Our experience was inviting, informational and influential. We started with a formal visit. They were prepared with a full schedule. The morning began with our daughter sitting in an Intro to Biology class, the ratio was 1 to 30. Next was a tour that included visiting their new eco "Idea Center", the dorm space, the library, the fitness room, and the psychology building to name a few. They treated us to lunch so we could experience their dining system. The food was fresh and the variety satisfied every appetite. We interviewed with the director of admissions who gave us a lot of tips and information. We visited with two professors who gave us information on what to major and minor. We had three separate host/hostess throughout the day who answered nearly any question. There's a lot of social events, clubs & organizations, on site concerts (like Post Malone!!) that really isn't published anywhere on the AC website. The opportunity to meet people and to be involved in something fun is definitely available, you certainly can believe that when you visit the campus. Obviously visiting Austin College is the best way to decide if you like it. We had all of our answers by the end of the day. read more

See all

Terrible hospitality. Tournament staff will only work for its home team. Refs were 40 minutes late. Overall bad atmosphere to play a tournament in. read more

I am senior who is about to graduate and I can confidently say that attending Austin College was one of the best decisions that I have ever made! The school places an unrivaled focus on pre-professional programs and career development. When I was a sophomore at Austin College, I had the privilege to be elected as the President of the Pre-Law Society--one of many student organizations that prepare students for their future careers (there are also programs for people interested in medicine, dentistry, ministry, engineering, and more!). Perhaps the best part of these organizations is that they help students determine which career path best suits them. For instance, becoming a leader in the Pre-Law Society did not bind me to become a lawyer. On the contrary, I have already landed a great position with a financial firm upon graduation. Although life seems to have taken me a different route than law (at least for the time being), Austin College provided me with the resources to discover what I wanted to do upon graduation. Some people criticize liberal arts colleges for not preparing its students for employment, but I can certainly say that this is not the case at Austin College. It is sad to say goodbye after four amazing years, but I am ecstatic that I discovered my passion and that I am now equipped with the knowledge and confidence to pursue my professional dreams. Thank you Austin College! read more

I am a graduate of Austin College. I t was an outstanding experience. I did not live on Campus. I am now the President and CEO of SEMICOA Corporation. The quality of my education at AC contributed to my success. You get out of College what you put in and you will find good and bad everywhere. I read a review by a student that had a bad experience. I am sorry he did not enjoy his time there. I did. Perry A Denning read more

Okay, so I'm not sure how many people read Yelp reviews to decide on a college, but just in case I thought I would share my thoughts on why I'm so glad I made the choice to come here. For me, the first priority when choosing a college was their academic quality. If you're looking for a place where you can spend a few tens of thousands of your parents' dollars getting wasted for four years and occasionally completing some busywork, look elsewhere. If you want a serious community of engaged scholars, where your professors treat you as partners in learning and not as the recipients of their gracious wisdom, come on down to Sherman, (not Austin) and check this place out! The above is not to suggest that there's no fraternity/sorority/party scene here; it can be found without much difficulty. But if you prefer more intelligence in your leisure time, this can be easily had as well. My first year here I met a math major who was the organizer for the informal writers' circle, had studied abroad in Spain, and loved indie rock. Definitely not the dweeby guy you might have imagined a math major to be. Such interesting, boundary-pushing people are the norm here rather than the exception, and I've definitely learned a great deal from them outside the classroom. The dining hall gets a lot of flack and you are required to eat there for at least your first two years, but I've always found it to be adequate, if not exceptional. This being said, I'm not much of a foodie, so if that's a big part of your life you should take it into consideration that my opinion is a lonely one. The school also has a lot of great resources, including a free counseling center with a licensed psychologist (it claims to only be available for "short-term counseling," but the experience of my friends who have used it seems not to bear this out), a career center to help you with internships and career planning, and a tutoring center about which I've heard really good things, though I haven't used it myself. Speaking of careers, I do have to correct the record on one assertion made by another reviewer that unless you are pre-med, attending this school will result in unemployment after graduation. According to statistics from the career center, only 5% of graduates are "currently seeking employment." Many do pursue graduate degrees (for which they are exceedingly well-prepared), and are listed accordingly, but to suggest that an Austin College degree is economically valueless simply does not accord with the facts. I have not had any of the reviewer in question's other negative experiences, and will reserve further comment except to note that Oscar Page is no longer the College's President, and that the new President met personally with my Ethics class to discuss ethical issues arising from her position. I have to assume this indicates she does not share her predecessor's lack of accessibility. If you are looking for an academically challenging (but by no means "sink-or-swim") liberal arts college that will have you well-prepared for grad school or a well-paying job after graduation, look no further. The price is admittedly high; it is also well worth it. read more

