When I first joined the school in Spring 2001, I had a full scholarship that covered all but about $150 worth of extraneous fees.  In a short span of three years, that $3700 scholarship could barely cover 50% of the out-of-state tuition.  Since 2001, the school has consistently maxed out the out-of-state tuition increase of 15%, so that since that year, tuition per credit hour has nearly doubled.  And for what standard of education?

Consider going to FIU only if you want to study law or play football.  Currently, those are the only 2 departments that are sufficiently funded to be able to operate in a satisfactory manner. 

I was a music major, and the department faculty constantly felt ignored and underrated by the administration.  There is a range of student attitudes.  Most of them are hardworking but underrated, and of course, you have those that are not so hardworking, although also underrated, nevertheless.  Generally, low morale pervades the department which some faculty members try hard to reverse, with varying degrees of success.

Look at it this way.  This year, FIU charges out-of-state students nearly $900 per credit hour.  For that price, we international students can go to a host of much more well-known schools that will treat us a lot better.  For the academic year of 03/04, the graduate tuition at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York was slightly over $500.  A matriculated grad student at CUNY has the option of taking courses at other NYC state colleges, and also Columbia University.  For over $300 more per credit hour, you get to admire FIU's green grass, cute ducks, tall palms, and warm sunshine, BUT NOTHING MORE.  You do the math.