University of Kansas Top Questions

Almost every professor I've had has made an attempt to know my name, and the further into my majors I get, the more I enjoy my professors. I feel they encourage class participation and are very approachable outside of the classroom.

KU has taught me a lot since I began as a freshman! My academic learning, however, has not been facts and terms (although I have learned quite a bit of this too), but my professors have taught me to expand my mind and look at things objectively. I feel like I am able to apply a lot of the theories and ideas discussed during classes to my everyday life and what I see around me! However, my only quall with KU is that as an undergraduate, you do not get to spend a lot of time with professors. Classes taught by professors usually have hundreds of people attending, so most of the classes where I've actually gotten to speak with the teacher has been taught by teaching assistants.

The design department is excellent and relatively small.

The design department is excellent and relatively small.

Some professors know my name. The smaller the classroom, the more likely they'll know my name. My favorite class would have to be my microbiology class. It was well organized, went along w/ lecture well, the TA's were extremely helpful and knowledgable, and I enjoyed the material. The amount that students study depends on their majors. The harder majors study more often. Class participation usually occurs more frequently w/ smaller classrooms. Sometimes students hold intellectual conversations, but I think a lot of students are afraid of controversy, so they are less likely to converse about topics that others are more likely to differ. Some students are competitive, others don't care, and others just only worry about how they are doing. I sometimes spend time w/ professors outside of class. There are some classes that it is easier to talk to the professors about certain things, like writing an essay or talking about an assignment. I think the requirements are good at KU, but I do think that as the years progress, it will be harder for students to graduate in 4 years b/c of the increase of requirements. The education is definitely leaned more for getting a job.

In Pharmacy school, it is hard not to have your teachers know you, but in lecture halls for other classes, especially 100 level classes, there is no way you will get participation or know peoples names unless they sit in the very front 5 rows. My major is Pharmacy Practice. We have 105 students in my class, and we take all of our classes at the same time. We have very intellectual conversations outside of class, and we always try to put things that we learn in the classroom into daily use or to connect our previous knowledge together. Pharmacy is a very competitive field, only 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of students that apply are accepted here. We hang out with our Deans more than our professors because of all the activities I'm in, and they are usually the faculty sponsor. I feel like right now the professors are trying to teach us about how to be a researcher, but I feel that I will be prepared for my profession when I get out.

we're very strong academically. not all professors know your name, but they are all willing to help.

I take mostly small classes, honors sections or courses specific to my major. Professors in these classes are always well prepared, knowledgeable, and personable. A few of my gen ed classes were larger lectures, but those were the only instances where instructors didn't know me by name. My favorite class so far was probably my Freshman Honors English course; it was a small class, the professor was the best I have ever had, we read outstanding literature and covered what we read with engaging discussions and fun projects. That was definitely the most unique course I've taken. I don't have a specific "least favorite" class--I didn't really hate any of my classes, but I did find some of my big, required lectures kind of boring. How often a student studies or prepares depends on the student; some people come to class only on test days and never open their textbook, while others never miss a day and do additional outside reading. KU students frequently have intellectual discussions outside of class; in addition to participating in some of these conversations myself, I have often overheard others. I don't spend a lot of time with most of my professors outside of class, but I do visit my favorite professor in her office to chat and get advice. As someone who studies quite a lot, I don't usually need outside help, but I know all of my instructors have office hours and are willing to work with anyone who needs their assistance. I think the education at KU is balanced--if you're passionate about a subject, KU helps you learn, and KU also helps you figure out how to find a job doing what you love. As an education major, I can say that KU's education department is outstanding. Getting into the education program is competitive, the instructors and classes are top-notch, and everyone who works in JRP, the education building, is professional and helpful.

The University of Kansas does an excellent job getting the students all of the information they need at their lecture classes. Then most classes give you a chance to voice your own opinion and hear others which is a major value in helping you to better understand all of the different sides to what issues are presented.

At the beginning of my time here, I was in a lot of big classes and it was kind of impersonal. I also don't need a lot of personal attention from professors, so that was fine with me. Now that I am in the School of Business, however, I have closer relationships with my professors as well as with my fellow students. The School of Business is a challenging, but engaging school, and I feel like I am going to be ready to make an impact right away no matter where I go once I graduate. We learn not only the skills we need to get a great job, but how to always be learning in a continuously changing business environment.