Birmingham-Southern College Reviews

The dorms are generally pretty...

The dorms are generally pretty good. New Men’s (the freshman male dorm) is absolutely terrible, with furniture that doesn’t move and a smell that doesn’t leave. If you can make it through your first year, though, you can move into Hanson (with its very large rooms) or one of the fraternity houses which were all built a few years ago (and have yet to be trashed, amazingly enough).

The girls are extremely attractive...

The girls are extremely attractive and tend to be pretty open to new friendships. The small-college atmosphere tends to help with meeting people.

Greek life is pretty big on...

Greek life is pretty big on campus, but I think we have a pretty even percentage. I say it is pretty big because, even if you aren’t in a fraternity or sorority, you will more than likely go to parties thrown by them. Most people participate in campus-wide Greek events, and just about everyone, at some point in time, is somehow affiliated with a fraternity or a sorority.

It does dominate the social scene,...

It does dominate the social scene, but for the most part, it does not affect the good time that I have on campus. I do not feel closed off from anything or any part of campus, and I am a very socially-active non-Greek.

This school is so Greek it isn’t...

This school is so Greek it isn’t even funny. Seriously, I think BSC is the only school in the world in which I would’ve joined a fraternity. It’s ridiculous. I went from not knowing jack about fraternities to Mr. Frat Boy in a matter of weeks.

BSC has opened up so many new...

BSC has opened up so many new doors for me. I wouldn’t trade anything for the memories I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned. Would I be anywhere else? No way. You learn to love everything about what you ‘hate.’ The dorms can be the worst place in the world at times, but you learn to love them because of the people you meet and the memories you make while you are there. The faculty can drive you up the wall, but they’d also bend over backwards to help you if you really needed it, and they push you to succeed because they want you to be the best and do your best. The food may be so bad that you don’t eat for a few days, but all the fun road trips with your new friends to Wendy’s at one in the morning because you’re starving makes you appreciate the ‘bad food’ after all. BSC is a great place to get an education, and I wouldn’t change anything about it!

The campus café is not bad at all,...

The campus café is not bad at all, but the selection is such that you start desiring different types of food after the second month or so.

Teachers at BSC are like friends...

Teachers at BSC are like friends who know a lot, and when they lecture, it’s sometimes like sitting down with a cup of coffee and listening to your friend talk about his favorite hobby.

Division III

Our athletics are Division III but we still remain very competitive in all sports. Soon we will be able to compete for the national tournament and we are expected to do very well.

Top Ranked

Our safety is consistently ranked in the top 5 for colleges and universities. There is only one way in and out of the campus and you have to pass through a guarded gate. You always see police driving around everywhere monitoring camputs.

Overall Experience

My overall experience at BSC is a very positive one. I left to attend a state school and returned. I enjoy the small size the most. I like having a close relationship with professors and students.

Social Life

The guys and girls at Birmingham-SOuthern are almost all smilliar in economic status, ethnicity, and religious affiliation. The greek system definitely controls the social life at BSC.

Convenience

The convenience of decent dining options off campus is very poor. Every time I decide to dine off campus I am forced to use the interstate because there are barely any option by the school.

Walk Within the Bubble.

Southern's campus is small enough that there is no need for on-campus transportation-- dorms are close enough to academic buildings that anything other than walking is an inconvenience. Lazy Hilltop Apartment dwellers may be caught driving to classes early in the morning, but for the most part students take to campus on-foot. Should you be one of the few to live off-campus, driving in is your responsibility, but be warned: should campus security see you leaving the gates intoxicated, they will not hesitate to prevent you from leaving campus.

Go Greek or Go Home.

The vast majority of students at Southern are members of Greek organizations, but every student at Southern is somehow involved. The social scene on campus revolves around fraternity row, where Greeks and non-Greeks alike come together for drunken revelry every Thursday through Saturday. Housing for Greeks, especially fraternity members, is pretty fantastic-- the houses comprising the row are the first thing visitors to Southern see of the campus, and it is an impressive sight.

"Token" Isn't Just a South Park Character.

