Appalachian State University Rankings by Salary Score

I graduated with my Master's in Experimental Psychology back in Fall 2020. I took an extra semester since my Master's thesis required in person data collection and I had to rewrite it so I defended a pilot study from my first year before COVID. It is difficult for me to recommend this program to any prospective student for a variety of reasons. The first is that the graduate assistantships do not waive tuition. Even though such assistantships that do so at the MA level are rare, this can create strain for... Read More some students. Appalachian State is affordable regardless. So, if anyone considering the program did their undergrad there as well (about half of those admitted did it), that would be an option. The second is that many faculty treat students poorly or will outright retaliate in a passive aggressive manner. For my graduating class, many of us would often share notes or study guides with each other. Faculty knew this and said amongst each other that this was a concern. However, none of that information ever made its way to us until it was too late. On the first exam for graduate social psychology, one quarter of the exam was on content not on the study guide. When our grades were finally released, they noted that this design was intentional since we shared mock study guide answers amongst each other. I failed the first exam but got what was needed on the other exams to pass the class. There were also many other questionable statements or behaviors from faculty as well. For example, during a graduation speech for one student, a faculty member said their advisee was "the first one they were proud of." The implications of a statement like that, coupled with how faculty treated students, makes me question the support faculty and staff are willing to offer students. Third, not many students who are admitted make it through the program. Out of 11 in my class, only 8 graduated and many had to take an extra Fall semester (including me). One who did not make it was a valedictorian in her undergrad who worked part time during the program to pay off her tuition accrued during the program. Despite all As, one B, positive teaching reviews, and making progress on her Master's thesis, she did not make it because many faculty did not like that she worked during the program (one faculty even filed a false complaint against her she had to fight). No faculty outside of the director were called by their first names either. I could only call my advisor by their first name after I graduated from the program. I personally think if someone did their undergraduate at Appalachian State and had a good working relationship with their would be advisor, go for it. Just be mindful of the toxic environment.