Eastern Connecticut State University

Statistics

Students Say - Academics
Otherwise known as "Connecticut's public liberal arts school," Eastern Connecticut State University offers many of the conveniences of a private-school education, at an affordable in-state price. "A smaller school with smaller classes," ECSU's "thorough liberal arts curriculum" is conducted within a "comfortable learning environment." Among the faculty, there is "refreshing" variety: "Each professor has their own way of teaching, but each of them manages to make class interesting and engaging." More importantly, "The professors seem to be very knowledgeable and loaded with extensive experience in their specific field." In most majors, the workload is "challenging but not overbearing." If you do get bogged down, "The professors, for the most part, want to see their students succeed and are very understanding when it comes to personal needs." Moreover, a student adds, "I went to the academic advisement center and I was amazed about how fast I was helped, and it actually made a positive difference in my work." Some students dislike the school's advising system, explaining, "All advisors are also professors who have very little time to spare." The school recently hired four full-time advisors to help address this issue. While the president is often seen walking around campus or attending student events, "the administration stays more behind the scenes and [is] less accessible than professors."

Students Say - Campus Life
Although 40 percent of Eastern students commute to school, those who live on campus say, "Most students are very happy with their residence halls, the food on campus, [and] events on campus." For daily doses of recreation, "The residence halls offer activities such as billiards or ping pong, while there is a well-updated and oft- used gym right on campus." "Attending sporting events is popular" with the athletic student body, and "There are always activities going on such as movies, parties, crafts, music, [and] comedians. You will never be bored at this school." For a change of pace, "The town around campus [Willimantic] offers many excellent venues for food and entertainment, with live music in many places." Socially, "there is no Greek system" at ECSU and the "school is strictly a dry campus." Therefore, "most people go off-campus to party," often visiting "a few local bars" within walking distance. Generally considered a "suitcase school," weekends are quiet at Eastern, and "By 4 o'clock Friday, nearly half of the school has left to go home."

Students Say - Student Body
Eastern boasts an "outgoing and enthusiastic" student population. Among the school's 4,000-plus full-time undergraduates, most are "active in the campus community by participating in clubs and activities," and many also take part in community service projects. Academically, "There is a large portion of students who are very focused on their schoolwork and [are] constantly using the library or computer lab to do their work." On the other hand, some students "only give minimal amounts of effort in order to pass classes." "The average student is white and middle class," though there are "many different races, socioeconomic statuses, and all sexual orientations" on campus. Personality-wise, "Everyone is very different, from athletes (which can be further split up into soccer, basketball, [and] lacrosse players) to RAs, to biology majors." Overall, however, "students are casual and friendly," and "If someone is different they are accepted and everyone listens to their ideas."

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