A Good Find for Your Money
Written: Jan 01 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent "small school" environment
Cons: Could get bored if big cities are your thing
The Bottom Line: A wonderful, rural school that is a front-runner in many areas of education. A good deal for the price.
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| prestonicko's Full Review: Western Carolina University |
Western Carolina is my alma mater. I graduated from there in May of 2000 with a degree in English Education. I only went there for two years, I transferred from another university, but after completing my education there I wish I had gone to WCU all four years of college. The experience was extremely rewarding for me in many aspects. One of the most pleasant suprises for me was how one-on-one many of the classes and professors were with students. I transferred from a college of 18,000 and a town of 60,000 people so going to a college of 7,500 in a town about the same size was a BIG adjustment for me. I really got a quality education there because the attention my professors gave me enhanced my knowledge of the subject matter. Also the challenging course work kept my busy because I did not want to disappoint myself or my professors because of that yearning for knowledge that they had helped me build in myself through that interaction. I felt totally prepared to enter the workforce after completing my coursework and graduating.
WCU is also surrounded by many natural beauties such as the Smoky Mountains, the Cherokee Reservation, and the rivers that run around the campus. There are many opportunities to go rock climbing, boating, fishing, rowing, hiking, and camping if you are the outdoorsy type, and even if you are not, the scenery alone adds to the rich atmosphere of the campus, enhancing the natural beauty of it. I myself was not a nature person as much, but I soon found myself going out for walks and hikes just because it was so beautiful. The campus is nestled amongst all of this, and the landscaping around the campus itself is beautiful at any time during the year.
The university also has many cultural opportunities as well such as the theatre, choral, art, and music departments, who are known for their fine performances each year. WCU will soon be opening a brand new fine arts center on campus that will also house a TV production center, enhancing education even further.
Because of all the wonderful things that the school has to offer, one would think that WCU would be outrageous in cost; this is not so. WCU has consistently been among one of the best educational deals for the money according to several prominent magazines. It is also one of the most affordable schools in the state, even though it now offers doctoral programs along with its numerous masters and undergraduate programs. It honestly is a great bargain for the cost.
One of the only things that can be seen as negative is that there are very few social places in the immediate vicinity of WCU due to Jackson County laws on things such as clubs, etc. However Asheville, a wonderful town both culturally and commercially, is just forty-five minutes away, and Atlanta is two hours south of campus. There are many things to experience and see in the area. It is a true treasure of the mountains that more people are finding out about as time goes on.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
prestonicko
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Member: Nick Winstead
Location: Carrboro, NC
Reviews written: 48
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Teacher, music lover, writer, reader, fun lover!
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