I was born in AR, have lived here all my life, want to remain living here, and I've been all over the state recreationally and on the job. Granted, I haven't spent "that much" time in the northeast area, but I have been there some. I've also been on the Harding campus due to a HazMat class I had to take up there back in 2002 or so. It seemed like clean, well maintained campus with a lot of cement. It may have just been the area I was in, but it seemed quite hot at that time.
Arkansas is not full of hicks or idiots, yet the eastern side of the state, or Delta region, is pretty depressed economically. In Searcy, which is where Harding is, you'll be on Crowley's Ridge which is a bit better. I believe the college graduate percentage of Arkansans is around 18% right now.
You're not too far from larger cities of Little Rock or Jonesboro, and then you could always go to Memphis, TN if you want a lot bigger. Searcy is also in the area of some state parks, and Arkansas has either the best or second best state parks in the country depending on the survey you read.
The west side of the state is better due to both economic reasons and topography, and I'd rather stay on this side, lol. Arkansas is rural for the most part with a lot of scenary. Other than about four "major" cities in the state the pace is a bit slower than it is in other parts of the country. By and large, it's a religious state with most belonging to the Protestant side of the faith. The winters are fairly mild - all things considered, and the summers have a potential of being very hot and humid. I'm betting it's a bit windier on that side of the state due to the comparative flatness of it.
It's the 25th state which joined the Union in 1836. Arkansas seceded in the Civil War due primarily to peer pressure from all the neighboring states. The northwest part of the state is headquarters to a lot of major companies, and it's a growing metropolis set in a very pretty area. Outdoor recreation and tourism are huge components to AR culture and economy. The apple blossom is the state flower, mocking bird the state bird, and the pine tree is the state tree with no specifics given to species.
The cost of living isn't that high in Arkansas, and for someone making over 60,000 per year which you'll make anywhere as a pharmacist, if not close to double, you'll be doing very, very well. That said, graduate and stick around.
I can't tell you anything about the pharmacy school specifically, but there you have an overview of The Natural State.
Hope this helps.
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/
