Auburn University

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
I am an international student (from Spain), though I attended boarding school and undergraduate school in the United States. I have been extremely impressed with my experience in graduate school here. I perceive graduate students to be far more serious than undergraduate students, though I suspect this is the case at many universities. The graduate faculty is world class. Many deans and department heads are graduates of the most prestigious universities throughout the U.S. and world. The research is top notch on any scale.

My graduate program is very challenging academically. A great deal of research is involved, and high standards are maintained by the department. There isn't much extra time for any activities unrelated to study. (This is why I said that there seems to be a significant difference between the coursework obsessed graduate students and the football/Greek system obsessed undergraduates. It is almost like two different worlds in one.

The city of Auburn is a small town in a largely rural state, so coming here expecting to find a SoHo glam nightlife and worldly, imposing Gothic architecture would only be so bright. Such architecture exists in the U.S. in very few cities in probably five states at the absolute most. Auburn can be a little boring if one isn't studying, though I always am studying when school is in session. It is a charming town with a quaint village feel, though very small and quiet. It is growing very quickly, however. Homes are surprisingly expensive in many of the new subdivisions ($300,000 for a not at all large house is common). It is more expensive and more upscale than most small towns throughout the region by far.

I can count the times I have been the victim of racism, ugliness or harrassment as a foreign student. That would be never. Not even once (and I have been here for over a year now).

The students are very friendly for the most part. Some of the undergrads are quite materialistic, many undergrads are interested primarily in parties. Most of the graduate students are busy with very challenging academic careers. Most of my fellow international graduate students are happy here. They have come for serious study of their disciplines of choice, and didn't expect Manhattan architecture and Amsterdam club scenes in east central Alabama. A very small minority of international students seem to believe they should have some sort of celebrity status, and when they don't find it, criticize the university, its students and the town.