University of Missouri-Columbia Top Questions

What are the academics like at your school?

Taylor

The academics are tough but classes are doable, but some advice take match classes of campus.

Stephanie

The teachers are fantastic! A lot of times students will say their professors don't teach the information correctly, but those are probably the students that skip class a lot. All of the professors I have had thus far have been very helpful to me. You get good quality education, but you do have to work for it.

Joseph

Mizzou offers excellent academic opportunities. Everything here is very competitive in a way that keeps students motivated to do their best.

Kelsie

The academics at Mizzou are more like you are what you make it. Freshman and Sophomore year since Mizzou is a larger public institution you can get lost in the crowd inless you make yourself known and present. It makes you become very self sufficient. Mizzou is not at all like, "I'm your professor and I will hold your hand through these next 4 years". They are nice people, but you have to make yourself known and use your own voice to be heard. Then they will gladly write you that recommendation letter you need for graduate school.

Jean

Everyone's academic experience is different. Your experience will depend on your personality. The more people you interact with the larger pool you'll have when i comes time for recommendations, study groups, and whatever else you'll need help with. The teachers are very friendly and are willing to help you, if you ask. The love for you to visit during their office hours...they need some company! My favorite classes are the ones heavily centered around discussion. They are usually much more relaxed and students tend to perform better in them if they attend class, do homework, and participate. Class participation importance varies from professor to professor. You may have classes that take daily attendance, and some that do not. There is a wide variety of courses that you can take during your time here, and you don't have to be a student of that particular department/ school to be successful in it.

Emily

We pride ourselves in our academics!

Julianne

The University of Missouri has an average ACT score of 25.7, with that score rising every year. Academics are important and students work hard for their grades. The library is open until 2AM and students utilize that. As a freshman and sophomore you will be mostly enrolled in classes that are large lectures. But those large lectures break down into small discussions once a week to go over material in a smaller group (10-20 people). All professors are required to have office hours and are more than able to meet with students even outside of those. I visit each one of my professors outside of class to just let them know who I am and that I have an interest in their subject. The academic requirements and competitiveness of Mizzou keep students engaged and interested in their studies. The University of Missouri is very focused on future careers of their Tigers, with future employment opportunities popping up everywhere.

Allison

At first, class sizes can be out of this world scary. Your typical freshman level lecture style class can have an upwards of 500 students! Never fear, for the further you get along in your major, the smaller your classes get. Professors love when students come to talk to them during office hours, so take advantage of that free time! They always remember a student who comes to their office. At Mizzou you can get anything you want out of your education. There's so many different departments to choose from and there's even a major dedicated to creating your own major! The academic requirements center around getting a well rounded education, so at the end of your stay at MU you will have interacted with all the different fields of study in some way. It's great because you get a chance to take classes like Magic and Religion (which is all Harry Potter all the time) or 16 and Pregnant; yes, those courses count towards graduation! Mizzou is very focused on making sure that the students that graduate are prepared for the real world as well as passionate about their chosen field. There are classes that focus solely on career exploration, be it a specific one (like Exploring Careers in Journalism) or more general. Professors and administration alike want students to get active, be a part of their campus, and be well rounded people. Even though we're big, you won't get lost in the shuffle.

Nicholas

Academics at Mizzou are on par with many top-tier institutions across the country. The school has so many different "Colleges" that there is literally a major for anything that you might want to study. Mizzou is very focused on preparing students for jobs following graduation. This is evident in the internship/externship and Professional Development Program requirements for many majors. The faculty is a fairly good mix of researchers and career teachers, and students tend to be fanatical in their devotion/hatred towards teachers in their College. There are many large lecture classes that must be taken early in your career and in those it is difficult for the professors to know your name. Later courses, such as my Capstone, have as few as 10 students. Because of the competitive nature of many of the programs, students are always studying. While it can be a "party school", you will also find the student center and library full of students studying on any given friday night.

Bridgit

At the University of Missouri, academics vary depending on what department you are in and whether or not you are taking pre-requisites or are started in your sequence. Starting off, during freshman and sophomore year, most classes will probably be large lecture halls, sometimes with as many as 600 students. In classes like this, teachers usually run their classes with lectures and powerpoints. Although 600 students may be overwhelming, teachers offer office hours for additional help, which really helps if you put in the effort to attend them. Also, with some of these bigger lectures, one day a week there will be a discussion portion with one of the Teaching Assistants. These discussions are extremely helpful as you are in a small group of about 20 and are able to discuss the information learned in lecture that week. Regardless of class size though, teachers expect participation from the class and engages with the classroom on a regular basis. After your first two years, usually you are placed in your sequence in the school you apply for. As a journalism student, while some of my classes still are large lectures (200 students now), others are very small. The journalism school is difficult, but classes are very interesting and prepare you for your future jobs. Additionally within the school, there are many resources available to help you with your studies, such as professors and the library. Overall, no matter what the class size, the teachers here at Mizzou definitely are here to teach students and help them learn, and therefore go to great efforts to make sure we get the most we can from their classes.

