Tarleton State University

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
I decided to go to Tarleton because of the convenience of the graduate program I applied to…they offer night, weekend, and online classes, it's close to family, and the cost of attendance is very reasonable. I honestly didn't have that high of expectations for the university before coming here, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Contrary to stereotypes, students here are very diverse and it seems like as many come from cities like Dallas and Austin as small towns. Faculty and staff are also very friendly and helpful and, in general, the teaching quality is good (in the Psychology & Counseling Department, at least). I like that the campus is small enough to easily cross to get to class, but there are enough students here to keep it from feeling too small. I also think that the administration is working really hard to diversify Tarleton's program offerings and improve its overall reputation.

Some of the negatives about this university are the lack of tuition assistance for graduate assistants, the fact that it doesn't offer many graduate or doctorate programs, and the city of Stephenville itself. Unless you're an undergraduate student who likes to go to college parties, there's just not a lot to do here. There aren't very many restaurants other than fast food, virtually no shopping, and very little in the way of culture or anything interesting going on. If you live on or near campus there are lots of things to get involved in for undergrads, but it's not a great place to live for 25+ graduate students who want to have a social life.