Central Arizona College is a wonderful place to go for students starting a college career right out of high school, or adults returning to school to get their degrees. Everyone on campus, from students to teachers, is very open and friendly, and more then willing to show new students around. The main campus itself is rather large, but being nestled at the base of a mountain, displays beautiful scenery and provides an excellent place to star gaze at night for any astronomy students.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
A few tips for prospective students would be to take full advantage of any tours offered around campus. Its easy to get lost if you don't know where you're headed, so taking a tour could save you a lot of time getting to class. Another good tip is to apply for on campus housing if you're able to; the dorms there are great because they allow you to be living right there on campus so you don't have to worry about driving to school every day in order to attend classes. My final tip would be to talk with the advisers there to find out if the degree you want to go in for is offered there at the school. Finding out later that the degree you want isn't offered there is never a good thing.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
The classes offered at CAC will definitely put you to the test, but they aren't as scary as one might come to believe. Your professors will push you to do your best, but unlike in high school, they won't take any late assignments or accept any make up work if you're failing the class because of your own mistakes. All of the classes offer their own challenges, but if you just do the work correctly and study for tests, then I can assure you that you'll be fine.
Every class has a different challenge to it, for example, if you're taking a biology class, its much more then just learning about evolution and what we're made up of. The challenge to the class is doing all of the labs correctly, and doing well on the tests, as well as learning about the building blocks of life, and how to apply what you learned in the class to other aspects of your life.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
The dorms at CAC are really great. The main campus offers three different types of student housing; towers, quads, and suites. All of the dorms have internet access, though only in the tower dorms will you not be able to access the school's wifi.
The quads ans suites are similar in the fact that they are composed of four rooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. Two people share each room, and four people share the bathroom. The only difference between the suites and quads is that the quads are one story, the suites are two story.
The towers are a three story building with the top two floors made up of the dorm rooms, very similar to how apartment spaces are laid out. Two side by side rooms are connected by a shared bathroom, and again its two people to each room. For the towers, an Ethernet cable is required.
Living in the dorms gives students another benefit, a nineteen-meal-per-week plan that gives you access to, well, nineteen meals a week in the school's cafeteria.
Students also have access to washers and dryers in several laundry rooms located around the dorm areas, however, they don't come free, you'll need a prepaid laundry card in order to use them. You can get this card easily though, and reload it whenever the need arises.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
There are several different places to eat around campus, weather you're looking for a quick snack, or a meal between classes. The easiest places to get two are the main cafeteria, which offers access to a full all-you-can-eat bar ranging anywhere from $5 to $12 dollars a person depending on what meal is being served.
Right next to the cafeteria is the Top of the Stairs snack-bar. Its not just for snacking however, they have a full grill in the back where you can purchase burgers, pizza, or even chicken strips or veggie burgers. There is also a salad bar, and every morning they have an assortment of pastries for sale. In the mood for just a snack? Try the brownies, they're definitely worth the dollar you'll spend on them.
Located on the opposite end of campus is another snack-bar, though this one is just for that purpose, snacks. Here you can purchase chips, soda, water, pastries, and a few other snack foods to help keep your stomach from rumbling during classes.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Different kinds of fun activities take place throughout the year on campus. Several times a month, an open mic contest is held in the Vicaro Lounge, a place for students to get together and hang out. A few times a semester, concerts have been preformed in the grassy area between buildings, affectionately nicknamed the green.
Various other fun events are held around campus, like sports competitions. Basketball and dodge ball competitions have been held on camps before for teams of students that signed up to participate.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Going to a community college is more cost efficient then attending a university right away, and the same can be said for CAC. They offer a wide variety of options to help you pay for school, and their classes won't pull as much out of your wallet as a university might. The dorms are offered at a surprisingly low cost as well, so if you're thinking about on campus housing then they're definitely something you want to think about looking into.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
If you're worried about campus safety, then this is definitely a school you want to think about going to. CAC is equipped with a 24/7 fully trained police force, not just the rent-a-cops you might see on other campuses. All of the officers there are fully trained and are able to handle almost any situation that needs their assistance. They're all also former police officers from other city's police forces, so you can rest assured knowing that they are the best protection you can get for any college campus.
