Mercyhurst University

Date: Apr 30 2007
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I'm currently a freshman here, almost done with the first year, and I'm transferring out next year. I came here under the spell of the beautiful campus… I honest to God think that's what did it for me. When you go on tour, that's immediately the thing that jumps out at you. Everything else is blinded by the campus's upkeep (if you will)…

First of all, I started out in a major that I realized I hated. I began in Public Relations and a few weeks in realized that I wasn't cut out for a job in that field. I switched to English with a concentration in Creative Writing and I feel that choice is better for me. Now, the program at Mercyhurst for that specific major isn't that great. If you noticed, Mercyhurst doesn't offer a major in creative writing… it's just tacked onto the english major. The list of courses you can take within this field are extremely limited and don't really allow alot of wiggle room. You have your fiction and poetry and literature… and that's it.

As for everything else about this place… I hate it here because it's way too small. I thought coming out of a smaller high school that I would want to stay in a small college…but I was very wrong. Mercyhurst is a PRIVATE, CATHOLIC college with about 3,000 kids total. It's rather sad when you don't see basically anyone outside ever. My roommate and I think that we see "alot of people" outside when we pass maybe 5 kids. That's how barren the actual campus is most of the time.

The dorms are decent… the one I'm in is bigger than most of my friends at other colleges so I don't have much to complain about for the living conditions… they aren't horrible.

Food here sucks after awhile. Sodexho is a crappy food provider and you will get very sick of the caf food after the first few months you're here.

Weekends there's really not much to do except if there happens to be a SAC event that isn't lame. They usually have some stupid things going on like bad comedians or ice skating night or something… the entertainment on campus is really bad. We don't ever get any big name acts unless you count Spring Fest… this year is Chris Cagle apparently. I'm not into country music like the rest of the population of this school so I won't be going to that. If you like to drink, then don't worry. There's always parties here. Lacrosse house, football house, water polo house, wrestling house… do you sense a pattern? If you know people who do sports (which is like….everyone) then alcohol will be no problem for you to get. If you're like some people who don't like to get wasted every night, then you're out of luck really.

Sports here suck. We aren't D1 in anything except hockey. If you like hockey, lucky you. If you don't, sporting events probably won't be one of your main highlights here. The football team is horrible here and there's absolutely no school spirit really. I think we've changed our mascot a few times and tell me….just what is a "Laker"? And how is that intimidating to another team…just a thought.

Sure, there's some things you can get involved in activity wise but there isn't that much to choose from. If you're religious, they have the campus ministry stuff or if you're really into volunteering or something…but interesting clubs and stuff are just majorly lacking on this campus.

My faculty advisor doesn't know my name. I've met with him at least 4 times this year. That's all I have to say about how well they run things in administration and getting you 'prepared for your future'.

Like everyone else has said, don't come here unless you're one of the lucky few that is an Archeology, Intel or Dance major. Those are the biggies on campus that everyone seems to be in. They got all of the attention and the other majors seem kind of pathetic in comparison to the others… the teachers here are alright. I've had one or two professors who I can honestly say are very good teachers… but that's about it.

This place isn't worth the money they charge. The buildings are gross, the food is disgusting, the people here are very close-minded, the social life aspect is severely lacking, there is no school spirit and life in dreary Erie is pretty awful. Prepare for snow all the time if you do happen to go here. You may get two months of sunshine if you're lucky…

I'm leaving next year for Bowling Green State University… and couldn't be happier about it. This place may look like some rich-kid ivy school… but it's a sham. Looks can be deceiving. Behind the 'gothic architecture' and beautiful flowers and cobblestone walkways… it's just a piece of crap excuse for a college that feels like high school only more out in the open. Go somewhere different. Please.