Do you have the flagship blues? Well, dont. The flagship blues might be a good descriptor of when…read moreyou want to go to the mother campus of the university in your home state but it's not located in one of the state's major cities, such as one you might be the living in. When you've got the University of Missouri at St. Louis as an option, there are various other things in its favor making this urban branch campus in St. Louis proper, but at its outskirts, a plausible alternative. UMSL is referred to by almost everyone as "Uhm-zuhl." It has both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as a school of optometry, and comes in at about 17,000 students. In my mind, between 15,000 and 20,000 students is the optimal size for a university. That means it's not small enough that everyone will know when you sneeze yet not so large that you'll feel like a number, which rocker Bob Seger once committed to song. UMSL has schools in the bread and butter liberal arts and sciences, business, nursing, and education, among others. It trains a lot of bean counters, nurses, and teachers. Engineering is available in conjunction with Washington University ("Wash U," more or less in the Clayton area), though I don't know how they work out the fee structure, since Wash U is a private university. Not only is the size of the school a big plus, so is the tuition. A 2-semester academic year at a full load comes in at a hair under $10,000. This offer is also extended to communities across the Mississippi River in the metro St. Louis area's Illinois counties. A plan costing about $15,000 is extended to some areas of the Midwest as part of an "exchange program." Clearly, out of state students will pay considerably more than $10,000 a year in tuition to attend. Thus, one can expect mostly local folks to enroll at UMSL but, since it's essentially an urban campus in a bucolic setting at the city's outskirts, there will be a lot of diversity in terms of backgrounds, ages, and the like, hopefully curtailing conformity and groupthink. Because my fans (who really aren't my fans but read my reviews for some stupid reason) claim that I have a "template," I must make good on that. That said, I must tell you about transit options! The St. Louis area has had Metro Link light rail for about two decades and it has two lines. While the lines overlap on the Illinois side of the big river and operate along the same right of way, the route splits in the city somewhere around Forest Park, with one going northwesterly and terminating at STL-Lambert Airport and the other heading toward the southwestern suburbs. There is only one station - North Hanley, and with a huge parking lot - between the airport's closer-in Metro Link stop and the campus. However, UMSL has two Metro Link stops, as does the airport itself! One is at the North Campus and the other is at the South Campus. So, in no time flat, one can be at the airport or can take the train to all of the downtown area's major venues. And rail makes the campus much more convenient for commuters. The South Campus has a few older collegiate buildings with character, while the North Campus has many modernist collegiate brick buildings of the '60s and '70s. I'd say UMSL handily earns 3 stars. However, for its size, cost, value, options, being laid out on pastoral, hilly terrain, and having two Metro Link stops on its campus, I'd have to say it comes in at 4 stars.

This university offers classes and discounts for students and staff. The campus is fairly large and…read moreoffers multiple courses for any career choices. The campus police patrols the campus and keeps crime down. It's within walking distance to the apartments near it for students. Recommended.