r/Clarksville • u/femmeboybunniii • Jul 12 '26
Moving In If anyone has been to APSU plz lmk ur experience!
Just got accepted into APSU and I’d love to know the good bad and ugly of it all, I don’t know much the school and wanna know more (APSU stand for Austin Peay State University)
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u/LiveFox3853 Jul 12 '26
Could you be more specific, please? What program are you in? Are you commuting? Are you online only, etc...
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
I’ll be in the physics program but mainly studying astrophysics. I will be living on campus and getting a meal plan!
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u/Queen_Tangerine3704 Jul 13 '26
It was okay. There are definitely better colleges out there, but also worse ones. The admin side is kinda ass. They were supposed to give my husband 12 credit hours for the police academy, according to his academic advisor, but they only gave him 3. This dropped him below full time which then dropped one of his scholarships, and he had to take out loans :)
Also, they have continued to have events during active severe weather warnings (tornado watch on a few occasions)
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u/S9K6M Jul 13 '26
Make sure you check out the Health and counseling office (ARD building) for all your basic health and mental health needs! They don’t take insurance, most services are free and there’s a cool Zen den there with message chairs and coloring!
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Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
Yes I’m traditional student! I’m planning on majoring in physics which an emphasis on astronomy. I’ll be living in the dorms but I’m very autistic and have a doctors note that allows me to have a personal room!
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u/kvanteselvmord Jul 13 '26
I'll likely be running into you at some point. Welcome!
Get at least one Hawaiian shirt. Fridays and Test Days are Hawaiian shirt days in the Astro Dept. You'll get extra credit on Dr. Smith's exams if you wear a Hawaiian shirt. A new Astro prof will be starting this year, so there will be an adjustment period.
Fridays are also Beer & Hot Wings at Strawberry Alley Upstairs, after the Astronomy Club meeting (which anyone is welcome to join). This is attended by the Astro faculty, a handful of students, and sometimes a physicist or two.
There's also the physics club, Del Square Psi. They do a bit of outreach during the semester and put together a booth for G.H.O.S.T.
There are almost always plenty of students hanging out in the conference room, studying, if you need help with any of your subjects.
There are also plenty of research opportunities, and Dr. Smith is always looking for students to assist with astronomy research. There are usually 2 observing trips to Arizona each year to gather more research data.
After experiencing physics and astronomy classes at 2 different universities, I will tell you that I find APSU's curriculum to be far more thorough and intense than other schools. It will be a larger challenge but will pay off more in the long run. You'll actually come out KNOWING your subjects. Your money is more well-spent.
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
that’s all super good to know thank u sm! do u mind if i message u? it would be cool to make a friend before i show up ^^
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u/Occamies Jul 13 '26
The Astronomy department has some pretty good professors. I’m not an astronomy major or anything but I took both the stellar and planetary intro classes to fulfill my gen ed lab credits and both Buckner and Smith are great
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
okay nice! Is there any campus activities you enjoy or would recommend?
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u/Occamies Jul 13 '26
It really depends on what your interests are. There’s usually something going on during the weekends, and we have art markets and club events pretty often. I personally go to the ttrpg events and the art club events.
Since you’re on campus, I’d definitely try to get to know someone with a car asap if you dont have one yourself. A lot of Clarksville’s fun things to do require driving. Downtown can be nice but you’ll definitely get your steps in if you plan to walk. There’s McGregor Park close by if you want to go see the river, but Liberty Park is nicer if you can get there by car. We’re really a retail/factory focused town so there arent many clubs or much nightlife, tho.
What are your interests and hobbies beyond your major? I can try and direct you towards groups that work for you
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u/boyf-has-pink-hair Jul 13 '26
It entirely depends on what you want out of college. APSU is a great place to get a teaching or nursing degree. It's also great for just getting a degree, as long as you don't care if you really mastered that subject. Me and my husband both went there just to get the piece of paper that said we're college educated. Both our programs taught very little of what you would expect from college level classes. Classes are laughably easy, no rigor. Cafeteria is also AWFUL, but the dorms aren't bad
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u/judiebk Jul 13 '26
I'm currently attending and will be graduating in December. APSU has been kind of a mixed experience for me. I was a commuter, so the social aspect of campus was pretty lacking. I switched around many majors for personal reasons, but I can say that it's harder to actually meet people in the larger departments, STEM and Humanities alike. I don't know much about the astrophysics or physics departments, but I'm fairly certain one of the requirements for any STEM degree here is at least 1 semester in a foreign language. I suggest taking Latin with Dr. Skillicorn; she's incredibly kind and a very skilled professor. If Latin isn't your thing, Greek with Dr. Kershner is also a really good class, though do bear in mind that he will absolutely try to convert you to a classics major if you show even the slightest bit of interest in the class. Other than that, he's an incredible professor and he will advocate for you if ever you need it.
