Eckerd College

Date: Aug 17 2006
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
Being a marine science major was my main reason for coming to Eckerd from out of state, and when I first got there, upperclassmen were asking me what I was going to major in when I dropped marine science after first semester. First semester wasn't even that difficult. The marine science department is really good, people who tell you it's bad or impossible probably just couldn't handle it. It does take studying, but the professors were very much available for help when needed. There are a few professors that are not great but most are very high quality and helpful, at least in that department, which is all I can really give my opinion on.

So…not every one becomes dissillusioned with marine science, and there are great opportunities available in the field for research projects and internships. Professors associate with local and distant marine science organizations, and will help you out to get internships. Just study and don't drink on week nights and then complain it's too hard. It's a competitive field, so that kind of half commitment doesn't work in school or afterwards. That's life. This is the kind of program that will challenge you, but also give you assistance with your weaknesses. I'm not a great math student, but I was able to get extra help with calculus whenever I needed it this year. If you're doing marine science, Eckerd is worth the money…though it's very pricey and often spends money on self promotion and other stupid things.

That said, Eckerd is not all wonderful. It is a very isolated campus, and I highly recommend you bring a car if you can possibly afford it (I know I can't after the tuition). It is nice that the campus is so safe and visually appealing, but there is no integration in the city whatsoever, and you basically need a vehicle to get anywhere, especially the downtown. That was a big shock for me, coming from the northeast where trains and public transportation is the norm. St. Pete is cute but not really a great college town, though I've found a few places to go off campus. Off campus is an important concept, you will get sick of the same on campus parties so quickly, if you even think they're a good idea in the first place. I know I spent a chunk of first semester milling around campus feeling sorry for myself, missing my friends from home.

Eckerd's student body is comprised of obnoxious rich kids who want to party and get wasted all the time (it is not that hard to get in, so if their parents are willing to pay out of pocket, they will come), hippies (most of which are more commited to pot smoking than their supposed causes, although there is some activism on campus), and interesting people who came to Eckerd for its unique opportunities. You usually have to look around for the latter. Additionally, everyone is into skateboarding and water sports. There isn't a lot of nerd culture, and there isn't a lot of really different diversity (racial or otherwise), it seems everyone likes the same kind of music and has the same opinions about things.

I was disappointed by the extracurricular activities, but this might just be a 'small school' thing. At a school that only has 1,600ish people its hard to gather a lot of people for a particular interest. That being said, the band is sad, and many of the clubs don't seem to be very active. It seems like people just don't care about things, and this really frustrates me. For such an opinionated student body, people seem pretty apathetic about politics, except for the Alliance for Concerned Individuals, which does legitametely organize things. It seems most of the sports teams are not great, either. And the newspaper is pretty bad, and prints whatever story it thinks is most scandalous on the front like a tabloid…it's actually pretty silly. If you were very involved in high school, you're going to have to work a little bit harder to find extracurricular things to engross yourself in.

Really whether I would recommend Eckerd or not is based on what you want to do, if marine science or environmental studies is in the cards, or something that would benefit from the study abroad program, I'd say consider it. If not, like if you're communications or business, go somewhere else and save your money. Seriously, it's freakin' expensive for a school that everyone associates with a drugstore. Also, if good parties are super important to you, go to a bigger school, because you won't find them here.