Old Dominion University

My stock for ODU keeps going up these days. 15 years ago, I dont think I would have given ODU a second look as a possible school for my kids. However, they have made key land acquisitions, cleaned up the area, and have been on a building spree for the last 10 years it seems.
It seems that they have built a solid reputation in the fields of math, science, and engineering which impresses me the most. The Webb Center and the surround campus have improved dramatically over the years. After the night clubs and dance clubs disappeared, it seemed to improve by leaps and bounds.
What I feel hasnt improved is the parking. I own a house in Larchmont and I hear the lamentations all the time. In addition, crime at the school and the surrounding neighborhoods are bad. The safety of the students in Lamberts Point and the area behind the Ted always concerned me. There is still a lot of theft in the Larchmont neighborhood. Housing seems to be an issue also. There are always students looks for places to rent.
I think that if ODU can fix those issues and continue with their expansion, they will launch themselves into a top tier school.

Went to ODU football game and have tickets that include access to the Big Blue room under the stands. They made a change this year that looks like it will limit access to the room. It was kind of nice that it was not so crowded and loud… but, knowing how money hungry the athletic director and program has been, I have to wonder how they will make up the lost cash flow from the reduced drink sales by reducing access to the room… from a logistics point of view, getting rid of the draft beer was a good idea, but we spent less having to buy the large cans, than we had in the past with the drafts. Looks like they put a double whammy on the cash flow.
Oh well, we will see how the season goes and update any changes.

Oh ODU how I love to hate but love you all over again. I honestly don’t even know where to begin with this review about a University as a whole. The last few reviews below are pretty dead on as far as the neighborhood is concerned. But let’s be real, crime is everywhere. It’s unavoidable, but certainly anyone who is paying an arm and a leg plus their first born child, should feel comfortable walking a mere few feet to and from their classes. They had since implemented cameras throughout the campus and increased security posts, but seriously, I think some of these crimes are just idiotic students who don’t seem to have any common sense. Don’t walk alone in a dark alley when you know full well that the campus is surrounded by «low-​income» housing where many choose to give their area a bad rep. I’m not going to get into the politics of all that.
ODU is a relatively small and developing University in comparison to some of the more popular ones in VA (VTech, VCU, UVA to name a few). There are numerous new building that seemed to have appeared overnight throughout the campus. They are trying to make it more of a campus feel versus a commuter school, which is what it was mostly known for. We now have Lots of new buildings and even a legit football team? Say whatttt.
Perhaps what I battle with this school the most is the academic political mumbo-​jumbo that the administrative office and the advisors seem to be fighting over constantly. In the last year, I’ve dealt with so many headaches being tossed back and forth over one single issue of a transfer credit. I honestly couldn’t care less who has more power over who, just fix my shit so I can move on with my life. So after all that debacle, I finally managed to get a working solution around all that by going directly to a professor and doing a manual override. Ha. Take that!
Their programs are great if you are in their engineering department, or even their science department. Since that’s what this University was primarily known for back in the day. The graphic arts department is simply a cluster fuck. They pretty much make it impossible to graduate in 4 years flat. And as a transfer student from TCC, the classes here just doesn’t feel as friendly and more apt to help you succeed. The students are mostly commuters so there’s no sense of community and everyone just seems to not really bother making friends with everyone in the class. TCC however was just a joy to be in, the classes were all very sociable and you feel welcomed, versus in a stuffy box with random strangers that could give two pennies about who you are or how well your doing in the class.
Parking is also another issue. There never seem to be enough of it. And all those 2 hour spots,
make sure you actually move your car because the parking police here are sticklers. They will catch you!
If I had to stick around this area, I’d probably hang around the Village. But even then that area could be dangerous at night. There are things to love and hate about this campus, but it’s «my» school so I gotta support it. It’s like one of those things where if you hear people who haven’t attended the school talk shit about it, you’d be eager to defend it, even though you know its not even close to being great. In all honest though, the school is not all that bad. You do get to learn about your choice of profession and there are lots to do in between those studies. Oh and our Basketball team is now 8 – 1 what what! Go Big Blue!

