Enrollment: 21252
Student Faculty Ratio: 22:1

Students Say - Academics
"According to its undergrads, Middle Tennessee State University is a big, public college that offers "the best bang for your buck in academia, sports, parties, and overall experience." Among its varied and excellent academic programs, MTSU's Mass Communications, Aerospace, Recording Industry Management, Education, and Electronic Media departments in particular attract students. Within their major, students find professors are "extremely knowledgeable and very willing to meet with students outside of class." However, students also admit that there are also a handful of professors---especially in general education courses---who are "good professionals in their particular field but are not at all good or even remotely effective teachers." As is often the case at large, public schools, "There seems to be a director and office for just about everything and enough red tape for a parade." Students also admit that "since there are 23,000 students at MTSU, it is sometimes difficult to contact advisors, administrators, and professors;" However, they reassure us that once you are able to get reach them, "Everyone is very professional and willing to work with individual needs." A junior assures, "If I've ever had a problem, the administration and professors were there to help me.""

Students Say - Campus Life
"At MTSU, there is a dizzying array of extracurricular options and activities, including exciting options like "rock-climbing class, book arts, and the awesome-beyond-awesome outdoor pursuits program that allows students to go off campus on organized camping trips." When it's time to blow off steam, "Parties that fraternities/sororities or other entertainment promotion groups [throw] are usually popular on Thursdays and Saturdays." On the weekends, however, things quiet down considerably as "A lot of dorm residents go home" while others head off to bars and concerts in nearby Nashville. For those who stick around, hometown Murfreesboro offers plenty of pleasures for penny-pinching college students. For example, "If you are of legal age, every restaurant in this town has drink specials." In fact, "There are so many restaurants/bars and music venues near this school [that] it is extremely hard to not find anything to do." In particular, many students note that "the local music scene is definitely important, and you won't find a night of the week that there isn't a band playing somewhere in town.""

Students Say - Student Body
"Politically and socially, you'll find every extreme at MTSU, from "a lot of guys driving trucks with George W. stickers and fraternity letters," to the "liberal coffeehouse crowd." One thing is for sure: "No matter what type of person or group you belong to, there are always 100 other people just like you." On this big campus, "You have your musicians, your businesspeople, your journalists, your history buffs, your computer people, and more." In addition to traditional students, there are "a large number of students [who] are well over 30 years of age," and many mention that "MTSU serves a large population of students registered with Disabled Student Services. Handicapped students are common.""

University of Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky University

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