The University of South Alabama

I graduated from the University of South Alabama in 1996 with a degree in business management. My experience back then was for the most part miserable! I had transferred from a local junior college where the faculty seemed to actually care. At South Alabama they seem as though they could care less! The administration and most of the faculty back then was about like that of a team of work hardened cattle herders and treated the students as such...rigid, cold, uncaring, condescending, arrogant and only in it for the money! Sure, they had a few good professors but they were far and few between and/or didn't stay there very long! The atmosphere was almost like a cold draconian winter. It?s like there was no soul, spirit or character to this place, only people wandering about aimlessly like brain-dead zombies toiling from one class to the next while the money-grabbing clowns who ran the circus were all too busy counting their greenbacks! South Alabama takes on the air of the place you go when you can't afford or you're unable to go anywhere else!

In relation to this lackluster experience I had there, it took me 5 years to obtain my degree mainly due in part to the fact that I worked full time. Yet, the professors took that into consideration, right? Wrong!!! Most of them only saw you as a number and unless you were a 100% devotee to your studies you were nothing in their eyes! It was either sink or swim! Period!! I grew to hate this place and was glad to get the hell out of there when I graduated!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that was 13 years ago. Now I have returned to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering (or a second cruel beating depending on your perception of the place!). This time for me it has the potential to become a double whammy because I have a 40 plus hour a week job as well as a family to boot. You would have thought in the decade-plus since I left there all of the shortcomings I spoke to above would have improved over time. Ha, the cold draconian winter atmosphere lives on! On a scale of 1 to 10, if the last time I was there was, say a 4.0, today, I?ll say it's about a generous 4.5! Other than a few added buildings, there have been only marginal (albeit miniscule) improvements in the way the show is run. Sure, they have made a few (emphasis on few) improving changes here and there, but for me it seems nothing more than a window dressing set up just to pull the wool over your eyes because most of the instructors now seemingly only pretend to ?care?. Personally, I?d go as far as to say about 85-90% of the entire faculty are there because no other college would hire them! I hate to sound abrasive but I call it the way I see it! They have a few good teachers, but for the most part they are nothing but a gaggle of old tenured apathetic has-beens and it's something that plagues ALL departments at South Alabama!

The University of South Alabama has been around since 1963. You would have thought that over time this university would have established itself as a reputable, distinguished, highly recommended institute of higher learning where prospective students were beating the door off the hinges to get in. Instead it has evolved over time to that of a bland ho-hum dull un-inspiring experience! I know you will have good and bad experiences everywhere you go. Yet, I?ve been to other colleges and the atmosphere there is nothing like South Alabama! The University of South Alabama has some serious firming up to do, most notably with their poor performers in their faculty. Until (if ever!) they improve their reputation I will forever give them a sour review!

1st Year Male -- Class 2015

Extracurricular Activities: A-, Individual Value: F

South Alabama has one of the cheapest out of state tuition rates in America; but still, at US$6000 for a single semester, it was not worth the money.

I did not feel challenged in my coursework at all, but possibly because I (unwittingly) registered for classes that covered content I'd already studied back in my home country... so, my bad. But even for new material, it was fairly easy. I scored straight As for all 6 classes the one semester I was at South, and skipped a fair number of classes while I was at it.

Students are fairly uncompetitive and do not seem particularly motivated or concerned about their grades. One of my classmates expressed her concern at having to maintain a GPA of 3.5... (??? With the standard of classes at USA, I don't really think it's that hard. Sorry :/)

A fair number of adult students go to this university so social life is pretty nonexistent, especially if you live off campus. Not many chances to make friends in class. International students are a fairly isolated community and I did not interact with Americans outside of class at all. There are international student groups though... all my friends at South were international students. But USA being in the South, interracial mingling is hardly common anyways...I transferred out because I found the curriculum completely unchallenging. However, to be fair, I did have some pretty nice and engaging professors, and the campus was pretty! I took a drama class that I loved as well (theatre at USA is fairly impressive to my untrained eyes). Students were friendly in an arm's length sorta way.

1st Year Female -- Class 2008

Campus Aesthetics: A-, Useful Schoolwork: F

The proffessors have always been nice, but the administration is absolutely the worst I've seen. I always have the feeling when dealing with any aspect of admissions, financial aid, or any university administration that they are trying to stop you from doing anything rather than assist you.Due to the constant troubles you will have with the university's administration, I would highly recommend going somewhere else.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2010

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Individual Value: F