Hey,

So next year I am doing a Masters in Forensic Anthropology, (In the U.K) and I have the option to transfer for a semester to Northern California to Chico State University. This sounds like fun, but as of yet I have never been to the U.S and dont know much about Grad school there or the schools reputation. Can anyone help me out?
America provides much more opportunities for employment for forensic anthropologists (apparantly! Its not good on employment on the whole! ) and the unis tend to have much better resources for it, as it is still a relatively new subject over here. (I'm too poor to do my whole MSc in the U.S!) And it is waaaay cheaper for me to do a semester over there then here! Thats the sensible reason. Also... rooooaaaaadtriiip!! California! woooot! So.. If anyone has been there or has/is studying there let me know what its like!

ok, Chico is in the middle of NOWHERE in inland california, near the Nevada border.

it's not a hip or cool or fun or happening place.
it actually, really sucks.

and chico state is a pretty shitty school. you're probably lightyears ahead of your peers academically.

do you have any other options for schools of study?
maybe a UC (which stands for University of California) or a private one?

really, i wouldn't trust my graduate education to a CSU (California state university

I have a friend who went to Chico State. Apparently it's a really awesome school. And you're very much near Sacramento and San Francisco if the walls start closing in on you. I don't believe I've ever been to Chico per say, but if you ask me, anywhere in California is the place to be.

no no. i've spent serious time there. it's not awesome.
i mean unless you define awesome as thousands of C students drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon on lawns, and laughing at really awesome movies like White Chicks. it's also really hot there, and gross, and surrounded by retired people and farmland. the nearest college-age students are like 3 hours away at UC Davis.

and Chico is fully 3-4 hours from San Francisco, and Sacramento is quite possibly the most boring state capitol on the whole of the earth. i lived in El Dorado Hills for a summer.... not fun.

Hey man....don't knock White Chicks. That movie is funny......in a really absurd, racist, disturbing-type way...

And I like Sacramento....it's a pretty city anyhow. And I have some good friends who had a band there, and I would go with them to gigs and stuff, so I had a pretty good time.

I didn't realize SF was that far away. 3-4 hours isn't really that bad, though. I mean, it could be worse. I mean, I would give anything to be in Chico right now, watching White Chicks.

Hmmm. I think the other option is Wichita State Uni, which I also know nothin about! (Im guessing it is prob also in the middle of butt fuck nowhere!) To be fair surrounded by retired people and farmland sounds like where I live now! Ahh my visions of party hearty in the Us are fast disappearing Guess its nice to go somewhere different tho, and I would prob use the opportunity to travel California. Seriously, why does Chico supposedly have such a shitty rep? Thanks for the help/warnings tho guys!

Hmm so after some more half hearted research I could also go to CSU Fresno, and University of Kentucky.