University of Nebraska-Lincoln Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Andrew

mostly

Allison

No- people that are not in the Greek system don't realize that we do so many good things and partying is a last proprity.

Julie

There are definitely a bunch of kids from small towns whose parents are working in agriculture so they also are majoring in various ag majors but not everyone. I would agree that pretty much everyone is a die-hard Husker fan and they have been grown up in homes supporting Huskers in all aspects. When I came to school people from home (Texas) would always ask if we hung out in the cornfields. That's not accurate though, I don't know that I've actually seen a cornfield come to think of it.

Ashley

Not everyone is a football fanatic, though I'd say the majority of the students do care about the football team, at least marginally...most more than marginally. And for some of the students, during football season, "football is life." There are actually wonderful academic opportunities at UNL...despite (and occasionally because of) its location... Lincoln is actually a wonderfully-sized town, though I suppose that depends on where you're coming from. Though there are fewer opportunities for "culture" here than in, say, New York or L.A., there may be more than one would expect. Additionally, though East Campus residents (mostly ag students) make up a significant portion of the student body, they are by no means the majority. There are fantastic opportunities for scholarships in many non-ag-related fields.

Nico

It's interesting to see why those stereotypes exist. It's because that's what the media hounds, it makes a good headline. So yes, it's easy to be sucked into the party/binge drinking atmosphere of the campus (there are over 100 bars within 2 miles of City Campus). And yes, football is a serious bonding experience.

Kim

i don't think so. I mean yes you can get opportunities if you are in one of those groups that other people may not but i have had many opportunities and i'm not in a sorority.

Royce

People at UNL are very welcoming and friends. People are pretty normal or typical (for ex/ most people wear jeans and a sorority t-shirt or Nebraska sweatshirt) which sometimes makes it feel a bit cookie cutter like. But you will never find more quality people in terms of friendliness, polite and respect for others. Many people do have very conservative views.

Alex

The cornfed stereotype is a little over exaggerated. Just because we have a few corn fields doesn't mean we're all farmers or hillbillys. Kansas people don't get the stereotype of being wheatfed hillbillys so why does Nebraska get that stereotype?

Tate

Football does play a very important part to not only to the state of Nebraska, but to the students of UNL; as does vollyball, and baseball. Students always attend in great numbers and support the teams. As for being "right-wing rednecks", that decription could not be further from the truth. While yes, the state of Nebraska is considered a "red" state, a majority of the students tend to lean more to the left of center, as do faculity. However, I have not had a professor or associate professor stress their political opinions in class discussion or require students to agree with that opinion or have it affect their grade. If anything, they avoid those subjects. UNL is not a school full of "red-necks" or "hicks" which really is just a derogortory term anyway.

Jason

Yes, this is 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} true. I don't know why, or even what could be done about it, but UNL can truly be called a "predominantly white" campus. For some prospective students this can be a huge turnoff. There are academic and social groups available for most ethnic minority groups, but participation is limited because the comminities are so small. I will say that the faculty and staff here at UNL has become noticeably more diverse in the time that I've been here, which may help in recruiting a more ethnically diverse student body over time. However, if a student body with many "flavors" is what you are looking for...UNL is not the place for you.

Amanda

Partly, ha ha! We do love our football and it is a huge part of our University. However, I have yet to walk around in corn fields for fun!

Shawn

Not really

Cj

NO!

Katy

For the most part.

Emily

The stereotypes are completely false and inaccurate. UNL is a great school full of opportunities to learn about cultures from around the world, see extravagant artwork, watch Broadway shows at the Lied Center, and attend dance performances from companies around the world. The University may not be as racially diverse as other schools, but UNL's students are very kind, welcoming, and open minded when it comes to people's differences in race, culture, and sexual orientation.

Steve

I don't know for sure.

Evan

Yes.

Sara

No, unless you step foot onto east campus.

Emmerson

This stereotype is true to a certain extent. I believe UNL has an alcohol problem that needs to be addressed and it seems every time I read the school paper there is a new story about a student getting arrested for possession of some kind of illegal substance. Not every one is like this obviously but Lincoln is a major party town.

