I majored in Petroleum Geology at Hardin-Simmons University, which is one of three private colleges in Abiline, Texas. It offers substantial scholarships for National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists, and it has an excellent Geology program. Because Abilene is largely a college town, it has all of the usual amenities a college student expects (lots of restaurants, entertainments, etc). However, because it is a small town, it does not have the congestion and other problems with a college in a large city. Unfortunately, this means that it doesn't have all of the fun of a large city (only one mall, for example), and the flat landscape and occasional dust storms do take some getting used to. However, for a student going into Petroleum Geology, HSU would be an excellent choice.
