USM as a "regional" II - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 26, 2005

USM as a "regional" II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

RE: USM as a "regional" II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

coach wrote:

1. Which is the better school, Univ of Southern Mississippi or Univ of West Florida? 2. Your daughter wants to work in one of the following places: New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Which degree (of the 2 above) will work best for her in her job search?

I doubt that it would matter which of the two schools she attended. Both schools would probably be viewed as regionals in the cities you mention (and no, coach, the fact that West Florida doesn't field a football team wouldn't make a difference).

Date: Jun 26, 2005

I think the association of MS as the most backward state in the union may mean that West Florida while not known, at least many people have a much better perception than MS. At least one can say one went to school there for the beaches while Hattiesburg you can say you liked the Aramark hotdogs.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Whatever she does, it had better pay a lot if she plans to live in one of those cities. My son lives in one of them, has an excellent job, and still has to live 40 miles outside the city to get any kind of a house. Fortunately he doesn't have to work in the city, but housing, gas, etc are astronomical on the west coast.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Coach,

An important question here is what does your daughter want to major in? If that question can be answered then choosing between the two might become easier. You'll still find some good departments at USM and some good departments at West Florida. However, be careful about potential flight out of departments at USM. In one case, there is going to be a wholesale transfer of one USM department to West Florida. I'm not making this up.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Coach,

If your daughter is interested in polymer science and knows how to park a car, there will soon be a need for this combination of talents at USM.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Recognizing that this may not be a valid post, it is unwise to ask this question on an internet message board. While there are contributors on this board who care about USM, there are many enemies of USM on this board also (probably more of them). They do their best to denigrate USM at any and every opportunity. Do your research outside of internet message boards if this is a valid question.

coach wrote:

2 questions for posters: 1. Which is the better school, Univ of Southern Mississippi or Univ of West Florida? 2. Your daughter wants to work in one of the following places: New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Which degree (of the 2 above) will work best for her in her job search?

Date: Jun 26, 2005

info wrote:

Recognizing that this may not be a valid post, it is unwise to ask this question on an internet message board. While there are contributors on this board who care about USM, there are many enemies of USM on this board also (probably more of them). They do their best to denigrate USM at any and every opportunity.

info,

You confuse denigating USM with denigrating Shelby. Like Shelby himself, you assume that an attack on the latter is an attack on the former. However, just the opposite is the case.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

USM Sympathizer wrote:

info wrote:
Recognizing that this may not be a valid post, it is unwise to ask this question on an internet message board. While there are contributors on this board who care about USM, there are many enemies of USM on this board also (probably more of them). They do their best to denigrate USM at any and every opportunity.

info,
You confuse denigating USM with denigrating Shelby. Like Shelby himself, you assume that an attack on the latter is an attack on the former. However, just the opposite is the case.

I think that there are truths in what both of you say. There are avowed enemies of Thames on this board, many of them. But, in a few cases the disdane that some feel towards Shelby is so strong that they would just as soon see USM fall, just to see Thames fail.

I am not accusing you of being one of those individuals, but you are turning a blind eye if you don't believe they are here.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

No USMS, I think you misunderstood Info. There are lots of people (Shelby supporters and some others) who try and manipulate the regulars. We used to call them trolls.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

If I am reading your daughter's job application, I probably am not very familiar with either school, except to say that USM has a football team. However, Troy State, Delta State, the Louisiana Directionals, etc., have football as well.

So, I look at the word "Mississippi" and the word "Florida" and I make my decision on that basis. Florida wins every time.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Point-Counterpoint wrote:

If I am reading your daughter's job application, I probably am not very familiar with either school, except to say that USM has a football team. However, Troy State, Delta State, the Louisiana Directionals, etc., have football as well.

So, I look at the word "Mississippi" and the word "Florida" and I make my decision on that basis. Florida wins every time.

Whatever happened to getting your foot in the door and working your way upwards? Am I the only USM grad that competes and beats out graduates of schools like UVA, Univ of Maryland, Richmond, Va Tech and the like?

If your daughter is depending on a degree to become secussful, then I hate to break it to you she's won't ever get there.

I think you may very well find that a degree from USM is more highly regarded in just about any other venue, besides here.

Go as the same question on www.eagletak.net and see what answers you get.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Hidden Agendas wrote:

No USMS, I think you misunderstood Info. There are lots of people (Shelby supporters and some others) who try and manipulate the regulars. We used to call them trolls.

I apologize if I misunderstood the point of info's post. Maybe info can let me know for sure if I did.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Seeker wrote:

I think that there are truths in what both of you say. There are avowed enemies of Thames on this board, many of them. But, in a few cases the disdane that some feel towards Shelby is so strong that they would just as soon see USM fall, just to see Thames fail. I am not accusing you of being one of those individuals, but you are turning a blind eye if you don't believe they are here.

Seeker,

I can't honestly think of anyone who posts here regularly who seems to want USM to fail. Can you give me a specific example? All my favorite posters (and there are many of them) seem motivated by a sincere love for USM.

Thanks!

