The University of Houston

Date: Mar 11 2005
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
The university offers a good education, and is a great value (in-state anyway). The faculty in the history department is top-notch, and very helpful. I've only had a few courses outside the history department, but those professors have likewise seemed above average. From a purely educational standpoint, you would be hard pressed to get a better education for the money. Also, UH is one of the most culturally diverse campuses in the nation, and all the different points of view are interesting.

Outside of the education, however, is another story. I very much feel like a number when dealing with administration and advisors (other than professors). The campus is unattractive at best, although in fairness there is a lot of construction going on right now and the campus will probably look very different in a year or two. Parking lots are inherently ugly, but unfortunately, as a commuter campus, they are unavoidable. The commuter aspect brings me to another topic, namely what I would call the "college experience". Students on average are older (I am 30 myself, and rarely the oldest in my class). Because the great majority of us go home after class, there is not a real college atmoshpere compared to many other places. There are a few clubs and organizations, but you will have to do some work to be involved in that sort of thing. As an example, I've been to school at UH for two years, and I don't even know if there is a greek system or not.

Overall, UH has suited my purposes and I am glad I attended, but my goal was just to get a degree. If you just want a quality education for a great price, UH might fit your bill. If you want a traditional college experience, you should probably look somewhere else.