Juniata College
Reviews

Admission

It's a little bit tricky to get into the school. You have to show strong academics in high school and appear well rounded on a piece of paper. The admissions counselors are fantastic though. They will help you with any issue or concern. The application process is pretty nice. The essay is awesome because you can choose the topic and the application is online and standardized so you can use it for other schools.

Unbelievably Safe

Juniata College is one of the safest places I can think of. At first when you see the people that are used to it leaving their doors open and leaving their stuff everywhere you think "Wow. How stupid." However, after just a short time of being at Juniata you start doing the same things. Everyone there trusts each other, and have reason to. After one year of being there I haven't even heard of anyone stealing anything or breaking into anyone's room or dormitory. I can't imagine that any other college or university is like this.

Check Out Boxer's

Boxer's is a small restaurant/ bar. When you walk in you feel as if you are in a tavern. The walls are decorated with fun and interesting designs. The food is amazing and inexpensive!

I Feel Safe

I feel very safe on campus. I can leave my backpack in the library, unwatched, for hours at a time and know that nothing will happen to it. There is a comforting sense of trust with the other students. There have been a few vandalism acts with bicycles though...other than that it is a very safe campus.

Juniata Is Worldly

For being a small college of about 1,400 students, Juniata College has a very diverse campus. There are many exchange programs that Juniata is a part of, which brings in students from all over the world.

I fell in love with Juniata the...

I fell in love with Juniata the first time I visited, and I’ve been there three years and I’m still in love. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better college experience than the one I’m having. I bet nine out of ten JC alums would agree that it’s the best time of your life, not just because it’s college, but because it’s college at Juniata.

I’d never go somewhere else. I had...

I’d never go somewhere else. I had my doubts at times, but I know I’d never learn as much somewhere else as I did here. I had the best professors who really cared and the most amazing advisors. The variety of classes you can choose from and the flexibility in requirements is wonderful. I’ve met most of the best friends I’ve ever had at Juniata. I had so many opportunities to get involved and do what I wanted to relax from work. The worst thing? Being an out-of-state student who didn’t want to go home surrounded by people who ran home at least one weekend a month. But I got over it.

I love Juniata. I feel at home...

I love Juniata. I feel at home here. I can be confident in what I’m doing and take my own ideas and make them happen. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

The guys are hot. Very hot!...

The guys are hot. Very hot! Hahaha. The girls, for the most part (hate to say this), are not up to par.

How diverse is a loaf of white...

How diverse is a loaf of white bread? We have some diversity, and they’re trying really hard, but as of right now, there isn’t much. People talk about it all the time. We do have students from 31 countries, which is a hell of a lot of cultural diversity, if not ethnic.

Juniata is rather famous among its...

Juniata is rather famous among its students and faculty for not being diverse but wanting to be more than anything. The diversity levels are rather low, but Juniata is always pushing to include everyone. Since we’re located in central PA, it’s hard to find local diversity. There have been a few skirmishes between the ‘diverse’ students and those not used to being surrounded by diversity, but Juniata upholds and respects diversity and liberalness more than any other trait.

The facilities on campus are good...

The facilities on campus are good if not excellent. The dorms are nicely maintained as well as the grounds. The new arts center will soon be finished, and Von Liebig (RealBig) is a beautiful science center constructed a couple of years ago. However, there should be a new athletic center built because the present one is almost always reserved for athletes. I was frustrated many a time because I could not use the courts to play basketball during the winter due to indoor practices.

It depends on the sport. Ultimate...

It depends on the sport. Ultimate Frisbee is big. Volleyball is big. Same with basketball.

As a basketball player, I’m...

As a basketball player, I’m probably biased here. The hoops games usually draw a decent and loyal crowd. Volleyball games draw a nice crowd, too. Home football games are well-attended. And even if the games are not well-attended, most of the school, at least to me, seems genuinely interested that our teams do well.

Incredibly Helpful

Juniata is really committed to helping its students stay if at all possible. Most students who are doing well and committed get some kind of financial aid. It won't absolve you of debt, but the financial aid office will push you in the right direction for scholarships if you take the time to meet them. They have a long conversation with everyone there, and they're really patient (even if you're not feeling so much the same).

