YSU - Better Than Expected

Introduction
I think Youngstown State University is a hidden gem. All of the faculty are very approachable. However, there are disadvantages. Stay away from YSU if the acronym means "You Screwed Up" in your mind, because your education is what you make of it. You can make an excellent, rewarding experience out of a balanced mixture of campus life, education, professional contacts, career opportunities and diversity if you so choose...or you can flunk.

Campus Life and Social Life
If you live on campus, the weekends are wherever you decide to drive to. There isn't much of a weekend life at a commuter school. During the week, there is an intramural sports program that is pretty fun: dodgeball, raquetball, volleyball, ping pong (tabletennis), etc. There are also many student clubs on campus. As far as the party scene is concerned, there is not much going on. Advertisement
Academics
The journalism department is small. It's just starting, but with a visionary head of department I'm sure its going somewhere good soon. Something excellent about the small department scenario is that you have a great deal of flexibility and one-on-one time with all the professors. The best thing about the program is the experienced professors YSU hires. The worst aspect about the department is the campus paper. I shouldn't talk down about the Jambar, since I'm planning on working there, but the bi-weekly publication honestly leaves something to be desired.

There are a lot of programs and opportunities available for first year students and those who find themselves having trouble early on in their classes. If you're encountering difficulty in any area there is a center where you can seek help from peers, graduate assistants, or professors.

Student Body
The typical student is a commuter. Most of the students at YSU are from the local area, so they take a short drive to and from classes. Most students are the traditional age, 18-24, but there is a significant portion of the student body that does not fit that profile. Many students also work outside of school.

In Closing...
The campus job opportunities aren't exceptional.

All in all, the experience has definitely been better than I could have imagined.