West Virginia University Top Questions

I have a lot to say about WVU but this sentence will sum it up: This is a good school but it is not for everyone. The tour is not an accurate representation of the school (at least when I went on it).

WVU is a pretty good school but it is not for everyone.

Well, in all honesty I'm going to be transferring next year. I have mixed emotions about the school. Here, I'll break them down: POSITIVES -Variety of majors. If you want to major in something, chances are it's here. We have everything from engineering to forestry to forensics to puppetry! Some programs are nationally ranked like forensics and engineering. -School spirit. I dare you to find a school that has more school spirit and support for their teams as the Mountaineers do. Even me, who usually is not very spirited, can't help but cheer for WVU and sing "Country Roads" whenever it plays (that is if I go to games). -The surrounding area of Morgantown is beautiful. Cooper's Rock and Cheat Lake are gorgeous. If you love the outdoors then this is definitely a school for you. -Proximity to Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. It's about an hour and a half drive but I think it's nice going to a school near a major city so if you ever wanted a nice weekend trip, it's there. -If you take a foreign language (which most of you probably will), the classes are no larger than 25 which is very nice! NEGATIVES -Size. I'm not going to try and minimize it-this is a large state school. Because of this, your classes are going to be huge. I'm talking anywhere between 50-350 students in large lecture halls and no recitation (at least for the general freshman classes). Even sophomore/junior classes can easily be 100 students. It also makes things very crowded at times and you honestly do feel like a number unless you really make an effort not to. My smallest class has been French with 25 students. -Academics. For the freshman classes, the general eds can be really insulting to your intelligence sometimes with how easy they are. Some classes in my high school were more difficult than some classes I've had here. There are certain exceptions such as math, chemistry, physics, and engineering that are challenging. My other gripe about academics is the teaching. You will get TAs that do not speak English. You will have a lot of classes taught by a TA like a foreign language or courses like psychology 101 which is almost always TA taught. I'm not saying TAs are bad but professors are generally preferable. -Online assignments. I know this is the 21st century but a lot more assignments are online assignments than I would like. Some of the material is taught online, which irritates me because I pay to go to an actual class, not online. Also, ecampus is a big complaint for students! -Partying. Yes, we are the #1 party school in the country (and if we aren't exactly #1, we are darn close). A lot of students, especially freshman and sophomores, love to go out and drink/party so if it's not your scene, you will have trouble adjusting to it especially if you live in a dorm. There are people out there who don't party but it takes a little effort to find them. -Multiple campuses/Transportation. Yeah, you heard of the PRT breaking down? It happens. Most of the time it works fine but it seems like when you really need it, it breaks down. When it does, however, getting around campus is hell especially if you live in Towers and class is downtown. The buses will all be packed and good luck getting one in 30 minutes. Also, because campus is so spread out, I feel there's not a lot of campus unity or activity that's widely attended by students. Everything just seems so far apart and it's a hassle to wake up an hour before class in the morning to ensure enough time to get ready and catch a bus/PRT. My friends at other schools can wake up 10 minutes before class and still make it on time! -A lot of students, if they don't party or don't want to, tend to go home on the weekends. Overall, I think WVU is appealing to students but it is not for everyone.

My fears when I came here were that WVU was going to be too big, my classes were going to be spread out among campuses, and I was going to become socially distracted. My overall opinion of WVU is that it is a great school. I have done well this year because I have put forth the effort required to do so. WVU is known as a party school; as long as you know how to discipline yourself and prioritize, then you can be very successful. I love the family environment that Morgantown has, especially at games. I no longer feel that WVU is too big. Everywhere I go, I either run into someone I know or have multiple classes with someone I know. And as far as my classes being too spread out, I just have to take that into consideration while planning my schedule. Always give yourself enough time and you will succeed.

I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. The atmosphere is great. The students are friendly. Some of the class sizes are a little big. My general chemistry classes had about 200 students in them, but that isn't the case for all courses. Also, I've found that most of the professors I've had are very helpful and are generally available outside class to help you with anything you don't understand.

I love WVU! There is just something about Morgantown, WV that makes you feel as though you belong there. The town is vibrant and filled with pride for the University. Being a WVU Mountaineer is akin to being a member of a large family. The town, the alumni, and the entire state of WV love this institution and it has a fan base that is one of the best in the entire country. The only bad part about WVU is the hills that litter the campus, but you can always think of that as an opportunity for exercise.

I believe WVU was the perfect choice for me. All the other schools I was considering my senior year had amazing programs, but nothing about the schools stood out to me. When I had my first visit in Morgantown, I felt welcomed and embraced. I have really found a second home here. My favorite memory was my first parent's weekend, my whole family drive 8 hrs to visit me. We played football on the green with my few of my friends and their families then we all went out for dinner. Afterwards my parents kissed me goodbye and said they could not be more proud of the people I have found here.

I like it here, quite simple. It has a large student population which means a lot of people to meet. One thing I would change is the transportation system here, which leaves much to be desired. While WVU is a large school, when you enter into your major requirement classes, the class sizes are much smaller. WVU probably has the most school pride of any school period. Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer.

Overall, I love WVU. I think that it has such a great atmosphere and so many great people attending. I visited a few other colleges before WVU and they were alright, but when I got to WVU, I thought it was perfect. It's exactly what you would imagine when you think of a "college town." Everything you want is right there and easily accessible. I think it is the perfect medium between a large and a small school. It's large enough to have a lot of diversity, but small enough that you can still be familiar with all of the staff and students you interact with. My favorite thing about WVU though is our school pride. Since West Virginia has no professional sports teams, you not only have the students and alumni spirited for WVU, but people all over West Virginia as well. This year, we had ESPN's college game day come for the LSU v. WVU game. For two days before that, people were camped outside on the green behind the Mountain Lair. The Mountaineer mascot came in the middle of the night and started our famous "Eat Shit Pitt" chant and got all of the students rallied up. Even the president of the college was there! We kept saying, "Only at WVU."

Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer. WVU has tremendous school spirit with an addictive pride for the school and the sports programs. Morgantown, WV is a pure college town with the students making up the majority of the population. The nightlife is located seconds from campus and the night scene consists of bars, clubs, fraternity and house parties. The Mountainlair is a terrific student union with multiple sources of food and entertainment ranging from a movie theater to a bowling alley. One downfall of the campus is the amount of hills. It is often said that wherever you walk it is uphills both ways. WVU has a student population that fits the campus just right. The experience that I will always remember is the schock I experienced when first arriving on campus. The overall atmosphere on the campus is overwhelming as the party scene, sporting events, and the overall college experience are unlike anywhere else.