The Birmingham-Southern campus is like any other small, over-priced liberal arts school-- predominately middle-class and white. However, there is good news for minority students-- you will be featured on the website! There are organizations for minority students to get involved in, but otherwise there is little notice of racial or class differences among students, regardless of the Southern geographic location of the school. With a campus this small, everyone has to get along.

Just Say No... to Paying for Drugs.

Southern is like any other college- a LOT of kids smoke pot (especially those ATO boys), and other drugs are available-- if you look for them. If someone has weed, that someone quickly has several new friends, and on a campus as small as Southern those bonds can last your tenure at the school. Adderall is hardly even considered a drug on campus, but simply a study necessity-- and anyone can tell you where to find some.

Frat It up

Birmingham-Southern and greek life are pretty synonymous when it comes to the late-night social scene. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, pretty much anyone can walk in to any fraternity house and find some sort of party going on. Some larger schools tend to have a sort of guest-list policy or cup purchase at the door-- Southern is nothing like those schools. Boys not involved in the greek scene are nonetheless welcome at parties, and wandering in and out of houses is simply how parties are done. Even if you aren't interested in participating in greek life, it will be part of your social life at Southern. There is a cultural scene off-campus, but in Birmingham you have to make an effort to find it. The hassle of going off campus to visit bars downtown is such that most people just stay on the row-- unless, of course, a fraternity is hosting an off-campus party, in which case buses or carpooling is common.

Aim for the Hilltop

Living on campus can be a fantastic experience-- if you are an upperclassman and can afford to live in the Hilltop Village Apartments. Because the campus is in a less-than-desirable neighborhood, living off-campus usually requires a pretty serious commute, and living on-campus allows you to walk to fraternity row and (safely) walk back on the weekends. Dorms are small, but nothing dramatically different from any other school, and for the most part the female dorms are in great shape. Some of the boy's dorms smell like, well, boy, but that seems inevitable.

Just a few examples of great...

Just a few examples of great places to eat as a BSC student are: SPR in Five Points (sushi lunch buffet on Mondays and Fridays), Momma Goldberg's in Homewood (free nachos for students on Thursdays), Al's Downtown (24-hour college grub), Nikki's West (cafeteria-style Southern food), Moe's all over the city, and Five Guys on Lakeshore (great burgers, good place to meet people).

Since the school switched to DIII,...

Since the school switched to DIII, fewer people go to the games. That being said, it seems like most teams have a loyal, although small, following. Intramural sports are both fun and well-organized—they are a great way to destress and get some exercise.

For the most part, the faculty is...

For the most part, the faculty is great. They're qualified, motivated, and student-oriented. You definitely can't "just get by" at BSC. You are going to have to do some hard work, but it's not back-breaking, and you'll have plenty of time to socialize and party, as well. It's often described as a "work hard/play hard" kind of place, which I would say is pretty accurate.

Greek life at BSC is pretty...

Greek life at BSC is pretty intense. People get caught up in it, and that can lead to some undue rivalries between organizations. That being said, going Greek is a great way to make lifelong friends very quickly. Additionally, most people in leadership positions on campus are Greek, and the Greek GPA is considerably higher than the independent GPA. So, there are pros and cons, but if you're motivated and sociable, you won't have a problem either way.

BSC dining services have added...

BSC dining services have added organic products to the lineup of healthy food items. Now we can nourish ourselves with healthier choices. It’s more expensive but, nonetheless, healthier.

I came all the way from New...

I came all the way from New friggin’ Jersey to be here. I love it. The people here are so incredibly nice. The school is nice. Everything is nice. It’s a little bubble of a community, but let’s face it, it’s a happy bubble. Oh, and I love Interim. Whereas some people complain of being bored during that month, I love it. I took CSI Meets Sherlock Holmes, and learned about forensics and how to incorporate that information into fiction novels. It was a really fun and unique experience. It’s also a great way to get closer to your classmates and spend extra time getting to know Birmingham better. There are all kinds of opportunities to go on ridiculous trips. I want to do that real bad, but it’s pricey. Oh well. I prefer kickin’ back on campus anyways.