Santa Clara University, located in California's Silicon Valley, has been ranked second in the U.S. News listing of comprehensive universities. It is an excellent choice for students who wish to explore science and technology. With approximately 5,000 undergraduate students and around 3,500 graduate students in attendance, the university is small enough to feel personal, but large enough to offer a variety of scholastic choices. Santa Clara University is a private school with almost 450 full-time teachers and offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in five different schools and colleges. In fact, the ratio of students to teachers at Santa Clara University is normally about 13 to 1.

The degrees offered at Santa Clara University include at least 45 undergraduate majors, along with graduate programs in counseling, pastoral ministries, arts and sciences, business, and engineering. Students may also earn a PhD in engineering or a law degree from this university, which has been consistently judged as a best value by Kiplinger. This dynamic school also offers an Honors Program which centers on acquiring competence, conscience, and compassion and is limited to 68 outstanding freshmen each year.

Several factors make Santa Clara University a favorite of its students. Many are drawn to the school because they are given academic credit for research performed under the supervision of their professors. Engineering students love the Robotics Systems Laboratory, which allows them to be involved in primary research. Santa Clara University also uses grant money to pay its students for the research they conduct.

The Northern California location of this academic school is ideal for business as well as pleasure. While staying in one of the 12 residence halls for undergraduate students or the eight available for graduate students, scholars at Santa Clara University find they are at the center of some of the most exciting places in the world. Campus housing includes eight residential learning communities which are themed to help students blend their academic learning and their lives outside the classroom in a positive manner. The campus is close enough that students can make a day trip to the coast to relax on any of Santa Cruz’s many beaches. They can also take a trip to the renowned ski slopes in Tahoe and beautiful Napa Valley which are only a couple of hours away. Students can the train for a quick weekend trip to San Francisco and be back on campus at Santa Clara University in time for classes on Monday.

The lovely campus of Santa Clara University is also located in an area which boasts some of the best career opportunities and internships available. More than 6,500 high tech companies make their homes in the vicinity of this school, including  research laboratories. Apple, Google, and Ebay are just a few of the large companies that offer graduates of Santa Clara University working positions.

Having been founded as a small Jesuit school in 1851, Santa Clara University has had a great impact in the area. It is located on 106 acres along El Camino Real, and includes the recent additions of the Malley Fitness Center and a Music and Dance Building. The Kennedy Mall, added in 2005, is the first environmentally green building on campus, but one of the newest additions to the campus is the building that houses the Leavey School of Business.

Many graduates of Santa Clara University have distinguished themselves in their fields. Among them is Shemar Moore, a 1992 graduate, who now acts in such television shows as “The Young and the Restless” and “Criminal Minds.” Another well-known Santa Clara University graduate is Shannon Kugler, who became the first woman chaplain at Yale University. Jerry Brown, the current governor of California, was a 1959 graduate of the university, and Max Bauer, Jr., the actor better known as Jethro Clampett, also received a degree from the school.

Whether they are looking for an educational institution to obtain a certification in tutoring or a PhD in Engineering, students at Santa Clara University will find some of the best academic advisors and professors willing to help them achieve their goals. By allowing students to actively participate in meaningful research projects, the faculty helps them develop a passion for their field of work before they graduate and enter the work force.

Santa Clara University also works to make tuition affordable for prospective students. Its website will help students find available sources of money, and the Financial Aid Office on campus is available to help with any questions or paperwork.