Idaho State University

If you are looking to attend ISU for the Geomatics Program, look else where, better schools and better Professors who want to teach instead of some Professors at ISU who just want to collect a paycheck and do the minimum work. I attended this school for the Land Survey and Geomatics Program. The program is small which allows students to have more one on one time with Professors. I was excited at first with the classes, however as time went on, I became more discouraged the way the courses were taught... Read More and non existent passion by one to even teach. The courses are poorly taught, 95% of the time the student is teaching themselves on how to do the work assigned and is are not taught the correct way by giving examples. Some classes are only once a week and scheduled for 3 hours, a student is lucky to be in those classes for 1/4 of the scheduled time. Some Professors do not like to teach, but will read the book to you in class and expect you to know what you are doing by them reading the book to you. Others do not even know how to operate the equipment that is recommend to use for assignments. What is sad is that students are paying a huge amount of money to attend this school and to learn as much as they can about their degree by professionals, they are paying for a service, however this service in this program is very poor. Not all the Professors, but some act like the students work for them. I feel bad for the online students who are paying the same and struggling from the lack of teaching in the Course Videos.

When it comes to my education and what I learned at this school, I loved it and I am very grateful for it. Yes, there were a few professors in my general classes that were harder to work with, but the professors in my field of study were great and were always willing to lend a helping hand; even after graduation. I would recommend ISU to anyone, especially to those who prefer a smaller college but can still have similar experiences to those who attend larger universities. Remember, college is what... Read More you make of it.

I didn't have the typical college experience as I started in my mid 20's. I was married for most of my college career so I was able to focus on school while my wife worked which was nice. I think that college is important if you have a specific goal and career in mind. I haven't had success with using my degree and currently work in a completely unrelated field. It is frustrating to be paying student loans and not even using the degree that I spent 7 years getting. If you do go to college find out... Read More a way to not take out loans.

The program is online, so the evaluation of the surrounding area and social life are based on my limited experiences on campus, usually once a semester for 2 to 3 days. The programs faculty is wonderful. Interaction is easy and support is obvious. A great program, I would highly recommend. The single con which I believe will soon be removed is the use of the Nexus collegiate collaboration which allows schools to offer courses to each other to ensure programs can be fully covered. Currently two courses... Read More are offered through this program, in the future I believe all the courses will be offered in-house.

I loved my school very much. Sure, there are a few issues with advising that need to be worked out, but every school has at least one weakness. I think the biggest issue is that ISU needs to communicate better between departments. When you need something done it's often better just to do it yourself and follow up on all ends, don't ever expect anything to get taken care of. Overall though, the quality of my education was great and I felt very prepared. The campus is small which makes walking between... Read More classes a breeze, and it gives a community feeling. Idaho State also has many programs, clubs, and events that make your time in college memorable! I often went to concerts and plays on the quad, hiked up to the pillars overlooking campus, and enjoyed free movies at the Bengal Theater. The sports are decent, football is bad... Sorry guys, but other sports have claimed several division championships. However, if sports is either a top priority for scholarships or for entertainment, I would probably look into a different university. One of the things I loved about this university is how diverse it was. We are a non-traditional school. What this means is we have a TON of international students and students who range in ages from 18-65! It's neat to see learning in so many different faces, and from different places! It makes this campus culturally unique. Another great thing to mention is that we have a performing arts center that is ranked as one of the nicest in the nation. If you are into the arts, I suggest a play or musical performance! I needed to take out student loans because I had no savings for college, but Idaho State is actually a very reasonably priced school. You get a great value on your education; it's something you can feel good about! Even with rising tuition costs every year, Idaho State is well below many university prices. I suppose in the next few years unless something changes, prices will continue to rise, so take advantage while you can ;)