Class_f_pga's Review: Mississippi State University - Mississippi State

I attended the Professional Golf Management (PGM) program (major in Marketing with a concentration in golf management). This program fast-tracks students into the PGA of America and qualifies them to one day become a head golf professional/director of golf. Because of its alumni network, I believe this is the best PGM in the country. The quality of the degree is equal to that of any other university offering the PGM credential, but as all graduates soon find out upon entering the pool of PGA professionals searching for a job, personal networks are incredibly important. This degree does not limit your options. I chose to leave the golf industry and pursue an MBA. I was afraid that a PGM focus would hinder my ability to get into a top MBA program, but the contrary was true; the uniqueness of my focus helped me get accepted to Stanford Business School. Academics aside, this school is Southern in every way, which was a culture shock for me (coming from Wisconsin). It's one of the relatively few conservative college campuses in the US. Campus is crawling with good ole' frat boys and beautiful sorority belles. It's a pretty exclusive social scene of which I was not a part. If I were to do one thing differently while at MSU, I would have chosen to rush. My friends who did seemed to have a great time. The night life of Starkville is what you make of it. The majority of the campus doesn't party like I was used to seeing, growing up in Madison, WI. That said, there is a group of ~1K students that are always out. You see these same people at the bars all the time. Each bar had its own night...Flo's was Wednesday (Flo's burnt down when I was a senior), the Grill was Thursday, Hunt Club on Friday, and Rick's on Saturday. I doubt much has changed - nothing ever does in the South! Sports games are great! Football team can be hit or miss each season. Basketball and baseball teams are usually pretty good. Unlike Kryzewskiville, you don't have to camp out for tickets. I got to see tons of top 10 teams play against top-ranked MSU by only showing up a couple of hours before tip-off! Hope you find this review helpful.