Bridgit

At the University of Missouri, academics vary depending on what department you are in and whether or not you are taking pre-requistes or are started in your sequence. Starting off, during freshman and sophomore year, most classes will probably be large lecture halls, sometimes with as many as 600 students. In classes like this, teachers usually run their classes with lectures and powerpoints. Although 600 students may be overwhelming, teachers offer office hours for additional help, which really helps if you put in the effort to attend them. Also, with some of these bigger lectures, one day a week there will be a discussion portion with one of the Teaching Assistants. These discussions are extremely helpful as you are in a small group of about 20 and are able to discuss the information learned in lecture that week. Regardless of class size though, teachers expect participation from the class and engages with the classroom on a regular basis. After your first two years, usually you are placed in your sequence in the school you apply for. As a journalism student, while some of my classes still are large lectures (200 students now), others are very small. The journalism school is difficult, but classes are very interesting and prepare you for your future jobs. Additionally within the school, there are many resources available to help you with your studies, such as professors and the library. Overall, no matter what the class size, the teachers here at Mizzou definitely are here to teach students and help them learn, and therefore go to great efforts to make sure we get the most we can from their classes.

Shafi

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Kym

At first it can be kind of intimidating because your Gen Ed classes are usually in lecture halls with 300-500 students. However, as you get more into your major and upper division classes, classes get smaller and you get to have a more personal relationship with your professors. The amount of class participation really begins on the class and the professor. You could be in a class where 15{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of your grade depends on participation, and your next class has nothing about participation. Typically classes have 3-4 tests a semester and all your classes will most likely have tests around the same time. What this means is that everyone on campus has to buckle down and study all week at the same time, and the other weeks of the semester isn't anything more than keeping up with readings for classes. There's not really a lot of daily homework unless you're in language classes or something like that. The amount of time you spend with professors outside of class really depends on the class. Some of my classes I go in to office hours at least twice a week, others I never met with my professors outside of class. The more I get involved with my major, the more I try to make a point to meet with my professors so that i can get to be on a first name basis since they'll be my first connections once I try to get a job. I feel like a lot of classes at Mizzou are geared towards getting a job. Many classes try to give you real world experience. For example, if you're in the journalism school your junior and senior year your class is at the Columbia newspaper or NBC station. So instead of just learning from a book you learn directly in the professional business. For my IT classes we have projects that directly go into our professional portfolio so as soon as we graduate we already have video clips we've edited or songs we've made to show potential employers.

Andrea

Mizzou is known for the Journalism School. It has been named #1 in the country many times. There are a lot of classes available to students, and a lot of them are lecture halls. Lecture halls usually consist of about 350 students. They are big, and the professor will not know your name unless you put yourself out there. You have to go to the office hours if you have questions. The math and English classes at Mizzou are not in lecture halls, so it easier for a new student to adjust. The departments that are the most successful at Mizzou are Journalism, Engineering, and Communication. After your first few general education classes, the sizes of class gets smaller and your professors will know you. One suggestion is to go to your professor's office hours. This is extremely important for being a successful student at Mizzou.

Shafi

The intro classes are huge, you will most likely never have the teacher know your name unless you come into office hours. For some people, that's a good thing. For others, not so much. Smaller classes often count on class participation for grades but professors are pretty lax about that. We've got some pretty cool classes like "Harry Potter and Religion" and "The Mathematics of Music" and "The History of Baseball." The academic requirements aren't stringent so you won't have to be studying all the time but it's not a rubber stamped degree either.

Kaitlyn

Some of my professors know my name but i dont expect them to remember it. My favorite class was mythology and my least favorite was Womens and genders studies. In smaller classes there is participation but people really dont participate in the big lecture classes. I dont really hear students having intellectual conversations outside of the classroom. I dont think that the students are competitive with eachother but they are competitive with themselves because they want to do better than how they did the previous semester. I am a Biology major in the School of Arts and Sciences. I dont spend time with my professors outside of the classroom mainly because either im busy and cant make it to their office hours. I feel that the school academic requirements are good and as long as the student puts forth the effort then it shouldnt be a problem.

