Samford University Top Questions

Academics are above average. Small classes and one on one attention from professors yields good results.

The student to professor ratio is great. My largest class is about 16. I thought Samford's core cirriculum was going to be really boring & repititive, but I've enjoyed going. The professors are good -- some better than others. Professors are generally there for you when you need them. Most of my classes have involved more discussions and less tests/papers. The graphic design department is a good but (extremely) tough one. Not for anyone that thinks its an easy, MRS major.

I transferred to Samford and compared to my previous college, the Academics were superior. Just about every professor I had was a a PhD in the area that he or she taught. Besides that, the classrooms were fairly small (25-40) and teachers knew me by name and made me participate in their classes actively. If you go to Samford, you are going to be very well rounded by the time you get out. I am still friends with many members of the faculty and that has been very positive especially now that I am applying to medical school and need some good recommendation letters =).

Academically Samford is exemplary. Samford is very very expensive and in exchange for that you will be in very small classes with plenty of one on one attention from teachers. I have several classes each semester with 5 or so other students in them. I know most of my teachers personally and have received plenty of help from them whenever needed.

The professors definatly get to know you. The classes are kept relativly small. Samford is not for the lazy though, you do have to study. The classes are fun though and I thoroughly enjoy going to class everyday. Sometimes we even have class outside on the quad.

Yes, professors do know your name at Samford and if they don't they really want to know your name. Class participation was very common in the general classes that everyone had to take CA and CP however, it died down once I entered my major but that may just be because I am a Nursing major so there is not much time/room for discussion. I am a nursing major but am not happy with the department. I was not advised alot of the time on what my consequences would be for failing a class which ended up putting me a huge bind. They don't fully explain their polices to you and leave it up to you to decipher the student handbook. I would ask my advisor simple questions and she was not able to answer them. I know the nursing program at Samford is supposedly great however, I have lost much respect for the department. One of the professors in particular was not encouraging at all, which is rare for Samford, and I believe did not care whether her students advanced or not.

Samford offers great education opportunities. Because it is such a small school, you are able to get to know your professor and classmates by name, which gives class experiences a personal feel. Most of the classes that I have taken have been real-world applicable, which makes me feel like Im not wasting my time. Im a journalism major, and Ive had a taste of all of the different routes I can take with my degree-- I feel like Ive been exposed to a lot of great experience and situaitons in class.

Samford has a wonderful academic environment. Class sizes are good (30 students give or take a few) and are tought by qualified professors who speak English as a first language. Professors care about their students and most of my professors knew me by name. The curriculum was challenging enough to prepare us for graduate school but it wasn't like the professors were trying to fail everyone in order to make themselves look good. I was a Biology major and I felt that my department did a good job of preparing me. I had plenty of opportunities to participate in research projects and my professors were always easy to contact. Lectures were enjoyable and the professors made the students love Biology as much as they did. One of my professors helped me apply to an internship program at the University of Rochester. That summer I had the chance to work on a cancer research project with a Nobel Prize nominee. In the Fall I will be returning there to begin graduate school.

My professors have always known my name, which is very nice. My favorite class was Fiction and Film! So fun! Studying? Every kid is different, but overall I feel it is a very academic atmosphere. The most unique classes I've taken would be basic photography and physical geography with Dr. Rahn! She was great! Academic Requirements? I must admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of CA! I def think Samford is geared towards getting a job, however in the English dept I feel as if it is more of a learning for the pleasure of learning about great literature.

My professors usually know my name; class size permits this. Students tend toward loving academia, esp. in their field. Classes are really tough compared to other colleges around here...I know from experience. I'd suggest being disciplined, motivated, and having the attitude that you're going to make it. Their academic requirements are rigorous... including having to know/learn a foreign language to graduate (for most majors). The core cirriculum, gen. ed cirriculum, and major classes tend to make you tired after a while. Be determined; have patience. Samford students on a large scale have great success getting into grad/med/pharm schools and getting jobs. Some employers have actually said that, when presented with two identical employees (as far as credentials go), they have chosen a Samford student just because of that. We have a great rep., but I truly believe it's because you have to go through quite a bit to graduate. It doesn't come easy, and it is not handed to you.

My professors usually know my name; class size permits this. Students tend toward loving academia, esp. in their field. Classes are really tough compared to other colleges around here...I know from experience. I'd suggest being disciplined, motivated, and having the attitude that you're going to make it. Their academic requirements are rigorous... including having to know/learn a foreign language to graduate (for most majors). The core cirriculum, gen. ed cirriculum, and major classes tend to make you tired after a while. Be determined; have patience. Samford students on a large scale have great success getting into grad/med/pharm schools and getting jobs. Some employers have actually said that, when presented with two identical employees (as far as credentials go), they have chosen a Samford student just because of that. We have a great rep., but I truly believe it's because you have to go through quite a bit to graduate. It doesn't come easy, and it is not handed to you.

