Advantages & Disadvantages of Studying in San Antonio

You think about studying in San Antonio but want to get additional information on student life, quality of universities, entertainment options, nightlife, job prospects, tuition and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of studying in San Antonio in the following chapters.

Study in San Antonio – Overview

Advantages of Studying in San Antonio

1. Variety of different colleges to choose from
2. Some universities in San Antonio are pretty decent
3. You can meet students from all over the US and even the world
4. Studying in San Antonio allows you to build a strong business network
5. You can meet many ambitious students
6. Many libraries and other quiet spaces to study
7. San Antonio is one of the most tolerant cities in Texas
8. Decent nightlife is attractive to many students in San Antonio
9. You can join student clubs
10. Extracurricular activities can make student life in San Antonio more interesting
11. Many things to do with your leisure as a student in San Antonio
12. You can enjoy great weather in San Antonio
13. Students in San Antonio can do many nature activities
14. Living costs in San Antonio are lower than in many other big cities
15. Easier to find a place to stay in San Antonio than in other fancier cities
16. Overall financial pressure for students in San Antonio is not extremely high
17. You find many decent student jobs in San Antonio
18. Decent job prospects for graduates from UTSA
19. Easy to find internships in San Antonio
20. Many big companies to work for in San Antonio
21. Studying in San Antonio can be great for athletes
22. Decent public infrastructure in San Antonio
23. Easy to get around in San Antonio

Variety of different colleges to choose from

One advantage of studying in San Antonio is that you will find many different universities and colleges and will therefore be able to choose among many different majors so you will never run out of ideas regarding what to study and will also find some pretty exotic specializations you will not find in many other cities.

Some universities in San Antonio are pretty decent

While it is hard to find really high-quality education in San Antonio and people studying in NYC or other fancier places often have a much easier time in this regard, you will still find solid colleges and universities and can get decent education in the San Antonio region.

You can meet students from all over the US and even the world

Since San Antonio is pretty popular all over the US, you will also be able to meet many people from different states and can hang out with many interesting people and can therefore also have many interesting conversations as a student in San Antonio.

Studying in San Antonio allows you to build a strong business network

Since San Antonio is a big city and there are many influential people living in this area, you will also have a rather easy time building a strong business network and this can greatly help you find a decent job in the corporate world since the more people you know, the easier it will be for you to climb the corporate ladder rather quickly.

You can meet many ambitious students

While some students are rather lazy, you will also meet many intelligent and ambitious students in San Antonio and can also find people who can help you push through difficult periods of your student life so you can stick with your plans and don’t give up your studies sooner or later before graduation.

Many libraries and other quiet spaces to study

Another upside to studying in San Antonio is that you will also find many libraries and other quiet spaces where you can prepare for your exams in a quiet environment so you can get really good grades and can also really focus on your studies without getting distracted by many other things of daily life.

San Antonio is one of the most tolerant cities in Texas

You should also know that compared to the rest of Texas, San Antonio is also a pretty tolerant city and you will be welcome no matter where you come from and can have a really great time with other interesting students in San Antonio.

Decent nightlife is attractive to many students in San Antonio

You should also know that there are many decent bars and clubs in the San Antonio region and this can make student life in San Antonio much better since you will find more than enough locations where you can party quite a lot and will therefore never feel lonely.

You can join student clubs

There are also many student clubs and other student organizations which you can join and work on important projects that may let you grow in character and can also be good for your CV at the same time.

Extracurricular activities can make student life in San Antonio more interesting

Apart from just studying and enjoying student life, you will also find many extracurricular activities you can do in San Antonio and chances are that you will have more than enough things to do and will never get bored as a student in San Antonio.

Many things to do with your leisure as a student in San Antonio

Since San Antonio is a big city and offers lots of entertainment, you will also never run out of options regarding what to do with your leisure.

For instance, you can watch sports games, go to the movies or do many other things you may be used to from other big cities.

You can enjoy great weather in San Antonio

Another benefit of studying in San Antonio is that you can enjoy hot and sunny summers while winters are still pretty mild and you will therefore be able to spend lots of time outdoors and can get lots of fresh air which may keep you fit and motivated as a student to study hard.

Students in San Antonio can do many nature activities

Since San Antonio is surrounded by nice forests and lakes, you can also do many things in nature in this region which can make your overall student life much better and also gives you the incentive to exercise and stay in shape in the long run.

Living costs in San Antonio are lower than in many other big cities

While living costs in San Antonio may be slightly higher compared to the average city in the US, they are still far lower compared to the Bay Area or other fancier places and students in San Antonio therefore don’t have to spend as much money on drinks and many other things of daily life compared to students in Los Angeles or other more expensive places.

Easier to find a place to stay in San Antonio than in other fancier cities

While demand for housing is pretty high in the San Antonio region, it is still far lower than in NYC or other more attractive places and many students in San Antonio therefore find a decent place to stay rather quickly and don’t have to search for many months as is often the case in other more popular big cities.

Overall financial pressure for students in San Antonio is not extremely high

Since living and housing costs are still affordable in the San Antonio region, people who study in San Antonio also don’t need the same high budget as people studying in fancier and more expensive places and overall financial pressure may therefore be much lower which gives you more mental capacities to focus on your studies instead of worrying about money problems.

You find many decent student jobs in San Antonio

Since San Antonio is an important economic center, you will also find many student jobs where you can make money on the side so you can finance your degree, at least to a certain extent.