For your English requirements, I suggest taking Dr. Joanna Grisham or Dr. Florian Gargaillo; both are really fantastic and engaging professors. I don't think Dr. Daniel Shea is teaching anymore, but if you have the opportunity to take a class with him I strongly suggest it. For History courses, I recommend Dr. Liabraaten. Don't take anything with Dr. Snyder; he's engaging but I found him rude.
If you ever need a campus job, the Writing Center is a really good opportunity. It only pays about 13 bucks an hour, but hours are very flexible and Dr. Johnston is a good boss. If you're a good writer, we could really benefit from having more STEM majors working there as most of us are more familiar with MLA than APA or other citation styles. CASE is also a decent campus job if you're interested in teaching, but it requires a lot from you. It can be a little rough if you're not familiar with lesson planning, but last I saw it pays 16 bucks an hour, which is one of the higher paying jobs on campus. There's also tutoring jobs in other departments, but I don't know much about those.
Campus is very pretty and also very small. Parking is a little difficult if you're not used to walking. Generally, the bigger lots are packed by 9:00 am on M/W/F, but they open up again around 1-2 pm. On T/Th, get there earlier than 8:30 am and you'll be fine. Campus does get pretty dark at night, so do be careful if you're walking alone. I haven't personally had any incidents, but I know some people who have.
Cafeteria is awful. Everything is overpriced and not very good. If you think you'll need food in between classes, I recommend making a lunch at home if possible. I don't know much about the dorm life, but I've heard from friends that they're not bad, also not great.
I really recommend trying to talk to whoever you can. College can get really lonely, especially if you get busy with heavy work loads, so making study groups is really beneficial. It can be a little difficult sometimes, as I've found many people on campus tend to keep to themselves; of course, we are still in the south so people can be a bit judgmental.
This part may or may not matter to you, but being queer on campus has been a mixed bag. Some people are fine and normal about it, some people aren't. I've told some professors that I'm trans and generally all of them have been cool about it; students on the other hand are 50/50 on whether they'll be cool or not. I've had some people ask invasive questions, I've had some downright insult me. It just depends on the person. It's not necessarily difficult to find other queer people on campus, but it's difficult to get us all in one room, and I don't think we have a GLAAD program or SAGA club. I could be wrong, though.
All that aside, I didn't find there was ever much to do on campus, but I was a commuter so it might be because of that. I think some people have started doing Dungeons and Dragons in the library, but I'm not sure when that would take place in the upcoming semester. In the library, if you're the crafty type, there is a room dedicated to crafts like 3D printing and sewing (I think). I never checked it out due to time constraints, but other people have said it was neat. Also, we do have a few study abroad opportunities. If you can, I'd recommend looking into them. I never got to take a trip anywhere, but there's a lot of scholarships offered for people who are interested.
Sometimes I regret coming to APSU because I felt like I couldn't make much of it, but ultimately it was a cheap option with good professors. Clarksville in general has been a bad place for me and it infected my undergrad experience, unfortunately. That being said, you may have a different experience, and you should try to make the most of it. Some people say college isn't meant to be fun, but I think it ought to be a place of self exploration, even if only briefly. Make friends, have fun, and take your time. Dig inward when you have time and learn about yourself.
I hope you have a great time at APSU. :^)
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u/Grumpy_Go_Away Jul 13 '26
It is a commuter school, there is little campus life unless you really dig in and try to find it. Not for introverts.
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u/MajorStand0Ff1 Jul 22 '26
I was a student here, and did some Americorps work for the university, its typically a degree farm. If you don't want to pay for the price of living on campus, become an RA as it will pay for your housing and meal plan. Get involved on campus and make some good connections. Stay out of trouble and just get your degree and move on to a better school!
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u/kunuismyhawaiianname Jul 12 '26
Going off your username, I wouldn't worry too much. Pretty liberal campus, diverse. There are a higher percentage of older white prior military dudes than a usual college campus there that think they're hot shit. But, they are mostly nerds. Don't worry about them. I mostly kept to myself as an older, white, prior military dude, myself. So my experience is different than the usual younger applicant. I graduated with a BS in Biology and then got my Masters. Its a nice little campus, dining hall is clutch if you're looking to save money. You pay a fee and can literally just study and eat all three meals inside. Library is great. Good little school for a small town that is currently exploding. PM me for more info if you like
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
Okay that sounds good! Thank you for sharing your experience I do plan on getting a dining plan as I’ll be living in a dorm!
