Clarkson University

Date: May 08 2015
Major: Electrical Engineering (This Major's Salary over time)
I have spent 6 years here now, getting both my BSEE and MSEE at Clarkson University. I have no idea what some of these other people are complaining about.

The good:

Faculty are incredibly helpful. Be respectful and go to them for help. They will give it. Ask for clarification if you don't understand.

Great classmates/friends. Students are incredibly collaborative and often in the labs there are seniors helping sophomores with labs or what have you.

A great sense of community. Between sports, extra-curriculars, and service opportunities, Clarkson gives ample opportunity for you to be involved and feel a sense of community.

Downsides:

Guy to girl ratio is high, but that's to be expected in a tech school and it is getting better. Used to be over 4:1, I think the most recent class was at about 2:1. They're making pretty great progress there on getting women involved in the fields of science science.

Weather. It's cold, but you know that when you sign up. It's not Miami, but that ends up being a plus since you won't go outside as much, you'll have more time to study.

The town. The town is pretty dead for a college town. Most things close early and the Walmart is the closest thing you have to civilization up here. Again, fewer distractions may end up being beneficial to your schooling.

A grueling course load (at least for engineers). But that's again, something you know going in and they make no bones about. You WILL have to work hard or you WILL fail.

So all in all, I've loved my 6 years at Clarkson and as I go to graduate tomorrow for the 2nd time in 6 years, I know I have Clarkson to thank for helping me to grow both intellectually and in character. They've helped make me who I am today.

To everyone who's considering going to Clarkson, I'd highly recommend it. It's expensive, but if you put in the work, and I mean really work, you will excel. If you try to phone it in or skate on by with the same minimal effort a lot of people get through high school with, you're wasting your time and money because you WILL struggle and fail.