Bowie State University

Date: Nov 12 2011
Major: Art & Design Department (This Major's Salary over time)
Bowie was the very last school I applied to and even then I was very reluctant to do it. However, they were the only school to offer me a full academic ride so Bowie State it was. After year one, I can safely say,if I had to do it all again, I'd have gone to another school;hell, I still think about transferring some days.

My reasons for not liking the school are due to the location and culture. First of all, BSU is in unicorporated Bowie. So anything you might want to go to is a car ride away. With saying that, if you do not have a means of transportation, YOU ARE SHIT OUT OF LUCK. I don't like to be profane, but I can't stress that point enough. Only one bus runs on the weekends, that goes nowhere and the MARC train that travels from DC to Baltimore, doesn't run on the weekends at all. I'm an out-of-state student usually my weekends are blown due to lack of transportation. The city of Bowie offers no nightlife whatsoever. It's pretty much a bedding community. Due to the school's seclusion, it doesn't reach out to the community. This school could become one of the better colleges in the mid atlantic if it reached out but no, it's all about the money.

Next thing, culture. Maybe it's because I'm from down south, but a good number of people here are either snooty, arrogant, prissy, ignorant, rude or bougie. Where I'm from people are at least cordial. Not everybody is like that, but it is the catalyst for a lot cliques on campus. I guess I'm part of the "honors clique" but I'm just trying to surround myself around people that want to actually do good in school. There's a lot of slackers here to that just smoke weed and waste housing that could have gone to more deserving people.

Activities on campus are hit and miss. For every fun activity lake "late night dodgeball" and "Jazz Night" there's 10 sorry ones that touch on real issues constantly and after a while just feel depressing. They never do ANYTHIING outside EVER! We have a huge quad that just remains empty for the most part even during the warm months. Football games are alright and basketball games are fun though. And GREEK LIFE IS A JOKE! I will never cross a fraternity as long I'm here. They do absolutely nothing on campus. Hell, there never on campus.

Housing is a joke and until they put more dorms up and renovate the dorms they have now, this school will always be sub par and desolate. Food is not very good so you just gotta tell yourself to eat to live.

I know it may sound like I'm bashing my school, but those are the things that stand out most about this institution. It's run by people who are just happy to have a job honestly and could care less about the future of the university, so long as the pay check keeps rolling in. But, believe or not, there are great things about this school. The professors are willing to work with their students. The one on one teaching is always there. You're never a number, which is something I love. I actually have professors that will call me out because I missed class. Showing concern for a student always deserves an accolade. The school is making some improvements. A new performing arts center in the spring, a new student union in maybe two years.

In conclusion, I love my school..I hate my school. If it wasn't for the fact they were paying for me to attend, I'd rather to a community college. In the end, you just have to surround yourself around positive people, stay focused, stay optimistic and you'll actually find that bowie state is a diamond in the rough. If you want a good education and they actually have your major, go to bowie. Just remember this, don't come expecting things to be great, come expecting to make those things that are not great better than it was before.