<p>Someone here posted University of Arkansas as a suggestion for my daughter. What is its general repuation? Another person listed it as the “worst state school.” I hear that the business school is supposed to be good.</p>
<p>Any opinions?</p>
<p>I graduated high school from Arkansas so I thought I would chime in. </p>
<p>I wouldn't say it is the worst state school. It's still a Tier 1 school. They suffer from competition with Hendrix for the top kids in the state. It is a mid-size state school if you compare it to other leading state schools. It's in NW Arkansas which also leads to competition with neighboring states'. </p>
<p>As far as the school is concerned the campus is quite nice for a state school. It's situated in the Ozarks. They have some good sports. The students tend to be somewhat laid back. They do have a pretty good Honors program.</p>
<p>They do have a pretty good business program, many of the students get internships with either Tyson and Walmart.</p>
<p>Overall, I think the school just gets outshined by other southern schools. If you have any other questions about it PM me.</p>
<p>University Of Arkansas - Fayetteville Review</p>
<p>Academics</p>
<p>"“Football, beer, business, Greek life, research and development, and all things Southern are the way of life” at the University of Arkansas—Fayetteville, a school that, “like most universities, is exactly what each student makes it out to be. It can be an academic haven or a party paradise. Whichever route a student chooses, Fayetteville and the university offer plenty of tools to ensure success.” For those pursuing academics, there are the “many science departments that have top-notch research going on” as well as the popular and well-funded Sam Walton College of Business. U of A also boasts “a well-known engineering program,” “an excellent Bachelor of Science in Nursing program,” a “great creative writing program,” and an honors program “that is keen on postgraduate activities and works hard to help students put forth strong applications for graduate school and postgraduate fellowships.” No matter what you study here, prepare for an administration that “is a giant, cumbersome bureaucracy. It is impossible to deal with anyone directly about problems related to course credit, tuition, scholarships, etc.” On the plus side, “There are tons of scholarships for study abroad and grad school.”" </p>
<p>Student Body </p>
<p>"“Most of the kids at U of A are just good, down-home Southerners.” Many “take 12 to 15 hours a semester, work part-time, and still manage to have active social lives.” Students say they “want to have their weekends free to relax, not work on schoolwork. We work hard, but we want to have fun too.” U of A undergrads “are generally pretty friendly. When you walk around campus people might say hi to you even if they don’t know you.” There is some diversity here, due in part to the international students: “You can hear several different languages just by walking in the student union,” undergrads tell us. “Everyone here loves the Razorbacks,” and that love unites the student body. The “huge division between Greeks and non-Greeks” occasionally tests that unity."</p>
<p>Campus Life</p>
<p>"“There are a lot of activities on the U of A campus,” with “over 250 student organizations and sports clubs providing something for almost everyone. And it is really easy to get involved.” The campus also offers “a lot of social opportunities,” including “free entertainment several times per month, such as live bands, free food, etc. There’s Friday Night Live almost every Friday night, and many students participate in that. The residence halls also host parties for Halloween, Mardi Gras, and other events.” During the fall, “Razorback football games dominate.” “Not only are students hyped up for football games butthe entire town revolves around the university, so it becomes citywide excitement! Parties are everywhere!” Hometown Fayetteville “is a great town to find things to do” and “is the kind of town where you can walk everywhere, so there’s really no need for a car. Dickson Street is adjacent to campus and is full of bars, restaurants that serve many different types of food, live music every night, etc. On the weekends it borders on insanity! There is also an arts center, lots of great coffee shops, eclectic stores, and a nice downtown square within a quarter mile of Dickson Street.” As if all that weren’t enough, “Outdoor activities abound here in northwestern Arkansas; we’re in the Boston Mountains, the most rugged part of the Ozark Highlands, and you can go rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and hunting in the 2-plus- million-acre Ozark National Forest, which is close by.” “The weather in northern Arkansas is warm year-round” so “Even winter is quite mild” here."</p>
