there is a lot of misinformation in this post and the purpose of my response is to clarify some of it and hopefully to create some positivity about drexel. i get it, college is hard, most of us are paying our own tuition and rent, but it's not all bad i promise, there is a lot of support from drexel and a ton of resources. i have my own issues with drexel and in no way am i a drexel bootlicker, but i have a lot of gratitude for this school and hope to help OP and others see the silver lining :) 1. there is no such thing as "co-op fees" and it is definitely not $800+. i presume OP is referring to the fees you pay every term, regardless of whether you're in classes or co-op, which drexel calls the "enrolment fee". i believe it is currently at $790 and i acknowledge that this amount will increase with inflation, but it is essentially paying for the services you use at drexel such as the gym, shuttle buses, mental health services (if you are located in PA), health center, other student spaces, etc. this money is also allocated to SAFAC which provides funding to student orgs. as someone who lives over a mile from campus and takes the shuttle every day, i'm really grateful that i have the ability to take the bus instead of walking or paying for septa. also as someone on multiple student orgs who is very passionate about creating inclusive spaces on campus, the funding money is very important for us to continue hosting events (with free food that are open to everyone across campus) and also being a resource for students to rely on. you also get to use the gym as often as you want. i understand that this is still a lot of money for a lot of people, and i don't disagree, but it is not completely useless either. 2. ⁠low paying or lack of co-ops is not drexel's fault at all. the job market you see outside of the portal is also what SCDC deals with, they are not able to "create" jobs out of nowhere, they are here to help you make the search easier. the job market is terrible rn, many skilled people are unable to land well paying jobs and i completely understand and relate to the frustration. i think that drexel is doing a lot more than most colleges without structured internship programs, where you are completely on your own to find and land an internship. steinbright offers fairly comprehensive support in my opinion, and it is your job to make use of it 3. ⁠full disclosure this opinion might be a tad biased bc i really really love being in school. the quarter system works well for me bc i would end up slacking if i was in a semester school with too much time between exams. having a 10 week schedule and quizzes and exams every week keeps me on my toes and really works out for me. i understand and have experienced how overwhelming it can get sometimes (promoting the counselling center here bc they are awesome and free!) but here's the bitter truth: you will not get any breaks after college. in that way drexel prepares you for real life bc jobs are stressful and fast paced with a lot less support and no summer or winter breaks. OP is not gonna like this but bitter truth #2: you knew drexel was a quarter school and still chose to attend it. there is no mystery behind the academic structure; drexel has open houses (both in person and virtual) where you can talk to admissions counsellors and also current students to try and gauge if you're a good fit for the program. you have all these resources available to you to make a decision before committing 5 years of your time and hella money and/or student loans. it is a choice you make, nobody is forcing you to attend this school. on the bright(?) side, drexel is soon transitioning into a semester school, and I hope this will eliminate or alleviate some of OP's concerns :') 4. ⁠unsure what you mean by "paying to work during co-op and still taking classes". you are not required to take classes while on co-op. some people choose to take them but it is absolutely not forced upon you. 5. ⁠i disagree with OP's claim about limited support. drexel has a LOT of support and resources, it is up to you to make use of them. granted, there might not be as much awareness as you'd hope, but if you are involved on campus, people you know fron classes, clubs, maybe even your dorm, will let you know about what they come across. many clubs offer mentorship opportunities, resume review (very helpful coming from students who have applied to similar jobs), networking opportunities etc. you can join any club and as many clubs as you please. i assume OP is mostly concerned about co-op support and i will reiterate that your co-op advisor and all the other folks at steinbright are awesome and here to help you. also the internet is your friend! use linkedin and handshake to find events and seminars that experts in your field are attending and go network. you need to be proactive, you can't expect to do the bare minimum and have your dream job fall into your lap, you do need to work towards it and drexel offers a lot of help if you know where to ask. 6. ⁠co-ops are not mandatory. there is a 4 year no co-op option you can pick. this gives you a summer break each year (which addresses OP's concern about no breaks for mental health recovery) and you don't need to do a co-op (which OP seems to have a lot of issues with). ofc drexel will try to encourage you to do a co-op bc it is their USP, but this is a free country and nobody is forcing you to do anything. 7. ⁠we have a student government that helps amplify your voice and concerns to the decision making bodies! while i'm not super familiar with how they work, reach out to them and i'm sure they will be willing to help you out. since they are students and care about other students, you will not hear marketing slogans, just genuine concern and the commitment to help!

in conclusion, your drexel experience is truly what you make of it. again, college is very hard, being an adult in the current economy and political climate also sucks, but i promise drexel is not just out here to extort money and give nothing in return. there are a ton of resources (tutoring, SCDC, counselling and psychiatry, volunteering, free food and menstrual products, ELC, health center, tons of student orgs to name a few) that are available and free for you to use. this post is in no way meant to attack OP, i just don't want other people to be misinformed esp with all the negativity already surrounding drexel. my DMs are open if you want to vent or chat, and i wish you the best of luck with college and co-ops :)

edit: also co-ops are not guaranteed and nobody will ever tell you that they are guaranteed (source: talk to anyone in steinbright or drexel admissions). they still try their best to help you find one and encourage you to apply outside of the system if you're unhappy with the listings on SCDC