Reviews

Something that CNU prides itself upon is the fact that its classes are small. On average a class will have 25 students in it, which encourages students to interact with their professors and makes it much easier to obtain help when it is needed. Professors are able to do things more hands-on with each student which makes it simple and a lot more fun to learn than in a lecture-based class.

CNU's campus is absolutely beautiful! All of the facilities including the DSU, Ferguson Center, and the Trible Library are new, spectacular, and state of the art. The location is exemplary in that it is just a short drive away from beaches and historic sights such as Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, and Water Country USA. Not only is it a wonderful and prestigious university its location also provides it with excellent recreation.

If you are looking for a small campus with state of the art facilities, ideal location, and small classes than CNU is the place for you. Do not attend CNU if you are going to college for the sole purpose of partying, because it is a school known for its great education, not its party scene.

CNU is the best place for students who enjoy being involved in school activities, who enjoy getting to know their professors and working hands on in class rather than in a lecture hall, who are interested in a small campus rather than large, and who want to attend a school that is becoming one of the most esteemed and respected universities in the country.

Christopher Newport offers a number of programs that can help you enhance your educational opportunities, such as the Honors Program or the Presidents Leadership Program. I am lucky enough to be involved in both of these programs. The academic classes, seminars, and opportunities offered by these programs greatly enhance the quality of the school. However, even if you are not involved in programs such as these, classes are generally taught by professors (not graduate students) who know their subject well. Most are willing to meet with you outside of class during their office hours, and many will even set up appointments outside of their scheduled times, if you ask. Class sizes are also small, which allows you and the professor to gain a closer relationship. I have just finished my first semester and already have had two of my professors write letters of recommendation for me. Overall, I have found the academics to be challenging, but not overwhelming.

CNU’s location on the James River and its proximity to Virginia Beach (about a half hour drive) gives students a wide range of different recreational opportunities off campus. One weekend this fall, my roommate’s girlfriend came to visit. She attends a large, urban college in Virginia. As we were taking her on a tour of the campus, we walked past students in the front lawn of the York River Residence Halls. They were throwing Frisbees, playing the guitar, having picnics, and laughing and generally having a good time, as the day was warm and sunny. She noted that at her school, the atmosphere was much different. She said that if you even so much as stepped outside, you would never see such activities, and were more likely to get mugged than meet new friends. I joked that at CNU, kisses and gumdrops tend to just fall from the sky. At that moment, my roommate bent down, and picked up a sticker of a kiss off the ground. “See,” I told her, “I wasn’t lying,” and we continued our tour.

While I don’t want to give the impression that I would like to pay more money, after having visited other schools in Virginia (including many private schools), I found that CNU had the most amenities to offer. The dorm rooms are larger than most schools, and you can even control the temperature of your own room. They are air conditioned, wired for internet and cable, and even come with a refrigerator/freezer and microwave. The second floor of the David Student Union has a number of pool tables, an air hockey table, and a foosball table that are open to students for most of the day. The campus also has two separate dining halls, Regatta’s and the Commons, and both are all you can eat. Regatta’s is more formal, and they regularly serve steak, and sometimes even crab legs, while the Commons provides a more cafeteria-like feel.

CNU’s campus is well kept and well structured so new students rarely have trouble finding where they need to go for class. However, the University is regularly updating their buildings, constructing new ones and tearing down the old. Though that is not a bad thing, as a result there is a lot of construction, which can sometimes make it confusing because one day you will be able to walk into a building from one side, and the next the entrance will be blocked off. But if you leave for class early enough, this is usually not a problem. The Newport News area also gets a significant amount of rain, so a good jacket with a hood is definitely useful.

CNU is an up and coming school both in regards to academics and extracurricular opportunities. If you are someone who wants to be involved while still being academically challenged, then Christopher Newport is the school for you. CNU is also a fairly small school, so it’s great for students who want to be noticed as an individual rather than just a member of a large class group.

At CNU we are definitely a tight-knit community and a family. The courses are challenging and inspiring, and taught by top-of-the-line professors who truly care about the success of each student. Any student looking for an academic challenge, strong relationships, and opportunities to get involved and stay involved should consider CNU.

Do not be afraid to go up and introduce yourself to people, be it on a tour or during orientation; you might make an important connection! College is a chance for a fresh start, but always stay true to yourself. Go in with an open-mind rather than boxing yourself into expectations. Regardless of your current opinion on greek life, give it a chance-you do not have to join, but CNU greek life may surprise you. If you fall in love with the campus it is not a coincidence-you belong here!

The professors challenge and inspire you-but they are also there to help! Do not be afraid to ask questions and visit them during their office hours.