Tessa

Academically, I think Mizzou structures the curriculum in a strategic manner. Freshman year your classes tend to be very large, lecture-based, introductory level classes. As you get older and further into your major, your class sizes increase drastically and aren't just lecture; there is more discussion and interaction within the classroom. The reason I enjoyed this is because like most freshman, I had no idea what I wanted to major in at first. The intro level classes allowed me to get a broad overview of different majors, ultimately helping me figure out that psychology is what I wanted to pursue. The bigger lectures help to build a foundation that allows you to excel in the upper level courses. Additionally, Mizzou is a huge research institution and there are a lot of labs that you can get the the chance to do undergraduate research in. For instance, I began working in a lab my sophomore year and it has aided in preparing me for some of the experiences I will encounter in graduate school. Finally, Mizzou's journalism school is one of the top schools in the country. They teach their students with hands on training, preparing them for real world news. There are very assorted teaching styles at the university allowing students the ability to cater to how they learn best.

Danielle

Most of your freshman classes are held in big lecture halls, so the teacher's assistants, or TA's, are more likely to know your name. My favorite class was anything in my major, least favorite was biology. The teacher was wonderful, I'm just horrible at biology! Students study double the amount of time you spend in class. So for a three hour course, you should plan on studying for an additional six hours outside of class. Class participation is very common. Professors encourage it, and it definitely helps you learn the material.

Connor

Academics at the University of Missouri-Columbia are both challenging and rewarding. Most freshman classes are rather large and usually take place within an auditorium. Unless you introduce yourself to the professor they will not know you by name. My favorite class by far was Mythology because it was easy to follow. My least favorite was english 1000 because of all the writing and overall work. Many of my peers at school study often. Usually before a quiz or test, I've never heard of someone just studying to get the material down. Class participation is depending on the professor and if they give points towards participation. Intellectual conversations aren't frequent outside of the classroom. Competitiveness amongst students is based on how ambitious the student is. I myself am really competitive with other students, but mostly my roommates and friends. The most unique class I've taken is Art Appreciation, which I'm taking this semester. It's something new and outside of the realm of things that I enjoy so i thought I'd broaden my horizons. My major here at Mizzou is journalism. My major is the reason I chose Mizzou, the program is top five in the nation. I personally don't spend much time with professors outside of the classroom. There have been times where I have visited office hours to get a better understanding of course material. The school's academic requirements aren't that difficult for most students to deal with. I believe that they are extremely fair. The education at Mizzou is geared towards setting their students up for the best opportunity to acquire a job as well as create well rounded individuals.

Shivan

Freshman class are usually large. Professors won't know who you are unless you introduce yourself. This is typical of all colleges. There are some classes to avoid. For example, Microeconomics with Sharon Ryan. Terrible. Grade distribution table on MU's website allows one to gain an understanding of a teachers grading over the years. Check it out. Students are highly competitive. Do your best and don't slack off or you won't get into programs or internships that you want. The requirements to get into MU have gotten stricter since I was a freshman. The school is improving and is starting to be recognized for it. There are career fairs several times a year that help students find a job. Personally, everyone of my graduating friends got jobs within a month or before graduating. 8 of my close friends to be exact. If you work hard, University of Missouri name will strengthen your resume.

Sam

I feel strongly as an out-of-state student that Mizzou is a great choice, but for only a handful of academic majors. If you are undecided and do not choose one of the prominent programs, you would be better off staying in state. As a journalism major, I feel tremendous pride to say I will be a graduate of one the most prestigious J-School's in the nation. I cannot say I would feel that way if my major was business or academics related. Missouri has excellent Agriculture, Textile and Apparel Management, Journalism and Nursing programs, but I feel it is not a worthwhile out-of-state option if your major is not one of the above.

Haris

Academics are very important at Mizzou. The Journalism program specifically requires a certain GPA to stay eligible for a diploma. Many scholarships also require high marks. Class sizes are large for general education classes, such as Psych 1000 and Math 1100. As students enter their major however, classes become very small and the student-professor dynamic comes into play. Professors know students and students speak with professors. Even with large classes, that's a possibility if students attend the teacher's office hours. Students can be found studying everywhere around campus. I know I'm always looking for an intriguing new place to study. I study about 20-30 hours a week on average, and that is the general quota for successful students at Mizzou as well. Students at Mizzou are competitive within the majors, which keeps class fresh and challenging. Class participation is important for smaller classes, but not much for larger, lecture-style classes where the professor does the majority of the speaking. Mizzou offers some very interesting classes. My friend Kaitlin, a psych major, was in a scuba diving class last semester, where she learned to dive and received her scuba certification, while gaining course credit and having fun. My other friend, Alex, a fellow journalism major took "Religion and Harry Potter," a class that decrypts religious symbolism in J.K. Rowling's famous children's series. Many prospective Mizzou students think they have to wait until they are upperclassmen to take these classes, however my friends were both freshmen, and took scuba diving and religion through Harry Potter. Mizzou is famous for several career programs that set it apart from other schools: Journalism, Nursing, Hotel Management and Veterinary Medecine. Mizzou has a large journalism institute, a private radio station, newspaper and tv station, all university owned, and affiliate-funded. There is local hospital geared to provide real work experience for nurses. A small bed-and-breakfast sits comfortably at the edge of campus for Hotel and Restaurant Management majors. And Mizzou owns so much farmland around Columbia that vet majors receive more experience at school than in the first year on the job. The resources offered at the university are vast.

