The University of Louisville

Date: Apr 20 2009
Major: Math (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a transfer student. I have over sixty credits at UofL, with a 3.9 GPA (I got one B+). I am married and work almost full time.

UofL is a school with a major inferiority complex. They funnel all of their money into the health science campus - which is used only by graduate students - athletics, and speed school. Everyone else is screwed. The math building is pretty much falling apart. It is ugly on the inside, and it is either freezing or sweltering hot. Something that really irritates me is speed school (school of engineering). I was wanting to do some course work over there for my application area, but speed school does everything in its power to keep people out (and when you do get there, they do everything in their power to fail you). Anyway, they won't accept math courses from the math department, I would like to note that every other university in the country has their engineering major take math courses in the math department.

This may be the reason why the math department is so weak. If we had the engineers taking math courses with us, we would need more faculty. The math department has too few faculty for the amount of students it has. They offer only one section of differential equations a year, other schools over multiple sections a semester. This has put me behind a year. The faculty they do have (that I have dealt with) are generally helpful and friendly. The physics department is a joke. I'm pretty sure that UofL forgot they have it.

As for the university administration: they are terrible. There is a lot of corruption withing the administration. We almost lost our accreditation because admin was embezzling grant money. Jim Ramsey (the president) is a self-absorbed douche bag for many reasons. UofL likes to raise tuition due to "budget cuts" then start expensive projects. For example they are essentially doubling (I said double) the tuition of students who live on campus to upgrade the meal selection (which is terrible). There is nothing we can do about it. They really love throwing in these hidden fees. They are worse than the phone company.

I do not feel safe on campus. It is built in the middle of the ghetto. You should not walk outside alone after dark. you WILL get mugged. Last week someone was stabbed repeatedly. Usually we get emails every week about muggings. There are always stinky homeless people sleeping in the library.

Oh, I wanted to talk about the genEd requirements. You have 34 credits of UofL genEd which is more than a year, then if you belong to the school of arts and sciences you'll have 24-30 extra of genEd for your major. So basically half of your education is pointless. This is a disproportionately large amount compared to other universities. I would much rather use those 24 credits taking math courses, not humanities/language/writing/communication courses.

In summation I have a year and a half left in my degree, but I am seriously considering transferring to UofK, even though it is an hour drive from my house, and I will have to quit my job and pay for school with loans.

I hate this school with all of my heart. UofL is a business, not a place of learning. You are a walking dollar sign to these people. Do yourself a favor and go to UofK. It is higher ranked anyway.