<p>Hmmm...maybe she can get into Smith....</p>
<p>I wish I could be more diplomatic, but I would look elsewhere. The problem with Arkansas- even though it has some excellent faculty and programs and IS a nice campus- is that it is in a state with a very, very weak school system. These graduates are going to be your classmates and they are not going to be particularly well prepared for college in many instances. I am a fan of big state universities, but there are better choices than Arkansas. I had several friends in Texas who moved from Arkansas to get their kids into better schools and, particularly, to have access to better state universities.</p>
<p>I am responding in a top-of-mind way with no facts whatsoever (in other words prejudicial) ... given that caveat:</p>
<p>I would expect the University of Arkansas to have mostly B/C students (perhaps A/B students from Arkansas high schools) who are good hard working people ... just not intellectual at all or prepared for critical thinking, for about 95% of the students. I would expect that well regarded public high schools on either coast, and most of the midwes to offer more challenging courses than the University of Arkansas. I would expect it to be at about the level of a campus in the California State University system (not the UC system).</p>
<p>And I would expect that the students there like it very much. Life isn't comprised solely of intellectualism.</p>
<p>well if you look at the stats, 32% of students were ranked in the top 10% of their class and the average ACT sore is 23-29, that's better than a school like the University Of Iowa where only 23% of students are ranked in the top 10% of their class and the ACT score is 23-27</p>
<p>Their cheer is SOOIE PIG. That says it all.</p>
<p>Yeah, Daughter was not too excited at the thought of wearing a t-shirt that identified her as a pig.</p>
<p>Well, I was wrong, as is usually the case when opinions are based on... stereotypes.</p>
<p>The median ACT is 26... that is quite strong. That would place U of Arkansas in the top 200 colleges and universities in the country, out of about 4000. Which is top 5% for those of you counting on your fingers right now... :) That ACT stat actually translates into an SAT score just a hair below the middle level of the UC system (Santa Barbara/Irvine/Davis), and above the UC campuses of Santa Cruz, Riverside and Merced.</p>
<p>I just looked up University of Oklahoma as a comparison (it is a school of choice for good Texas students who are just below the top 10%). Its average freshman ACT score is 25.9.</p>
<p>the University of Oklahoma impressed me a lot when I was doing my college search, I think it should get more praise that it gets right now. The current president is doing a great job at transforming the university!</p>
<p>It depends on what she's going to school for. Their business program has a pretty good reputation. Others...not so much. It also has a bit of a party school rep. </p>
<p>You can read some student reviews here: University</a> of Arkansas | Unigo. Should help give you an idea. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>University of Tennessee (UTK) is better. Yes, I'm partial since my dad works there, but it is a really good school. UNC Chapel Hill is also one the single best schools in the South if you need a great public school. Also, there is the University of Virginia, and University of Florida. OU is pretty similar to UTK, but with a stronger football program if that is important.</p>
<p>I like Georgia and Indiana for public universities below the really selective ones like UVA and Michigan. Arkansas just doesn't make my list unless there are financial reasons.</p>
<p>how is it compared to the university of alabama?</p>
<p>As a student who could have went virtually anywhere in the country and chose a large southern public from a state that does not have a strong public school system (LSU), I can assure you that for people to say that there are not intellectuals at these type of schools is utterly ridiculous.</p>
<p>Arkansas gives a lot of full ride scholarships that require an exceptional academic record to be eligible. That means there will be at least 75 students a year who would be competitive applicants at most top 25 universities.</p>
<p>I like Clemson and Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech</p>
<p>Virginia Tech is very good financially and Pittsburgh is just an amazing school</p>
<p>I think 'Bama is a slightly better school. Would you say 'Bama is the 4th best school in the SEC? Behind Vandy, UF and UGA. Or is there some other school that anyone thinks should be #4?</p>
<p>I'd move bama up to 3rd: Vandy, UGA and then bama</p>