I am currently really getting into the courses that are specific to my major and within these classes I feel adequately challenged, but at the same time, all my professors are more than willing to help me if I ever have problems. However, my first year here I was very disappointed in the curriculum. I came from a very rigorous high school academic program and was accustomed to being pushed to my limits within my studies. The transition from high school to freshman year at college was a shocker for me because college was easier than high school. Everything in my Biology class, I already knew. The same went for my English classes. Once you get past the first general education courses you are required to take, the classes become more challenging and more applicable to your course of study and your future career. I am a Spanish major and my vocabulary and grammar knowledge has increased exponentially in the year and a half that I have been a student here.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
The campus layout was disappointing to me as a first year student because I dreamed of the green quads and quaint old buildings you are accustomed to viewing in movies. However, after a year, the facilities have greatly improved. The new student recreation center is phenomenal and conveniently close to the dormitories for students who live on campus. Lighting around campus has been improved, making it much safer for students who take night classes.
In addition to the superficial qualities of the university, the teachers are extraordinary. Just because you don't attend a suffocatingly small, private university does not mean that you will be just another face in the crowd to your teachers. They are not too busy to help you as long as they see that you are making an effort in their classes.
Finally, the last major attribute to USA is that the student body is so diverse. This diversity allows individuals to make friends with comrades of many different nationalities and helps increase tolerance for different cultures and beliefs: a necessity in today's increasingly globalized world.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Tuition at the University of South Alabama is one of the lowest rates in the state. It is lower than both Auburn University and the University of Alabama. They also offer numerous scholarship opportunities for students based on academic performance, athletics, and musical abilities.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
As cliché as it may sound, getting involved on campus will make your college experience one of a lifetime. Don't wait until sophomore year like I did in order to truly get involved. Find several organizations that you are interested in and make contact with the individuals in charge. They will be more than happy to provide you with information about the organization. Most student organizations have facebook pages and send out emails that give you a sense of what they are about.
Living on campus is also something that I would recommend. It's fun and convenient. When you only have to walk ten minutes to class in the morning from your front door, it makes it a lot more likely that you will actually motivate yourself to go.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
The University of South Alabama is great for students who want to meet people of all different cultures. During a typical day on campus, one will pass at least three different individuals conversing with their friends or on the phone in completely different languages. The ESL (English as a Second Language) Department has many different mixers and activities to help international students make friends that you can get involved with.
USA also has very good medical programs and within the past five years they have built a state of the art Health Sciences Building that contains the College of Nursing and the College of Allied Health. Students interested in the health professions would be well advised to look into the programs offered by the University of South Alabama.
I am currently really getting into the courses that are specific to my major and within these classes I feel adequately challenged, but at the same time, all my professors are more than willing to help me if I ever have problems. However, my first year here I was very disappointed in the curriculum. I came from a very rigorous high school academic program and was accustomed to being pushed to my limits within my studies. The transition from high school to freshman year at college was a shocker for me because college was easier than high school. Everything in my Biology class, I already knew. The same went for my English classes. Once you get past the first general education courses you are required to take, the classes become more challenging and more applicable to your course of study and your future career. I am a Spanish major and my vocabulary and grammar knowledge has increased exponentially in the year and a half that I have been a student here.
The campus layout was disappointing to me as a first year student because I dreamed of the green quads and quaint old buildings you are accustomed to viewing in movies. However, after a year, the facilities have greatly improved. The new student recreation center is phenomenal and conveniently close to the dormitories for students who live on campus. Lighting around campus has been improved, making it much safer for students who take night classes. In addition to the superficial qualities of the university, the teachers are extraordinary. Just because you don't attend a suffocatingly small, private university does not mean that you will be just another face in the crowd to your teachers. They are not too busy to help you as long as they see that you are making an effort in their classes. Finally, the last major attribute to USA is that the student body is so diverse. This diversity allows individuals to make friends with comrades of many different nationalities and helps increase tolerance for different cultures and beliefs: a necessity in today's increasingly globalized world.
Tuition at the University of South Alabama is one of the lowest rates in the state. It is lower than both Auburn University and the University of Alabama. They also offer numerous scholarship opportunities for students based on academic performance, athletics, and musical abilities.
As cliché as it may sound, getting involved on campus will make your college experience one of a lifetime. Don't wait until sophomore year like I did in order to truly get involved. Find several organizations that you are interested in and make contact with the individuals in charge. They will be more than happy to provide you with information about the organization. Most student organizations have facebook pages and send out emails that give you a sense of what they are about. Living on campus is also something that I would recommend. It's fun and convenient. When you only have to walk ten minutes to class in the morning from your front door, it makes it a lot more likely that you will actually motivate yourself to go.
The University of South Alabama is great for students who want to meet people of all different cultures. During a typical day on campus, one will pass at least three different individuals conversing with their friends or on the phone in completely different languages. The ESL (English as a Second Language) Department has many different mixers and activities to help international students make friends that you can get involved with. USA also has very good medical programs and within the past five years they have built a state of the art Health Sciences Building that contains the College of Nursing and the College of Allied Health. Students interested in the health professions would be well advised to look into the programs offered by the University of South Alabama.