Ball State University Top Questions

In my opinion, Ball State is the right fit for a variety of people, beginning with its size. Getting from one side of the campus to the other in a ten minute passing period is very doable in most cases, even on foot. It is not tiny, however, so it still feels open. The campus is beautiful and even has its own little forest, Christie Woods, to go and forget about homework for a while. So far, the professors have been reasonable and approachable and many of them are interesting. It is a very green campus, with more recycle bins than most people know what to do with, and the new geothermal project that is in development. Of course there are some issues, such as the parking situation and the meal plan, but even in the short time I've been here I've noticed that the school is always improving. I believe the best thing about the school, however, is just how friendly students are here. They are always willing to smile and start a conversation with you. We even have a club that gives out hugs on Fridays. So I've enjoyed my time here so far and I believe that I will continue to enjoy it for the next few years.

Probably the best thing about Ball State is that it generally has a very open-minded progressive attitude, emphasizing multiculturalism, diversity, technology, and "real-world" issues. Also, Ball State has a comfortably large campus, not at all confining, with architecture varying from the modest Collegiate Gothic of North Quad to the super-Modern David Letterman Building. There are events and activities for students year-round and plenty of clubs and other organizations, so that students always have fun and engaging ways to spend time out of the classroom. Unfortunately, the campus is the high-point of the city of Muncie, so that, even though things happen all around the city, it's not exactly the epitome of a "college town." When I tell people that I go to Ball State, they seldom are confused about where I'm talking about. Many people, at least in Indiana, know about Ball State and it tends to have a good reputation as one of the best public schools in the state, and, for some fields of study, one of the best in the region (many students from out-of-state come to BSU for majors such as telecommunications). My opinion of the administration is ambivalent. For the most part, the administration seems a relatively invisible force, though some students tend to scrutinize the decisions of President Jo-Ann Gora, mostly when it comes to things like the insufficient removal of ice from walkways in the winter. The experiences I'll always remember from being at Ball State will be those of meeting and spending time with friends, which BSU is really good for, having a large student body and numerous ways to meet and interact with new people. Certainly, the friendships I've made will long outlast my years as a student, as will the memories I'll have and keep.

Probably the best thing about Ball State is that it generally has a very open-minded progressive attitude, emphasizing multiculturalism, diversity, technology, and "real-world" issues. One of BSU's main catchphrases is "immersive learning," which basically means taking a practical approach toward preparing students for their careers, the job market, etc. rather than spending too much time in theoretical thinking which is divorced from "reality." In many fields which Ball State offers a major in, this seems reasonable and all together appropriate (e.g. business/ marketing). But, taking this attitude makes Ball State in some ways less conducive to those students who prefer or require more theoretical thinking (e.g. philosophy majors, political science majors) and therefore some departments and student organizations are undermined. Regardless, though, Ball State is a great school for many things such as: business, architecture, journalism, music, education, etc. Also, Ball State has a comfortably large campus, not at all confining, with architecture varying from the modest Collegiate Gothic of North Quad to the super-Modern David Letterman Building. There are events and activities for students year-round and plenty of clubs and other organizations, so that students always have fun and engaging ways to spend time out of the classroom. Unfortunately, the campus is the high-point of the city of Muncie, so that, even though things happen all around the city, it's not exactly the epitome of a "college town."

I think Ball State is a great school. With roughly 20,000 students, it's smaller than Indiana University and Purdue University, but still offers a more vibrant campus life than a small private school. The campus is also easy to travel through, as you can get most anywhere you need to go in 15 minutes or less of walking. It's more affordable than other state schools, and I really feel that I'm getting a great education for an economical price. One area that annoys a lot of students is the parking. Nearly all of the parking is on the edge of campus or off-campus at the arena. While the school provides a pretty good shuttle service, it takes about an extra 30 minutes to get to-and-from your car.

I think Ball State is a great school because it has a lot of wonderful aspects. With roughly 20,000 students, it's smaller than Indiana University and Purdue University, but still offers a more vibrant campus life than a small private school. The campus is also easy to travel through, as you can get most anywhere you need to go in 15 minutes or less of walking. It's more affordable than other state schools, and I really feel that I'm getting a great education for an economical price. One area that annoys a lot of students is the parking. Nearly all of the parking is on the edge of campus or off-campus at the arena. While the school provides a pretty good shuttle service, it takes about an extra 30 minutes to get to-and-from your car.

