Uni in the USA: A British Guide to American Universities and Colleges > All New: Colleges and Universities Added in 2009 > Florida State University (new review!)
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
www.fsu.edu
Undergrads: 31,500
Grads: 8,500
How many FSU students does it take to change a light bulb?
2 – one to find a bigger, better light bulb than The University of Florida, and one to change it.
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A flagship university for the state, Florida State is a popular choice for locals and out-of-state students alike. The experience may not be typically Floridian - you won’t find any Cuban refugees or stunning beaches here in the famous Panhandle (unless you drive an hour or so to the snow white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico) – but it quintessentially American, complete with varsity sports, fraternities and a gorgeous brick campus. The international program here is fantastic – and the large numbers of students that study abroad nicely compliment the students that study here from abroad.
The Campus
FSU has a spacious 400 acre campus, full of great facilities and impressive buildings. At peak times, the lawns and paths can be so crammed with students that it’s hard to push your way through the crowds. Students speak well of their environs, modestly proclaiming them superior to any other university in the state, and praising the campus shuttle-bus system and the general ease of walking among the tree-lined paths. Parking is poor, but many students do without cars anyway.
The huge number of buildings are constantly being renovated, leaving them in various states of repair – the older ones can feel a bit outdated, while the newer (or recently-improved) ones are impressively modernised with all kinds of cool technology.
The same is largely true of the dorm-blocks, filled mostly with freshmen. The dorms on one side of campus are considered much nicer than those of the other side, and it’s mostly just luck which ones you get (though an early application helps). Older students live in the array of alternative student housing available around the town.
The FSU student
FSU students are warm and friendly, representing a good cross-section of American demographics. Fraternities and sororities are popular, but members tend not to hang out with the many alternative scenes on campus (everything from hippies to punks). Almost all students are united by the strong college spirit, and by their distaste for the big rival, the University of Florida. The school pride comes to a climax every home football game, when the whole city is overwhelmed by FSU celebratory craziness and enthusiasm.
Students report a good diversity. “You see everything here” said one, “from straight-up partiers to people who never leave their books, and everything in between.” Geographic diversity is good too, and the school is “great for international students”, as people are very accepting and integration is easy. The “Global Pathways” pairing program helps with this, enabling interested locals to become friends with students from around the world.
Hitting the Books
Teachers at FSU “really know what they’re doing”, and students really feel like “they are there to help you”. In later years, especially, the “amazing”, Nobel and Pulitzer-winning professors are very personal with students, though this is made somewhat difficult in the huge classes for introductory courses, which are often 200-300 people strong, and have squeezed as many as 1,500 students in one lecture. Generally though, class sizes are not an issue and average around 20-30. Unfortunately, state budget cuts have necessitated axing 21 majors and many more minors, constricting the academic options available.
Work load is not unbearable here – “overall it’s pretty easy”, said one student, though he noted that this is far from true in some classes, especially math and the sciences.
FSU has one of the best film schools in the country. Only admitting 20-odd students per year, the film program is ultra-selective but high quality. Also worthy of note is the famous “Mag Lab”, a state of the art high magnetic field laboratory that requires over 300 staff to run and provides unparalleled research opportunities for the science departments. The lab is the only one of its kind in the country, and the largest of its kind in the world. Scientists gravitate to FSU just to be near it.
Social Life
FSU has a great range of extra-curriculars and social events to get your teeth into. As one of the biggest party schools in the country (10th according to the Princeton Review, although many students are working around the clock to restore it to it's rightful #1 position of recent years) there’s always a house party or a bar to get to, especially for those involved in the exuberant Greek scene. There’s even an on-campus club venue which is pretty popular, and has hosted numerous big-name bands and comedians.
The artsy community is big and exciting, with great free concerts for all types of music (check out the opera school!), impressive modern-art displays, independent theatre groups and advance film premiers organised by the high-flying film school. And now for something completely different: official university credit can be earned taking the introductory class for FSU’s student-run Flying High Circus (the circus programme has been proudly offered at FSU since 1947).
Political life is also important, with the university located a short drive from the State Capitol, where students frequently intern. The Republican and Democrat student groups are popular (with the latter outnumbering the former these days), as are traditional student protests, and the student government is a big deal (but generally monopolised by frat kids). Owing to the school’s roots as an all-female college (the boys went to the University of Florida, with a well-worn road between the two), women’s groups are influential and popular.
International and humanitarian programs abound, with, for example, 24 students sent to Africa every year, and ten spots permanently reserved for FSU interns in the British Parliament. The study-abroad program is among the top five in the country, and FSU even has campuses in several major cities worldwide (including London).
Sports are huge, though recently the division one basketball and football teams have not been too successful. Nevertheless, the great sports facilities, including the stadium that was recently expanded to be a few microns bigger than the University of Florida’s, mean that anyone can practice the sport of their choice, normally to a reasonably high level. There’s also a wonderful beach sauna by the gym.
The 200+ student organisations cover almost anything you could want – from horse riding and dance troupes to debating and media. Outdoorsy activities are popular and numerous, and the university provides loads of equipment to explore the various lakes, bike trails and “The Res” (reservation) nearby.
Outside Those Ivory Walls
Populated mainly with students and politicians, Tallahassee is an odd choice of state capital, located way up in the northwestern Florida Panhandle just south of Georgia and Alabama. With three universities within its smallish limits (including the all-black FAMU), the town has been called, perhaps unfairly, “a college town with a drinking problem.” Many run-down areas blend in with the cool alternative culture warehouses and venues sprouting an interesting well-rounded music scene.
Getting In
There is a fairly typical application process, not as rigorous as some similar-standard schools, but due to the ever-growing population of the state, admission is getting harder every year. Fees are very reasonable by American standards, and there is a system by which deserving students who are doing well with their study can apply for financial aid on a semester-by-semester basis. There are also some scholarships on offer. If you fancy living in Florida for your gap year, twelve month’s residency is sufficient to establish your right to the much lower tuition charged to state residents.
Famous Grads
Burt Reynolds – famous actor (Grand Theft Auto, The Dukes of Hazzard)
Faye Dunaway- famous actress (Bonnie and Clyde, The Thomas Crown Affair)
Jim Morrison – lead singer of iconic 60s psychedelic rock outfit, The Doors
Charlie Christ – current governor of Florida