I went to SMSU because I'm from Springfield, and my parents always told me that I would do so -- therefore, I never checked any other schools out, and was content with my scholarships there. Big mistake.

Immediately upon enrolling, I was required to take a class entitled "Introduction to University Life" in which freshman and transfer students
did not learn much about campus services. Instead, we had guest speakers
on drunk driving and went through ice-breaking activities all semester, while the peer leader (evidently a "responsible" junior male) passed out flyers to his frat parties and tried to pick up cute female pledges. Only later did I realize that this was indeed an appropriate introduction to bland SMSU life.

Academics left much to be desired: some professors and instructors were very knowledgable and down-to-earth, but others made me read Jewel's book of poetry. Department heads are unapproachable. The longer I went there,
I saw that the school was mainly about business degrees and athletics,
and the fine arts/humanties programs were underfunded and the faculty underappreciated.

I found SMSU to be extrememly lame and the student body extrememly undiverse -- mainly cookie-cutter greek types. Parking is atrocious. There is little healthy food to be found on campus for commuters.

The campus can be pretty in the fall and the spring, but if you are considering attending a state school in Missouri, I recommend checking out MU or Truman state. Not a good place to find yourself and your sense of individuality/self during your important undergradate years.






Recommended: No