Central Arizona College is a wonderful place to go for students starting a college career right out of high school, or adults returning to school to get their degrees. Everyone on campus, from students to teachers, is very open and friendly, and more then willing to show new students around. The main campus itself is rather large, but being nestled at the base of a mountain, displays beautiful scenery and provides an excellent place to star gaze at night for any astronomy students.
A few tips for prospective students would be to take full advantage of any tours offered around campus. Its easy to get lost if you don't know where you're headed, so taking a tour could save you a lot of time getting to class. Another good tip is to apply for on campus housing if you're able to; the dorms there are great because they allow you to be living right there on campus so you don't have to worry about driving to school every day in order to attend classes. My final tip would be to talk with the advisers there to find out if the degree you want to go in for is offered there at the school. Finding out later that the degree you want isn't offered there is never a good thing.
The classes offered at CAC will definitely put you to the test, but they aren't as scary as one might come to believe. Your professors will push you to do your best, but unlike in high school, they won't take any late assignments or accept any make up work if you're failing the class because of your own mistakes. All of the classes offer their own challenges, but if you just do the work correctly and study for tests, then I can assure you that you'll be fine. Every class has a different challenge to it, for example, if you're taking a biology class, its much more then just learning about evolution and what we're made up of. The challenge to the class is doing all of the labs correctly, and doing well on the tests, as well as learning about the building blocks of life, and how to apply what you learned in the class to other aspects of your life.
The dorms at CAC are really great. The main campus offers three different types of student housing; towers, quads, and suites. All of the dorms have internet access, though only in the tower dorms will you not be able to access the school's wifi. The quads ans suites are similar in the fact that they are composed of four rooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. Two people share each room, and four people share the bathroom. The only difference between the suites and quads is that the quads are one story, the suites are two story. The towers are a three story building with the top two floors made up of the dorm rooms, very similar to how apartment spaces are laid out. Two side by side rooms are connected by a shared bathroom, and again its two people to each room. For the towers, an Ethernet cable is required. Living in the dorms gives students another benefit, a nineteen-meal-per-week plan that gives you access to, well, nineteen meals a week in the school's cafeteria. Students also have access to washers and dryers in several laundry rooms located around the dorm areas, however, they don't come free, you'll need a prepaid laundry card in order to use them. You can get this card easily though, and reload it whenever the need arises.
There are several different places to eat around campus, weather you're looking for a quick snack, or a meal between classes. The easiest places to get two are the main cafeteria, which offers access to a full all-you-can-eat bar ranging anywhere from $5 to $12 dollars a person depending on what meal is being served. Right next to the cafeteria is the Top of the Stairs snack-bar. Its not just for snacking however, they have a full grill in the back where you can purchase burgers, pizza, or even chicken strips or veggie burgers. There is also a salad bar, and every morning they have an assortment of pastries for sale. In the mood for just a snack? Try the brownies, they're definitely worth the dollar you'll spend on them. Located on the opposite end of campus is another snack-bar, though this one is just for that purpose, snacks. Here you can purchase chips, soda, water, pastries, and a few other snack foods to help keep your stomach from rumbling during classes.
Different kinds of fun activities take place throughout the year on campus. Several times a month, an open mic contest is held in the Vicaro Lounge, a place for students to get together and hang out. A few times a semester, concerts have been preformed in the grassy area between buildings, affectionately nicknamed the green. Various other fun events are held around campus, like sports competitions. Basketball and dodge ball competitions have been held on camps before for teams of students that signed up to participate.
Going to a community college is more cost efficient then attending a university right away, and the same can be said for CAC. They offer a wide variety of options to help you pay for school, and their classes won't pull as much out of your wallet as a university might. The dorms are offered at a surprisingly low cost as well, so if you're thinking about on campus housing then they're definitely something you want to think about looking into.
If you're worried about campus safety, then this is definitely a school you want to think about going to. CAC is equipped with a 24/7 fully trained police force, not just the rent-a-cops you might see on other campuses. All of the officers there are fully trained and are able to handle almost any situation that needs their assistance. They're all also former police officers from other city's police forces, so you can rest assured knowing that they are the best protection you can get for any college campus.