Florida State University

I chose Florida State because it has a VERY LARGE network of alumni and it's located in Florida. It also has tons of name recongnition (who cares if it's football, at least people know it, and that's what matters in the real world!)I currently work for the U.S. Department of Defense in Mannheim, Germany. I have traveled all over the world and have met tons of international seminonles. I have never had someone come even close to insulting FSU. It is gaining in academic reputation and you can be proud of graduating from FSU. I'm completing my M.A. from Michigan State in England and also a Master's in counseling from the University of Maryland. (In Germany) FSU stacks up to both, easily!

4th Year Male -- Class 1990

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Surrounding City: C+

I know we're not supposed to reference other students' reviews, but I more-or-less agree with the disgruntled English major downpage. I'd like to add a few comments of my own though:

For every competent, sympathetic university admin person you can find, you have to deal with at least 10 hostile idiots. Just pray that you never have a problem with registration or finances.

The professors are usually pretty good, and I actually didn't have many classes taught by TAs or any 300+ student lecture classes. My only complaint is that within each department, there seems to be a gaping expertise hole. The university won't have anyone who specializes in a certain important aspect of that field.

Tallahassee is all right. It's a pretty town and there is a decent variety of nightlife and entertainment.

My biggest gripe about FSU is the other students (sorry, guys). 85% of the student body is just there to get a degree and try not to get alcohol poisoning along the way. They are anti-intellectual and look at you like you're a freak if you show any academic ambition beyond the assigned classwork. They just want to graduate, find a job, have a kid, and die. That's fine, I guess, but they're rather uninspired. The other 15% is there to learn and get into all of the "life of the mind" stuff that universities promise. That's cool, but since would-be scholars tend to have a MAJOR complex about going to a school like FSU, they're usually boors and tools. If I had $1.00 for every FSU nerd who thought he/she was the smartest person at FSU, my financial situation would be well under control.

4th Year Male -- Class 2004

Collaboration/Competitive: A, Individual Value: D