West Virginia University - Parkersburg

Date: Jan 19 2005
Major: Chemistry (This Major's Salary over time)

College is what you make of it

is clearly the backbone of WVU-Parkersburg. The quality of teaching—without a shadow of doubt—is not any inferior to anywhere else. Classes are small and well-taught, students are tested very frequently, and tests are not easy or cheesy at all. Teachers are extremely experienced. No TA's! Teachers are among the friendliest people you can find anywhere in the US.

There are almost *no* research oppurtunities! but hey, where there is abundance of it, graduate schools get the most attention financially, and make for all the rankings and everything published by blah blah news and review.

If you ask me, save your money and go to a small college, where you get real attention from *real experienced* faculty. Spend your time doing your own independent studies and little creative projects, rather than be led to do what your instructor's brain has worked up for you.

This school is about undergraduate education, and you are guaranteed to get whatever you need to have to transfer to places with more research oppurtunities or professional schools.

And just for your information, I started going to WVUP with almost all the hate you could ever accumulate in someone. It took me some time to really appreciate this small gem 'in the middle of nowhere' in the small state of West Virginia. I am sort of a person that takes Calculus I in HS and then instead takes the AP Calculus II exam and scores 5/5. I wanted my higher education to be as competitive as MIT and Stanford, but unwillingly found that there's an entirely different (and arguably better) world when one gets past the reputation factor and look at things open-mindedly and without prejudice.