The University of New Orleans

Oh UNO. I never knew you existed until my sister (who has lived between Baton Rouge and NOLA for the last nearly 30 years) suggested I apply. I did and received notification I was accepted on my birthday as a transfer student in 2011. So, I packed my bags and moved down.
This is a beautiful campus, green, full of trees and right next to the lake. Bienville Hall is still on campus, but is no longer used. The Cove reopened soon after I moved down, and you can get beer here. The Children’s Center stopped being a child care place during my time here, which is too bad, I enjoyed seeing the «children train» as I called it (the adults walking the kids around campus, all holding hands) going around campus. As I am a graduate of UNO’s School of Business (B.S. Business Administration, minor in Accounting), it was awesome to stand on the decks facing the lake of Kirschman Hall (building for the School of Business) and try not to be distracted during nice weather by the lake and boats and the beauty. I realize that I am a couple of years older than the students right out of high school, but as an adult student, I think that this offered a valuable experience to myself. I believe that I received a well rounded education here, and that I am all the better for them.
I have no regrets coming here for my Bachelor’s degree, and am considering coming back for a graduate degree soon. I would suggest UNO for all adult students who want a quality education at an institution that is not geared specifically to the younger students. This is mainly a commuter campus, but there is Pontchartrain Hall for the dormitory that is brand new.

I’m going to be honest. I have been here for 2 years and everything about thins school has drove me to transfer this fall. 1^st of all the campus has a bootleg feel to it, all of my teachers complain about financial issues and idk but I’m pretty sure It will be shutting down anytime soon. I mean who wants a degree from a school that doesn’t know if it will be open in 10 years? I don’t. It really feels like a community college but costs like a university and they nickel and dime you for every penny. There is no school pride at all. People walk to class in LSU and ULL shirts. I am not a fan of this school that’s why I’m leaving in the fall

As a recent college graduate at UNO, I encourage you to apply here ONLY if you don’t mind being around many different people from many different places around the world.
Why?
CONS (FOR LOCALS):
1. The professors cater more to international students. Their lesson plans seem to aim to strengthen other students’ knowledge of subjects that are new to them.
2. There is no real campus life.
3. The cafeteria food is inspired by many different cultures.
4. Not many people around you will speak English or at least be from America.
5. Large enrollment number.
PROS (FOR LOCALS):
1.The film/​theater department is amazing.
2. The gym/​recreation center is very spacious and has a lot to offer, including a lap pool and free fitness classes.
3.There is plenty of parking available.
4. If you like diversity, this is the right school for you.
5. You will be challenged academically which makes for a graduation well worth it.

The Good: The English department is awesome and all of my classmates are supportive and really nice. And when life gets tough, the school has a great counseling service that’s extremely affordable!
The Bad: The campus’s social amenities seem to totally shut down after 5pm. It’s pretty sad.
The Ugly: I know that state schools have it rough these days, but it seems inexcusable for UNO to keep using furniture that was submerged and waterlogged during Katrina. My friends and I can instantly tell when we’re sitting in a «Katrina chair» — our eyes start watering and our noses get runny.
Plus, they always play this really terrible, gut-​wrenching Top 40 playlist at mind-​numbing volumes at the Cove… and there are speakers everywhere! You can’t escape!

As it is more of a commuter school with less on-​campus life and activities, I don’t know that I would recommend it to anyone from out of state or out of town with no contacts in the New Orleans area. However, for those that have already completed a degree and aren’t looking for the quintessential college experience or those that have a network of friends or family in New Orleans or the surrounding area already, UNO is an absolute dream.
They have all of the same academic offerings as a larger university, Greek life for those that are interested, and an updated rec center and on-​campus apartments. All of this for one tenth to one quarter of the cost of a state university in Louisiana or Texas. UNO is definitely a great option for a college education.

I am a graduate of UNO and have to say that despite the fact that it’s a commuter school and the faculty/​staff has the tendency to give you the runaround, I still don’t regret my decision to come here.
The school itself provides a good education at an affordable price. This is part of the reason why it has the rep of a commuter school, but I would rather be able to afford and education and not go bankrupt than pay more money to have a party-​atmosphere of a campus life like LSU.
I have heard UNO is a lot harder than schools like LSU, Loyola, and even Tulane proving even more that they really do try to educate you into the workforce.
The campus life isn’t that great, but if you get involved, you can easily make a lot of friends. My freshman year I was a member of the Student Activities Council and made a lot of friends participating in that organization. I also was a member of UNO Filmmakers, which gave me the opportunity to make friends with people within my major. I also recommend getting an on-​campus job if you are looking to make friends on campus. A lot of the college students with on-​campus jobs are either already living on-​campus or they want to get involved on-​campus (even if they may commute).
I only gave it 4-​stars because I have gotten the runaround from faculty/​staff, which is annoying. I feel like they can do more to increase the campus life and to make students proud that they go to UNO.
Overrall, I’m proud to say I’m a UNO alum. U-​NEAUX!

