AU is a small college in a small town with not a lot going on so you will need to do a little exploring to find things to do. It is excellent if you are an creative person who enjoys art. It is a great education for the price.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Visit the campus and do an overnight if possible. If you have the chance, take a look around some of the restaurants and shops in the town of Alfred to see if you can handle the small-town living (as it could possibly be substantially different from your hometown). If you can drive bring a car to campus if possible, as larger towns like Hornell are quite a ways away. The alarm for Alfred's fire department goes off at least once a day around 6-7 pm and can be heard for everywhere on campus so keep that in mind. Also, the woods near AU are used by hunters during hunting season, so if you enjoy going into woods during this time without wearing bright orange, please don't.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
I have had great professors overall so far (I have not been at AU long enough to make any judgement calls about particular programs however). A majority of the larger classes have extra help sessions if you have trouble understanding the material, but some courses schedule them at very inopportune or inconsistent time (I am fairly confident they will work on this, however). Even though there have been courses where I have struggled I feel like I have learned a great deal and enjoyed them a lot.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
There are several large residence halls on campus. Most of them feature a public bathroom and showers on every floor and a small kitchenette with a sink and microwave (no ovens in these buildings unfortunately). Fortunately the restrooms have enough showers that I have NEVER worried about all of them being taken when I needed to take a shower. These tend to be tidy, but overall cleanliness depends heavily on a particular residence hall and floor (not because some floors are neglected by the staff, but the kind of people who live there are usually the most significant factor). Most dorms are fairly large and come with two beds (that can be bunked if you so desire), a large desk, two chairs (that rock slightly, which may be a pro or con), and a few lights throughout the room.
After freshman year, apartment suites and Â?theme houses are available, which include Hillel (the Jewish religion/cultural house), the Language House (which switches between French and Spanish every year for students who wish to practice speaking another language), and the Unity House (which aims to create a safe space for all students regardless of race, gender, or sexuality)
Describe the food and dining at your college.
There are three dining halls on campus: Ade (which offers all-you-can-eat-buffet style food), Powell (which uses meal swipes), and MidKnight (which opens at 8pm and closes very early in the morning)
The offerings at Ade change every day, but soups, a salad bar, dry cereal, and a sandwich making station (which unfortunately often has a very long line) are always available. The food there tends to be of average quality, but entrees are sometimes prepared very poorly. A multitude of beverages are here as well, from soda, fruit juices, tea, coffee, and an almost unbelievable amount of types of milk (2%, whole, soy, etc.) are available. There is also a dessert bar whose offerings change every day (usually things like cookies, brownies, rice crispy treats, etc.) which are usually fairly good. There is also gelato available every day, but I would strongly recommend against trying it, as it is of terrible quality and is the consistency of a half melted frosty and is absolutely guaranteed to taste nothing like whatever flavor it is supposed to be. Ade is also closed on the weekends.
The offerings at Powell are the same every day. The food is consistently good and features food such as tacos and burritos, salads, wraps, burgers, and fries. There is a variety of food to choose from, whether that be in entrees or sides (which can be anything from fresh fruit, vegetables and dip, fries, or breadsticks).
Fortunately, if you would rather eat at one dining hall than the other it is easy to find a meal plan that fits your needs.
There are a few small restaurants in town which are within walking distance. Most of them have good food and most of them have decent prices. Many of these restaurants (as well as the dining areas on campus as well) are fairly accommodating to any dietary needs/restrictions you may have (whether that be gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, etc.)
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Clubs are one of the easiest ways to socialize and have fun on campus. The campus often hosts events from speakers and occasionally hosts small concerts from musical artists of various genres. AU also holds academic talks on a variety of subjects such as history, technology, and literature. Visiting visual artists hold art shows on campus at least once a month. Clubs sponsor parties for holidays and other events.
Occasionally AU will offer round-trip transportation for events off-campus, such as concerts and movie showings. Alfred State, which is Au's neighboring college also sometimes invites AU students to large events on their campus.
Every term, a brochure is printed that shows events going on on campus for the upcoming months so it is easy to find out what is going on on campus and nearby.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
AU was the least expensive private university that I applied to/was accepted to. I got a fairly good financial aid package. I just finished my first semester and I enjoyed it a lot and learned a great deal so I consider that fairly worth it. It is also very easy to get a job on campus and a majority of them are very flexible with hours.
It iÂ?s extremely easy to find events on campus that offer free food and refreshments.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There is a short break (about two school days and a weekend) in October when many students visit home, but several students stay on campus, especially if they live too far away to warrant a trip.
The center where students go for career help (practicing for interviews, information for graduate schools, etc.) is in an actual castle, which is pretty neat.
The campus is surrounded by forests and the Alfred hiking club will host hikes when weather permits. AU features a large equestrian center, which I haven't had the opportunity to visit yet, but I have heard good things about.
One of the small shops near Alfred is a natural food store, which offers fresh produce, snacks, drinks and many of the types of things you would find at a grocery. Many of its offerings are on the pricey side (which is to be expected at store like this), but it is excellent if you are interested in food like this.
