University of Nevada

This is ‘school’ is run like a local casino. Parents do not send your kids to this school. I went here as a doctoral student and got my PhD here — and I still haven’t been able to find any decent work! It actually killed my employment chances.
I also noticed a bunch of glowing reviews that seem to read the same. Maybe the alumni department has a special section to write good reviews for that pyramid scheme operation.
The administrators, who run the operation, all earn high six figure salaries with amazing benefits. They teach no classes, nor do any useful work — but you as a student will be nickel and dimed for every conceivable fee imaginable: registration, counseling, graduation, parking, student center, etc., plus tuition. Most of the so-​called ‘tuition money’ goes into their personal salaries and perks.
The tuition goes slightly up each successive year — and so do the salaries and perks of the administrators. They guarantee no employment opportunities, while many graduates are often stuck with college loan bills to pay and yet they are working in low wage service industry jobs. UNR students have a difficult time competing on the job market with the students graduating from the Univ. of CA system and the false western ivies, such as Cal Tech, Rice and Stanford.
The University police forces, which work for the administrators, prefer to arrest students over minor infractions. Any little mishap can get a student a criminal record — of course, you are paying for this special police fee too.
In order to fleece more money from the students, the administrators increase the mandatory course loads on all of the myriad of majors. Basically, administrators who know very little about those same subjects force students to take a myriad of courses. One such scam is the Core Humanities course program where students learn useless information for the job world. This heavy course load for a major area of study makes it almost impossible for students to finish their degrees in four years — but it does add more money flowing into the administrator’s pockets.
Learn a decent and useful skill — don’t get fooled by the life of the mind lie. There is none of that right now in America — you either have employable skills or you don’t. You will be stuck wasting precious years of your young life, learning mostly intellectual garbage, such as bogus cultural marxism, political correctness, etc., and then you will be stuck with an outrageous college loan bill — which you must begin to pay immediately after graduating.
What will you do when the only job you will find will be in food or social services for around 10 $ per hour? And why should they hire you, when there are plenty of foreign workers willing to do those jobs for a lot less? I paid a terrible price for my naiveté — I’m just another borderline homeless-​unemployed PhD loser. Please don’t make such a costly life mistake as I did.

The professors at UNR are super amazing, ridiculously intelligent, and incredibly good-​looking.
That is all I have to say about that.
***Above review may contain less-​than-​objective reporting.

UNR was where I got my undergrad degree as a transfer student from community college. It was the closest college to where I lived, and it was relatively affordable with loans and grants. Was it my first choice? No– but in the end, it was absolutely meant to be and the best place for me to get my degree. Many universities in California (where I live) have eliminated the criminal justice major (non– PC?) and I absolutely love the CRJ department and major at UNR. If I could have, I would have taken all my seventy plus credits in criminal justice– but that darned general education made sure I got lots of anthropology, psychology, and other dubious «ology» classes on the transcript. In the end, though, it was the best education I could have gotten, hands down. UNR is a big state university but is very «homey» and friendly. I still appreciate the warmth of Kari Emm, the UNR transfer coordinator who encouraged me to give it a go in 2012.
Despite the University in 2008 receiving a huge state budget cut which decimated departments and slashed funding, the university rebounded to the best of its ability. Unfortunately this has led to many underfunded and overtaxed departments, and reliance on part-​time, non-​tenure/​non-​faculty professors. I had incredibly dedicated teachers, some who were not receiving an adequate salary and had no chance of tenure, but still imparted the knowledge they had and I remain grateful (shout-​out to Prof. John O’Keefe, history, and Mario Delgado DeLaRosa– philosophy). As a non-​traditional (i.e. OLD student) I will point out that the University is largely populated by youthful undergrads fresh out of high school, largely from Nevada and lots of Las Vegans who want the change of pace up north by attending the only other state school in NV. That being said, there are opportunities for socializing and involvement with clubs whatever your age– but sometimes it feels a little awkward, when you are two generations removed from the majority of students.
My experience at the DRC at UNR (Disability Resource Center) where students with learning and/​or medical disabilities are helped, was world-​class and a galaxy apart from California services. The services, testing, and academic support offered at this university are unparalleled, and I’m certain my successful degree attainment is directly connected to the skills of the amazing staff there. Thanks Allison and Susan!
What keeps UNR from getting five stars:
1) Parking Problems and horrible shuttle bus system (thanks also to the shuttle driver that almost SHUT the door on me!).
2) Hostile Financial Aid Department which almost led me to drop out first semester (There’s a reason why the full-​time staff are behind a bulletproof door).
3) Nagging Admin– constantly sending nanny state emails which have mercifully begun to trickle away since I graduated.
4) Webcampus– the campus portal software interface that is as old as Grandma Moses and just as spry.
5) The Food is HORRIBLE. I brown bagged it for four years. Honestly, I would rather dumpster dive than eat at the $$$ corporate entity food purveyors on campus.
That’s it– the good, the bad, the ugly. FYI, as a big state university, there will be no hand-​holding. You’ll have to fight to get your degree, especially if you are a transfer student. That all being said, UNR has a special place in my heart. It’s where I commuted to, cried at, sweated in, cursed at, where I learned to build toughness, determination, and skills. and eventually got that degree that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

