Cleveland State University

Date: Dec 22 2012
Major: Psychology (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a 16 year old high school Junior, who has Sophomore status at CSU(I've been taking pretty much full time classes at CSU since high school started). Cleveland State University is an okay place to get your degree from, depending on what your major is. I have heard good things overall from people in Chemistry, Engineering, and Biology(and the related sciences. The experience for all humanities majors(English, Psychology, Social Work, History) is mediocre - especially the 100 and 200 level classes. My grades for Fall were posted about a week ago and I have a solid A in every class that I had taken… despite the lack of studying that I have had to do; I took all humanities class, one 100 level class, two 200 level classes, and 1 300 level class. All of my classes were extremely easy, and I find that most people who are a humanities major are on a consensus regarding the level of the work, which is mediocre. As I am a high school student, and am using CSU as the best possible alternative to Cleveland Municipal Schools, CSU serves its purpose. It provides me with an education, serving as a stepping stone for future endeavors.

Many people who graduate from Cleveland State with a major that is not in the sciences lament that they feel as though they are not prepared for the real world, for graduate school, to compete. Often this does have some validity. CSU is an easy college to get into, and to graduate from - there is very little strong effort needed to graduate. Sure, you'll have to eventually do 20 page papers… but those papers will be graded with an A as long as it looks like you put effort into it. Many people have noted that there is difficulty getting into graduate school with their degree from Cleveland State, and if they do make it into graduate school, that they are not prepared.

Many teachers are adjunct and only teach one or two classes, especially in the introduction level classes. They are often good and for the most part, are accessible and are willing to help you if you need help editing your papers or understanding the material. Even the teachers who are relatively incompetent try their best to help you. If you have decided to attend Cleveland State, and you're looking to make sure you get the education you deserve, when possible - look up the reviews on ratemyprofessors. Choose the teachers who have students raving on how helpful they are, and lamenting the difficulty of the class. You are paying to get your degree… get what you deserve.

There are some good things about the University. There is a plethora of people who attend, so there is often a diverse crowd. From 30 and 40 year olds going back to school to get their degrees, to high school students taking classes, and regular traditional students, there are people from all backgrounds. These people are often friendly. The campus seems to lean liberal, but I have seen a couple people walking around with Rommey 2012 pins on their backpacks. In addition, there are a good amount of clubs, and it's easy to get involved.

The city of Cleveland is okay for the most part. Most people are commuter students living in Cleveland, Rocky River, Euclid, Lakewood, or Parma. Cleveland isn't the most safe city, but it's not terrible; I'm not worried about getting assaulted at the time being. Just make sure you follow a group of people and that you're not the only one stuck at the train station or the bus stop. There are things to do, and a lot of places to explore.

In conclusion, CSU is an okay school. But if you can go somewhere else, like Ohio State, or Oberlin, or even Balwdin Wallace, explore your options. Cleveland State isn't worth four years of your life, and if it is, and you aren't a science major, then you have very low standards.