The town of Alfred has a small volunteer fire department, which you can join if you have a particularly strong desire to.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students who love art, whether they plan on majoring/minoring in it or are going into another field and enjoy it as a hobby. It is guaranteed that a visiting artist will host a show at least once a month on campus. Art is displayed in many of the buildings on campus from sculpture, to mixed media, and paintings. I am not an art major or minor and haven't had the opportunity to take any art classes due to my schedule, but I have heard that AU's art department is very good.
AU is on the small side, but the campus itself is fairly diverse. Regardless of your race, religion, gender, sexuality, political affiliation, or any hobbies you may have, you are sure to find a niche that is right for you even if it might take a little bit of looking.
AU is also great for students who are used to small-town living (that is often on the rural side) and would like more of it or students from other areas who would be willing to explore the change of surroundings.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
Clubs are a big deal on campus, as the surrounding town is very small and there usually is noÂ?t a lot to do.
There are clubs based on culture/religious traditions: Hillel (a Jewish club that hosts shabbat dinners weekly and is a great place to get a good meal and interesting discussion, regardless if you are Jewish or not), Christian Fellowship, Umoja (a club that facilitates discussions about racial identity), Poder Latina (A club based around Latin culture), and the Caribbean Student organization.
There are a variety of clubs dedicated to athletics such as wrestling, martial arts, skiing, Quidditch (yes, you read that correctly) and snowboarding. There are currently two clubs dedicated to dance on campus, a dance team and a swing dance club.
Spectrum is an LGBTQIA+ club that promotes awareness and intersectionality. SAGE (Students Advocating Gender Equality) advocates equality for all regardless of gender.
There are clubs based on academics such as Psychology, Engineering (and several subsets of engineering), Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Pre-Vet.
There are clubs for essentially every interest and hobby imaginable including (but not limited to) cosplay, illustration, creative writing, the campus radio station, boffer (fighting with foam swords), music, and Model UN.
Clubs usually meet only once a week and rarely take up a huge amount of time in your schedule, so they are an excellent way to take a break, socialize and to have a little without feeling extremely guilty about the work you need to do.
If you have an interest that there already is not a club for on campus, it is noÂ?t too difficult to make your own if enough people are interested (one person I know is in the process of making a Pokemon club).
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
None
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
I have never felt unsafe on campus (sans a few times when I have had to walk back to my dorm at night. Not due to dealing with any issues, mainly just reasonable caution). There has been perhaps once incident on campus, (which involved a student trying to steal something from a dorm) but that was dealt with swiftly and campus safety was quick to alert students by email about it.
AU is a small college in a small town with not a lot going on so you will need to do a little exploring to find things to do. It is excellent if you are an creative person who enjoys art. It is a great education for the price.
Visit the campus and do an overnight if possible. If you have the chance, take a look around some of the restaurants and shops in the town of Alfred to see if you can handle the small-town living (as it could possibly be substantially different from your hometown). If you can drive bring a car to campus if possible, as larger towns like Hornell are quite a ways away. The alarm for Alfred's fire department goes off at least once a day around 6-7 pm and can be heard for everywhere on campus so keep that in mind. Also, the woods near AU are used by hunters during hunting season, so if you enjoy going into woods during this time without wearing bright orange, please don't.
I have had great professors overall so far (I have not been at AU long enough to make any judgement calls about particular programs however). A majority of the larger classes have extra help sessions if you have trouble understanding the material, but some courses schedule them at very inopportune or inconsistent time (I am fairly confident they will work on this, however). Even though there have been courses where I have struggled I feel like I have learned a great deal and enjoyed them a lot.
There are several large residence halls on campus. Most of them feature a public bathroom and showers on every floor and a small kitchenette with a sink and microwave (no ovens in these buildings unfortunately). Fortunately the restrooms have enough showers that I have NEVER worried about all of them being taken when I needed to take a shower. These tend to be tidy, but overall cleanliness depends heavily on a particular residence hall and floor (not because some floors are neglected by the staff, but the kind of people who live there are usually the most significant factor). Most dorms are fairly large and come with two beds (that can be bunked if you so desire), a large desk, two chairs (that rock slightly, which may be a pro or con), and a few lights throughout the room. After freshman year, apartment suites and Â?theme houses are available, which include Hillel (the Jewish religion/cultural house), the Language House (which switches between French and Spanish every year for students who wish to practice speaking another language), and the Unity House (which aims to create a safe space for all students regardless of race, gender, or sexuality)
There are three dining halls on campus: Ade (which offers all-you-can-eat-buffet style food), Powell (which uses meal swipes), and MidKnight (which opens at 8pm and closes very early in the morning) The offerings at Ade change every day, but soups, a salad bar, dry cereal, and a sandwich making station (which unfortunately often has a very long line) are always available. The food there tends to be of average quality, but entrees are sometimes prepared very poorly. A multitude of beverages are here as well, from soda, fruit juices, tea, coffee, and an almost unbelievable amount of types of milk (2%, whole, soy, etc.) are available. There is also a dessert bar whose offerings change every day (usually things like cookies, brownies, rice crispy treats, etc.) which are usually fairly good. There is also gelato available every day, but I would strongly recommend against trying it, as it is of terrible quality and is the consistency of a half melted frosty and is absolutely guaranteed to taste nothing like whatever flavor it is supposed to be. Ade is also closed on the weekends. The offerings at Powell are the same every day. The food is consistently good and features food such as tacos and burritos, salads, wraps, burgers, and fries. There is a variety of food to choose from, whether that be in entrees or sides (which can be anything from fresh fruit, vegetables and dip, fries, or breadsticks). Fortunately, if you would rather eat at one dining hall than the other it is easy to find a meal plan that fits your needs. There are a few small restaurants in town which are within walking distance. Most of them have good food and most of them have decent prices. Many of these restaurants (as well as the dining areas on campus as well) are fairly accommodating to any dietary needs/restrictions you may have (whether that be gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, etc.)