Haris

Academics are very important at Mizzou. The Journalism program specifically requires a certain GPA to stay eligible for a diploma. Many scholarships also require high marks. Class sizes are large for general education classes, such as Psych 1000 and Math 1100. As students enter their major however, classes become very small and the student-professor dynamic comes into play. Professors know students and students speak with professors. Even with large classes, that's a possibility if students attend the teacher's office hours. Students can be found studying everywhere around campus. I know I'm always looking for an intriguing new place to study. I study about 20-30 hours a week on average, and that is the general quota for successful students at Mizzou as well. Students at Mizzou are competitive within the majors, which keeps class fresh and challenging. Class participation is important for smaller classes, but not much for larger, lecture-style classes where the professor does the majority of the speaking. Mizzou offers some very interesting classes. My friend Kaitlin, a psych major, was in a scuba diving class last semester, where she learned to dive and received her scuba certification, while gaining course credit and having fun. My other friend, Alex, a fellow journalism major took "Religion and Harry Potter," a class that decrypts religious symbolism in J.K. Rowling's famous children's series. Many prospective Mizzou students think they have to wait until they are upperclassmen to take these classes, however my friends were both freshmen, and took scuba diving and religion through Harry Potter. Mizzou is famous for several career programs that set it apart from other schools: Journalism, Nursing, Hotel Management and Veterinary Medecine. Mizzou has a large journalism institute, a private radio station, newspaper and tv station, all university owned, and affiliate-funded. There is local hospital geared to provide real work experience for nurses. A small bed-and-breakfast sits comfortably at the edge of campus for Hotel and Restaurant Management majors. And Mizzou owns so much farmland around Columbia that vet majors receive more experience at school than in the first year on the job. The resources offered at the university are vast.

Miles

Professors at my school do not know my name, however my adviser knows my name and schedule for the last 4 years. My favorite class was introduction to technology. We made songs on a computer using mixing technology. It was more like being a DJ than a musician. We also experimented with Photoshop, and used computer software to edit an animated commercial. My least favorite class was programming, It was very hard to maintain interest and study for. I would say students attend approximately eighty percent of class. Students infrequently discuss intellectual conversation outside of class however inside the classroom most are very competitive. The most unique class I have taken is Queer Theory. We had a transgender panel come and talk to us about their experiences as a transgendered person. My major is business. I view it as the most competitive department at the university. A 3.0 is required to be in good standing there and students are highly involved in searching for jobs and internships. Students do not spend much time with professors outside of class other than office hours for questions regarding tests and homework. My school has high academic requirement, but I do not feel that they are too high. I think they keep students competitive and working hard but are still in attainable reach through a fair amount of studying and preparation. Education at my school is geared at landing students a job upon graduation and I think it does a great job of that.

Breanna

I am a Marketing major in the University of Missouri's College of Business. There are a variety of different classes in terms of size, subject matter, and teaching styles. For most of the more basic education classes, large auditoriums are fairly common. In a big lecture class, the professor does not typically know too many students. Grades are based mostly on tests, so it is kind of important to study and keep up with the readings. As the classes become more specialized to fit specific areas of study, class size becomes smaller and there is more student-professor interaction. Class assignments usually involve more critical thinking, and there are plenty of group projects to build teamwork skills. Students in the business department are fairly competitive, with the job market being in the state that its in. The competition is friendly though--outside of class, we share resources and stories of how we are preparing ourselves for our future careers. My favorite class so far has been Consumer Behavior. The subject matter was interesting, and the professor was extremely friendly. I found it very easy to pay attention in his class. My least favorite class was a Russian Civilization class. The class was outside of my major and I used it to fill a requirement, so it was not something that interested me. Furthermore, the professor was very aloof and unclear of his expectations. Overall, my time in the business school has both given me the basic education I need, as well as helped me develop my professionalism. There are co-curricular programs available, such as seminars and career resources, that help prepare students for a career in business beyond what can be taught in a classroom. All of these resources together has prepared me for life after graduation.

