Western Kentucky University

Date: Oct 20 2011
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
WKU is a what you make of it. If you attend just because college is what you do after high school, you are not likely to get much out it education wise. Gaining admission is easy and the courses are not overly difficult. However, if you are looking for an academic experience that is challenging rigorous you can find it here, but you have ask for it and study the material beyond what you would need just to get an A. And you need to reach out to professors, if want them to take an interest in you. One of the things that make WKU superior to UK and U of L is that there are fewer graduate students which allow undergraduates greater opportunity to work on research with professors because they do not have several doctoral students they are working with and whose dissertations they are over seeing.

One of the challenges of WKU is that many students are not prepared for college work and have little interest in it. They tend to interpret poor grades personal vendettas from professors and the work assigned to them as busy work beneath them. There is definitely the stink of underachievement and self entitlement here. Many are under the impression that they are intellectuals who once possess a degree in Sociology will be living in a million dollar home, driving luxury cars,and taking month long vacations all over the world, but you can insulate yourself from that element pretty easily.

Student resources are available, but many students believe that these services will simply do what you ask of them and resolve what ever problem you have without any action take on their part (resume writing at career services for example). If you research what you want from them and what they need from you, do not need an excessive amount of hand holding, and are polite and respectful, they are generally very helpful.

The social scene is a big part of life at Western, but if that is not your thing you can undoubtedly find other activities to occupy your time with others who share similar interests. Bowling Green is not the worst place, but it is far from a happening place. One of the challenges of the area is the traffic during rush hour and the weekends as people from the surrounding communities flood into town to shop at the mall and dine out. People do often go home for the weekend (many are insecure and codependent on their parents to do their laundry and need friends from high school to feel on top of the social pyramid. I kind of get it the first semester maybe, but this behavior will last all 4 or 5 years for many).

WKU is a mixed bag. It can really be a great place where you make friends for life and get a quality education. But you have to be willing to put in the effort and be adult about your expectations. The university is not going to coddle you and serve everything to you on a platter. If you think that is what college should be, then save the money and frustration by not going to college at all.