Decent job prospects for graduates from UTSA

If you choose the right college, you will also have decent career prospects as a graduate from UTSA and can also get a decent job later on.

Easy to find internships in San Antonio

Since San Antonio is a strong economic region, you will also find many companies who offer internships and this can be great for you as a student since you can gain some practical experience and may have an easier time finding a job after finishing college compared to people who don’t make those experiences.

Many big companies to work for in San Antonio

Since there are many big companies in the San Antonio region, you will also find many decent jobs in this region and if you specialize in fields that are in high demand right now, chances are you will find a decent job rather quickly.

Studying in San Antonio can be great for athletes

Since college sports are pretty important in the San Antonio region, studying in San Antonio can also make sense for athletes.

Hence, in case you are outstanding at your sport, you may even get a scholarship to finance your degree and may be able to start a professional sports career as a student in San Antonio.

Decent public infrastructure in San Antonio

You will also find everything you need to live a happy and convenient student life in San Antonio since supply of material goods is decent and you can benefit from overall strong public infrastructure.

Easy to get around in San Antonio

There is also decent public transport in the San Antonio region and you can also get around by other means of transport in an efficient manner so you may not even need a car as a student in the San Antonio area.

As you can see, there are many reasons for studying in San Antonio.

Yet, there are also some drawbacks of studying in San Antonio that I want to address in the following so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to study in San Antonio or rather want to study in a different city instead.

Disadvantages of Studying in San Antonio

1. Hard to find world-class education for students in San Antonio
2. Studying in San Antonio may not be great for your résumé
3. Not as many companies hire from campus as in other major cities
4. You may have to live in dodgy neighborhoods as a student in San Antonio
5. Crime rate in San Antonio is significantly above national average
6. High tuition in San Antonio
7. Student jobs often don’t pay enough to finance your degree
8. San Antonio may be too hot for many students
9. San Antonio is not located at the coast
10. San Antonio is a pretty busy and hectic city
11. Traffic may become annoying in San Antonio
12. Not as many great guest professors as in other big cities
13. Limited number of international students in San Antonio

Hard to find world-class education for students in San Antonio

One problem with studying in San Antonio is that you will have a hard time finding really great education.

While you will have many solid schools, you will still not find the same world-class colleges as people moving to Boston or other places that are known for great educational institutions.

Studying in San Antonio may not be great for your résumé

Since many colleges in San Antonio are not great, studying in San Antonio may also not be as great for your résumé as studying at Harvard or other fancier schools and your job options may therefore also be much worse.

Not as many companies hire from campus as in other major cities

Since overall quality of education in San Antonio is not as great as in other educational centers, there are also not as many big corporations hiring directly from campus and you may have a harder time finding a decent job in this region compared to students from Yale or other top tier universities.

You may have to live in dodgy neighborhoods as a student in San Antonio

If you don’t get financial support from your parents or have enough money to afford a decent place to stay, you may also have to live in a rather dodgy neighborhood and may also not feel comfortable or safe in your skin.

Crime rate in San Antonio is significantly above national average

Another downside to studying in San Antonio is that crime is a big problem and there are many serious incidents in this regard.

Consequently, you may no longer feel safe leaving your home during nighttime and may not be able to enjoy student life in San Antonio as people in safer cities.

High tuition in San Antonio

While living and housing costs are still affordable, tuition is often pretty high in the San Antonio region and this may force you to take on significant student loans which may financially constrain you in the future when you have to pay back those huge amounts of money.

Student jobs often don’t pay enough to finance your degree

While there are many student jobs, most of them still don’t pay great and you may therefore need additional income sources to finance your degree.

San Antonio may be too hot for many students

You should also know that San Antonio is a pretty hot place and if you are a person who can’t stand the heat, you may be far better off moving to Minneapolis or other cooler regions instead.

San Antonio is not located at the coast

Another disadvantage of studying in San Antonio is that the city is also not located at the coast and while people living in Long Beach or other places directly located at the coast are able to enjoy the beach on a regular basis, your student life in San Antonio may be much more boring in this regard.

San Antonio is a pretty busy and hectic city

While you will find everything you need to live a comfortable life from a materialistic point of view, you should also know that it is a pretty hectic and busy city and in case you don’t like big city life, you may be better off studying in a smaller town instead.

Traffic may become annoying in San Antonio

Since San Antonio becomes increasingly popular and crowded, students in the San Antonio region often complain about traffic jams and are often not able to get around in an efficient manner.

Not as many great guest professors as in other big cities

Since San Antonio doesn’t have many really great universities, there are also not as many great guest professors as in MIT or other more prestigious institutions.

Limited number of international students in San Antonio

While San Antonio is pretty popular all over the US, it is still not the most attractive place for international students and you may therefore just not meet as many students from all over the world as you might wish.

Top 10 Studying in San Antonio Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is San Antonio A Great City For Students?

While studying in San Antonio can be great since living and housing costs are still affordable and you can enjoy decent public infrastructure and interesting nightlife, you should also know that it is hard to find world-class education in this region and you may therefore have worse career prospects compared to people graduating from really prestigious universities.

Alternative Cities To Study

If you don’t want to study in San Antonio anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Phoenix

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Chicago

Advantages and disadvantages of studying in Philadelphia

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanantoniocitytexas/POP060210

Own research.

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.