San Jose State University

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Electrical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
My views are based on my own personal experiences dealing with staff and faculty of my department and the international office, and are, therefore, subjective opinions.

The staff is not as friendly as one might hope. Their attitude, sometimes bordering outright rudeness, leaves much to be desired. Of course, given the the number of students approaching them for information and/or help daily with is huge, it is understandable why they sometimes snap at you in response. However, isn't that why they are there? This is not a generic case however. There are some who try to help you in a calm and professional manner, but those people are not the ones you have to deal with every day.

The international department is probably the worst I have seen in the United States, and I have been to a number of universities here. The front desk itself makes you feel unwelcome. I go to see an international adviser and the person sitting at the front desk asks me with a sour look on his face what I want to talk to them about! If it was something I want to talk about with the front desk, I wouldn't ask for an adviser. Again, given the influx of students, they might be trying not to bother the international advisers, but it just leaves a sour taste in the mouth if, as an international student, I cannot talk to an adviser when I want.

The department faculty is relatively good. The professors are helpful and more or less available during office hours. They are not the type who will go out of their way to help you with something, but after everything mentioned above, I wouldn't expect anything. Politics sometimes plays a role in the department. I once had Professor ABC telling me that he would not support my project because I was working under Professor XYZ.