Florida State University Top Questions

Academia is kinda serious. Teachers and students both want success. A lot of people are working hard but are happy to work with you. classes can tend to be big but you don't really notice that all that much. I'm am music major and my classes are not big at all and the professors look scary on the outside but are real sweet hearts!

Academics vary and will always vary depending on the type of student you are. My school values academics and will do any necessary to make sure you succeed, you just have to want to.

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It comes back down to the class sizes. There are some classes that consist of over 300 people! It may be difficult to form a classroom relationship with your professor in classes like that, though all of the professors I've had so far have been more than accommodating in office hours and appointments to help their students.

The academics are great. I'm in my second semester and I haven't had one class that I didn't like which is definitely not what I expected. All of the classes are challenging and really get you to think and engage in the material, but it's still fun to learn about. Most of the professors I've had so far do a really good job at making students feel welcome and interested in the topics they teach. This semester my favorite class is Race & Ethnicity in the US with Professor Elizabeth Worley. In high school I hated history, it was my worst subject and just not for me, I dreaded having to take this class. After the first week I was so enthralled with the topics we had learned and would continue to learn. Professor Worley does a great job at engaging a large class to discuss really difficult topics and understand both sides. it was similar last semester in my Intro to Psychology class, that class inspired me to have a minor in Psychology. The classes and Professors are not here to stress students out, but to teach us not just about the topics, but about how we view the world around us and what we want to achieve while at FSU.

Academics could be a bit more challenging when it comes to liberal studies classes, but once the 3,000-4,000 level is reached, classes require a lot of extra effort and independent study. Although, there are those classes here and there in liberal studies 2,000 level that are extremely challenging. I think the best advice I could give someone looking into my school, is that it is extremely important to make connections with your professors. You can learn so much and it will definitely be beneficial for the long run when opportunities start knocking.

The academic scene at FSU is one of the best in the state of Florida. I have consistently had great professors up until now. Granted, some classes are taught by graduate students or teaching assistants, but the university does a good job of ensuring that these teachers are adequately qualified in their field so that education isn't compromised. One thing I normally do each semester is make friends with at least one student in every one of my classes so that I have someone I can sit with during class and study with outside of class. This has really helped me so far. Students are always eager to work together in order to do well.

The classes at Florida State definitely differ with majors. Most introductory classes are in large lecture halls where it might be difficult for the professors to personally know their students. However, every professor has office hours that students can attend and therefore get to know them. Professors also try to engage the students in the lectures and increase class participation. As students become juniors and seniors, the class size tremendously decreases and the professors will probably know all the students that attend class regularly. It is common to form study groups with other students in your classes. Though students are competitive, most are willing to help others. I am a Psychology major with a minor is Biology and Chemistry. In this field, the professors are extremely helpful and are willing to spend time with their students outside of class in order to aid them. The faculty are constantly informing students of job and research opportunities in order to help them be more experienced in their field. Most professors are required to do research with the university and will take on undergraduate students to help them. Florida State offers a wonderful opportunity to students call Directive Independent Study (DIS), in which students perform research with professors and graduate students and do this for course credits. This can count as one of your major electives. The education at Florida State is definitely directed toward attending graduate school but there are many opportunities to help students obtaining jobs.

At every school, this is going to depend on the department. I can only talk about my experiences, and they are in the college of criminology and the department of computer science. The criminology program at FSU is ranked high and the professors receive tons of money in grants for important research projects. The professors really care about their students and want you to come to their office hours - many will talk all day about their research if you get them on the topic. The classes in the college of criminology are easy. The department of computer science is a whole different story. Professors have very thick accents and are hard to understand. Many seem annoyed when you're in their office hours, and the classes are incredibly difficult and labor intensive. That said, the department has some major perks. There are always several TA's per computer science class and 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time they're incredibly helpful. FSU also has a CS majors lab, with dual boot 27'' monitors. It's a great place to go work on programs, as there will usually be someone in your class in there too.

If you are in the honors program its a lot easier to get to know your professors. The classes are smaller so the professors can learn your name. If not, you can still get to know them but it takes a little more effort. You should always go into your professors office hours if not to talk about to a test, then just to talk to them and get to know them. I think I usually study just the week before a test and do fine. I haven't encountered any professors yet that give totally unfair tests. I think the education here is geared towards graduate school. There are some majors that you can get a job right after graduation, but nowadays continued education is common.