Washington State University Top Questions

I like them but the psychology department really sucks when it comes to picking teachers for 105.

Academics here although not known for being outstanding are not as bad as some may assume. Professors are readily available when needed and are constantly in contact with their students. The help that is offered here is amazing from the workers in the library to tutoring to office hours professors hold.

Freshman classes are normally some of the larger science classes (big lecture hall, but smaller lab sections of about 20-25, with a TA) Math, English and other elective classes (depending on what level you are taking the classes can be smaller or larger) Depending on what Dorm you live in, you are assigned a "Freshman Focus" Class- one that you take with all of your floor mates so you get to know people. Most of these classes are GER's (General Education Requirements, basic classes that the university wants you to complete before graduation)

I came in with an entire year's worth of credits due to AP classes. This significantly advanced my education and as a freshman, I am taking two 300-level science classes. WSU accepts a lot of AP credit which is extremely helpful in lowering the cost of education. Also, I am in the Honor's College, which I suggest everyone apply for. The classes are smaller and class participation is easier than in large lecture classes, you also get to know your professors better and they are able to say hello to you outside of class.

Academics are taken very seriously at WSU. Although many classes early in your career will be very large, it is easy to get to know your professors if you try, and TA are extremely friendly and helpful. Honors classes really break down class sizes and help you to bond with professors who grow to really care about your academic and future careers. Study Abroad is very available at the University. Students are generally not extremely political for their age group, but are environmentally and globally aware, and discussions often taken place outside of class.

I love my professors and know most of them personally. I love my classes and often talk with others about the courses I have taken as well as the content. I am very competitive in my classes and leave empowered from those within my major every single day. Professors encourage you to make a difference. My major is fairly new but I absolutely love and enjoy the department and people within it. They set you up for a future career and are dedicated to helping me with all I need. They're more than administrators, they're mentors.

Academics are becoming more recognized at Washington State. I still wish the class sizes were smaller, especially for your lower division classes where students are new to college and can easily get lost in it all. My favorite class has been Human Genetics. My least favorite, physics...in every shape and form. Class participation varies from class to class. It is rare in large lecture based classes, but in smaller discussion based classes or labs it is common. My department is big and thus, you don't really get to know all of the students within your major. I wish my department was more unified like other majors such as engineering, nursing, etc. I think that would make studying easier and would make classes much more enjoyable. I think for my major, college is showing that I am capable of learning. The knowledge will be great background information, but learning will still be required for the actual job I get. I feel that to some degree this occurs for every graduate though.

Classes at WSU are a lot harder than high school, but I love them. I have learned so much and feel as though every class is beneficial to me and my future. The professors really want to help and get to know you, which I feel is different from other universities.

The number one thing I don't like about my classes at WSU is that they are so large. I don't know any of my professors and they definitely do not know me. Also, I don't like that class grades are mainly exam based. I think I am a pretty weak test taker and therefor it is a poor representation of what I actually know. I much rather would have some busy work also such as homework and projects.

Most professors get to know you if you are majoring in that department, and some teachers are really awesome and go out of their way to get to know you. My favorite class has been my textiles class, i had sooooo much fun learning about textiles, I learned alot too and it was a hard class to take! I study alot! I am in my hardest semester at WSU so i do hit the books alot but i still have time to have fun! WSU students DO have intellectual converstaions outside of class all the time! We really are smart kids! My major is Apparel Merchandising, and I love it, many people feel it is a copout but in all reality it is a really hard major that is why we are ranked 7th in the nation! We have all kinds of unique classes that are fun to take and yet you learn ALOT! I feel that WSU academic requirements are great, they make graduation requirements tough so you have to work to get a degree, its not just all fun and games, you work hard for what you get and they make sure you are ready for the working world