I couldn’t have asked for a better college experience. It’s truly a community and the campus is amazing. Go pack!

Currently UNR is experiencing student housing issues! Dorms are being closed at winter break and these students are being integrated into other dorms. Our student was living in a two person room alone due to their roommate dropping out of school. There have been several attempts to place a roommate into this room. With each attempt I’m underwhelmed with the administration’s handling of the situation. Do not be under any illusions that the administration has your students safety and well being under any type of consideration during this process. Once they have your money, you have given up your rights to where your student is living and with whom! Notifications does not have to be given, a stranger can be given a key and in your room at ANY time! Forget about talking to student services, they do not care or accept any responsibility. In fact if you do they will only make it harder on your student.

I’m a graduate student in the Marriage and Family Therapy program. We are housed in the college of Education. UNR has been a great school. I’ve been to about four other colleges and this one is in my top. The campus is beautiful for being located within the city. Old buildings and friendly staff. The university offers so much and has on campus dining, bookstore, housing, etc. It’s hard to describe a college, but I can say it’s one worth visiting if you are deciding. There is a lot of construction right now so don’t let that deter you from this school!

READ THIS POST FOR A CURRENT (2015) AND HONEST REVIEW… I attended from 2012 to 2015.
CAMPUS– Campus is beautiful– grass is green in the spring and summer, beautiful orange/​yellow/​red trees in the winter, and smooth snow covers the quad in the winter. Landscaping is always well kept. Buildings are comfortable and mostly updated (some are being renovated… you’re welcome incoming freshman :)) Small enough to navigate on foot, but large enough for it to have that «big college feel».
TEACHERS– Wow. most are professionals from their respective fields (I was in the school of business, but can say the math and engineering teachers were the same) and very knowledgeable about their subjects. Most have a genuine interest in the students’ well being and are always willing to help out. Smart, friendly, and have first-​hand knowledge of what they are teaching.
STUDENTS– Down to earth. Many have jobs, come from humble backgrounds and want to work hard for the better grades. Those without jobs still seem willing to listen and learn. Being in a gambling and drinking town, much of the social life of under 21ers is ‘off record’. Still, nothing out of the ordinary, and most students seem care about the well being of others. (I found 3 iphones and a wallet with over $ 500 in it through my years here, all of which were returned to their owners. I also left my laptop in class for several hours and was still there when i returned).
STAFF– The many times I went to admissions and records, financial department, and student counseling, all were very helpful and made things very easy for me. I had in-​state tuition and paid out of pocket, which cost about 4000 dollars per semester. considering what other institutions cost, this was affording for someone like me (a worker bee getting through college).
Someone mentions parking being a rip off, and yes, I agree. You pay for a parking pass and still have a 15 minute walk to your class :(
anyway, being in the library is comfortable, the food court has many options, the bookstore is easy to navigate, and the overall college experience is great. Go take a tour, meet some students, and see if its right for you. UNR!!!

As a parent, if you have another choice of school, go with it! If things are going fine, no problem. If you have an issue, a refund due to you, a problem with the dorm, FORGET IT! They are not there to help. They are all hearts and roses during the tours and orientation but cannot deliver when the school year hits. «You can access your student’s portal to check grades». Yes, only if the professor decides to post anything. Otherwise, you’re in the dark and have to trust your child (ahem) to keep you informed of their grades. I would not recommend this school.

