Are you confused about which college or university you might want to attend? Try on Florida A & M University for size. Chosen as one of Princeton Review's 1997-98 College of the Year nominees, FAMU has a lot to offer. Founded in 1887 as the State Normal School for Colored Students, FAMU began with only two instructors and 15 students. In 1953, it expanded, becoming one of the few all-colored universities in the state. The current enrollment is 12,000 (84% black and 56% women). With classroom sizes ranging from 25 to 40, you won't feel embarrassed about asking your professor any questions that may come to mind.

I took time recently for a personal tour of the campus and learned that at FAMU you're not just a number, but a human being who will be personally acknowledged. Many students have the perception that FAMU is a school into which they can be easily accepted, but that's not always the case. Like most well-known universities, you must have a minimum of 19 units of academic credits, a 21 or better on the ACT or 1010 or better on the SAT, a high school transcript with a B average or better, or a minimum 2.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).

Sitting on one of Tallahassee's highest seven hills and being only 22 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, FAMU has a beautiful campus with so much to offer. Because FAMU is constantly involved with study programs off-campus with schools such as Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College, there's no question that your field of study can and will be mobile. The FAMU/FSU College of Engineering offers baccalaureate degrees in chemical, civil electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering. Off-campus and out-of-state, the School of Architecture has a center in Washington, D.C., where students can study for one or two semesters. The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has a branch in the Medical Centers, and the Clinical Pharmacology Research Unit is in Jackson Towers, both in Miami, FL. Of course, there's the School of Journalism, Media and Graphics Arts division, which publishes a weekly student newspaper, the Journey Magazine, and an FM radio station.

There are also the fun activities that make FAMU what it is. There are more than 100 student organizations on campus, including sororities and fraternities, honor societies, religious groups, fashion/modeling clubs, and the FAMU Gospel Choir, which released its first album in 1985. You also have the benefits of being a part of the Marching 100, FAMU's 300-member marching band, which has received national television and magazine spotlights and, in 1985, became the first band outside the Big 10 conference to earn the Sousa Foundation's prestigious Sudler Trophy. The school's band and football team have been known to leave a trail wherever they march. Just ask the Bethune Cookman wildcats!

From on-campus parties to off-campus clubs, I could go on and on about the ins and outs of Florida A & M University, but then what would you have left to learn about on your own? All I can say is that this is a school worth looking into, and remember that "A Snake Can Bite, but Only a Rattler Can Strike!!"
See you at the hill.

(Information provided by Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University)

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