Our residence life team is impeccable. They all aim to give each student the best living experience possible. The residence halls are top-of-the-line and constantly improving. The living situation is great.

The food overall is quite good, but it does get repetitive and there are only two dining halls. They are constantly coming up with new healthy options, but it is sometimes difficult to eat healthy all the time at CNU.

Campus Activities Board has free, safe, and alcohol-free events every weekend. They are always bringing in artists (like Sara Bareilles) and comedians. They also host life-sized board games and wonderful speakers. Fraternities and Sororities are also very involved in campus-life, and often host events like sing-offs and shows.

CNU is expensive, but compared to other universities of that caliber they really do deliver a quality experience.

As a freshman, every student signs the honor code and receives a penny. After graduation, the seniors throw these pennies into the fountain. It is a huge honor, and a symbol that they have upheld the values of CNU throughout their undergraduate experience.

Students who want one-on-one experience with professors, a friendly and small community, a voice in their education, and a chance to get involved should consider CNU.

There is a club or activity for everyone-be it music, sports, or even cigars! If a student has an interest that is not already represented, it is very easy to create a club or activity and to gain campus support for it.

Greek life is prevalent, and growing. They are a community within our community, and support one another as well as the campus. It is easy to get involved in Greek life, and they are very accepting. For those who do not want to be involved, there is plenty to do outside of Greek life as well.

CNU has a text-alert system whenever the CNU PD finds or reports suspicious activity. If anyone feels threatened at any time, they can press one of the blue buttons located around campus and receive immediate police assistance. The residence halls are always attended by front desk assistants or police aids. Overall, most students feel safe on campus.

cnu is a very inviting and unique school. the friendly environment welcomes every student and visitor with open arms. the campus is gorgeous and the professors are superb!

some tips would be to read the various chapters in the textbook as the professor is teaching the lesson because it will allow the student to better understand what is going on in the class.

cnu's academics challenges its students. however, the professors are very understanding when it comes to extra curricular activities so the work load is pretty manageable.

the dorms are a bit small, however, it is not a big issue. hall mates are very understanding of each other's schedule times so when quiet hours are in session, there is little noise.

the food here is absolutely fantastic! however, the only bad part is that students are only allowed one meal swipe per meal time even though the student may have 3 swipes per day. if the card is not swiped once for each mean, it is lost for ever.

there is an amazing array of activities for students to take part in. for example, i am in santoro hall council as well as the mixed martial arts team.

cnu is very expensive. however, the quality of education as well as the beautiful scenery is very well worth every dollar!

cnu has what we call a 'blue crew' which is present at all sport games in order to show our cnu's spirit and pride.

cnu is great for all students. no exceptions.

clubs like martial arts club, coloring club, as well as hall council allows more introverted students, like myself, feel more in touch with the school.

there are many sororities and fraternities here at cnu. each are welcoming, although they do not interest me very much.

cnu is very very safe! all students are respectful of each other's belongings and there are campus police vehicles around at all times.

The strong liberal learning core lets you take a lot of different classes and helps you to learn outside your major from amazing professors. The classes are challenging but interesting and the professors are absolutely wonderful!

There is so much to do around campus! There are lots of clubs with a wide variety of interests and it's easy to start a new one. Campus Activities Board (CAB) has events every weekend on campus for free. Everyone is really friendly and it has a great sense of community!

As an in-state student, absolutely! I am getting a great education and living in a beautiful residence hall at an affordable cost. I don't know much about out-of-state costs so it could be different.

The campus is beautiful and mostly new, but construction isn't a problem and isn't in the way.
Rainboots are a good idea, it rains a lot in the winter and early spring instead of snowing.

You have to be willing to get involved. Professors will know your name, even in big classes, and they'll notice when you skip class and aren't trying. It's also not the kind of school where you only go to class, most people seem to be involved in a club or two at least.

Almost all of the departments at CNU are filled with staff members who have at least one PhD or higher. All of the professors are highly qualified in their fields. There is also the chance for undergraduate research, which is a huge learning experience and is usually not available to freshmen and sophomores. The teachers here want you to do well, and are really involved with your learning and are passionate about teaching.

I love being at CNU! I've been a member of the cheerleading team and have loved being involved in athletics. There is so much to do here, it's really easy to get involved and make friends. The athletic program is really excellent, and there are a ton of clubs to participate in. And if there is something you'd like to do but a club doesn't exist, you can start your own club! There's even a coloring club on campus! It's so much fun and there is so much to do with your free time at CNU.

CNU is the most expensive public school in VA. That being said, there are brand new dorms and brand new buildings and classrooms, with more being put up all over campus. The fitness pavilion has been recently expanded, and a brand new science building (complete with cadaver lab! Ah!) is nearing completion (it will be open for classes in Fall of 2011).