The academics are excellent here. I am challenged daily in both academics and faith in and out of the classroom. The professors here are also superb. I've yet to have a professor I dislike.

Classes at Samford are usually pretty small. Most freshman-level classes will have at most 30 students. However, junior- and senior-level classes usually stay below 20 students, and I've had classes with as few as seven students. Samford's size is a blessing and a curse - compared with other midlevel universities like Furman, Samford just doesn't seem to have as many professors per department or as many course offerings per semester. However, its size also allows students to get to know their professors, and most professors will learn the students' names. I've found the intellectual climate adequate but lacking at times. Most students still seem to have the attitude of doing as little as they can to pass a class, and in most courses I've found myself to be one of the few people who actually completes assigned readings. There also tends to be low attendance at academic lectures and events. When a really big speaker comes, the teachers will bait students by giving them extra credit if they attend. However, this can often turn out to be an embarrassment for the university, with crowds of students deciding to leave the lectures early. However, college, in the end, is what you make it, and those students who want to challenge themselves will have many opportunities to do so. Samford is launching an amazing new Honors program for the 2008-2009 school year, called the University Fellows Program. The program will accept only 45-50 students per year, and is designed to attract more high-achieving students with its advanced core curriculum and nice perks such as a free trip to Rome! Samford has been needing a good Honors Program for years (it's had one in the past, but most students tended to drop out early because it didn't offer much more than the normal Samford experience), but the University Fellows Program seems to be a great opportunity. Those who don't choose to go the Honors path must complete a core curriculum consisting of freshman-level classes like "Cultural Perspectives" (a unique two-semester class which traces developments in literature, history, philosophy, science, etc. from the Greek and Roman age to present) and "Communication Arts" (another two-semester class -- and probably one of the duller classes at Samford -- which teaches students writing and speaking skills), as well as classes such as "Biblical Perspectives" (which has students think about the Bible critically) and "Concepts of Fitness and Health" (it is what it sounds like). A series of general education requirements in subjects like the natural sciences and humanities is also required. Though the courses may sound like a drag, those who are willing to learn -- which is what you should be coming to college for! -- should find an interesting and intellectually engaging curriculum. Finally, Samford is a college on the move. Students are continually learning about large new endowments to the university, which is improving the quality of academics at Samford. There are a variety of great professional programs - whether in law, nursing, pharmacy, education, divinity, etc. - for those who just can't get enough of Samford after four years. And there always seems to be another major or minor or concentration being added. The expectation is that, with all the improvements, the Samford diploma is going to look better and better as time goes on.

One of the best parts of Samford is that every professor I had knew my name and remembered it even after I took their class. The professors schedule individual meetings to go over a paper or final project and are always available for questions. I often went to my professors just to talk to them about what i was doing with my life as graduation moved closer and closer. The older people get the more intellectual and class related conversation they have. For me, I was a history major with spanish minor and some political science thrown in - so a lot of the things discussed in class were things actually happening in society - this led to a lot more class-related discussions than perhaps a physics major would have. I won't lie, academically Samford is a tough school. You have to work really hard to do well. I sometimes got frustrated because friends of mine at really big schools would take classes and put forth very little effort - while I was working really hard for all of mine. Also, going abroad to London is wonderful because you live with your professors. It was strange because all of a sudden my professor was also someone I considered my friend.

Professors will almost always know your name in class. The classes are very small and allow for ample student and teacher communication. The acedmics are rigorous but are the best. I know that when I leave Samford I will be ready for whatever comes next, I may even be overprepared.

Samford is full of teachers who are willing to go above and beyond to help you. They even make good friends or mentors. Most of the teachers know what they are doing, and will take the time to explain it thoroughly. Most of my teachers know me by name, all the math teachers do, even the ones I haven't taken classes with. Class participation is very common. There a fair share of busy students, but most of them can maintain a social life. Intellectual conversations can be had outside of class, some deeper than others of course. Samford has a great math department. It is fairly small, but there are enough teachers for you to have choices as far as the courses you can take. The teachers are all very nice with ample office hours. Samford does require a good deal of core classes which can be a little bothersome. They aren't difficult, but they do take time. The education at Samford is geared toward getting a job and learning for its own sake.

