How's Ole Miss? (Gulfport, Oxford, Memphis: schools, university, closing)

[palustris]

Originally Posted by viverlibre

A person will hire you if he/she believes you are going to add value to the organization. In this state, not many people are hired because they went to a state university. There are of course exceptions, e.g., family members, close friends, no account brother-in-laws (as if there are any other kind), etc.

There are many un/under-employed Black Bear/Rebels, Bulldogs, Golden Eagles, JSU Tigers, etc.

More young people looking to builg a career leave MS than move to MS.

Right, I would guess that most Americans just assume Mississippi's economy is more stagnant than the average state. Whether that's entirely true or not, I don't know, and I'm sure employment and average household income can vary widely between counties, cities, municipalities, etc., just like any other state.

If I do attend Ole Miss, then I'll have to wait and see for myself whether I can find a decent job, like the people enough to stay, and so on. Though even at this point, sight unseen, I will be strongly considering applying to jobs located outside of northern Mississippi, like in western Tennessee and northern Alabama.

I have my own assumptions of Mississippi, just as anyone outside of the area has, whether for better or worse. However, I'm testing the waters on this board and I will be sure to visit Oxford well before I make a final decision on my choice of graduate school.

*This is a complete side note that most people here might not be familiar with, but I'll divulge it anyways. I am applying to the Ole Miss Biology Department. Every year since 2004 one school from the Southeast has hosted the Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference. Schools like Ga Tech, UGA, Alabama, Florida and FSU have hosted it so far. This year, Georgia Southern University, a school I applied to, is hosting it. Neither Ole Miss, Miss St, nor USM have hosted it in the decade it has been going. Now a smaller, lesser known school, Georgia Southern, a school that does not even award PhDs in biology, is hosting it. I'm not sure what that says about Mississippi in general, as well as its schools' reputations within the sciences and the Southeast. I'm sure that department by department, Ole Miss has great programs. Heck, I'm pretty sure Ga Southern does not have a law or medical college, but finding out something like that makes me stop and think about where Mississippi is at right now, economically and socially.

[BirdieBelle]

If I were studying the sciences, I would apply at Mississippi State over Ole Miss. The people I know who graduated from Ole Miss are primarily employed in real estate, banking, law, business and sales.

Here in TN, Ole Miss has a reputation as a party school that is easy to get into. It has the least stringent application standards of the schools you mentioned. I am from Memphis, and my dad's side of the family went there. A few friends of my teenage sons go there now.

[sammyreynolds1977]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

If I were studying the sciences, I would apply at Mississippi State over Ole Miss. The people I know who graduated from Ole Miss are primarily employed in real estate, banking, law, business and sales.

Here in TN, Ole Miss has a reputation as a party school that is easy to get into. It has the least stringent application standards of the schools you mentioned. I am from Memphis, and my dad's side of the family went there. A few friends of my teenage sons go there now.

You do realize a lot of people go to Ole Miss, majoring biology and go to med school right?

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by sammyreynolds1977

You do realize a lot of people go to Ole Miss, majoring biology and go to med school right?

Yep. Just no doctors I know.

[RazorbackFan1]

I was born and raised in Grenada, MS (45 minutes south from Ole Miss in Oxford). Although I have seen Ole Miss many times, I have never really hang out there to get the feeling of the campus.

I almost picked Ole Miss until I went on the campus tour during a busy day of Spring 2006 semester. I couldn't believe at the number of uppity people on a single campus. I decided not to have any part of it.

After visiting a few SEC schools, I ended up picking the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR and became a Razorback. The best decision I have ever made! Of course, we didn't have The Grove (famous party haven) but Fayetteville/booming Northwest Arkansas is still an awesome place to learn compared to Oxford.

For medical school or law school, Ole Miss is the best. For all others especially sciences, Mississippi State is the best. For Fine Arts, Music, Dance, and Drama, University of Southern MS is the best.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by RazorbackFan1

I was born and raised in Grenada, MS (45 minutes south from Ole Miss in Oxford). Although I have seen Ole Miss many times, I have never really hang out there to get the feeling of the campus.

I almost picked Ole Miss until I went on the campus tour during a busy day of Spring 2006 semester. I couldn't believe at the number of uppity people on a single campus. I decided not to have any part of it.

After visiting a few SEC schools, I ended up picking the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR and became a Razorback. The best decision I have ever made! Of course, we didn't have The Grove (famous party haven) but Fayetteville/booming Northwest Arkansas is still an awesome place to learn compared to Oxford.

For medical school or law school, Ole Miss is the best. For all others especially sciences, Mississippi State is the best. For Fine Arts, Music, Dance, and Drama, University of Southern MS is the best.

OKaaaay. You'll get a chance to relate that tale during your job interview.

Q: "Why did you pick Arkansas"?
A: ("See above")
Q: "Next!"

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

OKaaaay. You'll get a chance to relate that tale during your job interview.

Q: "Why did you pick Arkansas"?
A: ("See above")
Q: "Next!"

I can see SEC rivalries still remain hot.

[Desert kid]

But to the OP. You and me are going on similar journeys in regards to this. I'll be visiting the Ole Miss campus in 3 months. And this coming after a fairly rocky family life about them NOT wanting me to go there.

All in all, I think you'd fair well.

[palustris]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

But to the OP. You and me are going on similar journeys in regards to this. I'll be visiting the Ole Miss campus in 3 months. And this coming after a fairly rocky family life about them NOT wanting me to go there.

All in all, I think you'd fair well.

Thanks. I feel good about both Oxford and Ole Miss, and my chances at getting accepted. Academically I feel that my program, the Biology Dept., is pretty decent, at the very least. They award PhDs, have an ongoing USDA forestry partnership, and have several faculty from institutions like Cornell.

Oxford might take some getting used to with the slower pace and conservatism, especially if the latter is quite fervent, but it doesn't seem like it would be an overwhelming change from North Florida. I could be wrong, hopefully not. My visit and meeting with my potential grad advisor will go a long ways toward informing my decision.

Forgot to mention that a couple of people in my family have reservations about Mississippi a well. Seems like we have quite a similar situation.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by palustris

Thanks. I feel good about both Oxford and Ole Miss, and my chances at getting accepted. Academically I feel that my program, the Biology Dept., is pretty decent, at the very least. They award PhDs, have an ongoing USDA forestry partnership, and have several faculty from institutions like Cornell.

Oxford might take some getting used to with the slower pace and conservatism, especially if the latter is quite fervent, but it doesn't seem like it would be an overwhelming change from North Florida. I could be wrong, hopefully not. My visit and meeting with my potential grad advisor will go a long ways toward informing my decision.

Forgot to mention that a couple of people in my family have reservations about Mississippi a well. Seems like we have quite a similar situation.

That we do.