Wilkes University
Reviews

Dining at Wilkes

Dining at Wilkes University I think has been very good! A tremendous amount of variety is available. From soups, salads, classic meals to international, sandwiches and pizza. The cafe is a great place to go and be with your friends and eat a meal. Sometimes there may be days that you won't really want what they have, but that's why there is always something you can resort to like a salad or just pizza.

Varsity sports are important to...

Varsity sports are important to the people who play them. Football is the major sport but there are others. Intramural sports exist somewhere, but I am not sure I would be able to find them even if I had a map.

There are no sororities or...

There are no sororities or fraternities, however I am on the programming board and know first hand how much the University emphasizes allowing students to be able to enjoy themselves without using alchohol or a spending great deal of money. Comedians, bands, TV stars, etc., all come to perform at numerous times during the semester.

I transferred from West Chester...

I transferred from West Chester University and am entirely satisfied by the change. The University is close knit, and I feel as though I have a personal relationship with the professors and faculty. Academics is key, and learning is exciting. I enjoy participating in extra curricular activities as a means of becomming more involved in my school. I have a great deal of pride in Wilkes University.

Varsity sports at Wilkes have a...

Varsity sports at Wilkes have a closer relationship to high school sports than college. The athletes' attitudes are very close to the attitudes of high school athletes. Intramural sports resemble physical education classes in high school with the same rewards and feelings.

Greek life is not at Wilkes...

Greek life is not at Wilkes University. This is one of that major reasons I like the school so much. There isn't any pressure to join a certain social group. I personally believe Greek life to be for those socially inept.

Well, it depends on the student....

Well, it depends on the student. If the guy plays a sport, he is usually surrounded by a bunch of other guys and is usually loud. If a girl plays a sport, she usually wears sweatpants and a sweatshirt five days a week, has unusually messy hair, and is always surrounded by a bunch of her teammates. For the most part, I've seen a lot of good-looking guys and girls. That's to be expected, I guess, since everyone isn't from Wilkes-Barre.

They are pretty strict and will...

They are pretty strict and will bust up a party if they know one's going on. However, sometimes they will just tell you to leave without giving any serious punishment as long as you aren't doing anything too bad.

My biggest mistake at Wilkes was...

My biggest mistake at Wilkes was choosing to stay on campus for two years. Wilkes is a tiny, but quality school if you learn to live here the right way. Living on campus is almost like living under a magnifying glass, but off campus you are free to study and socialize without worrying about being too loud or any number of the restricted things on campus.

We have cracked down much harder...

We have cracked down much harder on underage drinking. The first time you are caught on campus you will typically receive a hefty fine and a letter home, and you have to attend a mandatory alcohol class. Keep in mind, they can call the cops, and in PA anyone in the presence of alcohol can be cited with an underage. Drugs are a no-tolerance policy on campus; the police will be called immediately.

I wouldn't come to Wilkes if I...

I wouldn't come to Wilkes if I could do it over again. I would like to have gone to a bigger school in a better city. It's great to have a small group of friends, but there is way too much drama, and everyone knows everything about everyone.

Varsity sports are D-III and don't...

Varsity sports are D-III and don't pull very big crowds. All athletic events versus King's College are heavily attended and are big rivalry games, no matter what the record of each team is. We have a strength and conditioning coach that customizes workouts for each sport, and in some cases individuals. Intramural sports are pretty popular with everybody on campus and are a lot of fun.

Restaurants in the area are great....

Restaurants in the area are great. You can find many types of food at a reasonable price. There are a few restaurants within walking distance, but many of them could be far for some people. The shuttle drops students off at the bookstore, which is very close to many of the good restaurants. Januzzi's, Rodano's, and Katana are some of the good places to eat near campus.

Very convenient and very...

Very convenient and very affordable. I paid roughly $10,000 for room and board freshman year, and since then I pay only about $5,000. It is very easy to get in touch with landlords to find places. Our off-campus council also has a new Web site that can help students find housing now, so it's even easier. So yes, it's definitely worth it.

There are a lot of varsity sports...

There are a lot of varsity sports on campus. The most popular one is football by far, then basketball and baseball/softball when it starts to get warmer. I played softball my first two years here before I got injured and stopped playing, and I always had enough time to do my work, even though it was tough at times. There are tons of intramural sports here as well, and people are really competitive. There's basketball, soccer, and softball, among others.

Wilkes has a shuttle that will...

Wilkes has a shuttle that will take you from campus to the parking lot across the bridge, and there is a Martz bus station in the square right next to campus if you want to go on a bus trip anywhere. Public transportation, though, is not commonly used in Wilkes-Barre. Most students bring their cars up with them.

There are tons of fast food,...

There are tons of fast food, Chinese, and pizza places within walking distance from campus. Katana in the square is a great hibachi-style restaurant, and Bart and Urbys has a great happy hour during the week where you could grab dinner and a few drinks after class for under $15. If you have a car, there are tons of eat-in restaurants like Applebees, Olive Garden, Chili's, Red Lobster, etc. within 10-15 minutes from campus.

Public safety is strict with...

Public safety is strict with ticketing if you are parked in a lot without a parking permit. They aren't too bad with drinking, though. They won't stop you walking home if you look drunk, but if you are in a campus building and seem sick, they will call the paramedics. We don't have campus police, so any legal issues will go through the township police department. Not too many parties get busted because it's such a small campus. I've been to a number of parties where the cops stop by and tell you to quiet down or they'll have to come back.

I've never used public...

I've never used public transportation in Wilkes Barre. I do like that Wilkes provides the free taxi service if you're somewhere and you've been drinking or you feel unsafe. But I think they need to make students more aware that it's available and how to use it.

There is very little Greek life,...

There is very little Greek life, since Wilkes does not endorse social fraternities. There are professional fraternities for various departments. I am personally involved in Sigma Alpha Pi, the National Society for Leadership and Success, and Lambda Kappa Sigma, a pharmacy school fraternity. Both are fun and welcoming, but neither have any hazing procedures.

Wilkes does not have any social...

Wilkes does not have any social fraternities or sororities on campus. If you come here for pharmacy, there are two professional fraternities that you can choose, Lambda Kappa Sigma or Kappa Psi. Also, many majors do have leadership or other clubs that are Greek-related but not fraternal.

Get a car if you like to have a...

Get a car if you like to have a lot of options, otherwise you at least have a B&N, a few drugstores, and a few bars. You can survive and have a social life without a car, but it does help. In terms of public transportation, there isn't too much. There's a bus downtown that I have yet to ever see a student take.

There is a very small amount of...

There is a very small amount of subcultural diversity on campus---small enough that it's still possible for the kid who dresses a little different to feel like the odd one out. Ethnic diversity is increasing though, in terms of guys and girls, which is nice to see.

There is plenty of off-campus...

There is plenty of off-campus housing, but ever since University Towers was purchased by the University, rent prices have gone up drastically. There are two primary renters, University Commons and Changing Skies. Changing Skies' various apartments are overpriced for the amount of space you get. University Commons has also raised their prices since they sold University Towers to Wilkes. For a two-bedroom apartment, it used to cost $620 for two people or $670 for three. Now it costs $760 for two or $930 for three in the same apartment when not much has been done to change the place.

Overall, Wilkes is a decent...

Overall, Wilkes is a decent school. I personally went to it to save money dorming elsewhere. If I did college over again, I'd probably make the same decision because the communications department is really good with all the extra curricular activities to get involved with.