Sam Houston State University Reviews

  • 59 Reviews
  • Huntsville (TX)
  • Annual Tuition: $18,752
89% of 59 students said this degree improved their career prospects
97% of 59 students said they would recommend this school to others
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Student & Graduate Reviews

TA
  • Reviewed: 2/6/2024
  • Degree: Accounting
"Sam was a school that allowed for flexibility in learning. As an adult going to school to pivot careers the faculty was easy to work with and provided ample opportunity to speak with them about issues. The main campus is not conveniently located, but The Woodlands campus has many programs available."
L.
  • Reviewed: 6/18/2023
  • Degree: Animal Science
"Sam Is a Good school if you’re going mainly for CJ majors but not really for Pre-Vet. A lot of students ended up changing to another Animal Science major and still were not satisfied. You don’t learn about zoo animals at all and if you do it’s rare. You mainly learn about livestock and game animals. Which is not bad but it just seems like that’s all you will be learning besides the core and chemistry classes. The names for some of the classes are misleading as-well as the description for you’r minor. Also there is nothing to really do in Huntsville but drink and go to the club. Mainly because it’s a small town. It’s really boring during the summer especially since the school is getting rid of some of the students activities and changing how you graduate. Some student activities/clubs you will receive a cords for graduation but not for Pre-Vet which I was a little disappointed about but that is just me. Overall my experience wasn’t 100% bad I just felt that I should point some things out."
Kelly Davis
  • Reviewed: 6/25/2019
  • Degree: Education
"Sam Houston State University is a wonderful institution in which I learned a lot from over the course of my time there. The campus is beautiful and always wonderfully decorated for each season. It is very clear that many Sam Houston students have Bearkat pride, like myself. Sam Houston is a school that feels big without feeling overwhelming. The professors are overall amazing, especially in the Department of Education. I genuinely loved my time, which is why I've chosen to get my Master degree from the same University."
Christine Rostkowski
  • Reviewed: 6/13/2019
  • Degree: Biology
"Sam Houston State University was an exceptional school. The councilors were helpful and encouraging, although I do wish they encouraged me more to pursue medical school. I received my degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. The program and professors were very helpful and did take an active part in the success of the student. The professors were readily available to review material or address any concerns. The classes and labs were fun and helpful in preparing me for the next course and graduation. The school prepared me for my career and for life. There were many school associated support groups that I was a part of. They do have many groups for students interested in science or medicine. There were also groups for students suffering from anxiety or depression which a lot of college students experience due to the many changes of the transition from high school to college. There is also advisors who are able to assist students with scholarship opportunities and grants. The Financial Aid department is very busy and I remember having to wait in long lines and make appointments to meet with them. I did feel prepared for my career upon graduation and felt confident going into the workforce. I ended up pursuing nursing and felt as if I had a solid foundation to prepare me for this. I am now enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program and have done very well so far. I feel as if I could not have been as successful as I have been without the education I received from Sam Houston State University."
ELIZA HARRIS
  • Reviewed: 3/10/2019
  • Degree: History
"My time at Sam Houston State University was pivotal. Although I am critical of the quality of teacher preparation, I do believe I was exposed to valuable opportunities and networking through the myriad of organizations that are available to all on campus. As a minority, I was concerned with being the first to move away for college to an unknown city. What I found was an enriching opportunity to learn and engage with others who shared similar identity markers and develop my identity through the organizations involved."
Heather Belshe
  • Reviewed: 12/27/2018
  • Degree: Health Sciences
"My education at Sam Houston State University gave me a competitive edge in the field of music therapy. Agencies and clients with whom I work often praise both my clinical and musical skills. I felt extremely prepared for the professional world upon graduation."
Jasmine Perkins
  • Reviewed: 12/7/2018
  • Degree: Nursing
"Sam Houston State University has two campuses. One campus is located in Huntsville, TX and the other is in the Woodlands, Texas. This university is great for students who want have the university experience, but also have smaller class sizes where the professor will know your name. The nursing program is fairly new, however the NCLEX pass rates are great for those who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing."
Jasmine Perkins
  • Reviewed: 8/22/2018
  • Degree: Nursing
"Sam Houston State University RN to BSN transition program was great. I enjoyed the small cohort of classes and the ability to have face to face and only interaction. I completed my RN to BSN in 3 semesters. This program has 16 week courses which may be a potential con for some. This program is relatively new and does not have a Masters in Nursing track at this time."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 9/1/2017
  • Degree: Accounting
"SHSU has a very good accounting program. The professors care about the students and their success. They do not just treat it as a job. They want to help you succeed."
Andy
  • Reviewed: 9/1/2017
  • Degree: Information Technology
"Sam Houston State University is a great school. It is constantly evolving and updating. The faculty and staff are always great and very helpful. Their are always activities for students to join in on."
