Oklahoma State University (OSU)

According to one communications major, ���OSU is about existing as a huge family across campus,��� where students can pursue myriad academic opportunities while proudly rocking the school���s vibrant orange. Overall, ���nothing says more about life here than ���Orange Power.������ The professors at OSU generally earn high marks, with one environmental science major describing them as ���engaging [and] interested��� educators who ���genuinely care about their students��� success.��� At a school as large as OSU���roughly 12,300 students���it���s inevitable that some students will feel adrift (���I feel like I���m just a number���), but others underscore professors who ���not only take time to invest in each student individually, but also go out of their way to see that you have everything you need to succeed.��� The school boasts strong Engineering, Agriculture, and Science departments, and students praise their institution as ���a small-town school with an excellent atmosphere [and] big-time research opportunities.��� One strategic communications major praises the school���s ���strong alumni network,��� with an information assurance major adding that the ���students and alumni have a great deal of pride in their school.��� According to a management information systems major, ���Everyone is passionate about the school, and the vision it has.���

Though OSU students are predominantly ���Christian, middle class, and white��� (one mechanical engineering and technology major suggests, ���Wear western boots and you���ll fit in fine���), many are quick to point out that the ���typical student at Oklahoma State University can only be defined by personality.��� In fact, ���a typical OSU student is friendly and greets people on the sidewalk.��� As one psychology major puts it, ���This school is located in the bible belt, so there are a lot of very religious Christians. However, there are many religious denominations here, and we all get along well.��� In a school so large, it might seem intimidating to strike out and make friends, but an accounting major explained, ���Everyone is very outgoing and looking for new friends. The best way to fit in is by starting conversations.��� In addition to the bevy of students from Oklahoma and Texas, ���There���s also a strong international presence on campus,��� says a studio art major.

Greek life plays a significant role on campus. As one communication sciences major describes, ���Many people are typical sororityand fraternity-affiliated. Therefore if you���re not in one then you don���t feel as comfortable as you would at a different school that isn���t as big.��� But even without Greek life, ���There���s always something to do on campus. . . . Introvert or extrovert, you won���t be bored or feel out of place,��� says an industrial engineering major. Stillwater, Oklahoma, is admittedly a small college town and the verdict is split on whether it offers nightlife ���unlike anything else��� or if ���there isn���t much to do other than go to the bars or parties on the nights/weekends.��� Outdoor activities are popular with OSU students, both close to campus and more off the beaten path, ���since Stillwater is in a great location to [get to] everything in Oklahoma.��� Athletics play a key role on campus with students in a sea of vibrant orange attending football and basketball games to cheer on the OSU Cowboys. Even for those students who aren���t interested in playing Division I sports, ���intramural sports are incredibly popular,��� and, as one international business major sums up, ���Physical activity in general is pretty popular at OSU.���