This school has given me extreme complications as an incoming freshman. Their promptness has earned a big fat ZERO. I have had to literally e-​mail constantly and hit up the administrative offices and even when I spoke with people like student workers they still had absolutely no clue, and hit me with that very scripted «Well, I apologize BUT…» and every single time they opened their mouth with no solution at all, I wanted to pull out my damn hair. It’s like can you at least get your tail from in between your legs and try… let’s get real here. I don’t care if I’m attending this university I’m going to speak truth on things that should be addressed accordingly.
The faculty need to make better attempts at returning e-​mails and phone calls promptly because some students have to book flights like myself in order to attend this mandatory student orientation they’re stressing so heavily. My MyNevada account has had several tech problems with the to-​do list not updating as it should, hence complicating my registry for student orientation. All they had to do was manually put me down but no. I waited a month before I could finally register and then sign-​up. I had to practically tell the girl off for her to put me in for orientation. I do not enjoy telling people off but if that’s what’s needed to get the job done then so be it.
Other than that when I attended the student tour back in spring ’15 it was pretty good… campus was beautiful, but yes I was surprised with the very cold… cold weather. The girl had us walking around and around looking for a place she’d never even been before. And with all those stairs I’m thanking God my mom didn’t join that portion of the tour since it was optional.
Anyways… hahaha I’ve read several reviews and am now very skeptical with administration and how they’ll handle future issues with my account since they couldn’t even properly handle something simple like a student orientation sign-​up.
Goodness gracious LOL

The University of Nevada deserves a 5 star rating because it has provided me so much opportunity! I always tell people when the ask about the University of Nevada, Reno, and respond usually by saying, «it’s one of many hidden gyms that Northern Nevada has to offer.»
UNR is a Tier 1 University and is considered one of the nations top public research institutions. The student size is perfect if you are a student who wants the opportunity to build professional relationships with your professors. UNR is a very safe and clean campus that has 24-​hour campus security, and a campus escort service providing complimentary rides for students to and around the campus.
The cost of tuition varies from semester to semester, however, the cost of living and tuition is very affordable when comparing it to other colleges.
I highly recommend UNR if you are looking for a solid education!
5 Stars!!!

Excellent instructional facilities for science and engineering majors, and excellent instructors.
Great size school –not too small, but not too big.
Very nice campus (new buildings; campus-​wide Wifi; modern interiors; pleasant landscaping; a pond with geese; lots of greenery; good looking buildings very comfortable library).
Lots of great places to eat at the student union and in satellite coffee shops.
Weekly departmental seminars and impressive guest lectures; plenty of cultural and entertainment events (plays, music concerts, sporting games, etc).
Excellent IT department.
Very down to earth student body (with a lot of smart kids) and lots of school spirit.

Daughter finishing her first year there. She loves it. And as a parent, it’s relatively easy to navigate through all that’s involved in large measure to a customer friendly staff. There seems to be a commitment to getting students out who are full time in four years. Being from California, the in-​state tuition agreement with Nevada helps students from both states. Only a couple downsides that I am come to mind. One is the Wi-​Fi for the campus is just awful at most times of the day — almost to the point of not usable given the slowness. Also very tough to park there if you’re visiting. But overall, an outstanding experience and one both herself and parents would choose again.

To start, this review I’m about to give is biased. UNR is the only university I have ever attended, so I cannot make a fair comparison.
I am a former student of UNR and I work here at the University as well.
I’m never going to get rich here, but I have good co-​workers and the benefits are decent.
Way back in the late 80s, I came to Reno on a vacation. I happened to stay at the University Inn. Across the street was Manzanita Hall and Manzanita Lake. This is when Lawlor was the north end of the campus and the south quad was the main quad.
I was so enthralled with this west coast ivy league feel, I decided to apply. Out of all of the universities that I had applied too, I accepted UNR’s offer and enrolled.
What I did experience was counselors that cared enough to help and guide me. Instructors that always offered the time to help, regardless if I accepted that offer. A selection of classes that met my needs, at the time.
I even learned a thing or two. But, one of the most important lessons was that UNR taught me to think, which, in of itself is something that some people need to do more often.
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Bottom Line
Hell yes I would go back to UNR, I work here!
Aside from that, I would like to earn my Masters from this university.

The University of Nevada, Reno has an absolutely beautiful campus to visit! It is a great place to visit to relax or take some nice photos. Although, if you visit on a school day during certain hours, the campus is definitely over-​populated. When the weather is nice, I love to grab a book and spend some time reading in the quad or playing some recreational games with friends. If you haven’t visited the University and you live in the Reno/​Sparks area you definitely should visit on a weekend or during a break!

I’m currently going to graduate school here to receive a Masters in Educational Leadership. When I was in the process of applying, everyone I spoke with was extremely helpful. I called different departments a few times, but e-​mail was the main form of communication for me. I always received a response within 24 – 48 hours from the Graduate School. I also received updates on the application process and what else I needed to send in.
I bought a blue parking pass which costs $ 125 for the entire year– not too bad. It is about a 5 – 10 minute walk to my buildings in the middle of campus but I seriously don’t mind. I come from Texas where the heat is just unbearable and it’s gorgeous to walk on campus, especially at night when I have my grad classes. Campus seems to be kept up really well. As I said before, I’ve just started school this semester but all my professors are absolutely amazing and everyone I have interacted with in the Educational Leadership Department is fantastic. I’m excited for the semesters ahead! A gorgeous campus with super cheerful and helpful people.