Ball State is a great school for those who want big school opportunities with a small-school atmosphere. The school is located in Muncie, which is big enough to have a mall, three movie theaters, and a variety of restaurants, but small enough that you won't have to worry too much about traffic or serious crime. Campus itself is gorgeous--the school is in the process of tearing down some of its older buildings, specifically dorms, and putting up new ones, so new students may even be spared the unpleasant experience of the nasty freshman dorm room. Campus is also small enough to walk across in about 20-25 minutes, and the on-campus transportation is usually great; the on-campus parking, however, is an endless source of complaints. If you plan to bring a car with you, be prepared to get at least one ticket during your 4 years; the parking officials seems to really enjoy giving major tickets for minor infractions. The school administration is doing great work making our campus sustainable and is very environmentally conscious; the biggest controversy on campus around cold weather season, though, always has to do with a lack of snow-days called by the administration. Expect to go to class in rain, sleet, hail, ice, snow, cold advisories, heat advisories, plagues of frogs--whatever the weather dishes out, your classes will most likely not be cancelled or delayed unless your professor is physically unable to be there. Still, Ball State, overall, ranks pretty high in my opinion of what a good school is. Class sizes are usually small--less than 30 students per class, there are plenty of extracurricular and volunteer opportunities on campus and in the community, and there's a great sense of school pride. I was worried at first that going to a state school wouldn't give me the same opportunities as I would get at a private school, but my professors have really taken an interest in setting me up with great internship and practical experience choices. I'm very satisfied with my choice to go to Ball State.

I've attended four different colleges in the state of Indiana alone, and I wouldn't stay at any but Ball State. The campus size is perfect while transitioning from high school as well as developing as a college coed. With a student body of around 20,000 you are able to walk through campus and see new faces everyday. With this sense of a constantly new community comes the welcoming sense that BSU gives you by creating an even more personalized community within your field of study. After meeting some new acquaintances (hey, maybe even new friends!) you can travel to Muncie's 'village' which is just a street that contains average restaurants, bars, and art venues. The options aren't overwhelming at first, but give students the feeling that 'the village' is truly a small area, close and personal to the people who spend time there. This lack of 'college town' also gives students the opportunity to get out into the small area of Muncie and hang out where the real college scene is, the student's homes.

Ball State has helped me and made me grow not only in academics but also in life. I came from a high school of 4,000 kids so Ball State felt just right with the class sizes and people on campus. I joined a sorority to meet more people and establish my place in college, little did I know it was the best decision I would make. Greek life has expanded my knowledge of campus, improved my study habits and made me more responsible than ever. I am proud to go to a school where David Letterman graduated at a C average, where our entire campus is on one street, where President Obama opened a campaign office in our University Village and where we have befriended a hotdog vendor who is now a celebrity face on campus. There are just enough kids to meet someone knew each day and few enough to form a close bond. Ball State is not just a school, it's a family.

Ball State University focuses highly on immersive learning and hands on experience. The University is widely known for its slogan: "Education Redefined." After attending Ball State University I can truthfully say that I believe students that attend this university gain experience that is lacking at other universities. I am an English Education major and as a first semester freshmen, I was sent out into the local schools to observe classroom settings. Ball States thrives on giving students the opportunity to look into the realities of their future careers and communities. Student population is fairly reasonable at the university and there is an activity, group, or club for pretty much every interest. Seriously, we have a basket weaving group. How cool is that? In addition to the extracurricular organizations, there are a couple other alternative ways to spend time on campus. Bracken library is four floors and contains thousands of amazing resources including software, databases, archives, and yes even taxidermy animals. The recreation and wellness center is fairly new to Ball State and it provides various activity spaces. There are general workout areas as well as indoor soccer, rock climbing, walleyball, and the pool. It is easily accessible and can accomodate a large number of students, making it a convenient and popular place to find students. Students also reach a sense of unity during athletic events. During football season tailgating and homecoming are two major events that draw students of all interests and backgrounds. Official t-shirts are made each year and can be seen by looking at "the nest", which is an area where students sit and "chirp" during basketball games.

I actually wasn't entirely sure about Ball State when I first came here. I had wanted to go to Purdue, but missed the deadline for the flight program. It wasn't long, though, before I realized that there was something at BSU for almost anyone and I fell in love with the campus. Although it's constantly under renovation (as it's constantly growing in size and prestige), the parts of campus that construction isn't visible are just gorgeous. And since it sits in the middle of a (large) town, it's not loud, intruding, or cramped. I think the distribution of buildings over campus is almost perfect. It's small enough that you can get from one building to almost any other within the ten to fifteen minutes allotted between class times, with the exception of buildings on the most extreme sides of campus. That being said, a lot of students do choose to take the bus system. I personally think the university could do with one or two more buses. In the middle of the day when it's most busy, the buses are constantly crammed full and don't always come as frequently as they should. There is a lot of school pride at Ball State. I think it stems from our (to me) perfect size. It's small enough that almost everyone knows at least some of the athletes, but yet big enough that we're always competitive in every sport. Albeit, we're usually the underdog, but that makes victories that much sweeter. And if you attend a Ball State football game, the third down chirp is mandatory.