I had the opportunity to shoot up to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a visit to Louisiana State University while in New Orleans for a conference. LSU is a large flagship state University with few surprises, good or bad. But here were the surprises to me: 40% of students come from out of state. And less than 30% of students are involved in Greek life. Some notable alumni include James Carvill, Bill Conti (who wrote the score to the Rocky and many other movies), And Shaquille O'Neal. In fact, there's a huge statue of Shaq outside the athletic center. Speaking of recreation, there is also a lazy river at the rec center in the shape of LSU which is loads of fun, but has received some criticism for being an unneeded expenditure in a state where every dollar going toward education counts. To be fair, they're putting money into buildings as well. Four years ago, they opened a new, 400,000 square-foot engineering building and it's quite beautiful. I'm told it's one of the largest engineering buildings in the US. They have also just finished renovating the Studio Arts Building for the College of Art and Design, whose facilities were previously scattered all over campus. There's also a live tiger mascot in an enclosure. He was asleep when I visited in the heat of the day but I did see the stuffed one in the small museum of natural history on campus. Speaking of heat, yes, Baton Rouge is hot. And humid. Even in March. Really hot. Enough said. Unlike many large state flagship universities, they claim they do conduct a holistic review of all applications, and there is no direct-admit pathway for any majors. The average admitted student has a 3.7 and students with a 3.8 or higher often receive a merit scholarship. The cost out of state is $48K a year all in, but there's opportunity for merit up to $20K. This university is a solid option for students looking for a place in the south with huge school spirit, many majors and programs, plenty of research opportunities on campus, and a low price tag. But always be aware of cultural differences you might encounter. I was surprised to see that there's a Miss LSU beauty pageant every year, which is a preliminary pageant to the Miss Louisiana USA pageant. No kidding. I cannot tell you how well attended the pageant is, but I do know this is not something you find just anywhere.