NMSU

Let's move to another exception: New Mexico State University. They're small. They barely have the curricula I'm looking for. For whatever reason, some website I was using to help my search listed them as a top-50 Computer Science school. I'm not sure I buy it... anyone here in Albuquerque who's into CS has never mentioned it to me. (Though, that said, they usually tout TVI, a community college, instead. Blech.)

The advantage to this school is, clearly, it's proximity. It's 3 hours from my house.

CS has 13 full-time faculty members, about 280 undergraduate majors, and 95 graduate students, including 25 doctoral candidates. ...That's a decent size. They're actually working on some pretty cool projects there, including graphics, music, linguistics, robot control, web programming, and programs for teaching: each of these is a focus I would consider.

I may very well end up doing graduate work here. I think I'd enjoy it...

They do have an art department, including drawing, photography, and sculpture (which are three of the four areas I would consider). 15 faculty. Since I'm not looking to major in art (more like a minor), I'm comfortable that I'm not blown away by what I've found there.

They also have a lofty-goaled biochem department with a good number of faculty and courses... another minor area to sink my teeth into.

I like it. I'm surprisingly impressed by NMSU, especially given that it's right next door.

On the downside, I've never visited, and the scant pictures I've seen of the place are decidedly unimpressive (errr... aside from the natural beauty of NM itself, but I just step outside to get that).