University of Georgia Reviews

"I'm in an unusual position as a university employee working on a graduate program, so finding a balance between the demands of my job and those of my studies has been difficult."

"Friendly faculty and student body. Lots of things to do in Athens. Tough job market for law students makes finding a job difficult."

"The education you get is great. After attending conferences and meeting graduate students from the "top" programs honestly feel that any grad student from UGA's sociology program is just as good - if not better - than those coming from Wisconsin or Berkeley. We are not very competitive with one another and there are real attempts within the grad students in the program to help one another with projects and the like. That said, this is not a great environment to be in - especially if you are single. Coming from Colorado and California - if given the chance to change my decision to attend UGA I would do it in a heartbeat. People here are not as friendly as you would think. This is an insanely conservative campus that is not open to - or respects - different viewpoints or ideas. There is a sharp divide between undergrads, professional students, grad students and faculty. The townies do not care for the students - the undergrads generally don't care for the grad students and the professors tend to keep away from everyone including their own colleagues. Basically - you hang out with people who are exactly like you - or nobody at all. Anything else is considered 'weird.' This being a college town everything is built for undergrads and people who are obsessed with UGA football. There is nothing for the rest of us. Downtown is divided into sections and it is considered taboo for a grad student to cross Lumpkin street going East - just as it is for an undergrad to cross Lumpkin street going West. Bottom line - if you are not a Southerner, single and no money to get away on a regular basis - do not come here. The education is great but you will be personally miserable and the culture just does not allow you to actually built a life. Many of the grad students I am with now cannot wait to leave Athens, GA and never come back. I am one of them and will never let a student come here for graduate school."

"Lots of opportunity for research, but for clinical work, we need more diversity in our clinic in terms of client backgrounds and presenting problems. Many students travel at some point to ATL for clinical work, and it's too bad that we don't have similar opportunities in Athens. Also, pay is really low for assistantships, but assistantships ARE available."

"UGA offers grad students unlimited opportunity, from generous travel funds for conferencing and networking to study abroad programs at no cost--they even pay us to go. There are always lectures and presentations happening on campus, as well, because UGA brings in top researchers, scholars, and performers to enrich the educational experience. It's not all about education, though, and there are approximately 100 bars and restaurants adjacent to campus in the downtown area. Plus, big name performers share venues with local artists and musicians in Athens, so there's always something cool to do."

"Students here are generally friendly. Athens is a great town."

"The graduate chemistry program provides the opportunity to combine extensive research with unique teaching experiences as well as to take a variety of classes both in the field of interest and outside of it."

"The University of Georgia is one of the very few schools to offer a graduate level program in what I was looking for, specifically merchandising for the fashion industry. From day one the staff in the Family and Consumer Sciences department was helpful and responsive. UGA's main campus in Athens offers a lot opportunities for both school related activities and otherwise as Athens has an awesome music and art scene. As a graduate student, however, there is not much in the way of financial assistantship, especially for your first semester."

"Fantastic professors that are enthusiastic and willing to go above and beyond necessary to help and encourage the students. The cons are that there is lack of communication in the academic office and university offices at times."

"An excellent program with a lot of options of research fields and oportunities of financial help."

"Pros: The PMBA program has a great staff that will do anything to help students succeed. The reputation of the school is known nation-wide. The university has a vast alumni. The professors are top notch and are subject matter experts in their field. Cons: Expensive"

"The pros of my program are that the faculty is really attentive and helpful and the graduate students are all close. The cons are that the technology is limited and the program is currently in transition, so some of the professors aren't taking on new graduate students as they are retiring."

"My graduate journey at the University of Georgia has truly caused me to find my inner strengths. The rigor and expectations of the faculty continue to push my academic boundaries, and make me strive to question things that I thought I knew. This road has been very challenging, but ultimately worth it because it has forced me to create a strong network of cohorts in educational technology. I can't say that everything about this process has been great, but my overall experience has been positive and I believe will prove to be worth it. International exposure, a clear focus on instructional design, and networking are the strengths of this program. I would easily refer people to UGA's LDT graduate program."

"The Masters of Marketing Research program is the most historic and reputable in the field. Excellent connections with industry professionals, and excellent job placement. The faculty is highly reputable and supportive. The work is challenging, but highly applicable to future work."

"My work at UGA has been challenging and very productive. The faculty are fantastic."

"Though the University of Georgia is a large school, there is a strong sense of community, especially among graduate students. The university provides incredible opportunities, such as a chance to study at Oxford while getting paid to live with and advise the undergraduates."

"Since graduate programs, unfortunately, are judged far more based perceived reputation of the faculty than actual quality of the teaching and mentorship, this school does very little to help students through the program, while still seeming "high quality." No real mentorship or guidance. This, of course, is the plague of many research institutions: there is no real incentive for the faculty to teach well. Research is king. Students just get in the way."

"I was already working in the education field and by taking classes online I was able to work during the day and do my class work at my convenience. This helped since I am also a mother and my children come first. I feel that I got more experience than other students because I was getting on the job training. Other schools do not have a program like this one."

"The MPA program at UGA has a great reputation. The faculty and staff are always there to help and answer your questions. The classes are tough, but enjoyable. With such a great network of alumni, there are many opportunities for post-graduate work. The Athens community is also a great place to thrive in the industry with the abundance of NPOs and governmental organizations. Athens is also located within a unified government system, which is interesting and useful to learning about public service and government. Being a public school, the UGA MPA program is a great value."

"This program is quite academically rigorous with high expectations set from the faculty, cohort members and assistantship providers. Assistantship opportunities range, yet provide high quality experience in many functional areas in student affairs. The faculty members are deeply invested in our success, push us to continually think outside of the box, and consider new ideas in higher education. Assistantship supervisors provide support, fast-paced work environments and the ability to design your own professional experience. Overall, this one of the best programs in the nation and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to learn from the faculty, students and staff."