Tallahassee, FL: Whenmy dad suggested we take a trip to Florida State University, I didn't expect tolike it and resented the fact that I had to take time from my busy schedule tolook at a college I had no interest in attending. However, I was pleasantlysurprised.

As we drove through the campus, I noticed the beautiful whiteand maroon Spanish architecture that stood out against the blue sky. The simple,modern buildings surrounded by lush green grass and palm trees made me feel as ifI had just stepped into a tropical island paradise. The Spanish moss hanging fromthe trees added to the feeling of being in a place I had only dreamedabout.

To say Florida State is a big school is an understatement. It'shuge. There are more than 30,000 students enrolled in FSU's graduate andundergraduate programs. The campus is spread out, but the number of athletic andstudent facilities makes up for it. Off-campus housing looks nice with a sectioncalled fraternity row, where the many sororities and fraternities arelocated.

Students love the Seminoles, and sports are very popular. FSU hasmany Division I-A teams; football is the most popular. Never have I been to aplace like Doak Campbell Stadium during the Homecoming football game, with morethan 85,000 diehard screaming fans cheering on the Seminoles. The half-time showfeatured the FSU marching band and cheerleaders. The band, which takes up half asection of bleachers, draws the crowd into the intensity of the game by playingthe FSU fight song and war chant, which is extremely powerful when that manyparticipate.

FSU is known as a good business school and also has strongmeteorology, biochemistry, religion, education and hotel/restaurant managementprograms. It also offers fun, popular courses including bowling, golf and circus.Students at FSU are not afraid to have fun while getting an education.

FSU is inexpensive if you live in Florida but is still reasonable forout-of-state students. The loyalty to the Seminoles creates a friendly atmospherefor the diverse student body. The athletic teams and facilities are some of thebest around. I recommend that any student interested in attending a big stateuniversity tour Florida State University.


Reviewed in 2000