Having already completed my Associates Degree at a local Community College, I'm attending Queens College for my BA and eventually my MLS. The commute into Queens from Long Island is 100% worth it for the attentive and helpful professors that are always willing to go the next step for their students in the classes they teach. I'm looking forward to returning there this Fall and having the opportunity to expand on my knowledge of literature and to better my writing skills.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Take advantage of the writing centers and tutoring centers that Queens offers. Don't be afraid to meet with your Professor during their office hours if you're having any difficulty with the curriculum; they are always more than happy to sit down with you and give any guidance they can. My biggest tip is not to be afraid to ask questions. I didn't know about the numerous computer labs that are open daily or the extensive collection of books (including text books) that the library offers until I stopped to ask someone where I could use a computer.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Not every Professor is going to give you the same workload, so it's hard to give just one rating. Overall I would say that the classes are more on the higher end of assignment difficulty. As an English major, the classes I have been taking are very dependent on writing assignments (whether they are 4 page essays or a short response due the next class) and a lot of reading (whether they are novels or short articles). You really have to plan ahead and not leave everything until last minute or you're going to get overloaded with work and you will see your grade suffer because you aren't giving the assignments your best.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
I can't rate dorm life from my own opinion because I don't dorm, I commute. However, I've never heard anything negative and it seems like there are a lot of people that continue to dorm each year.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
I tend to bring my own food because I don't want to spend the money and I don't think the choices they offer are very appealing. My friend has gotten salad a few times and it looks okay. The pizza she had was disgusting, even though I see a lot of people buying it. My favorite thing to get is the assorted fresh fruit cups. There are other restaurants that I have yet to venture in to, so I can't say much more about the dining hall food. As it is with most campuses there are vending machines in almost every building. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a bag of chips or a candy bar, and I can count on Queens to have the machines stocked every day. There are a lot of seating areas both inside and outside of the dining hall and all around campus.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
Either in between classes or if I have an hour break I enjoy sitting under a tree in the quad or off to the side on a bench in front of Powdermaker Hall. It's not fun per se, but it's rare for me to have a break, so I don't mind relaxing and reading a book or catching up on school work before going to my next class.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Tuition seems to go up a little each year; however, because Queens is a CUNY school, the rates aren't as horrific as they could be for the high level of education that is supplied by the Professors. I think the prices for some of the textbooks in the Book Store are ridiculous, but there are websites to go to for used textbooks, and like I said before the library offers a lot of the books that are required for class.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
At least twice a day (of a 5-hour day) I see either a Public Safety vehicle or an officer or two patrolling around campus. As of last semester they are enforcing no smoking anywhere on campus which I am very appreciative of. I can't stand being stuck behind someone when I'm walking to class and having their cigarette smoke trailing behind into my face or walking into a cloud of smoke before I enter a building because people are standing outside smoking.
Having already completed my Associates Degree at a local Community College, I'm attending Queens College for my BA and eventually my MLS. The commute into Queens from Long Island is 100% worth it for the attentive and helpful professors that are always willing to go the next step for their students in the classes they teach. I'm looking forward to returning there this Fall and having the opportunity to expand on my knowledge of literature and to better my writing skills.
Take advantage of the writing centers and tutoring centers that Queens offers. Don't be afraid to meet with your Professor during their office hours if you're having any difficulty with the curriculum; they are always more than happy to sit down with you and give any guidance they can. My biggest tip is not to be afraid to ask questions. I didn't know about the numerous computer labs that are open daily or the extensive collection of books (including text books) that the library offers until I stopped to ask someone where I could use a computer.
Not every Professor is going to give you the same workload, so it's hard to give just one rating. Overall I would say that the classes are more on the higher end of assignment difficulty. As an English major, the classes I have been taking are very dependent on writing assignments (whether they are 4 page essays or a short response due the next class) and a lot of reading (whether they are novels or short articles). You really have to plan ahead and not leave everything until last minute or you're going to get overloaded with work and you will see your grade suffer because you aren't giving the assignments your best.
I can't rate dorm life from my own opinion because I don't dorm, I commute. However, I've never heard anything negative and it seems like there are a lot of people that continue to dorm each year.
I tend to bring my own food because I don't want to spend the money and I don't think the choices they offer are very appealing. My friend has gotten salad a few times and it looks okay. The pizza she had was disgusting, even though I see a lot of people buying it. My favorite thing to get is the assorted fresh fruit cups. There are other restaurants that I have yet to venture in to, so I can't say much more about the dining hall food. As it is with most campuses there are vending machines in almost every building. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a bag of chips or a candy bar, and I can count on Queens to have the machines stocked every day. There are a lot of seating areas both inside and outside of the dining hall and all around campus.
Either in between classes or if I have an hour break I enjoy sitting under a tree in the quad or off to the side on a bench in front of Powdermaker Hall. It's not fun per se, but it's rare for me to have a break, so I don't mind relaxing and reading a book or catching up on school work before going to my next class.
Tuition seems to go up a little each year; however, because Queens is a CUNY school, the rates aren't as horrific as they could be for the high level of education that is supplied by the Professors. I think the prices for some of the textbooks in the Book Store are ridiculous, but there are websites to go to for used textbooks, and like I said before the library offers a lot of the books that are required for class.
At least twice a day (of a 5-hour day) I see either a Public Safety vehicle or an officer or two patrolling around campus. As of last semester they are enforcing no smoking anywhere on campus which I am very appreciative of. I can't stand being stuck behind someone when I'm walking to class and having their cigarette smoke trailing behind into my face or walking into a cloud of smoke before I enter a building because people are standing outside smoking.