West Virginia University Top Questions

I have a lot to say about WVU but this sentence will sum it up: This is a good school but it is not for everyone. The tour is not an accurate representation of the school (at least when I went on it).

WVU is a pretty good school but it is not for everyone.

Well, in all honesty I'm going to be transferring next year. I have mixed emotions about the school. Here, I'll break them down: POSITIVES -Variety of majors. If you want to major in something, chances are it's here. We have everything from engineering to forestry to forensics to puppetry! Some programs are nationally ranked like forensics and engineering. -School spirit. I dare you to find a school that has more school spirit and support for their teams as the Mountaineers do. Even me, who usually is not very spirited, can't help but cheer for WVU and sing "Country Roads" whenever it plays (that is if I go to games). -The surrounding area of Morgantown is beautiful. Cooper's Rock and Cheat Lake are gorgeous. If you love the outdoors then this is definitely a school for you. -Proximity to Pittsburgh. I love Pittsburgh. It's about an hour and a half drive but I think it's nice going to a school near a major city so if you ever wanted a nice weekend trip, it's there. -If you take a foreign language (which most of you probably will), the classes are no larger than 25 which is very nice! NEGATIVES -Size. I'm not going to try and minimize it-this is a large state school. Because of this, your classes are going to be huge. I'm talking anywhere between 50-350 students in large lecture halls and no recitation (at least for the general freshman classes). Even sophomore/junior classes can easily be 100 students. It also makes things very crowded at times and you honestly do feel like a number unless you really make an effort not to. My smallest class has been French with 25 students. -Academics. For the freshman classes, the general eds can be really insulting to your intelligence sometimes with how easy they are. Some classes in my high school were more difficult than some classes I've had here. There are certain exceptions such as math, chemistry, physics, and engineering that are challenging. My other gripe about academics is the teaching. You will get TAs that do not speak English. You will have a lot of classes taught by a TA like a foreign language or courses like psychology 101 which is almost always TA taught. I'm not saying TAs are bad but professors are generally preferable. -Online assignments. I know this is the 21st century but a lot more assignments are online assignments than I would like. Some of the material is taught online, which irritates me because I pay to go to an actual class, not online. Also, ecampus is a big complaint for students! -Partying. Yes, we are the #1 party school in the country (and if we aren't exactly #1, we are darn close). A lot of students, especially freshman and sophomores, love to go out and drink/party so if it's not your scene, you will have trouble adjusting to it especially if you live in a dorm. There are people out there who don't party but it takes a little effort to find them. -Multiple campuses/Transportation. Yeah, you heard of the PRT breaking down? It happens. Most of the time it works fine but it seems like when you really need it, it breaks down. When it does, however, getting around campus is hell especially if you live in Towers and class is downtown. The buses will all be packed and good luck getting one in 30 minutes. Also, because campus is so spread out, I feel there's not a lot of campus unity or activity that's widely attended by students. Everything just seems so far apart and it's a hassle to wake up an hour before class in the morning to ensure enough time to get ready and catch a bus/PRT. My friends at other schools can wake up 10 minutes before class and still make it on time! -A lot of students, if they don't party or don't want to, tend to go home on the weekends. Overall, I think WVU is appealing to students but it is not for everyone.

My fears when I came here were that WVU was going to be too big, my classes were going to be spread out among campuses, and I was going to become socially distracted. My overall opinion of WVU is that it is a great school. I have done well this year because I have put forth the effort required to do so. WVU is known as a party school; as long as you know how to discipline yourself and prioritize, then you can be very successful. I love the family environment that Morgantown has, especially at games. I no longer feel that WVU is too big. Everywhere I go, I either run into someone I know or have multiple classes with someone I know. And as far as my classes being too spread out, I just have to take that into consideration while planning my schedule. Always give yourself enough time and you will succeed.

I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. The atmosphere is great. The students are friendly. Some of the class sizes are a little big. My general chemistry classes had about 200 students in them, but that isn't the case for all courses. Also, I've found that most of the professors I've had are very helpful and are generally available outside class to help you with anything you don't understand.

I love WVU! There is just something about Morgantown, WV that makes you feel as though you belong there. The town is vibrant and filled with pride for the University. Being a WVU Mountaineer is akin to being a member of a large family. The town, the alumni, and the entire state of WV love this institution and it has a fan base that is one of the best in the entire country. The only bad part about WVU is the hills that litter the campus, but you can always think of that as an opportunity for exercise.

