In the recently released 2020 Princeton Review surveys, students were asked how strongly they agree with the following statement: “I am happy at my university.” St. John’s was ranked 5th place for Least Happy Students, with Xavier University of Louisiana ranked 1st. In response, the Torch conducted a survey around campus and asked 117 students whether or not they were happy at SJU and why.
Although the majority of the students replied “yes,” they were quick to mention that St. John’s has much to improve. Some of the widely mentioned issues included:
- Limited dining options on campus
- Overwhelming course load
- Not commuter-friendly
- Underfunded Science department
- Concerns with Public Safety
- Lack of Regular-Student Job Opportunities
- Dorm maintenance
- Lack of guidance from faculty and administration
Back in 2013, the Princeton Review ranked SJU 17th for Least Happy students on campus. There’s no telling what has contributed to the 12-place jump, but the concerns that students listed have partially been addressed in the many renovations that happened on the Queens campus in the last three months. If about 83% of students surveyed feel happy with St. John’s, the issue seems to lie in comparison to the happiness of students at other universities.