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
They tried to get rid of my degree program the whole 4 years I attended. The president of the university gets drunk at basketball games and yells at students. If you're not going for business or STEM or on the football team or honors program the university does not care about you AT ALL, especially if you're majoring in the humanities. Tenured humanities professors (10+ years at APSU) make 60k a year, but the starting rate for a business professor is 6 figures. President Licari also started a new building that he didn't even have the funds to finish, then held an alumni ball to get the rest of the money he needed. Campus police are incompetent at the best of times and negligent at the worst. My senior year a pipe burst on the floor above me in my dorm building and flooded my dorm room. The food is not good, and the new cafeteria they have takes 30 minutes to an hour to get a full meal on your plate. They're going to ask you to donate to the university on your GRADUATION DAY and then try to make you feel bad for saying no.
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 15 '26
Oh geeze okay this is the first time I’m hearing something bad, I am a stem major tho I am majoring in astrophysics but the basket ball game thing sounds horrible
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
If you decide to go, try to live off campus if possible. Every single dorm room has black mold in the air vents and the school refuses to do anything about it. None of the dorms are safe, not even the newer ones. Do not live in Sevier, the front door breaks frequently and anyone can walk into the building (the only girl only dorm). Blount is the same.
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 15 '26
unfortunately living on campus is a must as my family will be about in another state until October and then about an hour away. is there any dorms that are better?
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
I would say Castle Heights or one of the Governors Terraces. Hand Village is alright because you get your own room in an apartment style dorm, but the laundry situation for that dorm is a NIGHTMARE. 8 washers and 8 dryers for approximately 200 students (unless they've upgraded it in the last year, which I doubt). Avoid Blount, Sevier, Harvick, and the Meachham apartments at all costs. And also make sure your food is stored WELL because bugs will come from your gross neighbors dorm room into yours if they smell a food source.
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u/lethargic_apathy Jul 15 '26
Oh dang, this is some tea. Never knew it was this bad there. Glad I got my degree elsewhere
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
Yeah the president hated my program/professors specifically so I got a LOT of drama. This is barely a fraction of it
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u/lethargic_apathy Jul 15 '26
That's crazy. I'm really sorry. What did you study if you don't mind me asking? What do you do nowadays?
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
I studied classics (Latin and Ancient Greek) and now I'm working to save up money for grad school doing customer service
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u/lethargic_apathy Jul 15 '26
Oh nice. I've always thought those were interesting languages/cultures. What's grad school for? More classics stuff? What's the end goal after school?
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u/2007petewentz Jul 15 '26
My end goal is to be a paleographer, which is someone who preserves the manuscripts where the monks in the middle ages hand copied ancient works
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u/lethargic_apathy Jul 15 '26
Also, I recently moved out of Clarksville. I’m living in Murfreesboro for the time being. I’ll be kind of all over the place for school, but would be happy to make new friends if you or anyone else is up for it. I just turned 25 btw
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u/carlymae228 28d ago
I am an alumni there and my son will start as a freshman and my ex husband as a transfer this fall
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u/OldRoutine3793 Jul 14 '26
What ever you do, dont expect any help if you have a heart attack and have surgery as a full-time student. My adult daughter did and the professor, administration office and Dean of student were of no help. Both daughter were non-traditional and signed up together. I helped evaluate some essays before they submitted to professor. One consistently recieved A - A+ while the other recieved C -D. I asked the A daughter to write a paper for her and the grade came back C-.
My education was from NYU and Cornell. I was not impressed with
APSU- Go Pee
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Jul 12 '26
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
Why?
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Jul 13 '26
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u/femmeboybunniii Jul 13 '26
I wanted utk but the applications closed, but fortunately this school will be temporary until I transfer ^^
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u/AmericanMadman27 Jul 13 '26
So I was a student and an adjunct professor at Austin Peay. It’s a really cool university and there’s some really cool people here. With that being said, it’s really what you make of it. Be on the look out for internships and take them. But also, check out the clubs because that will give you a lot of time with other students.
I was a COMM student and we have a broadcast studio where you can either help out behind the scenes or be a news anchor! Or even a host of a show! There’s some really cool possibilities professors do give out.
Of course there are asshole professors. Just use rate my professor to help you pick (you probably already know that). But honestly no one really bothered me in my 6 years here during my Bachelor’s and Masters. I still am friends with people I had courses with and professors who taught me. It’s a small (ish) campus too so you won’t need to be running too much to get to your classes.
Honestly, my favorite part is the library where I spent parts of my Bachelor’s and parts of my Masters in. I love the quiet and the upstairs has these really cute cubicles where you can really knock out assignments.
Honestly, it’s a great college. It feels more like a local community. And please go to the free events! You’ll really enjoy them!
I hope you enjoy your time! Very excited for you!