I believe WVU was the perfect choice for me. All the other schools I was considering my senior year had amazing programs, but nothing about the schools stood out to me. When I had my first visit in Morgantown, I felt welcomed and embraced. I have really found a second home here. My favorite memory was my first parent's weekend, my whole family drive 8 hrs to visit me. We played football on the green with my few of my friends and their families then we all went out for dinner. Afterwards my parents kissed me goodbye and said they could not be more proud of the people I have found here.

I like it here, quite simple. It has a large student population which means a lot of people to meet. One thing I would change is the transportation system here, which leaves much to be desired. While WVU is a large school, when you enter into your major requirement classes, the class sizes are much smaller. WVU probably has the most school pride of any school period. Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer.

Overall, I love WVU. I think that it has such a great atmosphere and so many great people attending. I visited a few other colleges before WVU and they were alright, but when I got to WVU, I thought it was perfect. It's exactly what you would imagine when you think of a "college town." Everything you want is right there and easily accessible. I think it is the perfect medium between a large and a small school. It's large enough to have a lot of diversity, but small enough that you can still be familiar with all of the staff and students you interact with. My favorite thing about WVU though is our school pride. Since West Virginia has no professional sports teams, you not only have the students and alumni spirited for WVU, but people all over West Virginia as well. This year, we had ESPN's college game day come for the LSU v. WVU game. For two days before that, people were camped outside on the green behind the Mountain Lair. The Mountaineer mascot came in the middle of the night and started our famous "Eat Shit Pitt" chant and got all of the students rallied up. Even the president of the college was there! We kept saying, "Only at WVU."

Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer. WVU has tremendous school spirit with an addictive pride for the school and the sports programs. Morgantown, WV is a pure college town with the students making up the majority of the population. The nightlife is located seconds from campus and the night scene consists of bars, clubs, fraternity and house parties. The Mountainlair is a terrific student union with multiple sources of food and entertainment ranging from a movie theater to a bowling alley. One downfall of the campus is the amount of hills. It is often said that wherever you walk it is uphills both ways. WVU has a student population that fits the campus just right. The experience that I will always remember is the schock I experienced when first arriving on campus. The overall atmosphere on the campus is overwhelming as the party scene, sporting events, and the overall college experience are unlike anywhere else.

I love how WVU offers so much to the students and community. It is so easy to not only feel like a WVU student but a Morgantown civilian. However, I wish there was not such a part scene. WVU is a large university but that is exactly how I like it. Everyone loves WVU because of the awesome school spirit we have. I am a resident assistant and spend most of my time doing my job in the dorms. The prfoessors and administraters are well practiced and do care for the success of thier students.

When applying to different colleges, WVU was very low on my list. It was in state and therefore, I wanted to get out and see other states more. Though I already travel a lot, I felt like being in West Virginia for college would force me to stay here. However, as I go on through the years here at WVU, I realize how much I love this school. It is not the typical school. We are a very swift and amazing university that offers a wide variety of things. With five campuses as well as many student clubs and sports, we have so much to offer.

Outdoor activities are unlimited, toons of outdoor enthusiasts, bars and parties are off the wall

One of the biggest reasons i decide to go to wvu is because of the football program. For me football has a huge inpact on my life.

The football team is great. I think WVU is just right. Morgantown is very much a college town, I stay here year round and it is so much easier to drive through town in the summer and during breaks. The administration in my major is great. They are very helpful and can answer almost any question you have. There is so much school pride that it isn't even funny. The worst part about attending WVU is the lack of parking. There is no parking anywhere on campus. The only places you can park are paid garages, or paid lots. Most of the lots require a 200 to 300 dollar tag to put in your car.

I myself am not a party girl. I don't like to drink or go to bars or smoke pot. It wastes time and clouds very good judgment. The best thing I like about WVU is that it's big enough to get away from that scene. The library is great to studying but good luck getting a computer because there aren't enough for all the students in the building. I do love the Evansdale campus more than the downtown campus. It seems less chaotic and more surreal. There are more trees and greenery around. It's calm and quiet. Downtown is noisy and traffic is always bad. One reason why I'm an Animal Nutrition major. I go to the Evansdale campus more often. Overall WVU is a great place to go to school. You can meet the best of friends and the classes are awesome.