Kristen

The class size and instructor interest really depends on your major. The more "common" your major, the larger your classes are in the first two years. There are certain general education classes that everyone has to take, so those classes are really pretty big and unless you go to your professor's office hours they probably won't know your name. Studying really depends on the individual person and their style of learning. For me, if I go to class and pay attention, take notes, ask questions, etc I generally don't have to pull all nighters at the library studying! Class participation is huge here, so make sure you say something every day! Most teachers assign a certain percentage of the overall grade to class participation. Competition really depends on, once again, your major and your personality. I am a very competitive person in a fairly competitive major, so I would say competition is pretty intense. What's really cool about college is the professors, or at least some of them, like to do things outside the classroom. After big presentations or at the end of the semester I have gone to "class dinners" downtown with the professor and the rest of the class! It's nice to see teachers outside of the classroom sometimes! Mizzou has a "learn by doing" philosophy, therefore most majors provide opportunities to work and gain industry experience!

Paul

At Mizzou I realized that if you are truly interested in a class, you will talk about it while socially drinking with friends. At least in my circle of friends this happened all the time; we talked about things we learned in school often even in casual interaction, and this is a testament to the academics at Mizzou. It’s an environment that encourages good studying and applying your learning to real life. Once you get past the preliminary classes where you have 500 people in a lecture hall, most professors are interesting, driven, and have more personal relationships with the students. I spent most of my time in the Journalism, Art, and French departments. Some of the journalism teachers are a bit stressed out, but others are invested in students and are very valuable references because they work in a highly competitive industry that thrives on personal connections. The art department had the most casual relationships with teachers I’ve ever seen. One teacher in particular, the advanced Art photography professor, had a very tangible effect on students. He worked with famous photographers and inspired people to really think critically about their art. Our conversation in critiques was very advanced and conceptual, but after class we would hang out and talk more casually with Johnson and other students at local cafes and bars. In the French department, there is are some teachers notorious because they demand hard work (which really gets you speaking the language), but are friendly outside class and will know you by name. At Mizzou there is a nice balance between learning for education’s sake and for getting a job’s sake. It is more of a liberal arts school than a vocational school. All the basic theory we learn is important and I think about it in my day-to-day interactions, but we also get very practical training that employers are looking for. In the photojournalism department, for instance, there is both History of Photojournalism, and Advanced Lighting Techniques classes, and during your senior year, they send you lists of job and internship opportunities that are critical to entering the job market.

Joshua

Mizzou has many high-level academic programs throughout the university. In your first 2 years or so, you will most likely have a lot of large classes where your professor will not know your name. Once you progress towards your degree, your classes get smaller and you can get to know your professor on a personal level. My favorite class has been a Human Resource Management class I took this year. I enjoyed it because the class was set up in a unique way that made it easier to learn and allowed everyone to express their opinions. My least favorite class was calculus because I have never really been one who has done well in math. Class participation is extremely common and is sometimes even required. A lot of classes have participation points as part of your grade so it is important. Students are very competitive because everyone realizes they are competing with their classmates for jobs. Everyone is always looking for ways to get an edge over their fellow classmates. Mizzou's academic requirements are fair in most programs. One program where it gets a little unfair is in the business school. They have many requirements to graduate such as getting 200 Professional Development Points, having an internship, along with GPA requirements. This is a lot to handle sometimes when you also have classwork and a job. Spending time with professors outside of class is pretty rare. You can visit them during their office hours if you need extra help but other than that they aren't available very often. The education you receive at Mizzou is definitely geared towards getting a job when you graduate. They offer many services that assist you in preparing yourself for a career and also finding a job.

Melyssa

Going to class at a big school like Mizzou is a different experience. The class sizes are rather large (300+ sometimes!) but as long as you put forth effort into meeting your professors, it really doesn't matter. Having large class sizes has its pluses too. For example, if you need to skip class, no one will notice! Or if you're late, you can sneak in. There are also many smaller classes once you get into upper level classes. My Freshman and Sophomore year was full of large classes but now that I am past all of the general education, my classes have at most 30 people. This is helpful because it's important to get to know your professors once you start taking courses towards your degree. It can help you in the future when you are trying to find a job, and it always helps to be on your teacher's good side! Overall, I really like the academics at Mizzou. The professors here are really involved with their students, and they offer unlimited help. It just takes effort from the student.

Taylor

I am currently an Environmental Science student which is in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. My experience so far has been really personal. I know a lot of the professors and the director of our department. I've enjoyed all of my professors (except 1 or 2). There are students that are sharper than others, but overall I think the university is pretty intelligent!

Maddie

Rigor of classwork varies a lot depending on your major. Nursing, Journalism, and Engineering are considered really difficult, and everything else is kind of so-so. Most students study every day, but the norm is to have a pretty healthy balance between studying and partying. Although - I must admit, I've met a few people that haven't ever read for their classes...not sure how they do it. Professors know you if they know your voice. If you speak up in class, ask questions, visit them during office hours etc. You could go 4 years flying under the radar, or you can leave with a handful of great letters of recommendation (if you put in some effort). Most teachers push students to participate in class, but not everyone does. I've found that the majority of teachers are always available to the students who try in their classes - it's not unheard of to grab a drink with professors, or go to their house for dinner sometimes.