Clubs are one of the easiest ways to socialize and have fun on campus. The campus often hosts events from speakers and occasionally hosts small concerts from musical artists of various genres. AU also holds academic talks on a variety of subjects such as history, technology, and literature. Visiting visual artists hold art shows on campus at least once a month. Clubs sponsor parties for holidays and other events. Occasionally AU will offer round-trip transportation for events off-campus, such as concerts and movie showings. Alfred State, which is Au's neighboring college also sometimes invites AU students to large events on their campus. Every term, a brochure is printed that shows events going on on campus for the upcoming months so it is easy to find out what is going on on campus and nearby.
AU was the least expensive private university that I applied to/was accepted to. I got a fairly good financial aid package. I just finished my first semester and I enjoyed it a lot and learned a great deal so I consider that fairly worth it. It is also very easy to get a job on campus and a majority of them are very flexible with hours. It iÂ?s extremely easy to find events on campus that offer free food and refreshments.
There is a short break (about two school days and a weekend) in October when many students visit home, but several students stay on campus, especially if they live too far away to warrant a trip. The center where students go for career help (practicing for interviews, information for graduate schools, etc.) is in an actual castle, which is pretty neat. The campus is surrounded by forests and the Alfred hiking club will host hikes when weather permits. AU features a large equestrian center, which I haven't had the opportunity to visit yet, but I have heard good things about. One of the small shops near Alfred is a natural food store, which offers fresh produce, snacks, drinks and many of the types of things you would find at a grocery. Many of its offerings are on the pricey side (which is to be expected at store like this), but it is excellent if you are interested in food like this. The town of Alfred has a small volunteer fire department, which you can join if you have a particularly strong desire to.
Students who love art, whether they plan on majoring/minoring in it or are going into another field and enjoy it as a hobby. It is guaranteed that a visiting artist will host a show at least once a month on campus. Art is displayed in many of the buildings on campus from sculpture, to mixed media, and paintings. I am not an art major or minor and haven't had the opportunity to take any art classes due to my schedule, but I have heard that AU's art department is very good. AU is on the small side, but the campus itself is fairly diverse. Regardless of your race, religion, gender, sexuality, political affiliation, or any hobbies you may have, you are sure to find a niche that is right for you even if it might take a little bit of looking. AU is also great for students who are used to small-town living (that is often on the rural side) and would like more of it or students from other areas who would be willing to explore the change of surroundings.
Clubs are a big deal on campus, as the surrounding town is very small and there usually is noÂ?t a lot to do. There are clubs based on culture/religious traditions: Hillel (a Jewish club that hosts shabbat dinners weekly and is a great place to get a good meal and interesting discussion, regardless if you are Jewish or not), Christian Fellowship, Umoja (a club that facilitates discussions about racial identity), Poder Latina (A club based around Latin culture), and the Caribbean Student organization. There are a variety of clubs dedicated to athletics such as wrestling, martial arts, skiing, Quidditch (yes, you read that correctly) and snowboarding. There are currently two clubs dedicated to dance on campus, a dance team and a swing dance club. Spectrum is an LGBTQIA+ club that promotes awareness and intersectionality. SAGE (Students Advocating Gender Equality) advocates equality for all regardless of gender. There are clubs based on academics such as Psychology, Engineering (and several subsets of engineering), Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Pre-Vet. There are clubs for essentially every interest and hobby imaginable including (but not limited to) cosplay, illustration, creative writing, the campus radio station, boffer (fighting with foam swords), music, and Model UN. Clubs usually meet only once a week and rarely take up a huge amount of time in your schedule, so they are an excellent way to take a break, socialize and to have a little without feeling extremely guilty about the work you need to do. If you have an interest that there already is not a club for on campus, it is noÂ?t too difficult to make your own if enough people are interested (one person I know is in the process of making a Pokemon club).
None
I have never felt unsafe on campus (sans a few times when I have had to walk back to my dorm at night. Not due to dealing with any issues, mainly just reasonable caution). There has been perhaps once incident on campus, (which involved a student trying to steal something from a dorm) but that was dealt with swiftly and campus safety was quick to alert students by email about it.