StudentsReview :: Cleveland State University - Extra Detail about the Comment
-or-
Search for Schools by Region
 

or within distance of city

Similar Schools
Alabama State University -- Montgomery, AL
Arizona State University -- Tempe, AZ
California State Polytechnic University -- Pomona, CA


  Who's got the Best?

Perceptual Rankings:
You Make 'Em.
We Post 'Em.
You Vote 'Em Up.
You Vote 'Em Down.
Aww yeah.


Cleveland State University

How this student rated the school
Research QualityC- Research AvailabilityF
Research FundingF Graduate PoliticsD
Errand RunnersA Degree CompletionD
Alternative pay [ta/gsi]C Sufficient PayF
CompetitivenessD+ Education QualityF
Faculty AccessibilityF Useful ResearchC+
ExtracurricularsC- Success-UnderstandingD
Surrounding CityA Social Life/EnvironmentC
"Individual" treatmentC FriendlinessB
SafetyD- Campus BeautyB
Campus MaintenanceA- University Resource/spendingA-
Describes the student body as:
Friendly, Arrogant

Describes the faculty as:
Arrogant, Condescending, Unhelpful

Male
GRE90
Lowest Rating
Research Availability
F
Highest Rating
Errand Runners
A
He cares more about Faculty Accessibility than the average student.
Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Chemical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
My review concerns the Chemical Engineering Department only. I am not qualified to speak to the other departments with much authority.

I joined CSU thinking that all 4th tier public colleges would be similar in their quality of education and research. Unfortunately, I was so wrong. The graduate program is not focused on research. If you are hoping to perform interesting research in a state-of-the-art facility, please consider U of Toledo, the Ohio State U, U of Cinci or one of the many other universities in Ohio. Students are not allowed to seek research opportunities outside of the department and are discouraged from visiting labs or doing rotations within the department prior to advisor assignment. Students thus have to make an uninformed decision when requesting an advisor.

The level of funding for graduate students is the worst I have ever known or heard of, even for a public school. There are actually graduate students in this department who are paying for their tuition and get no stipend. Now, this is unheard of in an engineering school. Those of us who do get stipends are still below the poverty level and qualify for welfare. Although the stipend is so little, we are not allowed (per our contract) to get an outside job. Of course, tuition waivers and stipends come with the price tag of fored teaching assistantship, which is understandable. However, it is likely that the graduate student will be assisting in a class he or she has never taken. Obviously, the undergrads suffer because of this policy.

I have met a couple of supportive and helpful faculty members who clearly are using CSU as a stepping stone in their career. The permanent faculty, however, have no interest in the students and are known to use name-calling and insults in the classroom to point out when a student is doing something incorrectly. This is most evident in the Advanced Thermodynamics course where the professor laughs and ridicules the students on an almost daily basis. The behavior of this one instructor makes me embarrassed to be asssociated with this department at all.

Unfortunately, the grading scale is frequently not known during the course and tests are handed back after several weeks. We typically don't know if we are doing A work or F work. Even when asked directly about the grading methods and scale, the faculty will usually not give a straight answer. This is extrememly frustrating and not acceptable.

My experience in this department has been terrible. Several of my peers regret joining CSU and worry that their futures are limited now. I worry for them, too. It's unfortunate that members of the department outright lie and deceive the students prior to their enrollment. With graduate school it's not as easy to transfer schools and in the case of international students, it is darn near impossible.

The only good reason to attend CSU-Chemical Engineering is if you can do your project or thesis at your employer's and will have your tuition reimbursed. There is no reason to come here from overseas, despite the propaganda they must be sending out.

Ask a Question or add a response!
Compare CSUSave CSU