Erin

While the typical gen. ed. class wasn't the easiest environment to create personal relationships with my teachers, I have made a connection with at least one teacher every semester that I've been at Mizzou. Especially now that I'm very involved in my major I have made developed some very meaningful relationships with my major teachers, as well as other random faculty members that I have come in contact with. My classmates and I spend a lot of time at the lab and library, but we have bonded so much over classes that we enjoy it. I'm a Convergence Journalism student and I have learned so much from that department. While the students are relatively competitive, the "convergers" have become a sort of family and the Futures Lab has become my second home. In addition, I have gained so much real life experience and I feel very prepared to tell a future employer I can handle whatever they throw at me.

Erin

While the typical gen. ed. class wasn't the easiest environment to create personal relationships with my teachers, I have made a connection with at least one teacher every semester that I've been at Mizzou. Especially now that I'm very involved in my major I have made developed some very meaningful relationships with my major teachers, as well as other random faculty members that I have come in contact with. My classmates and I spend a lot of time at the lab and library, but we have bonded so much over classes that we enjoy it. I'm a Convergence Journalism student and I have learned so much from that department. While the students are relatively competitive, the "convergers" have become a sort of family and the Futures Lab has become my second home. In addition, I have gained so much real life experience and I feel very prepared to tell a future employer I can handle whatever they throw at me.

Maddie

Rigor of classwork varies a lot depending on your major. Nursing, Journalism, and Engineering are considered really difficult, and everything else is kind of so-so. Most students study every day, but the norm is to have a pretty healthy balance between studying and partying. Although - I must admit, I've met a few people that haven't ever read for their classes...not sure how they do it. Professors know you if they know your voice. If you speak up in class, ask questions, visit them during office hours etc. You could go 4 years flying under the radar, or you can leave with a handful of great letters of recommendation (if you put in some effort). Most teachers push students to participate in class, but not everyone does. I've found that the majority of teachers are always available to the students who try in their classes - it's not unheard of to grab a drink with professors, or go to their house for dinner sometimes.

Abbie

What I truly enjoy about my classes is that it seems like I have the best of both worlds when it comes to my classes. As a proud student in the best journalism school ever, I like that my classes are 50/50 when it comes to class size. Half of my classes are large lectures and half are under 20 students. This way all of my professors know my name. I can choose to get personalized attention when I need it from my smaller classes, or have a wide selection of who to study with from any one of the 200+ people in my larger classes. I've taken some incredibly interesting and challenging classes along with some fun, quirky and sometimes easy classes. My favorite part about the journalism school is that they are really training us for the field by having us work in the field during school, while still learning to acquire as much knowledge as possible while in school.

Jordan

Class sizes vary greatly, I've been in a class of 10 and a class of 500. As you progress into your major class size generally decreases. Many lecture halls try to keep the class interactive by the use of clickers so you can virtually answer questions in class. Everyone has different preferences of studying, some people study throughout the class and some cram. It really comes down to what works best for you, but if at any time you need help the professors are always willing to sit down and meet with you.

Emily

When I first arrived at the university and told people I was from out of state, they automatically assumed I was journalism. This was correct but I was so confused on how they knew so quickly. I knew Mizzou has one of the top journalism schools but I never realized just how many students actually come here for it. But besides the journalism school, the university has so many other classes, majors, minors, and certificates to offer. I've been able to take classes in a variety of subjects and it's helped me learn what exactly I want to major in and the possible minors I can work towards achieving. One of my favorite classes I have taken is Communication in Society because I learned so much about television history and how much the media truly effects our society in many ways. I liked this class because it was about a 250 person lecture but we also had a discussion class that met once a week with about 20 students. It provided a more personal learning environment. At Mizzou, I've learned you kind of have to adjust to learning in a large lecture and then going to your next class that's a small 20 person class. It can be difficult sometimes but I like knowing some professors for some of my more difficult classes on a better level because then I'm not scared to ask for help. The main thing I've learned about academics in college is if you don't understand the material no matter the class size, go to your professor's office hours and ask for help. It will help immensely throughout the semester!

