<p>Has anyone attended this university who is familiar with how livable the campus is, etc?</p>
<p>I know two people who attended USM and LOVED it. Both music education majors and are now teaching High School Band/Orchestra.</p>
<p>I drove around the campus/town last year. Both are pretty nice. There seeemd to be a fair number of restaurants--mostly major chains--and the usual shopping for a mid-sized small city. Lots of brick both on campus and downtown.</p>
<p>Their football recruiting is becoming pretty solid.</p>
<p>Thanks for your responses.<br>
Does anyone know anything about the Honor's College? Were you satisfied with the education you got there?<br>
(algorescousin, thanks for your input, by the way, on this question--I really appreciate hearing about your 2 friends' opinions.)</p>
<p>I dont have specific knowledge on the Honors Program. Both of the teachers I know went onto graduate school and earned their M.A. at University of South Carolina. </p>
<p>In my view, picking a college is very personal and subjective, what we call "fit". Two people with the same scores and stats might have different views of a school. Some would rather be at an Honors college for a lower ranked school than a be at a higher ranked school. Others would prefer the higher rank. Some want to be around brilliant people and be uber challenged all the time. Some want a different experience of having fun and being challenged but not overwhelmed. Some want state schools to save money and have bigtime sports, and others want a small private.</p>
<p>Ultimately its up to you to decide what you are looking for and if USM or any school provides that. You can walk on campus and get a feeling for it.</p>
<p>Most kids on CC are hyperactive about Ivy League schools and the top25. That is their focus. Good for them. You should measure yourself by your own standards and what you want out of college. Being happy in college is very important because its too important a time in your life to be unhappy. And of course its important to put all this in perspective and not to get into a mode of worshiping one school. Even if you got in, when you get there the honeymoon eventually wears off and you better be overall content. </p>
<p>What makes YOU happy is all that matters. Its also a myth that only the top schools have great programs and professors. That is total bunk. The only thing that the top schools have on others is a higher general average for SAT scores. Period. But if USM is an attractive campus to you, if the student body is a measure of who you are as a person, if it offers all the things you want, and if its close to home, or whatever, then go there. </p>
<p>Most schools can brag about kids who attend there with perfect SAT scores and USM is no different. Those kids picked USM for a variety of reasons: scholarship money, Honors college, a particular program etc. </p>
<p>I tell my kids to strive for the best they can be and the best school they can get into, but in the final analysis its more about "fit" and being happy than anything. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Brett Favre here.
Solid place. Very solid.</p>