Austin College is like home to me! As an international student, my biggest fear was how to blend in and find myself in a new culture. I have to say that, even though it is not easy, I have been given all resources and help from its members, even the local community. Austin College is such a diverse institution at which you can learn about different cultures, all at once. There are so many other students of racial minorities here on campus; so, I am not alone. Together, we form a stronger community, embracing each other. And, I have learned that our Freshman class this year (2016-2017) is made of 53% of students that represent ethnic and racial minorities. This fact makes me so happy to be a part of this respectful community - Austin College. read more

This year, I get to be a part of the $1 million Student Managed Investment Fund at Austin College. The chance to manage real money, and experience the actual flux of the stock market is an invaluable experience that I was only able to find at Austin College. Austin College challenges students and gives them real-life opportunities to both fail and succeed, both which are important for success outside of college. read more

Still the worst college I've ever attended. The staff is rude and angry and usually when I call them on the phone they just hang up on me. I graduated in 2009 and the vice president of student affairs, Tim Millerick, still calls me occasionally and makes threats of physical violence. I have reported him to the Dallas police department, the Sherman police department, and the El Paso police department. They claim his threats are too vague for them to pursue legal action against him and they ask me to keep them informed of the situation. I really wish he'd stop calling me and making threats :( I have since tried applying to other schools for a 2nd bachelor's to replace the useless one that this school sold me and I've run into lots of problems regarding my transcript from this school. My other 2 transcripts are fine and cause no problems, but a lot of universities don't want me due to the fact that I took more courses for my minor than my major at this school, and I because I took no senior level courses in my major because they weren't available at Austin college when I attended school there. I really wish I hadn't gone to school here. Also none of the courses I took transfered as full credits to any state schools due to their course descriptions. I have 54 college credit hours and most of them count as electives. This has been so hard to deal with over the last 8 years. I made a few friends but none of them live near me, and most of the people I met at this college were pretty rude and hostile to me. It's not that I want to give this school a bad review, I'd really like to do the opposite... Its just that after my experience I have to give this school a bad review. read more

Amazing faculty and staff. My daughter is thriving here. I can't say enough about how comfortable I am sending her here to study.

I graduated from Austin College in the late 80s. To be honest, at this time I consider it to be a exorbitant waste. It wasn't that I didn't have some good experiences there. But it's hard to ignore the fact that my parents spent tens of thousands of dollars on a liberal arts degree that potential employers laughed at for years afterwards. Several years after graduating, I had to go back to another university to get a degree in computer science just to get a job. In what often seems like a microcosm of my entire Austin College experience, my junior year I rented a house along with three other students from a professor on sabbatical - Carol Daeley to be exact. While technically it not have been a scam, Carol grossly over-represented what we were going to get and grossly under-represented what we were going to pay. After months of stalling, she finally gave us an exact figure each of us had to pay - $220 per month (keep in mind the average monthly cost of a mortgage for that sort of house in Sherman TX in the late 80s was just over $400). When three of us balked (we later found out she was letting the fourth stay there for free), she had an administrator friend of hers named Sue Kelly threaten to get us in trouble with the school if we walked. Yes Carol Daeley and Sue Kelly were just two employees of Austin College. But in many ways I thought they represented AC's true ideals. Make kids pay a lot to receive very little - and along the way make sure the kids are the ones who feel guilty about it. read more

This school is so amazing. My siblings and I all go here. We love it so much. They are so helpful with everything. The faculty is so wonderful. I don't even know what to say other than it is a great school. Great academics and great social life. read more

