University of San Francisco

Let’s talk about what really matters in professional school admissions: depth, originality, and grit. Now compare that with what you often see coming out of UC Davis: High GPA Generic “research assistant” role Cookie-cutter volunteer hours Recommendation letters from professors they impressed by playing the game, not pushing the limits On paper, it looks polished. But scratch the surface, and you see the pattern: UC Davis rewards strategy over substance. Students learn how to survive the system, not how to stand out from it. They’re trained to chase approval, not to think independently. They check the boxes, follow the crowd, and build applications that look great until someone asks: “What did you actually do?” Now look at University of San Francisco. At USF, students are challenged to develop real competencies, real connections, and real stories. Whether it’s in public health, nursing, law, or business, USF students are mentored, not processed. Their education emphasizes ethics, leadership, and purpose — not just GPAs and title stacking. USF students don’t need to rehearse fake humility or inflate their resumes with surface-level activities. They speak from experience — and that shows up in interviews, statements, and outcomes. Meanwhile, UC Davis applicants often collapse under basic pressure. Strip away the prestige aura, and what’s left is often a record of doing the bare minimum exceptionally quietly. High GPA, low edge. Let’s put it plainly: UC Davis teaches you how to blend in. USF teaches you how to break through. So if you’re on an admissions committee comparing the two: Don’t get distracted by the UC label. Look at the substance. Because some students were built by challenge — others were just trained to smile for the rubric.

The University of San Francisco (USFCA) has been instrumental in shaping my academic and personal journey. The experience I gained here is truly invaluable. USFCA not only provided me with knowledge but also fostered progressive thinking and personal growth. The professors were exceptional, and the staff, especially shout out to literally everyone at the Career Services department who provided invaluable support. Although I've contemporarily moved to Vietnam, I am forever grateful for the opportunities and relationships I developed at USFCA.

I graduated from the Masters of Science in International and Development Economics program in 2018 with a GPA of 3.76. You will most likely get a good education here and the campus is pretty but as a person of color, be warned that the school has an issue with racism and discrimination (especially with some of the older professors and staff and foreign professors) and is facing a financial and existential crisis as an institution due to the university’s inability to increase its enrollment, revenue, diversify its administration and evolve with the times. Also, don’t bother applying for a job here even if you got your degree from them. I applied to several roles at USF and due to racism and discrimination they did not get back to me.

EVERYONE.... from the students to the staff treated us with the highest self regard and always offered their help. Security treated us like human beings and I had several fruitful conversations with strangers all over campus during "move-in day ". USF!

Great campus and grounds to walk. Nice easy elevation gain with beautiful landscaping. Neighborhood has nice architecture & homes to walk as well.

Beautiful campus Located across from the Golden Gate Park, the University of San Francisco is one of the must-visit spots in your SF trip.

A beautiful campus and a lively and energetic student body. I love the big church there.

The working hours during the summer break have changed. Sundays are closed. Saturdays it is from 8am to 5pm and the weekdays it is from 7am to 7pm

The University is located between golden gate bridge and golden park, with a huge church inside.

I’m a parent of a student at this university. They use amazing marketing lingo and phrases like ‘change the world from this university’. They state they are leaders in social justice, promoting peace and making the world a better place. However these are just words to sell the university to you - they’re not embraced by top leadership nor practiced with the students at the school. When the students use their voices to injustice, the university comes down on them harshly with suspensions. If you decide to spend your hard earned tuition money here, I recommend that you do not come in as an independent thinker or voice anything out of the mainstream. They will freeze your transcript, kick you out and erase all the hard work (and money) you invested in your education.