WVU is great. The faculty really care about you if you chose to get to know the faculty. There is truly nothing like the pride at West Virginia because it's the closest thing we have to a professional sports team. The state of West Virginia bleeds blue and gold as much as the students. The whole state is a Mountaineer. It's a perfect, laid back college town. Nightlife starts on Wednesday nights, and some weeks, Tuesdays. There was a recent shake up with the current administration, but if we can get our governor to keep his business out of the school, we will be fine. The biggest recent controversy involved rewarding an eMBA to the governor's daughter, a degree which she did not earn. The only problem with our school is that our governor thinks he's king of West Virginia and tries to get involved in everything, including the universities business. The next president should keep him separated from the university's business.

WVU is a huge school but it often feels small. Somehow you manage to run into the same people all over the place. To me, the fact that WVU is so large means there are a ton of opportunities. Morgantown is definitely a college town full of off-campus housing. There is a lot of school pride especially when it comes to football games! Football is a big deal in Mo-town.

wvu is a super-big university. with about 23000 students in a town built for about 10000. the college town feeling is definitely there -- especially on game day. game days rock. the atmosphere is that of a rock concert. get to milan puskar early for the best tailgating and the best booze you've ever had. wvu is credited for being the #1 drinking college . . . it definitely lives up to that name. wvu mountaineers are found all over the united states and the world. the school pride is like that of none other.

I'll answer all those questions. They're good ones. The best thing about WVU is that it is a small big school. By that I mean this is a very large school compared to most but when your are here you are never overwhelmed by size. It is very intimate and inviting. One thing I would change is being more educated about the college process. I am finishing up 8 credits and I graduate and I just now realized how I screwed up in my first few years. Dropping classes for no good reason. No one was here to tell me how that would affect me in the end. Now I have a major that I do not even like. I just never saw the big picture until now and I wish there was more guidence from teachers and advisors. That is where you miss out at a big school. When I tell people I go to WVU they usually say "wow, good for you" or "you have a really good football team." Either way, always positive and makes me feel good about my choice. WVU administration... it becomes more about money and who you know every year. The recent controversy was the govorners daughter receiving her MBA with out actually doing the work to earn it. She got it revoked when news spread. There is a lot of school pride but not enough. When you compare us to Penn State or OHIO, we are meke mouses. I think that is why we lost the biggest came of the year to Pitt (AHHHHHHH I HATE RICH ROD! @{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}&*@#) still a sore subject as you see. I will always remember football games. they are the heart of this school and there is always so much fun and love in the air at them. Most frequent student complait... ADVISING SUCKS.

I love it here. I don't think it's too big, and I came from a small town. I think when you have a big school, things like sporting events (especially football and basketball) are really fun to go to. This school has a lot of school pride which can be really fun during Fall Fest where there are bands who come to our Mountainlair (student commons) to play for free. The town is really fun because there are a lot of restaurants, stores, and bars in walking distance. The mall is only a 10 minute drive away and there are also parks and Cheat lake if you like the outdoors. Also, there is a rail trail along the river which is nice to walk on.

WVU is the ultimate package. It is a big enough school to see different faces every day and really feel out of high school but small enough to find your comfort zone. For me, Morgantown is an hour from my hometown, so it was far enough to be away but close enough to come home whenever I wanted. The school spirit here is nuts. Students and fans pack into football games covered in blue and gold with the word "mountaineers" anywhere there's room on their outfit. Yah sure we like to party, but it is all part of the Saturday afternoon football game in Morgantown. And don't even be in town if you are a Pitt fan at the Backyard Brawl... because Mountaineer fans make you feel anything but welcome! Going to school at WVU, I can say I am proud to tell people where I go & couldn't picture myself as anything but a Mountaineer fan (even tho I was raised cheering for Penn State). Everything isn't perfect though... especially if your not real into walking or bumper to bumper traffic. The campus is pretty spread out so getting to some places can be a little bit of a walk & the town is sooo packed that traffic isn't exactly flowing. But with all that I love about WVU definately outweighs the tiny disadvantages.

You can get a great education here, but if you're serious about that, go somewhere else. It is so hard to find friends who don't party 3/4 of the time and your roommate freshman year will drive you nuts if you are studious. The opportunity is here, but it's hard to take advantage of it.