I am currently a senior at Austin College, expecting to graduate in May 2015. As a high school student, I wanted a small campus, good academics, and to be able to major in Chinese or Japanese. Austin College provided all three, in addition to being closer to home and cheaper than attending college out of state. I am extremely glad that I chose Austin College, because I have had a wonderful experience and made lifelong friends. As a freshman I decided to double major in Chinese and Japanese, and the professors in each department as well as my mentor were very supportive. I was able to meet with them and plan out my four years, and ask questions when I was having difficulty in class. Every professor I've had has been willing to meet with me outside of class for additional questions, to review my essays, or to recommend me for a scholarship or job opportunity. This year I am working closely with my Chinese professor to translate a Taiwanese short story for my Honors Thesis. The campus is small, but pretty, and it is very pleasant to walk around. Sometimes during walks I meet strange people, but the campus is not gated, and anyone is allowed on campus. I often meet families, and people walking their dogs, which is nice. I do not know anyone who has been assaulted on campus. The cafeteria doesn't have the best food, and some days are better than others, but I only know two students who have had problems with the food. However, they have several food allergies, and often have problems with eating at restaurants as well. If you don't like the food, you only have to have a meal plan for two years. My brothers told me horror stories about their college cafeteria, and told me they preferred eating freeze-dried food, so I was very scared of cafeteria food as a freshman. Although it doesn't compare to home-made food, it is still good. The cafeteria staff is very nice, and they often tell me which dishes are the best in the cafeteria. I sometimes go to the cafeteria early to chat with the staff before eating with my friends. Students here are very kind. We often open doors for one another, and idly chat while getting food from the cafeteria. Freshman year, it was startling to be the top student at my high school, and be an average student here. Some students are snobby about how their grades are better than yours, but most are kind and willing to help you if ask nicely and sincerely try to learn. No one here, professors or students, will baby you. If you are obviously not working hard or have a bad attitude, no one is going to help you. But most people here are very hard working, and I only know a few students who are lazy and try to leech off of others (although it doesn't work well for them). Many students are rich, and some are snobby about it, but most aren't. Several students are here on scholarship, and couldn't afford this college without the scholarship. For a private college, I think AC has students from a good range of socioeconomic backgrounds. I have been able to study abroad here, which is a dream I was not expecting to achieve so early in my life. I funded my study abroad through scholarships, and I spent a year in Taiwan, China, and Japan. Before I went abroad, I prepared with extra conversation classes with the foreign TAs and lived in the Jordan Family Language House. Each year Austin College brings a TA from a country where the target language is spoken, and the TA lives in the Jordan Family Language House with students studying the target language and preparing to go abroad. In public areas, you are only allowed to speak your target language. It was very helpful in preparing my language skills before I studied abroad. I have used the Academic Skills Center for tutoring, and the Career Services Center. The tutors at ASC are students who are tutoring in subjects they excel at, and classes they have taken before. There is not always a tutor available for every class, because they don't hire many tutors, but they try to cover as many classes as they can. When there isn't a tutor, I find professors are always willing to help too. The Career Services Center has been very helpful in preparing my resume, and practicing interviews. They will not find jobs for you to apply to, you are expected to do that yourself. You also have to apply by yourself, but they are helpful to review everything you've prepared. They also have workshops throughout the year to help students learn how to find jobs and write resumes. I find both centers very helpful when I need some extra help. Austin College is expensive, but I have several scholarships, and the Financial Aid office tells me how much in loans I need to take out, and which loans have better interest rates. I think it is definitely worth the cost, and if I could start all over I would still choose Austin College. read more

Austin College has broadened my horizon of opportunities. One of my favorites has enabled me to play basketball for the past 4 years. Competing on the women's basketball team has allowed me to achieve significant goals, such as being named All-SCAC Honorable Mention my junior year. I made a personal commitment to give my best and unlock my team's potential. The difficulty of juggling a school schedule with practice and traveling for games taught me the importance of time management. However, I am not alone, as 208 Austin College student-athletes in the past five years have been named All-SCAC honorees. This validates the potential of student-athletes to receive athletic recognition alongside their academic achievements. Division III sports combine academics and athletics better than any other division, and Austin College is no exception. I take pride in the fact that I'm a student-athlete because together with my valuable education, playing basketball for the Austin College Women's Basketball team has prepared me for life more than I could have ever imagined. read more