Academics
Top performers in science and technology will find a home at Missouri S&T, because here “students are exposed to just about every different type of engineering,” making it “one of the best universities that prepares engineers for industry.” Unsurprisingly, this does not come without challenge. Classes can be “very tough and intimidating,” where “it's not uncommon to have a 55 percent or less average on a test.” Students ready for the rigorous academics should “not expect to be babied at all” because “the professors are there to challenge you.” The aim is to “prepare students to find a job in the real world and help us to get the experience to succeed in it.” Students who have run the gauntlet say “the quality of education and availability of resources here is second to none.” That education comes via “handson learning, small class sizes, and caring professors” who are “some of the smartest professors in the world.” Though they challenge their students, they don’t leave them out to dry. “All of the professors have office hours, whether open or by appointment,” students note. Indeed, “the accessibility of instructors and other faculty/staff” at this small school is seen as a strength. Yes, “this school definitely is willing to challenge their students,” but numbers-crunching engineers will find value in their education, because S&T “comes in the top three schools in average starting salary for graduates, and won't guarantee a huge debt burden.”
Student Body
Imagine a less stereotypical Big Bang Theory and you’re close to the mark. The typical student may be “a little nerdy,” “those kids that didn’t fit in during high school” but who “now can be themselves.” A typical S&T student “is someone who never really had to study in high school to get good grades, but they are working hard here to maintain that standard.” While most S&T students are smart—“we came here primarily to learn,” one attendee notes—they are not introverted or antisocial. The “very friendly” people on campus “live together in harmony.” Indeed, “everyone can find a place to fit in” thanks to the “over 212 student organizations.” While about half of the students here are from Missouri or nearby states, the others “are from the edges of the nation and even some foreign countries, which is astounding considering our small enrollment size.” Education is the priority for those who attend, so meeting people is simple because “it is really easy just to strike up a conversation with someone.” The like-minded atmosphere makes socializing easy. “We are all nerds, so we adapt to the social environment once we are introduced.”
Campus Life
Missouri University of Science and Technology may be “a small school in the middle of Missouri,” but “our range of student organizations is mind-boggling.” You name the club and it probably exists, as well as school activities ranging from “scavenger hunts, video game nights, cooking classes, viewing parties, dance lessons, and much more.” Of course, in a school where “all of the students are always worrying about that next exam in calculus or dreading their lab in the afternoon,” it is not surprising that studying is as big a pastime as hanging out. Here, “academics are everyone's top priority.” When not studying, “drinking is pretty big on weekends.” Other activities include “playing sports, video games, and working out.” Downtown Rolla isn’t a thriving Mecca of activity because “there's not so much to do in the town,” however, “someone always has something going on.” St. Louis is close enough for day trips, and there are a slew of student organizations to occupy downtime. “Virtually every student is either heavily involved in a diverse group of these student organizations or devotes much of their time to design teams or research.” Generally, if you’re at S&T and are not kept busy, it’s probably because you don’t want to be busy.
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