Shanice
  • Reviewed: 8/18/2017
  • Degree: Political Science
"I received a masters degree in political science from Sam Houston State University. During my tenure at Sam Houston, I concentrated in comparative politics. I took the pleasure of learning about different politics systems and engaged with fabulous teachers. I was intrigued by the discussions on Europe and Latin America's political system, in particular. My professors were fully informed about how these political systems are considered more stable than the United States'. Since the United States has a divided government, a president from one party governs while the Congress is a different party, helps to understand why it ishard for our Congress to pass controversial laws. While in Europe, most laws are rubber stamped by the legislature who supports the head of government. I also had the chance to dabble into international relations. I have a fantastic professor who taught about Eastern Europe and the separatist movement during the Communist period. The domino effect of the fall of Soviet Union that contributed to the fault lines of ethno- nationalism in post Soviet Union countries is very intriguing. Moreover, I also had the chance to learn about Middle Eastern politics and the illiberal democracies of Middle Eastern countries. Understanding that all countries did not have to function as a republic like the United States was very expanded my depth. Overall, I experienced a plethora of theoretical political science that eventually led to a career path in the U.S. government on foreign affairs issues. Sam Houston was very affordable, the professors were accessible, and I had small classes that made it less distracting to learn. Overall, my experience was very good!"
Savanah B.
  • Reviewed: 3/24/2017
  • Degree: English
"Sam Houston State University (Sam) is a university known for it's location; it has the charm of being in a small town, while being close to Houston. The Campus itself is filled with friendly students eager to learn. The overall curriculum in the English department is intimate with the average class size from 20-30 students. I personally loved the sense of community and campus engagement. Sam hosts the National Book Awards, and many renown authors and poets. The faculty has not only influenced me to stay involved with my community, but they have impacted my writing and research. Many of the professors have students travel from outside of Texas to be in their classrooms! Overall, while the faculty are active in their fields, they have a passion for aiding students pursue their own field. It's hard to be discouraged when your professors want to see you succeed. After all, "The Measure of Life Is It's Service.""
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 1/31/2017
  • Degree: Information Technology
"Sam Houston State University is a great school. It is in the middle of a small town but is growing steadily. The faculty and staff are very helpful and the inclusion of online courses mean you can really set a schedule that works best for you."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 1/31/2017
  • Degree: Accounting
"The business school was a good choice. The professors took an interest in the students and their learning. They actually cared about your learning and not just doing a job. I was prepared going into my field."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 1/24/2017
  • Degree: Counseling
"SHSU has an beautiful campus. The Counseling department is a close, almost "family-like" department dedicated to helping your grow and achieve your goals."
Ivan Wong
  • Reviewed: 11/30/2016
  • Degree: Criminal Justice
"One of the very best school in the nation for Criminal justice program! Earned my BS and MA in the school with WORLD CLASS scholars! The school is no joke and will hold your feet to the fire, but you will be good as gold! I was immediately admitted to the PhD program after my graduation and published in peer-reviewed journal. Very good class size and attention from instructors. The campus is awesome and beautiful. To be fair, the only complaint is too far from civilization and it takes an hour and a half of a drive to the major city (Houston). By the way, one of the best return-on-investment school you can find as annual tuition is only 60% of other comparable schools. Super military friendly!"
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 7/22/2016
  • Degree: Paralegal
"Sam Houston State University has an exceptional staff. All of my interactions with administrators and professors were personalized, and I was made to feel like the staff had my best interest in mind. I lived out of the area, and my degree plan was not offered strictly online, so the professors worked with me to create new online courses to meet my degree requirements."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 7/22/2016
  • Degree: Liberal Studies
"It is a very nice small state college. Most of the departments are small and allow students to really get to know their teachers. Since the teachers know most of their students, they care more about how they are doing. You are not just a nameless face among the masses."
Anonymous
  • Reviewed: 5/31/2016
  • Degree: Human Resources
"I absolutely LOVED attending school at SHSU. The teachers are amazing & loved having smaller class sizes."
Laura Lanford
  • Reviewed: 1/26/2016
  • Degree: Counseling
"The top positive characteristic of Sam Houston State University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is their staff. They are competent, efficient, helpful, understanding, and accommodating. They worked hard to get me into the program against a number of challenges, to orient me and to make me feel welcome. As a Texas resident, I found the school to be affordable. The natural setting of both the Huntsville and The Woodlands campuses is tranquil and beautiful. One of the cons of the program is that it doesn't offer as many online classes as I would like. The classes seem to start slowly, with too much attention to the syllabus and the APA manual at the beginning. Other than these minor considerations, I have found SHSU to be an excellent school."