I cannot speak for any of the other departments, but in my department (Geoscience) EVERYONE is helpful, friendly, and wants to see you succeed. The advisers work with you to help you understand which classes are right for you and they give excellent advice and honesty. This department cares about its students: that's the bottom line. I truly like and enjoy each one of my professors and classes in this department. I live in on campus, and it is true that about 60-70% of students are commuters. But that doesn't bother me. There isn't tons and tons and tons of extracurricular activities or social events, but if you look for them THEY ARE THERE. Many of them are on weekends or take place well after the commuters leave for the day.
Social life, I'd rate at a B. Like I said, not super amounts of extracurricular activities, but for me, the diversity of the campus makes up for that in leaps and bounds. You meet new people from different places all around the globe every day.
Safety can be iffy. I do feel safe during the day, but at night I wouldn't walk around too far. The campus itself feels safe, but the surrounding area is .. well.. the surrounding area. But for the ladies at night... you know... you can never be too careful. Luckily, there are always guards available at your request to walk with you. I carry mace just in case.
The bottom line at this school is that you get what you put into it. Create your goals and work for them. I transferred here from community college in the area so I knew what I was getting in to. A lot of students here complain that the professors are not, in lack of a better term, spoonfeeding them. But why should they? You're an adult. Act like one. Nobody here is going to hand you anything. If you want something, you must work for it. If you work for it, they will help you. If you are coming here for an easy ride or to party, you're coming to the wrong place.
I came here to get my bachelors so I can go on to grad school. And I haven't ruled out coming back to UTA for my Masters of Science. I love my department that much. Just make sure this is the best school for you in your situation. Different schools excel in different majors. If you are coming here as a English, history, or polisci major.... this may not be the place for you. Don't come here just because it's close to home. Look at your options. This is a research university and it caters the best to science and engineering majors. Understand that.
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