WVU is diverse in a sense that there are a lof of different types of students. Majority of the students are not interested in studying, and I would not consider the environment at WVU to be competitive. However, there are smart and intelligent students as well who do not get the recognition they deserve because they are overlooked by the stereotype that is attached to WVU. As far as size of the school, it is a perfect size. You still manage to run into the same people around campus although the enrollment is large. People think I am joking when I tell them I go to WVU because it is known as a "bad" school. There is a lot of school pride here which is a good thing, however I don't think it is pride for the school, but pride for the sports especially the football team. It is a unique college town but it is very small and often runs out of things to do. Partying is the only thing to do really, other than movies. There is no music scene or anything interesting to do in Morgantown except for drinking, which does not appeal to everyone. Morgantown is a small town that is overpopulated for it's size, and parking is a huge issue. Parking is the most annoying issue for two reasons, the lack of parking, and the exceptionally annoying parking tickets. Parking tickets are handed out by the minute, if your meter runs out and you do not make it to your car to put in more change within the next minute, you are pretty much guarunteed a ticket. Most students complain about parking.

The best thing about WVU is that it is a large school that can also feel small. It can feel large in a chemistry class of 200 students. But it feels small because on your way to class you can run into at least 20 people that you know. There is always someone new for you to meet, and therefore things never get boring. When I tell people I go to WVU, the first thing they think of are the awesome Mountaineer sports we have. Everyone loves the fact that not only does our football team do really well, but our basketball, and soccer do good as well. Everyone can appreciate the Mountaineers because we were always the underdog and now we have started to excell. The games are all really fun and the atmosphere is great! The college town is really nice. Everything you could need is in walking distance or can be gotten to through the PRT (Personal Rapid Transit). If you want to bring your car though make sure you have a place to park it because space is extremely limited, and parking tickets are a bitch.

Overall, WVU is probably one of the best universities in the country in my opinion. It is the perfect size for me. There are not so many people that you have to feel like a number but at the same time, if you choose to blend in with everyone else, there is no problem doing so. The school pride around campus is quite amazing. It is hard to look around anywhere around town and not see people in WVU clothing or flags flying and signs supporting teams and the general student body. I spend a lot of my time on campus at the Mountainlair. The Lair is the student union building and has food, bowling, movie theatre, ballrooms, and a comfertable lounge for studying. The only big problem I have with campus is the parking problems because I live off campus.

There really are a lot of things to do other than go to parties or bars, you just have to look around. I absolutely love downtown Morgantown and I love living downtown; in my opinion, the atmosphere of downtown is better than any other place on campus (Evansdale, Sunnyside, etc.) WVU is really big, but not huge like OSU or other places. It's big enough that there are a bunch of different types of people (I'm a junior and I still meet new people in my year ALL the time) but small enough that it's not rare if you run into someone you know around campus. There is A LOT of school pride - people go to the football games and belt out Country Roads and scream and yell. There's almost so much school pride that you feel weird if you don't "bleed blue and gold" like myself.

WVU is a BIG school, but you always manage to see the same people around campus and even at parties. The best thing about WVU is the school spirit. Everyone from the students, professors, and townies love the school. When I tell people that I go to WVU I get the usual "you party too much" stare, but thats not true. WVU has really taught me how to manage time and prioritize my life.

West Virginians are some of the nicest people you will meet. They are very honest and friendly. School pride is a big thing, as is sports. Due to a lack of a pro team in West Virginia, WVU is the pro team. I love it, and it's quite amazing here.

WVU is a place where anyone can come and immediately fit in.

WVU is amazing, and I happen to be in the marching band. The Pride of West Virginia. It is the greatest experience in the world to be a part of this band. The football games are incredible, and the love the school and the state gives to us is unbeaten by any other school. They campus is very unique, but the university has made it work with the buses and of course the PRT. Most of my time spent on campusis spent in the Mountain Lair. The Mountain Lair is our student union that has a large TV a food court, bowling and billiards downstairs and other things to just pass time between classes. The love that each student has for this school is amazing. Each student feels the same way about this place, and that is that this place is one of the best on Earth and they wouldn't be anywhere else.

We do go to a large school, but it has a small town feel. Everyone is all about the school in Morgantown. It is a definite college town. While I am on campus I am either on the Evansdale campus where my major is, in the library, or at the gym. We have a great gym on campus.