Writing a review about UNO is a bit difficult. I first attended UNO in 1998 when it was an entirely different place. Bienville Hall was still a dorm and the top two floors had just been remodeled; the rest of the place was a dump. The Cove was open and featured the Sandbar, an actual bar where I could get beer on my meal plan.
Then I took several years off before returning in 2004 to the Lakefront campus with evening classes. By then the Sandbar had been converted into a convenience store but the Cove still had food.
We all know what happened in 2005. UNO was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina and when it re-​opened in the Spring of 2006 it was a different landscape. A lot of buildings were closed (some of them still are) due to damage. The Cove was condemned. The first floor of almost every building was trashed and being worked on. I was now back full time for my Bachelors and taking classes all over campus as things shuffled around in the madness. I even had one class in a tent! But things carried on and (as silly as it sounds) our school spirit kept us together.
More than half a decade later things continue at UNO. They now have new dorms and a new Cove (with a new Sandbar). Classes continue, as always. I earned by Bachelors and came back for my Masters. I’ve worked for the University as a student worker and then as a TA in graduate school. Despite everything going against it UNO has still managed to grow and improve. Hopefully the continuing budget cuts won’t hurt UNO so badly it can’t recover.
In the almost 15 years I’ve watched UNO grow and develop I’ve been a visitor, a student, an employee, and even a teacher. I’m proud of my degree (and hopefully soon a second degree).

In the Fall of 1998, I set foot on UNO’s Lakefront campus for the first time. Well, not really the first time, because I went to some kind of summer camp there when I was like 10, but whatever. The point is, that’s when and where 17-​year-​old-​me started college.
Oh, how times have changed. On-​campus students no longer stumble down the cigarette-​littered co-​ed corridors of Bienville Hall after a long night at the State Palace (lol). And they don’t wake up early just for the awesome hash browns in the UC cafeteria. And NOBODY stops by The Cove for a beer between final exams. Through everything, turn, turn, turn. A time to be a white-​trash freshman at the redheaded stepchild of universities in the city, a time to sit on your ass writing Unilocal reviews instead of grading papers for today’s UNO freshmen, your students.
Such is life.
I have to say I feel a certain solidarity with other UNO students, (past, present, and future) because it sucks living in the shadow of the Rich Kids’ School uptown.
Anyway, the dorms are spiffier, the campus looks a hell of a lot better, The Cove is (reportedly) coming back, and you can swim in Lake Pontchartrain now. But that asshole Jindal’s budget cuts are really fucking things up; they can’t afford to hire full-​time faculty members, so they pay part-​timers like me embarrassing wages with no benefits, and they don’t even offer an Anthropology degree anymore. Oh well, maybe the switch to the UL system will help matters. We’ll see.
Either way, I got 2 BAs and an MA from this joint, so my paycheck is shit, and she floods like a bitch, but she’s always a woman to me.

Great education. I can see why alumni sometimes show pride and jealousy when they go back to there alma maters. I don’t even recognize this campus anymore. Im very proud of the improvements and the new buildings but are jealous that i wasn’t able to have a brand new business building and gym and all these nice apartments. Well, again I love my school and the History department rocks.

Man, this should have been my 200^th review! Oh well, a bit over #200 will do.
I would like to start by saying that I am a PROUD alum of The University of New Orleans. I not only received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology here (as did my father), but I also came away with a well rounded education that included classes, not only in Psychology, but in Geology, Biology, Arts, Anthropology, Art history, English, Foreign Language, Computer Science and three different Maths (one of which nearly killed me. Trig is the devil.). Am I bragging? You bet your bow tie I am! That was a lot of hard work, man!
You can take classes online, which makes it really easy to work around your schedule.
UNO offers a huge and gorgeous campus with buildings for classes, student housing (apartments and dorms), a student center (in which a student bookstore and eating area is held), a library, a performing arts center, a gym and an arena where sports events and concerts are held.
Did you know that UNO has a children’s center that caters to children of faculty and students ages 1 – 5 years? They are called the petite Privateers! How cute is that?
Parking at UNO is really convenient. Buy a parking pass at the beginning of the semester and park in the parking lot closest to your classes (planning classes by day that are all in close proximity to one another is an art all it’s own).
If you are interested in social activities at UNO, they offer everything from Basketball to Football (for 2 years now) to Greek life. There are a lot of organizations that you can get involved in, in the arts as well.
When I go for my Master’s degree, my plan is definitely to return to UNO.
UNO alums be heard! Review today!

What can I say, this is my home away from home. I spend my days and nights here. Working during the day as a research assistant and working at night as a student.
What’s nice about the location is how close the lake actually is and sometimes it’s nice to be able to just walk across the campus and take a stroll.