Pros
I am currently a student in Soka University of America's MA program in Educational Leadership and Societal Change; students in this program work to develop the skills they will need to overcome the challenges facing society in the 21st century. At the same time, I work for the school's Community Relations office as a student tour guide. My experience working for the school has shown me that the professional work environment at this school is as exceptional as the quality of its academics. The word 'Soka' means value-creation in Japanese, and every aspect of this schools design and day-to-day operations are meant to create value in the lives of its students, staff, and faculty. At Soka, students can work at almost all campus departments except security and facilities. This provides plenty of opportunity for students to gain experience and supplement their already generous financial aid. Soka goes to great lengths to ensure that every student is able to obtain a world-class education, and in fact, students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year have their tuition waived. Because the school is very small—with just over 450 undergraduates—the campus community is tight-knit. Students get to know their professors very well over the four years they spend here, which is great when it comes time to apply for internships, jobs, or graduate school. Classes are small as well, with usually just 12 students in any given class section, and are typically arranged so that instruction occurs along the lines of a Socratic seminar, in which students and teacher all participate together in classroom discussion. Students at Soka are always encouraged to be active participants in the process of learning, and to take charge of their scholarly and personal lives. In terms of residential life, the residence halls are well-equipped (free laundry!) and students never have to share their room with more than one other person—incoming first-year students live in double rooms with a private bathroom, while returning students live in suites with two private bedrooms and a bathroom per suite. Meals are included in room and board, which helps put all students on an equal footing. There's also a shuttle service that takes students to the Aliso Viejo town center and nearby locations on the half hour. Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend Soka University of America as a school that has devoted all its resources toward realizing its mission statement, which is "to foster a steady stream of global citizens omitted to living a contributive life." At many other schools, the mission might just be an abstract ideal not palpable in the daily routine, but at Soka, every member of the campus community works to make this mission a reality.
Cons
The city in which Soka University of America is located, Aliso Viejo, California, is a rather quiet and suburban area, which means that there is relatively little to do off-campus within a close distance to the school. Although there is a shuttle service, going to places such as Los Angeles requires a car or the use of public transportation, the latter of which is a bit inconvenient in Southern California. Luckily there's a lot of fun activities to do on-campus, such as student clubs and organizations, as well as service projects. Still, because Soka is such a small school, it can sometimes feel a bit boring or isolated, especially during break periods and holidays, when some students travel or visit home. Although the school's small size makes it easy for student voices to be heard, sometimes, there simply aren't enough students facing a certain challenge or situation for there to be a 'critical mass' which means that sometimes, specific and unusual circumstances may take a little while to be addressed. Moreover, depending on the concentration a student is trying to pursue at Soka, they may find some of the class offerings a bit restrictive. This is being addressed in part by the new Life Sciences concentration that opens Fall 2020. Still, despite a few drawbacks, it's clear that Soka makes every effort to address the needs of its students as promptly as possible. Again, at least for me, working for Soka as a student employee has been an invaluable experience that would not have been possible anywhere else.