I just filed for graduation and had the pleasure of filling out the school’s exit survey. It was as run-of-the -mill as surveys can be, but it presents students with one crucial yes-or-no question: Would you recommend Midwestern State University to a friend?

I said no.

Unfortunately there is nowhere on the survey where I can give my reasons for answering “no.” So here’s why: The best experience at MSU is self-created.

While even at the best university in the world it’s still up to the student to make the best of his or her experience, there is currently too much responsibility on the MSU student to receive the liberal arts education touted in our university mission plan.

Sure, Wichita Falls will likely never be home to a burgeoning academic or cultural scene like those found at schools in bigger cities, and while that comes at no fault of the administrators, faculty or staff at MSU, I wouldn’t recommend that a friend come to this school if they desired a more fulfilling academic or cultural experience than what is possible here.

Being the math-challenged fine art student that I am, I cannot speak for those in the at-capacity health science program or the growing engineering department. The science colleges employ some brilliant faculty members and the growth in our research programs is a great sign that we are starting to cater better to our scientifically-minded students.

I love MSU for many reasons, but I would not be able to fairly recommend this university to friends without first qualifying that they will have to work a lot harder to find academic and extracurricular activities here than they would at other schools.