james_ms

I just graduated from Mississippi State with my undergrad degree. Apartment prices are cheap if you live in the large complexes. I paid 450/month plus utilities for 21 Apts; the cost drops after your first year too. Your mileage will vary greatly with the state of your appliances, any repairs that come up, and your neighbors. Most of the large complexes cater to sophomore+ undergrads, and apartment parties are very common. The cotton district, which is located around the main bar strip, is by far the most happening area in town for college age kids, and offers both apartment and rental house living, but prices are steeper. That being said, new complexes around that area (at least 2 or 3) were rapidly being built this year, and I would look into those. There are actually houses and smaller apartment complexes available for rent all throughout town; almost no place in town is further than 10 minutes to campus (not accounting for traffic). If I was going in as a grad student, I would look at a quaint rental house; there are always interesting neighbors and you can choose how much of a party area you are in. The one caveat is that you will probably need roommates to afford any house. If you can get a couple, however, you could potentially rent a house for 300/month individually (my friends have). I can't rate roads/streets by price, so you'll have to do a little research on that. I don't think there is any area you would actually want to go to in town that is sketchy. It's a small town and the population doubles when school is in session. The school itself is probably the most diverse of all SEC schools, in percentage of minority students and international students. The student association hosts LGBT-focused gatherings, from what I remember. I only knew 2 LGBT people personally, but I was never in a discussion about treatment of the LGBT community. That being said, I do think Mississippi State was an extremely friendly place as a whole. The alumni all love their alma mater and it becomes really evident when they come back to visit and talk to current students. To reiterate: the campus is gorgeous. Fall foliage is late, and was beautiful for graduation a few weeks ago. Likewise, spring blooms are early. Drill field grass is green regardless of season. Trees are all over campus, but not in huge densities everywhere. Check out the junction, chapel of memories, drill field, and engineering row. North and South Farm just off campus offer great green space and running/biking trails. Past campus on one side and Walmart on the other is a whole lot of forest, and that's about it. The university itself does a significant amount of research on the science and engineering side (founded as an agricultural and mechanical college), but I'm not familiar with the strength of humanities. Tuition is cheap, and scholarships and research potential are high. Mississippi State really wants to attract talent from anywhere. I've always wondered what kept all these foreign professors in sleepy Starkville, and I think it has to be some degree of inclusivity and hospitality. Hope this helps a little. I enjoyed my time as an undergrad, but I'm ready to do grad school in a different climate, being a born and raised southerner.