoods right around the school then my answer becomes rather mixed. The first few blocks, Forest Lawn Cemetery, and Delaware Park are all safe places to walk. Public Safety at Canisius does a very good job at keeping students safe. I will be honest, there has been some crime within I'd say about a mile radius of the school in recent years, but not very often and not involving students. I feel safe driving almost anywhere in Buffalo. When walking anywhere, day or night, I prefer to be with friends.

This really isn't true. Sure, there are a lot of specialty majors at Canisius that cannot be found in many other places and most of the major are small because of the size of the school, but that doesn't mean that Canisius is lacking in options. There are many programs that are very good even when compared to larger school that are very popular throughout the country like biology, international business, and finance. In fact, Canisius' small size means more options for research, involvement outside the classroom, and networking opportunities for every student that looks for them or desires such experiences.

See, I would personally disagree with the above. My experience was that it was difficult to find research BECAUSE Canisius was so small, and labs were small. Canisius is average as far as majors (although, the B I gave Canisius is technically above average). They have Biology, finance, etc., but what college doesn't?

All of the people I know who wanted research are on teams and have even been awarded CEEP, or the Canisius Earning Excellence Program, and are getting paid to do research. If you really want research experience, I feel like you should be able to find it. It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but it is still experience. It is crucial to connect with professors and build networking relationships as early as your Freshman year, which is much easier at a small school like Canisius. I was pointing out those majors, such as Biology, to show that you can often get a better experience at a smaller school even in big majors that could potentially be found anywhere. And what other college has things like the Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation program at Canisius? I will agree that it depends on what you are looking for, however, Canisius certainly has numerous unique and quality options as far as majors and out of classroom experiences go.

I guess the only thing that I would have to add, was that I still had an opposing experience to the one you are describing, despite the fact that I began looking for research freshman year. I also knew plenty of people that couldn't find labs, because they were full. I think the opportunities certainly can be there if you look for them at the right time and in the right place, but I disagree that these opportunities are available to everyone who actively and persistently seeks them. I also would caution that just because a classroom is small, doesn't necessarily gaurantee better instruction. I've had both class sizes, and it never really seemed to make a difference. If you want a lot of personal attention, of all kinds, it's great. However, that kind of attention at a small school does have its pitfalls, just like a large class size at a large school does. I wouldn't argue that smaller is necessarily better, and that anyone applying should be aware that that is something to consider. If smaller is for you, Canisius is perfect, but that doesn't mean the education a person receives will necessarily be better.

and would add that anyone applying* sorry, that typo changed the meaning of my sentence.

There are plenty of options to get involved religiously, such as mass and service trips, but you do not have to participate in anything if you don't want to. I'm also Christian, but not Catholic and so I occasionally go to mass and participate in service projects. I don't ever feel left out when I don't do these things however as there are many students at Canisius that aren't religious at all. There are plenty of activities to do on campus that are not religiously affiliated as well.

I don't think you would feel out of place at all. There are many other activities on campus not related to religion.

Not really, at all. Campus ministry is great, but not crazy religious. Religion doesn't really play into academics, other than the core curriculum, and even that's not super religious.

There are lots of options, including a Subway, Tim Hortons, a campus run pizza place, dining hall, and sports bar type place. By sophomore year I was getting a little tired of dinner options, but I felt like I could always find something good for breakfast and lunch. There are several grocery stores nearby and there is a shuttle that will take you to them most weekends, so cooking is also a practical option. Overall, I feel that the food at Canisius may not always be the best, but it is better than most schools.