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Seeker, a lot depends on the field. You told us before that you graduated during the heyday of COB. For some fields, a degree isn't all that critical, so it truly doesnt matter. I've mentioned before that my son doesn't have a degree, although he got into his field while a student, and even he says that couldn't be done today. But the question was, all other things being equal, would a hiring person chosing between a school in MS and a school in FL make a distinction based on state? Some say yes. I would say this could become more of a problem as we go along. It's probably already a problem for people trying to get into grad schools.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Seeker wrote:

Am I the only USM grad that competes and beats out graduates of schools like UVA, Univ of Maryland, Richmond, Va Tech and the like?

I do not wish to be unkind, Seeker, but my guess is that your supervisors are probably graduates of schools such as you mention.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Totem Polecat wrote:

Seeker wrote:
Am I the only USM grad that competes and beats out graduates of schools like UVA, Univ of Maryland, Richmond, Va Tech and the like?
I do not wish to be unkind, Seeker, but my guess is that your supervisors are probably graduates of schools such as you mention.

You are correct, he is a Wake Forest grad, but he also is 43. On the other hand I am 27. There are three of us here at the firm that have the same position, Tim is 36 and Rick is 39. If that is the best you can do for a slam, please reload and try again.

I think that it gripes many of you that I choose to put more stock on personel accomplishment and hard work than on academic heirachy.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Seeker wrote:

If your daughter is depending on a degree to become secussful, then I hate to break it to you she's won't ever get there

I like your attitude on this point, Seeker. You are absolutely correct. Even a Harvard graduate can get his foot in the door, but depending on a Harvard degree to keep the job is doomsville.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Seeker wrote:

If that is the best you can do for a slam, please reload and try again.

My post wasn't a slam, Seeker. It was an educated prediction which you confirmed. You and I are on the same key here. The name of a college may be instrumental in getting you a job, but after that the playing field is level.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

coach wrote:

2 questions for posters:
1. Which is the better school, Univ of Southern Mississippi or Univ of West Florida?
2. Your daughter wants to work in one of the following places: New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Which degree (of the 2 above) will work best for her in her job search?

1. USM still offers a quality education. It has more depth and range of majors than West Fla.

2. You daughter would be best served by majoring in a field in which she will develop strong analytical reasoning skills and strong writing skills. Liberal arts fields like history or english still offer the best training. She should look a sociology or poli scie, too. She should be careful not to neglect her math education. A good background in statistics is a fine thing to have.
Good luck to her! All of those cities are wonderful places to make a career and a life.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

coach wrote:

1. Which is the better school, Univ of Southern Mississippi or Univ of West Florida? 2. Your daughter wants to work in one of the following places: New York, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Which degree (of the 2 above) will work best for her in her job search?

From the 2005 U.S. News rankings:

West Florida peer assessment score = 2.8, ACT middle 50% = 21-26

USM peer assessment score = 2.2, ACT middle 50% = 18-24

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Children of USM faculty and staff still get a 50% tuition break, if I'm not mistaken. Also, I believe that academics with children have a better feel for what schools provide top-notch education than the average parent. With that in mind, here's a question to follow up the original question:

How many USM faculty members are encouraging their children to look elsewhere for their education?

I know of several who have children who will be going out-of-state for their education.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

RE: USM as a "regional" II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

RE: USM as a "regional" II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Point-Counterpoint wrote:

I How many USM faculty members are encouraging their children to look elsewhere for their education? I know of several who have children who will be going out-of-state for their education.

Point-Counterpoint, you've seen our USNews peer assessment rating of 2.2 and our ACT middle 50% of 18-24. How LOW can we go? Couple that with our SACS probation, the mass exodus of about half of the faculty, a faculty spirit that is shot to s***, and what looks to be two more years of conflict, can you imagine a faculty member choosing us as a school of choice in this bleak period in USM's history? Many faculty members were sending their children to other schools within the state or schools outside the state several years ago when things were much better in Eagleville than they are today. It's your call, of course.

Limbo at the Rock

Date: Jun 26, 2005

RE: USM as a &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;regional&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

RE: USM as a "regional" II

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Student wrote:

If (when) I get a degree from USM, how will that affect my getting into grad schools elsewhere? How would having a good GPA and a decent GRE score come into play? There are probably a host of other factors I'm leaving out but I was thinking that maybe having a high GPA and GRE score would better my chances of getting into a good grad school, despite where I get a BA.

Quality and rigor of the undergrad degree definitely is factored into admissions to competitive grad programs. A 3.8 from UC Berkeley would get more points than a 3.8 from USM, all other variables held constant (e.g., major, courses taken). However, in most fields, a solid USM grad (high GREs, good scholarly activity and rigor, high GPA) will be competitive at some pretty darn good grad schools. However, at the really superb doc programs (e.g., law at Michigan; Econ at Chicago; Psych at Minn), a USM student will have a disadvantage compared to Ivy and Tier I grads.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Admits grad students wrote:

However, at the really superb doc programs (e.g., law at Michigan; Econ at Chicago; Psych at Minn), a USM student will have a disadvantage compared to Ivy and Tier I grads.

Even for a member of a minority group as defined by the feds?