Mercer University (MU)

Mercer University is a private research university in Macon, Georgia, with satellite campuses located across the state. Its strong engineering program is complemented by an emphasis on the arts and interdisciplinary study, and "the small community coupled with stellar professors and academic support opens opportunities for undergraduate students to experience through research" as soon as they step onto campus. Service learning is integrated into the curriculum, and classes involve a "large degree of group-based projects and assignments to encourage teamwork and leadership skills." As one student says "As part of one of my general Ed classes, we mentored students at a local high school. I got to go to New Hampshire to witness and participate in the political process." Scholarships are awarded generously, and there are "many financial resources for study abroad and internships." Some say the resources are the best part of a Mercer education, via "the student to opportunity ratio. If students apply themselves, they can find opportunities."

This is a school "where professors, students and administrators get to know one another well" and "a great place to get individual attention and experience." Faculty "enjoy the teaching process and want to see students do well" and "really care deeply about the students." The university is well-connected within central Georgia, and "the Mercer name carries weight around the state when looking for job opportunities." There are also many openings for "work-based learning, where course credit is offered for doing research or internships with a certain department."

Students here "want to make change, to do well," and most everyone "is involved in some sort of school activity, business, or community service." These are "generally hardworking students who take pride in their work in and out of the classroom" and "the school is big enough that you do not see the same faces every day, but small enough so that you do not feel lost in the crowd." Mercer's student body "is like its own community," and "are all engulfed in the Mercer community and find ways to reach out and give back." As one student says, "almost everyone you meet on campus has large goals and are involved in many things on campus." Numerous "communities and groups of people are represented here at least to some degree," and students "work hard to maintain scholarship and earn money to pay for their tuition."

Almost every student at Mercer is involved in at least one organization on campus, and intramural sports, group fitness, and outdoors activities (such as rock climbing) are extremely popular. Often "people like to sit on Cruz, the small grassy area on campus to talk with friends or study," and attending sporting events is "always fun and relaxing" at this Division I school. Traditions are valued, and there are "great homecoming activities in the fall, Bearstock (which is a concert every year)," and "a very wide variety of programs and activities" hosted by Quadworks (the campus activities board). A lot of students "like to attend concerts, fairs, and other activities in Atlanta, since it's not too far from Macon," and people also often eat in the city as "food in Macon is incredible." Essentially, "any student can find something that suits them."