Michigan State University Top Questions

Academics vary greatly by major. For example, business majors seem to be less serious, but the sciences and humanities, where I was, were very serious. All of my professors knew my name, though most of my classes were really small, especially after my freshman year. Within the honors college and in the residential colleges, students do have intellectual conversations outside of class. For example, while I was walking through the hall one evening, someone I didn't know stopped me and asked if I knew Quantum Chemistry. As I did, I stopped and explained the problem she was working on to her. It really varies, though, depending on who you hang out with. There are also students who rarely go to class. In most of my classes, participation was common, and professors were always available to talk before or after class or at office hours. Study groups are common, and we'd hold them in the physics building, so some of our professors would stop by to chat. In addition, there were many seminars and other talks that both students and professors attended where we socialized. I enjoy the academic flexibility the honors college gave me, but I would not have attended as a regular student, as I do not like some of the required classes, though most of them are pretty good. They vary a lot by instructor. Education at MSU is what each student makes of it. Some majors are career focused, while others are academically focused. There's pretty much everything here.

My favorite class was horsemanship, can you take that at any other college in Michigan?? If you don't make an effort to know your professor, they won't know you. Your education at MSU will be what you make of it.

No, typically the classes re much bigger and the profs. only know who you are if you go to their office hours every week. The opportunities for you to know the profs. and get one-on-one help is there if you take advantage of it, but most people dont. But it is there, they are willing to help you most of the time.

The basic classes that are required are dumber than high school classes at a sophmore level. However, the major specific classes could be a challenge. I am not a study kind of a person, I will do things occassionally, but it just depends on what is more important to you. I choose to work over studying. I would rather have the money.

Lots of the classes, especially entry-level, are gigantic lectures in which you'll speak to your professor. Many of the large lectures, however, are divided up into "recitations" where once or twice a week you'll meet with a smaller sub-section of your class (usually 20 students or so) and be taught by a TA or a GA, which is nice. There's always people studying at the library or the union, even into the wee hours of the morning, so whenever you want to study you can. If you have the opportunity to join the Honors College, you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD. That's one thing I regret not doing. Honors students get treated much better than regular students. They get special perks like being able to register for classes weeks before everyone else (no stressing about not getting into the classes you need), and not having to take stupid university requirement classes like ISS and IAH (which will both be a waste of your time and money).

It does help to get to know your professor, they will come in handy later. My biggest advice would be: DO NOT LET ADVISOR'S MAKE YOUR SCHEDULE! They will try to when you first arrive, but you can always change it. Go to www.allmsu.com to get advice on professors and classes. The advisor's will schedule with the worst professors and the worst class times. It is also a good idea to figure out all the classes you need to take for your major and create your own four-year plan. That is good to go over with your adviser, just don't let them make your schedule.

Professors will know your name if it's a class of about 30 or less. If you want to get to know the professor (AND have a better chance of doing well in the class), you MUST go up to them and at least introduce yourself. Teachers are there to help us learn, so you should ask them for help if you need it, and don't wait until the day of the final to ask for it. My favorite class was Theatre 101 because I LOVE acting, and I'm a theatre minor. I also liked my ISS 210 class with Zimmerman; she was very fun. I HATED ISS 325; it was interesting, but SO hard. Studying varies from student to student; I have friends who have NO social life because all they do is study. Me on the other hand? I hardly EVER study and I have a 3.4 overall so far. Class participation is welcomed, but it depends on the teacher whether or not you get graded hard for it or not. SOME students are competitive with each other. I would say in general that we like to help each other though...not like some OTHER schools where they tell their classmates "Oh you were sick, screw you. You should've gone to class" (U of M...hint hint, ha ha). MSU's academic requirements are not that bad. I'm an advertising major, so I don't have a hefty load of requirements, but I've heard that James Madison and Lyman Briggs (honors colleges) are obviously heavier workloads. I think MSU's education is geared to help you get a job after graduation. There are ALWAYS professors in your major that HAVE worked in the real world regarding the topic you're studying. For instance, my ADV 205 teacher worked for ad firms for much of her younger life. She just decided she wanted to teach it instead. There are always internship, scholarship, and apprenticeship opportunities through MSU after you graduate.

Since you can remember you've taken classes and learned subjects and you've asked yourself, when am I going to use this in real life? Well you're not going to get away from that no matter where you go to get your bachelors degree but at MSU I've had so many classes that I put so much heart into because I know that I'm learning things I need to know to succeed and I don't want to miss out because I will be expected to know these things because I come from the great school of MSU. MSU will prepare you for your first day of work and you will use what you've learned for the rest of your life time!

Classes are all over the chart. The honors sections of courses tended to be the best. Many were not actually at a higher level than the regular sections, but they were smaller and the students were much smarter. Group projects and study groups in honors sections were actually worthwhile.

For the first few years of college many of the classes are larger which could be frightening at first. But soon enough you get used to it. As students begin to specialize the class sizes become smaller and students get to know their professors on a first name bases.