Beautiful campus and a great walking campus with nice green areas and lots of trees. Buildings have great architecture and the university has a good collegiate reputation.

It is a beautiful campus with a mix of charming, old brick buildings covered in ivy juxtaposed against modern, glass-​faced facades. Staff is often exceptional, with most professors exceeding my expectations. They have a number of free services for helping out students.
The only negative thing I could say is that they are money-​grubbers when it comes to PARKING! Between that and the exorbitant cost of «UNR Exclusive» textbooks it can be frustrating. However the good outweighs the bad, so I have to say that I do love this school.

Surprisingly, I still like this place even though I go to school and work here.
I like taking walks around campus and enjoying the outdoors when it’s spring/​summer time. Also I like to take my lunch break over by the pond that’s south of campus… besides all the crazy geese it’s very peaceful down there.
The campus is about half a square mile, but be aware it like the shape of a peanut. meaning it would take 20 minutes to walk from north campus to south, but only 5 minutes to walk from west to east. and according to Wiki, UNR had almost 20,000 people (indcluding students & faculty) in 2012… so pretty busy campus.

Great teachers. Terrible student workers and faculty. And worthless students.
The people that work at the Financial Aid and Admissions Offices hate their job. They’ll yell at you when they can get away with it over the phone. They don’t realize the fact that we are not «customers», but STUDENTS. Which means by law, we need to receive our transcripts to transfer to and from other schools within a specific timeframe or risk being sued by us under the charge of Educational Malpractice. When I moved to Las Vegas, I had to call my lawyers to make legal threats just to get a simple transcript delivered to UNLV down here after 3 months of frustration.
It’s a sad waste. They should have swapped the teaching staff between UNR and UNLV, the students in Las Vegas could definitely use the more committed instructors from UNR, and leave the bullshitters that attend UNR with our crappy teachers.
A lot of the administrative positions in UNR are usurped by bullshitters. I remembered doing my assignment in the computer lab one day in Spring 2010, when I was suddenly interrupted by some cute little white girl screaming FULL BLAST at a school employee over the phone, threatening fire and brimstone over something about financial aid and transcripts. She said something along the lines of, «If you don’t do your job, I am going up to that office, and I will be taking YOUR FUCKING JOB!». After she got whatever business done over the phone, I was just sitting across the computer, bug-​eyed at her with a holey shit expression. She then flashed a smile and apologized to me with a cutesy little cartoon character voice.
The only redeeming factor of UNR, besides the great classes and instructors, is the Wolf Pack football team. It’s a team that is coached with competence and skill and stands fairly competitively against other schools such as USC, unlike the UNLV Rebels which was rated as the 15^th worst team by USAToday.
You wouldn’t mind if we steal both your football team and your teachers would ya?

I went to undergrad in a different part of the country and unlike UNR, my school had beautiful marble libraries, historic and modern architecture, was located in a cosmopolitan city, gorgeous views, a high US world New ranking, one of the top research institutions in the world, blah, blah. Despite all of this, I still wish I had gone to UNR… at times.
Why? UNR has none of those things but what it does have, is a much lower price tag. You Nevadans have no idea how little you pay for college compared to the rest of the country.
I am taking a class at UNR and have major sticker shock… at how cheap it is.
There are downsides.
This is taboo but yes, UNR is «easier» than most schools,
See below.
I can attest to this personally. UNR hands out good grades like candy. Part of me is grateful for attending a more rigorous school than UNR but a part of me wishes I had more fun in undergrad rather than hitting the books every night.
If you have your heart set on studying next to the best and brightest and want to challenge yourself. UNR will not do. But if you are looking for a 4 year education without a crushing debt load and don’t mind a less rigorous environment. UNR is pretty great.
When it comes down to it. Would I let my child attend UNR if it was all I could afford? Sure,
Would I let my child attend UNR for their degree if I could afford to send them elsewhere? No.
Not just because of the lack of rigor but UNR seems to lack many aspects of what makes college great. The outskirts of campus are littered with bars and pretty much nothing else. On many campuses, the edges of campus are full of culture, littered with art galleries/​coffee shop hybrids, bike shops, and ethic food joints. Maybe this will come in time as the area around the campus is revitalized but for now the neighborhood is not a place that encourages students to expand their horizons outside the classroom.