Sasha

some of them

Tia

I know a lot of kids in the Greek system who work very hard to maintain their high grades. Same with the athletes. Although their may be a few rotten eggs, most of the stereotypes are not accurate.

Allysa

Yes and no. Football is big here, but many other sports are popular too. And, yes, there are some big lecture-style classes, but the majority are less than 25 students, especially as you progress within your major.

Chris

YES!!!

McKenzie

I believe that the level of one to one time in working with teachers really depends on your major. As an art education major, I have very small classes that involve quite a bit of discussion/critiques.

Samantha

I would have to say yes and no. UNL is more than a football college, but the football season is a fun thing to experience at least once.

Lauren

Like I explained, UNL isn't really a party school compared with other institutions and I think that it stems mainly from the fact that Lincoln is just a much smaller town and there are fewer places to get in trouble. LPD (Lincoln Police Department) really cracks down on underage drinking and UNL is a completely dry campus - some campuses allow students that are 21 to drink in their dorms as long as certain rules are followed, which makes it really easy to drink underage. The focus on athletics here is also misleading. Yes, it's a very strong part of UNL but there's a lot more going on here, it just sucks that it gets the most attention and the most funding, or at least it seems that way.

Melissa

Not entirely. Some of us might be football fanatics, but not all of us are.

Kayley

Not at all! I'm an Army brat and haved moved all over. I hate corn. I speak three other languages, am in the military, and am applying for law school.

Katie

This stereotype is absolutely not true. I have not had a problem fitting in or getting involved. My class sizes are appropriate and professors are easy to communicate with through e-mail and office hours.

Jessica

For the first stereotype - a resounding YES! People are crazy here. Some students come here BECAUSE of the football team and student tickets. Game days are intense. I came here as a non-Husker fan (AHHHHH!!! Don't tell anyone) Although I haven't evolved into a SUPERfan, I've come to respect the game. Funny story - as a freshman I was walking around campus on a game day (I watched the games from my 11th floor window at Abel dorm that year) and I was wearing a blue shirt. Everyone else around me was wearing black or red. I eventually felt so out of place I had to go back to my dorm and change! If you get student tickets, being inside the stadium is crazy-go-nuts fun, even if you aren't a big fan. The crowd has crazy energy and it is hard to resist getting drawn in. Besides, where else can you see a guy dressed up as Jimmy Hendrix walking next to a man in red-and-white plaid overalls donning a stunning corn-cob on his head? Well, probably a good Halloween party... moving on! As for the second stereotype - completely false. Although a small crop (haha I made a funny) of students who grew up on farms in tiny Nebraska towns do reside at UNL, most of the students here are your average collegey student. We come from all over the place, we do have indoor plumbing, and most of us are socialized. Going along with that second stereotype, I have two favorite portrayals of UNL that I've seen since I came here, one emphasizing the hillbilly stereotype and one mostly negating it. First, in the 2007 Husker football season when the team was, er, struggling to do well, the sportscasters kept referring to our student body as the "Children of the Corn." Now that's not fair. Just because a few guys on the team were misguided by a questionable coach doesn't mean we're being all creepy and putting spells on each other in cornfields, or whatever happens in that movie. Besides, wasn't that shot in Iowa? The second portrayal was in the lovely show entitled "Tommy Lee Goes to College." Tommy came and hung out on our campus for a few months (I met him in the cafeteria, he was touching my food...ew!) and pretended to be a student. The show itself was kind of quirky and clever, and it gives you a great idea of what our campus and general student body is ACTUALLY like.

Jenna

No because the average class size is 33 students

Alice

yes

Dustin

These stereotypes are not true about the university. The university tapers classes for the individual. Yes, the classes are bigger than what I was use to, but it is a great way to meet new people. There are plenty of things to do at the university. With all the clubs, intramural sports, and activities around the university I never find myself with nothing to do.

Jack

I don't believe that the stereotypes are accurate. First, an undergraduate education was whatever each individual student makes of it. Nebraska is a major public university with great resources and distinguished faculty, and I have found my classes to be challenging thus far in my time as a student at UNL. Second, all schools have parties. Regardless of whether a campus is wet or dry, there are always going to be people on campus who will drink if they choose.