Big Picture, WVU is legit, we get alot of respect for our drinking and partying abilities, and alot of respect from sports. the school itself is a good learning environment

The best thing about WVU is that it's like one huge family. It takes some getting used to, but I love it. The environment is great. One thing I would change is, well, parking. Parking sucks and I don't really understand why all these buildings are being built and not one parking garage. I say build a huge parking garage, or put parking under these new buildings that are being built. Not only could they charge for the parking and make money, I bet it would cut the number of people who skip classes. Many of my friends will drive to class and look for a parking spot for 30 minutes, and, not wanting to get a ticket or towed for parking in an illegal area, they just leave. WVU is a good size, but maybe a little too many people for the city. TRAFFIC SUCKS!! Anytime I tell people to go to WVU, I get one of two responses... A) "OMG!! Absolutely not!! I'm going to Marshall! WVU is nasty!" or B) "HELL YEAH!!! GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!" When I'm on campus, I'm either in class or the computer lab...otherwise, I'm at my house. DEFINITELY a college town...and it's great. People stick up for each other even if they are strangers. I feel very safe. At any time of the year, whether the sports teams suck or not that year, anyone can yell out "Let's GOOOOOO" and AT LEAST 5 people will respond "MOUNTAINEERS!!!" Administration is ok. I think they could be more involved. Hmmmmm...controversy??? I suppose the big drug bust at one of the local bars(Envy)...I don't really know if that was a controversy or just interesting news though. School pride is possibly the only reason we are actually known across the nation!!! Unusual...uh, well, we made the news for being the #1 Party school! and we burn couches...that's fun. haha. One experience I'll always remember is going to all the football games! I love it!! GREAT experience!! :) Most frequent complaints: PARKING #1, dorms suck, PRT always breaks down

The best thing about WVU is that its a big campus with a small campus feel. I think the campus size is just right. There is so much school pride. You can't walk on campus without seeing at half of the people you walk past wearing something WVU related.

WVU is a large school, so I would not recommend it for someone who likes to know everyone in every class. You will know most of the people in your major because you will have a lot of classes together, but it would be pretty difficult to know everyone on campus. Morgantown is absolutely a college town. Everyone is all about the college, and to be honest most people who live in Morgantown either go to or work for the school. One of the best things about my school is the pride that everyone has to be a Mountaineer. On game day it is overwhelming how many square miles of tailgates there are, and when we win a football game there is nothing like being in the student section of the stadium. Students get to go to WVU sports for free which is really great because everyone is included.

The best thing about WVU is the diversity. You can have a class with two students from the middle of nowhere on your right and students that are from Long Island on your left. You gain so many first person perspectives on potential relocation spots after graduation. If I could change one thing about this school it would be to make more transportation options for off-campus students. The parking on campus is terrible and although there are options, none of them are as convenient as getting in your car and pulling into your own parking space. For me personally, I think the school size is perfect. It is big enough to have a great football/basketball programs and small enough to not feel overwhelmed by your class size. I spend most of my time on campus between classes and our "MountainLair." The MountainLair is our student building where you can go downstairs and bowl and play pool and have a few drinks. If you go upstairs, there are plenty of seats and you can choose where you'd like to eat: Quizno's, Subway, Chinese, Burger King, Sbarro, or just pick up a snack from a convenience type store. Or late at night you can go catch a movie at the Gluck Theater. I feel that the administration at WVU is getting better by the day. The previous President was just replaced a few months ago and it seems as if the new one is really trying to improve many things. That was also the biggest controversy for a while on campus. Having only visited big schools like this one I would say that WVU has an unreal amount of school spirit. You can hear the chants during time outs, television breaks, and before and after the games. "Let's Go.....Mountaineers." This will be the most utilized when you are at games, so get used to it. Every game, big or small, is filled to capacity by students, alums, and other various people. The town really embraces the school as their own. I have a feeling that I will carry this pride long after I graduate. I will always remember being at the Louisville/West Virginia Football Game a few years back where we won in triple overtime after being down by a lot at the start of the fourth quarter. The atmosphere after that win was amazing. The most frequent school complaints seem to revolve around parking. School tickets cost 10 dollars and when you are running late it is almost better to suck it up and take your chances getting a ticket instead of being late for your tests. You can never be too early to leave your house if you live off-campus.