Middle Tennessee State University is a largely commuter campus, which students say keeps it from having a “college feel.” It’s also the main reason for the biggest headache on campus: lack of parking. “
Parking is insane on campus because like I said earlier, everyone commutes. So hopefully the new parking garages will help, if not, get to class eeeaaaaarrrly or take the bus,” says a junior film & media studies major. Students are proud of the academics at MTSU despite the fact it has yet to become a “name-brand” college. The school continues to grow and is beginning to get more recognition. “
Our school is growing by leaps and bounds and is now the largest undergraduate institution in Tennessee,” shares a senior political science/government major. Murfreesboro is inexpensive, which students appreciate. Overall, like most schools, there are improvements that can be made at “MT”, and the students are eager to be part of the change.
The education at MTSU is geared towards a specific profession. Their better-known majors, such as Management in the Recording Industry and Agriculture, emphasize practical application. “
MT's education is geared toward students' futures. Professors emphasize the importance of knowing the information and how it applies in the real world,” writes one student. If students want to get to know their professors on a personal level, they try to avoid larger classes and instead sign up for ones that top out at 40 students. “
I have learned that the smaller the class size the easier it is to learn and get to know your professor and it is easier if you have a question to ask and then if you need outside help you can see the professor without having a big problem about the time your professor has to see you,” shares a sophomore chemistry major.
Students mostly hail from around Tennessee, and some say they long for a more diverse, liberal campus. But while the area is mostly conservative, white, and Christian, students are generally accepting of one another. “
Different types of students interact with other students. There is no such thing as a clique… People at MTSU are really laid back and talk to just about everyone,” observes an agriculture alum.
Concerning student activities and on-campus events, some students say there’s plenty to do. “
There's always multiple bands playing at the bars and coffee shops around campus, the on campus movie theater shows free and discount movies throughout the week and on weekends, if it's close to game day there'll be barbeques and cookouts, if you like live theater the on campus arts department usually presents frequently, and there's two Starbucks on campus alone, if you'd just like to hang out with a latte,” writes a senior majoring in natural sciences & mathematics. Others, however, say campus is usually deserted after classes get out. Student life really depends on how much time and energy students are willing to invest.
An ongoing struggle students face is the relatively low profile that MTSU has. “
When I tell people that I go to school and play soccer here at MTSU their first two responses are either ‘where is that?’ or ‘oh is that a small division II school?’ These responses are kind of upsetting that such a large school hasn’t made a better name for itself,” shares a senior. Perceptions of MTSU vary, depending on the student. It is a dynamic university that means many different things to those who attend.