Melissa

The academics at Mizzou are as good as one wants them to be, as at any big state school. You can major in just about whatever you want, and if there isn't something specific, you can design an interdisciplinary degree. For the first two years, most classes are big, and take place in large lecture halls. Some professors still manage to hold participatory classes in these settings, others really don't - it just depends on who you get stuck with. As you get further into your degree, expect for class sizes to decrease, but for some majors, understand that you might never have a tiny class where you sit around the table and talk. People are pretty friendly; even in the pre-med fields, you never get a horribly competitive vibe. If you really want to get to know your professors, pick a major in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. Each student has a faculty advisor from the beginning, and they are truly your information source and your advocate. Because I was pre-med, I was matched with a faculty member who worked in the medical school - an invaluable resource for me when I was applying. I minored in a subject that few people have actually heard of outside the university, but it was one of the best decisions I made, and one of the most career-defining choices I made. Be open and explore, take classes you wouldn't normally take, and talk to your professors. For the most part, they really want to get to know you.

David

Most professor don't know my name. But a handful do. Its really because I visited their office hours and developed a student-teacher relationship with them. My mentor really helped me strengthen my skills and aided in my abilities as a writer. My favorite class is history of the 1960s with professor Collins. That class really challenged all my ideas and writing abilities. Students do have intellectual conversations but you have to surround yourself them. There is a meathead culture there too. At parties and social events its squashed. But one bar I had good conversations was at the Heidelberg. You can good conversations there. Students are competitive in terms of sports and sometimes academics. My major didn't really, but the J-school was very intensive. The most unique class I'd taken was sociology of sport with Dr. Porteen. She moved on from Mizzou, but that class was a real good lens to looking at sports. My major was in history and sociology. It was great picks, but I would of strapped on economics much more now because quantitative skills are highly valued. My major really helped in exploring the human experience, the nature of change, human groups interaction, and what motivates people. The history department is not the superstar of the campus. Instead it's the J-school. But its program is very diverse in areas of history. The sociology is hit or miss. The class I took were rockstar quality, especially sociology of music, sport, and the family. But some others will not be as good. The professor is tied to quality of the class. I did spend some time with professors outside of class. They were my mentors. A good brew and topic made for a good night conversation. The academic rigor jumped once you get pass the survey classes. After freshman year, its game on. The complexity of each subject evolves as you get deeper into topics in disciplines. My program was geared towards learning for its own sake. It served its purpose for me. I wanted to learn what made people think and what to look for. The J-School is geared towards getting a job.

Dan

The piece of advice I received before going to college was to make sure you have one professor who knows your name and who you are each semester. I did not find this to be a problem at MU. Sure, freshman and sophomore year most classes are in 400+ lecture halls where the prof will not know most of the class, however, few people have the guts to actively participate in a class that big. So if you find a topic interesting or have a question, ask the professor during class or tell them afterwards. Professors at MU love to know that someone else is sharing a passion for what they dedicate their lives to. It is the ultimate compliment and can be a great relationship. I have gone out to lunch with my professors, met their families, shared rides and beers (unrelated), and worked and studied with them as an undergrad. As a nursing major, I spoke with all of my professors on a first name basis my junior and senior year. All of them were available for extra help, and most would give me their cell phone and home phone numbers. This is not uncommon in the nursing school. Nursing school is competitive. When I entered the clinical portion of nursing school, 55 were admitted out of 200 applications. The average GPA was a 3.6 or so. Nursing students at MU are lucky to have University Hospital, Boone County Hospital, the VA hospital, and other clinical sites near campus. Students spend many nights studying at the Med School library (praise it for being open later than Ellis Library) and many mornings waking up at 5am to beat the sun up for a 6am clinical the next day. While nursing school is a lot of work, it pays off. Every hospital in the United States will take an MU nursing major. I graduated this past May '08 and my roommate and I work in NYC at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (#1 cancer hospital) and New York Presbyterian (#1 hospital in NYC). Other classmates work at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, as well as everywhere in KC and STL.

Jordan

As previously mentioned, anyone who wishes to have a relationship with a professor may have one so long as they take the initiative. Professors will not seek you out... they have too many students to try and reach out to everyone. However, they are more than happy to foster a relationship if you show some interest (go to office hours). In all honesty, I do not know that I have ever had a "bad" class at Mizzou. I was not fond of "Introduction to Leisure Studies" because I thought that the subject matter was extremely dull. Most of my classes have been absolutely wonderful. Students study for various amounts of time... it really depends on how high a student wants their GPA to be. Some students never study, but you usually don't see those individuals second semester. Class participation is not very common in large classes. However, many of the smaller classes are completely discussion-oriented (additionally, many larger classes will have a weekly discussion section). As with any institution, some students are more competitive than others. The History Department if amazing. To begin, our academic advisor is fantastic. She has great suggestions for courses outside of the major, and simply knows about everything there is to know about the department. I have yet to have a bad class or professor in the history department. The professors tend to be brilliant, the classes entertaining, and the workload reasonable. I attend office hours every once in awhile in order to spend time with a professors. If I'm enrolled in one of their courses, I usually take a tentative assignment to garner feedback. However, I also visit when I'm not enrolled in their courses in order to receive additional help or simply to catch up (granted, this is a select few professors). Mizzou's academic requirements are fine. They are not strenuous, but force you to diversify and become somewhat more well-rounded. In my opinion, admission standards are a little low.