I’m a non-​traditional student, and technically a commuter since I don’t live on campus. However, I’ve lived within a mile of ODU for 6 years now, in a… What did the other reviewer call it? Oh yes. «a terrible and exceedingly undereducated, economically poor area of town» with «low-​income trashy ass people».
**clears throat** Well.
I’ll address the campus safety emails first. This is November 2014 and, since the start of the semester in August, I have received 3 emails regarding incidents which occurred OFF campus, but involving ODU students. These students live in primarily student-​occupied low-​rent neighborhoods. So yes, the presence of undergrads who drink and throw loud parties even in the middle of the week makes those neighborhoods undereducated, poor, and trashy. (Clean up your damn Miller Lite cans, kids. None of us want to see evidence of crappy beer consumption.) You can look on the Norfolk GIS to see exactly which slum lords you have to thank for that.
To date, I have received no notice of any crimes occurring on-​campus.
Now that this is cleared up with recent and credible information, let’s move on.
We’ve seen a lot of improvement of the campus over the past several years. Thanks to the revitalization of the football program and ODU’s determination to make a name for itself (as well as some eminent domain case wins, before the kibosh was put on that), ODU had been renovating and building like crazy.
Foreman Field (and by extension, SB Ballard Stadium) was beautified, the Perry Library and Dragas Hall were renovated, a new Engineering Systems building went up, and a LEED-​certified Environmental/​Systems Engineering building found its way on campus. Rollins Hall is undergoing improvements as well. New dormitories were built, and a new riverfront football stadium as well as a new student dining facility are in the works. A lovely new Fine Arts building and a few other bits of new construction (there’s something that looks like it will be a small outdoor concert/​performance venue!) on the East side of Hampton along Monarch Way are doing so much to make the place even better. A new College of Education is currently under construction at the corner of Hampton Blvd and 43^rd St.
Speaking of 43^rd St., much of the student rentals and dark commuter lots were demolished and have since given rise to some beautiful new townhomes.
The Student Rec Center is gorgeous, and recently began operation of a rooftop solar system which helps offset its energy usage.
There are so many Collegiate and intramural sports and clubs, it’s impossible to enumerate them all — everything from Minecraft to Hockey to Basketball. Name it, ODU probably has it.
Lower-​level undergrad classes can be large, but upper-​level and grad courses are much more intimate — as are the difficult language classes (おはようございます).
School spirit, from what I’ve seen, is not lacking. Not in the least (Go Big Blue!).
Like any college or university, you’ll just have to find one with programs that are a good fit for you. ODU is a fit for me (and especially a fit considering how kind they are to veterans in terms of transfer credits), and was a fit for my husband. And, given the volume at which he cheers «ODU! ODU!», I imagine our son will find a way to make It fit for him as well (4 year olds are the best).

A great dynamic campus with rigorous programs, amazing athletic facilities and a great neighborhood location. I’m happy to send my son here (he’s a junior).

Best university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I graduated from ODU in 2011. Great campus and best place to increase your social life.

