Francis Marion University

When you first enter college as a freshman your main objective is to do whatever you want whenever you want because you can! After attending one of your first classes at FMU as an undergrad you realize that what you wanted and want you get are completely different. Although it is a very small university in a small community, it has so much to offer. The course work is very challenging and demanding. As a recent graduate I hear many people in my community say that FMU does not offer what they are looking for and I say they have not done their homework. I immediately knew I was going to FMU right out of high school because I had heard that their biology department had the best professors as well as a challenging curricullum that would prepare me for what I would go on to do after graduation. I am now entering Nursing School at FMU and can say without a doubt that I AM prepared! At FMU, professors do not just mentally test you but physically test you as well and your ability to go above and beyond what you would normally do. The professors in the biology department push you to learn and apply it outside the classroom and I know each and every professor that has made a difference in my academic career. Francis Marion University may seem like a small place on a map but it can open up doors to opportunities you never thought possible.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

If you are looking for a program that can offer you insight into professional and educational success FMU would be an excellent choice for you. I graduated from FMU in the Fall of 04' and went on to teach High School Biology until the summer of 07'. I then went on to graduate school to study Conservation Biology. None of this would be possible if it were not for the faculty and course work at FMU. Of course I could have gotten this education at larger Universities, but it could have come at a higher price and I may not have done as well without the one on one time with the instructors. The majority of negative comments I have heard seem to come from students who are unhappy with the education they are recieving at FMU. Allow me to say this. You will only get what you put into your education at FMU. If you strive to be a leading mind in your field, you should be taking the appropriate course load, if you just want to graduate and go to work, perhaps you should look into another University or College. Francis Marion is a relatively small school in comparison to other schools in the region like Duke, USC, UNC, Clemson, etc. so the name of the school may not be enough to carry you through a job interview/application process. But there are other skills taught at FMU to make up for that in Senior Seminar which is required of all graduating seniors at FMU. They teach you the value of a good resume, personal skills, and knowledge of skills required. If you can transform yourself into a knowledgable individual the university you went to is irrelavant. FMU gets a solid A from me. I wouldn't trade my time at FMU for any other school.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

My name is Ty Hardymon and I am a former undergraduate student at Francis Marion University. I am currently attending Graduate school at Antioch University in New Hampshire. I am studying the effects of leaf-litter depth on amphibian species richness and abundance. I feel that my experiences at Francis Marion have prepared me for the success I am having now in graduate school. I cannot think of a single course that I took in my four years at FMU that wasn't relavent to my education. I will say that there were certain professors that I would much rather have had for certain courses but all in all I enjoyed the majority of courses I took at FMU. I focused primarily on life science courses and had the privilage to take classes under Travis Knowles, Jeff Camper, and Tom Roop. All of these gentleman have had a great influence on where I am now and I value them as collegues and friends. I would strongly recommend Francis Marion University to any students serious about their education and interested in environmental biology.

4th Year Male -- Class 2004

Education Quality: A+, Social Life: C+