Maya

Very wide range of academic abilities and teaching abilities at Mizzou. As always, class quality depends more on the teacher and students than on the actual material covered in the course. Be sure to ask other students about a professor before taking his/her class. In general, class participation is moderate, and the environment is not competitive at all. Most students are pretty nonchalant about their academic work. The professors are usually very accessible and willing to help. Yes, my professors know my name. No, I don't spend time with them outside of class. The graduation requirements are not very stringent, although there are distribution requirements. This is not a particularly challenging school.

Alisha

Do professors know my name?? Are you kidding me...yeah they might know my name but many of them haven't given a rats butt about me and my concerns in the class! However, for all the bad professors I've had, I've also had some pretty awesome ones as well who are willing to go above and beyond to help me with my concerns. I absolutely hated my Sociology 1000 and English 1000 classes! The teachers (which were grad students may I add) were terrible! They had no desire to even try to be nice and they never seemed to help me with the concepts I was having trouble grasping! Also TAs...I think there should be certain restrictions as to who is allowed to assist a class. For one it would be nice if we could understand half the things they were talking about(either due to poor english or poor people skills). And grad students as teachers is not always the best idea either! I guess its just their lack of experience in teaching, but still it is what has kept me from getting an A o r B in the class! Intellectual conversations do happen sometimes with students here on campus, but I don't know how many times I've been walking to class and have heard some of the dumbest, most juvenille things coming out of peoples mouths. I feel that Mizzou prepares some students for getting jobs and heading into the real world! However, I feel that depends on what college they are in. For example, I am in the school of nursing and I feel that by the end of my college life I will be highly prepared to get a real job. I say this because many of the students I've seen go through the nursing program have come out with a wide array of knowledge and seem to be ready to graduate! I have heard a lot of good things about the teachers you have once you're in the clinical portion. Many of them are there to help, whenever you need them and they are usually some of the nicest people you'll meet! I'm looking forward to my next two years of school just for that reason!

Robin

You have to make an effort for your professors to know your name. It's a blessing (getting to know them for rec letters) and a curse (they'll know if you're absent). My fav class is medical microbiology and immunology. Least fav is university calculus 2. The amount that students study depends on their major. Class participation depends on the type of student and if the professor encourages interactivity. Competition depends on the major again. Pre meds are pretty vicious. Mizzou is geared toward getting a job.

Alix

I think that it is hard for the professors to know your name just because of the large class size. In my small classes the professors definitely know my name. Students have to opportunity to ask questions in class and the professors also are very open to talking after class and making a meeting with you in their office.

Erika

The early classes are large lectures, so you have to make an effort, but most of those split up once every week to smaller groups. I also have smaller classes where the prof's definitely know you. And there's so many classes to choose from that by my sophomore year I was in smaller classes had first name basis with some faculty members. I love my sociology classes and international classes. I'm a journalism and international relations major so I get to take a wide range of things. The spanish department is great, everyone is very friendly and helpful, as with every department I work with. Sometimes it's confusing trying to figure out what you have to take if you're double majoring, but there are people willing to work with you.

Parker

My professors know me for the most part, especially the ones in my major. I think the academic requirements are pretty standard in all honesty. The education here is definitely geared towards getting a job.

Anne

Professors do know my name, atleast in smaller classes. You have to make yourself known in a larger class. Favorite class: History of Southern Politics. This class will make you love learning. Students are very competitive, but it depends on which department you are studying in. Journalism, yes, very. Most unique class I have ever taken: History of South Politics. English department is very traditional, very classical. I wouldn't recommend it if you want something different, more up to date. Not a very progressive department. Political science is very small. If I could do it over again, I would have a major in the College of Agriculture, because they love their students and treat them the best out of any other department. Business is also a great one. Certain departments are geared for learning (english, political science) and not job getting. I would definately recommend Business for a job-focused department. I would get a minor in business if I could just to get the benefits of that department.

Jesse

Professors get to know your name, if you give the effort to know theirs. This is a large school and its up to you to make the effort. On average students should be studying about 3-4 hours a day.

Alex

Some of my professors know my name, most of them seem to go out of their way to avoid students. I try hard to be a part of class and to know my profs but it doesn't seem to work. My favorite class was Peace Studies, and my least favorite class was Economics. That class needs to go or get changed.