It is strange and hard to review a University for sure but I’ll try my best.
I attended Old Dominion University for my M.A. from August 2008 until Summer 2010. I work on the Norfolk Naval Station so it was easy to drive straight down Hampton after work and take night classes for two years, not fun, but close.
Parking for me was never easy but it wasn’t as horrific as some of the things I’ve been told and seen before. I typically arrived on campus between 3:30pm and 5pm. I usually was able to find parking in the teacher lot right in front of the Batten Arts and Letters building because after a certain time those spots are open in the evening to commuters.
That was a good thing because ODU is not safe. Like, AT ALL. In fact, it was a means to an end for me and I wouldn’t recommend anyone I know to go here and I certainly wouldn’t allow my children to go to school here and live and walk around on campus at night if they had any other option at all. A few times I had to walk much further down the street, alone, at 10−11pm to my car parked in a dark lot and I was terrified, I always kept my keys in between my fingers like a stabbing weapon in case I got jumped, no joke.
ODU is located in what used to be, and still mostly is until ODU can obtain all the low-​income housing around over the next few decades, a terrible and exceedingly undereducated, economically poor area of town. Thus, low-​income trashy ass people use the students as «jobs» since they refuse to get them of their own, and routinely attack and rob them late at night while they are walking around. If you live in Hampton Roads you know, it’s always on the news. If you went to ODU you know because you get email notifications to your ODU email about students being attacked every. single. day. No joke. It’s bad. I knew it was bad before I decided to enroll, but after the constant emails, I know it’s much worse than most people can imagine.
This is the reason I gave ODU 2 stars. If it were purely on the teachers, campus buildings and improvements they’ve done since I attended college as an undergrad (which was at lovely wonderful JMU — goooo dukes) I’d give them 4 stars. But because students are not safe, there is very little parking, and they don’t have enough dorms to house the students who want to go to school here, that is dropping them down to 1 star. I felt generous because I actually don’t hate ODU, I do have a degree from there after all, so I gave them 2 overall.
I made some good friends and I did learn some things while at ODU. The campus is beautiful during springtime, they have a Chick-​Fil-​A and Starbucks. The new bookstore is lovely. The Ted Constant Convocation Center is fabulous and a really great addition to the school, I’ve seen some great shows there. The cute little strip of restaurants by the bookstore are great hangouts for a snack between classes. But all of that isn’t enough to outweigh worrying always if you will be mugged or beaten or worse, shot, and your car will be on hubcaps when you come to leave at night. That is not the college experience I would wish on anyone. Fortunately I was a commuter here as a grad student and didn’t have to fear for my safety if I was hungry and had to walk across the street from my dorm at night like some students probably do. I’m glad my undergraduate experience was safe and happy at JMU and until ODU can provide that sort of safety to their students, it’s no good.

i started going here this spring semester and enjoyed every moment of my time here. And it is true, there are so many girls who wear yoga pants!

Great ballpark.

I like ODU very much but I want to comment about the school spirit or lack there of.
I try to attend a variety of school events (getting my moneys worth) and find it weird that people here are not overflowing with school spirit… even at sporting events. When cheerleaders start chants people typically don’t join in. I don’t get it. Is there a city ordinance that I don’t know about?
C’mon ODU student body… I know you love your school. Don’t be shy about your love. let everyone know that WE ARE ONE @ ODU!

Big Splash class for Counselors! CEUs for LPC’s. Very informative and affordable!

Its hard to do a review on a University, at least one that isn’t mind-​numbingly long – so for the sake of brevity, I’ll keep this reviewed confined to PARKING (dun, dun, dun). Quite simply, its hell. Its hell everywhere. ODU has several commuter parking lots, and even in the summer, which is the least busy time of the year, you can rarely find a parking space. Between the hours of 9 to 3, its pretty bad. I typically park at the Constant Center which is a lot better, you’ll have the grueling task of walking across the street (sarcasm), but its a lot better than the anything on Elkhorn!

I am a junior at Old Dominion University. I have been out of school for about four years and am finally returning to finish my degree. A lot has changed in the last few years.
Cons:
Parking is $ 250 for two semesters and scarce throughout the campus. There are about 3 garages that I’m aware of, two next to OCNP and MGB and one across from Hampton Blvd. I arrive normally arrive anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes prior to my class because parking is so difficult to find, and at times I still don’t find it. There are meters throughout the campus however why do I want to pay more money on top of the $ 250 I already pay for a pass?
Class sizes like most other state colleges are large which I am not a big fan of. Most of my classes range from 50 to 200 students which makes the learning process more difficult.
Pros:
There are always activities throughout the week. Lots of school spirit.
Three different starbucks throughout the campus.
The biology advisors are great… as far as the rest I’m really not sure.
All in all its an ok school. There are a lot of connections the school provides for alumni including graduate programs and partnerships throughout the community.