I am in the nursing school where we become a family. The professors become friends, moms, mentors as well as teachers. The core ciriculum has a lot of pros and cons. I did not study or apply myself freshman year while I was take core classes because I was totally uninterested in the subjects and material therefore it hurt my GPA but in my nursing classes or science classes I tired my very hardest and I feel that that is very common. People for the most part study a lot especially when they are interested in what they are studying. The nursing school has a brilliant academic program. I will like I will be very prepared for getting a job and passing the NCLEX. The teaching is practical, useful and thorough.

Every professor in the Religion Department, save one, knows my name. Indeed, I have had lunch with several of them before. That is one of the great things about the religion department here at Samford: the opportunity to really get to know your instructors. Class sizes are small, which makes it much easier to develop a relationship with your instructors. I suppose that the negative side to that would be that you can't hide in the back of the room bc you didn't do the reading for today's class :) Classroom participation is expected of every student in this department. Indeed, in most classes your grade will suffer significantly if you are not active in classroom discussion frequently.

I love the classes at Samford because they are smaller so al my professors know me by name. I always see them around campus and they speak and ask how things are going. The professors and staff at samford truly care about you and how you are doing. My favorite class so far was probably Human Anatomy. The class was awesome and so was the professor. I study almost everyday for many hours, but I study with friends and we make it fun and take study breaks so its not too bad. The curriculum at Samford definitely helps you focus on getting a job but also just helps you to learn to become a better person. The core curriculum that everyone must take helps you learn many things that never would have come up in classes for your major. I was just recently accepted to pharmacy school and Samford is an excellent school for this program.

Every professor in my department knows me by name and has helped me in some way (extra help on a project, finding an internship, etc.). My favorite classes are my major and minor classes: Journalism and Sociology, and my least favorite classes are Samford's core classes: Communication Arts, Cultural Perspectives, Biblical Perspectives, Concepts of Fitness and Health, Foreign Languages, etc. Samford students study a good bit; they have to. The classes are hard. Class participation is very common and usually counts at least some portion of the grade. Students often have intellectual conversations outside of class. The most unique class I have taken is Social Class and Inequality. I have also found Mass Media Writing and Editing extremely interesting and helpful. My department is Journalism, and it currently has 5 professors and about 120 students. The professors are arguably the best on campus. Samford's academic requirements are high but usually helpful. The education at Samford is geared toward both getting a job and learning for its own sake.

Samford is an academically rigourous school. The professors are very friendly, many of them take students out for lunch and invite whole classes to their houses for dinner.

The academics are great with professors who truly care. Professors know your name and you can talk to them about anything. They are very willing to help whenever needed and really reach out to their students oftentimes hosting them in their homes for meals. The small class size is really helpful and it allows you to get to know your peers and the professors. The academics are challenging. The education is job focused if that's what you're focused on. It's a very mission oriented school and so it depends where your heart is and your personal focus. Students are very academic at Samford and work hard. Students are pretty competitive but not in an extreme unhealthy way. Intellectual conversations out of class happen daily. I know all of my professors personally. My least favorite class is InfoSystems and Technology. Intermediate Microeconomics is my favorite probably since I'm an econ major. The Brock School of Business is acredited and is stellar. It is very challenging, encouraging, and advanced. There are many opportunities for students to get involved and they offer scholarships.

academics are good. classes are smaller and class participation is usually key in every class. there are groups at samford where people engage in the areas of study that they're interested in (model un, debate team, different honor societies, etc.)

Academics here at Samford is excellent. The classes are small and if you miss class your professor will definitely know. Samford students are definitely competitve which can be annoying at times. I think you see the competitive spirit more as you get into your major classes your junior and senior year. It seems like students study ALL the time! Pretty much, the majority of students take academics very seriously and intellectual conversations take place all the time outside of class. The academic requirements are challenging for me coming from an innner city public high school. It's not a cake walk by no means. Nursing is AMAZINg. The requirements are high, the work load is tough and the students are extremely competitve, but in the end it's all worth it. To get a degree from Samford means a lot to the people in this community and around this area.

The academics are really good, its great to get to know your professors because the classes are so small. Class participation is usually a must and we do a lot of presentations. I love that I can talk to my professors anytime. Students are very competitive about grades. In my major we are geared toward getting a job. Everything we learn is to gain more job skills. The thing that sucks about Samford's requirements is that you have to take communication arts, cultural perspectives and biblical perspectives. They are all really annoying freshman classes to take.

Strong too strict. Going to class every day, doing all your work, and studying often may not get you a B.

Professors know your name after the first week of class! they say hey to you on campus and i've even eaten at their house before, its awesome! Students studying varies on their major! We do have a absence policy and if you miss too many classes you can fail becaue of it, thats kind of a gay policy but it happens...trust me.

The business, nursing, and pharmacy programs are absolutely stellar.