Indiana State University

4th Year Male -- Class 2013

Education Quality: A, Education Quality: A

As others have mentioned, ISU is what you make of it. In fact, almost every college experience is what you make of it. It seems from many of the comments that a lot of former students were upset over the poor surroundings and social atmosphere. How will keggers help you succeed in life? Academically, ISU seems to ride right down the middle of the road, possibly to reach a wide variety of learners. I have always been a top student in my courses, and instructors took notice. If you show the initiative for learning the basic course material and beyond, then most professors seem apt to take you under their wing, and provide other sources of "real world" learning and experience. Do not just assume that you can float through a program and make minimum grades and still get a stellar education--you can't do that anywhere. This is college! It is time to work hard, no matter where you decide to attend. It pays off in the end if you work hard. Initially, I attended IU--Bloomington and hated it. Students at IU were just sheep being herded onward and off into the real world. Professors rarely cared or took time to aid students. In 4 of my 6 courses, I was just 1 of 300+ students. At ISU, I was generally 1 of no more than 25 students and instructors took notice of my work, and I made some wonderful connections with important people because of it. In fact, I got a job even before I graduated because of my work ethic and ISU experience. If you're someone that is looking to pay for parties, a fancy school name, and legacy, then maybe ISU isn't for you...in fact, maybe college isn't for you. Pick a college that best suits your needs and aspirations, and then work hard all of the way through graduation. Don't just think of college as a big party that, at the end, is supposed to grant you a fancy job just because you paid tuition. Hard work gets you a job post-grad...not the fact that you just dropped a couple grand on courses for 4 years. All-in-all, I am thankful that I attended ISU and worked my ass off...it definitely has paid off for me.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

This is a college where you get out of it what you put into it. People have to remember that it is a state college. It is not going to be as squeaky clean as some of the other ones. In my experience, the faculty members are great--very knowledgeable and helpful. Many people here are nice. The departments offer very good programs. It is very cost efficient. I really enjoy it here and I know I made the right choice. I only have three complaints. One--some of the buildings are run-down. For me this isn't a huge issue because I've lived in worse. But if you're from a big city or rich family, it might bother you. Two--Terre Haute sucks. I can't speak to the nightlife because I don't party, but otherwise it's boring and kinda shady. Plus, people here can't drive. There's a lot of road rage and running of red lights. Third, and most importantly, a lot of the STUDENTS here are kind of low life people or are just not very pleasant in general. There's a lot of Jerry Springer type stuff that goes on in the middle of the night and campus police shows up--at least in the freshman towers. Luckily, most of these people will drop out by sophomore year. If you are good at ignoring nasty people, you'll be fine. Overall I would definitely recommend this school, especially if you are going into teaching, psychology, or social work. You just have to know what you're getting yourself into, have a willingness to be patient, and remember that you are here for an EDUCATION. All the stupid outside stuff doesn't matter.

1st Year Female -- Class 2016

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: D