Small-Town but State College

Juniata's pretty mellow, although East can get kinda raucous. Most people who really want to party head over to State College on the weekend using the college provided shuttle. It's nice because you don't have to deal with drunks if you want to study, but it's there if you feel like a trip.

Excellent Resources and Transit

Our campus is amazingly well equipped for it's size. We have a very well maintained and large gym with many open rooms for student use. Our library communicates very readily with Penn State and other larger institutions to get students what they need. They also have very up to date labs, and food available at most times of day and night. There are lounges and space to think everywhere, and dorm accommodations are quite nice. The only thing I could change would be to give our museum and our tech resources more funding. But that will come with time and good press!

Great Financial Aid Office

The financial aid office is really great about getting all your papers filed promptly. They regularly update your "account balance" so you can check that at any point online to know what you owe, what you've paid, and it even breaks down all your scholarships too.

Great Networking

Since a large majority of Juniata students and alum chose Juniata over Penn State and our campus is so small, everyone feels very connected. As a result of this, alum are easy to contact when looking for internships and future jobs.

Transportation

Unless you want to go to state college on some random weekend (that the Office of Student Activities picks) on a bus (pretty decent price) there aren't many more options. Basically if you want to go anywhere you have a car, or a friend who has one.

Awesome Small Cozy School

Every one on the campus is super friendly. Since its a small campus, most of the professors know you by name, at least the ones in your major. Juniata also offers a unique approach to majors, we call the "POE's" or point of emphasis. If you want to combine a couple of different disciplines in one area you can almost create your own major, providing we have the classes to back up your claim. We also offer a great opportunity for anyone interested in science. There are tons of professors who are willing to put in the extra effort to help you succeed and there are plenty of opportunities to do research with your professors or in some cases independent research that the staff will help you through. It's a great school and I would recommend it to anyone interested in science related careers. However, it is also good for other majors as well, but I'm slightly biased since I'm a Biology major.

Most Are Close to Campus!

There are some college off-campus housing for some other options which are pretty nice. There is the Eco-house, Pink, 305, as well as a few other nice ones very close to campus. Also it seems like there is a good availability of off-campus housing. Other than that I've heard in some cases it's cheaper to live off campus, and the locals in town are friendly.

Overall Not Terrible, but Updates Are Coming in the Near Future!

Since its a small campus the dorms are never far away from any of your classes, which is good. Some of the dorms are older, but there is a master plan that is to be put into effect in the next 5 years for newer dorm buildings/updates. Most all of the dorms except one, Sunderland, had plenty of closet space and a center console on one wall with mirrors, small shelves, and lots of storage. But Sunderland also has its benefits due to its freedom to move all the furniture to match your personality as they have desks, spacious wardrobes, and nightstands. Lesher, the all girl dorm, probably has the biggest and nicest rooms if you're a girl that is, but don't worry as boys are allowed to come and go as they please. East housing has suites with 2-4 dorms attached to a common room and its own private bathroom. Sherwood would probably be the worst because it's one of the older dorms and the rooms are a bit smaller. Each dorm building has a nice lounge that's a good place to relax and do work on couches and hang with friends. TNT has a piano in the lounge as well as ping pong tables. All the dorms have laundry capabilities and kitchens equipped with a stove/sink/microwave/fridge, however South dorm only has a sink/fridge/microwave. The good part about the campus is that its super safe, students usually leave their laptops lying anywhere without any fear of someone getting greedy.

Juniata is a healthy and safe school

Juniata has a health and wellness center opened for students. They provide all sorts of counseling and health monitoring for students on a weekly basis. The center is also right on campus, convenient for students. A hospital and doctors office is also miles away from the college.

In regards to safety, Juniata is a very safe environment. Student cards are required in order to enter a dormitory. If a student does not have a card a student will not be able to enter the building. Additionally, Juniata College Public Safety is in a central building on campus constantly monitoring the area. Overall, Juniata is a very safe environment.

Typical Pennsylvanian weather

The weather in central pennsylvania is very "on and off." The winter is cold and the summer is hot. Facilities do a good job of keeping snow cleared off the sidewalks and roads for the most part. Other than that, it will generally snow for a couple months, then move into milder weather, and then become fairly hot. The weather is very typical, seasonal weather. However, if a student is from states such as California or Florida, it might be a bit of a culture shock from them in regards to the weather.