GPA and SAT scores are definitely important. When I applied, however, my GPA and SAT scores were okay, but I was definitely no valedictorian. CNU loves students who are involved and passionate about something - whether its school, sports, religion, etc. If you show CNU that you are passionate about something and that that passion can contribute to the CNU community, you have a much better chance of getting in.

CNU is perfect for students who want to attend a small school - but not too small. Students and professors know each others names at CNU. You are not just another face in a classroom. Classroom sizes are usually very small compared to most colleges. I have actually been very close with my advisor, he has helped me through my transition into college. I am not afraid to approach any of my teachers for help, which is great! If you want to actually talk to your professors, this is the place to be!

I have learned a lot while attending CNU for only one semester. I can tell the professors actually care about the grades their students get and will work with you well. They always have office hours for students to come and talk about grades. Another thing is the small class sizes which allows the professors to spend individual time with students and it really helps. Also, I am living on a freshman hall where mostly everybody is in over half of my classes so there is always somebody to help you out and CNU does a great job of grouping these students.

I have enjoyed being at CNU. The campus is beautiful and while construction is going on currently it will be very nice when it is all complete. It is one of the better looking college campuses I have been to. There is always something going on from the CAB events held on the weekends and the sporting events on various days. The sports teams are also good so it is fun to go and cheer for them.

I would say it is about average on the price range. It's nowhere close to the private colleges but I'm sure there are cheaper out there. I will say the dorms are excellent and way better than any other dorm that I have been in. The food is also very good and I have not ate in other dining halls but from people that have visited, CNU's dining is much better than theirs. So this being said, I would say coming to CNU is worth the money as everything seems to be a little nicer.

The classes here were as difficult as I had expected. They are at a higher level than the ones in high school. I am learning about things I did in high school, however, the pace is much quicker and there are more details.

I love this place! Yes, it is stressful at times, but there are plenty of opportunities to get out and do something to get away from the stress for a while. There are tons of clubs and the student activity board CAB does a wonderful job putting together themed weekends for everyone. Plus, if you want to so something off campus, there are plenty of different things here around campus that are available as well.

The food here is certainly worth it. I'd say it's way better than high school cafeteria food. It is also worth the price for the education, we are very well taught by great professors who care.

Come visit campus. I was uncertain about CNU until I was on campus taking the tour, then I fell in love.

Even though you can slip by with a minimal amount of work, hard working students will thrive here. There is enough to keep them busy but there is also time to relax, if you stay on track with your work and don't overload yourself.

If you want to succeed here, you will. There are so many different resources and people willing to help you out and answer any questions you have.

Apply for the Honors Program or the PLP program.
The more you handle yourself, the better off you'll be.
Hang out with the people on your hall.

They're really serious about the liberal learning core, but I've heard exploring all the different areas keeps you sane in the midst of stressing about your major. If you're in Honors, you don't have to deal with the liberal learning curriculum, keep that in mind.

Live in Santoro. I know it looks sketchy, but it's connected to the food, and all the cool people live there.

Great food, but a little repetitive.

There are so many clubs, you almost don't know where to start. Also, 15 min from Bush Gardens and not super far from the Beach.

When I hear about class life in other colleges, it makes me really glad I went to a smaller school. The teachers are all really friendly and willing to help.

The penny. I guarantee you will lose it. And you will feel bad, no matter how stupid you thought it was when they gave it to you.

Preps and athletes. There, I said it.

They send out an email every day of probably at least 5 things going on around campus for you to be aware of, and that's only the half of it.

Wouldn't know, sadly.

I've never been concerned for my safety and I take midnight walks.

There are so many majors and minors available that you truly get to go after what you have a passion for! I am an Psychology-Elementary Education major and have learned so much more than I knew was possible. The variety of Areas of Inquiry (gen. eds) allow for a vast expansion of several subjects, while all tying it into what your major is.

I could not be happier! The environment is so welcoming, the location is perfect, and the education I am receiving is more than I could have ever imagined!

The price is a bit more than most schools, but it honestly pays off. The buildings, landscape, technologies, etc. all reflect just much money you are paying!

As for the application process, do not get discouraged if you are Wait-listed. This is one of the most up-and-coming universities in the U.S. today, therefore they are doing their best to accept all students that they feel can truly benefit from the school & benefit the school itself! Word to the wise, if you are wait-listed, send in as much extra stuff (awards, certificates, etc.) as soon as you can! Also, don't be afraid to call every week just to check in on application statuses, any additional information they may need, etc.

All those who enjoy intimate classes (i.e. smaller class sizes, personal-relationships with professors), warmer weather, availability to city (Richmond) or beach (VA Beach).