The University of Arizona is great university that offers opportunities for undergraduate research. This is particularly unique, because it allows for the students to actively engage in research early in their careers. Overall, the University of Arizona is a rigorous university, especially for any STEM majors, but it all will be worth it in the end.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you are planning on applying to the University of Arizona and you are from out-of-state, I suggest that you prepare yourself as much as possible for the heat, because it is HOT here, and you're going to need plenty of lighter clothes. And also prepare for monsoon weather, the rain can be very intense here.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
It all depends on how much you are willing to devote your time into each of your classes. No one said it's going to be easy to go through college, so work hard in your classes regardless if they seem have more or less rigor.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
Honestly, it depends on where you live. If you are coming in as a freshman, I highly suggest living in the dorms because it allows for you to make friends easily and creates a good bonding relationship with your fellow peers. It also depends on where you are willing to live. Choosing a dorm that is closer to the Union would be preferable, especially if you have many classes that are close to that area (especially for science majors, who most likely would have at least one class in the Koffler building). The party dorm is Coronado, but Arbol de la Vida is right next door and is a VERY nice dorm, since it is the newest on campus. It is also the honors dorm. If you're not in the honors college, you can still live in Arbol, as long as your roommate is in the honors college.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The food is kind of a hassle. It can be annoying to go to the Union constantly just to get your food and fulfill your meals of the day. The food options are not the healthiest either, there is Cactus Grill upstairs, which has some good options if you need vegetables or protein other than a Chick-fil-A sandwich or a burger from Burger King. However, the prices at Cactus Grill can be expensive (except the burgers). The meal plan tries can be somewhat enticing at first, but the whole 10 percent off your meal can be somewhat of a ploy since the average price for food can be $6-10, which can add up overtime and it's not all you can eat unless you go to Pangea for $10.99. There are a lot of options, but I regret having a larger meal plan since I barely use it due to the fact that most of the food is not as healthy and too far away from the dorm. That being said, there are A LOT of off-campus food places that are super cheap and affordable for college students. Just explore the options and do your research on Yelp before going because I know sometimes the pictures can be deceiving.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
There are a lot of activities that freshman can do during the first week of the semester. There are great cookouts and free food with free t-shirts handed out on the UA mall that have great ways to meet new people. There's a recreational center, the pool is very nice and can be a great place to sunbathe on the water with floating foam pads. Clubs are also a great way to have something fun to do over the weekends, especially intramural club sports. I know for a fact that it can also be fun to just take SafeRide (the free transportation service on campus) to Walmart or shopping outlet (within in 10 miles of the University) to buy food and hang out! A good place to just chill would be the Scented Leaf, which is a great tea house that sells all sorts of teas that offer free second refills. (Just be warned, the tea can be VERY addicting!!)
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
If you use the resources that are available on campus like ThinkTank and resources that help with individual financial struggles and fully utilize the on-campus services like SafeRide, your college experience will definitely be worth the money that you invested into each of your classes. It also is completely dependent on the amount of effort that you put into making your college experience the best that it can possibly be that truly improves the fulfillment of you bucks.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There are some unusual locations on campus if you're looking for them, I know there is a huge rock near Old Main that is called the music rock because it has holes hollowed into it that make different pitches of sound if you bang on the outside of the hole. There are many practice piano rooms available in the basement of the music building, many of them are just open for the public. And supposedly on campus, there is a unicorn statue, just haven't gotten the chance to see it in person. If you need a nice place to study or relax outside (when it's not melting weather), a great place would be the turtle pond, which is near the park.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
If you are a science major, it would be best to get into research early. Find a lab that interests you and go directly in and begin your work, because the sooner you start, the more experience and insight you'll have in the future, which will help you improve upon your skills if you're planning on going into research or any health professions. Also, manage your time and do NOT procrastinate! Just because you have a 2 or 3 hour gap or more, does not mean you should take a nap! Rest is important, but make sure to review over concepts each week in order to reinforce the concepts, so that when it comes time for the Final exam, you're ready!
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
It depends on which clubs you plan on joining. There are A LOT of clubs that are involved on this campus. Find one that interests you, or are unique to your personality, even your ethnicity. Because, I know there are a lot clubs that are specifically for ethnic American groups that always have great opportunities for whatever major or profession you are pursuing, and they always have authentic free food that is great bonus! I would try as many clubs that you are interested in as possible in order to keep your options open, see what each one is about, take the free pizza, and decide whether or not you're interested in them or not!
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
I know the greek life is supposedly not as good as other campuses, but it seems like there are a lot of hazing and incidents that do not end in a positive way. The U of A is said to have the worse greek life in the collegiate society and may result in losing their funding for the sororities and fraternities. So if you're planning on joining the U of A just to come for the parties, I suggest a different place for the greek life, because it is said to be not the best.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Overall, the campus can be kind of sketchy to walk around at night. It has been getting better, the blue light system and SafeRide helps a lot, so use those resources. A lot of the roads and sidewalks leading to dorms can be very dark, so bring a flashlight or ask someone to escort you. The key is to always travel smartly and to make sure that you avoid situations that may increase the risk of being attacked or assaulted. This means, avoid dark alleyways, don't walk alone, be alert, don't text while walking, pay attention to your surroundings, and with these tips, it will be easier to avoid these types of situations.
The University of Arizona is great university that offers opportunities for undergraduate research. This is particularly unique, because it allows for the students to actively engage in research early in their careers. Overall, the University of Arizona is a rigorous university, especially for any STEM majors, but it all will be worth it in the end.
If you are planning on applying to the University of Arizona and you are from out-of-state, I suggest that you prepare yourself as much as possible for the heat, because it is HOT here, and you're going to need plenty of lighter clothes. And also prepare for monsoon weather, the rain can be very intense here.
It all depends on how much you are willing to devote your time into each of your classes. No one said it's going to be easy to go through college, so work hard in your classes regardless if they seem have more or less rigor.
Honestly, it depends on where you live. If you are coming in as a freshman, I highly suggest living in the dorms because it allows for you to make friends easily and creates a good bonding relationship with your fellow peers. It also depends on where you are willing to live. Choosing a dorm that is closer to the Union would be preferable, especially if you have many classes that are close to that area (especially for science majors, who most likely would have at least one class in the Koffler building). The party dorm is Coronado, but Arbol de la Vida is right next door and is a VERY nice dorm, since it is the newest on campus. It is also the honors dorm. If you're not in the honors college, you can still live in Arbol, as long as your roommate is in the honors college.
The food is kind of a hassle. It can be annoying to go to the Union constantly just to get your food and fulfill your meals of the day. The food options are not the healthiest either, there is Cactus Grill upstairs, which has some good options if you need vegetables or protein other than a Chick-fil-A sandwich or a burger from Burger King. However, the prices at Cactus Grill can be expensive (except the burgers). The meal plan tries can be somewhat enticing at first, but the whole 10 percent off your meal can be somewhat of a ploy since the average price for food can be $6-10, which can add up overtime and it's not all you can eat unless you go to Pangea for $10.99. There are a lot of options, but I regret having a larger meal plan since I barely use it due to the fact that most of the food is not as healthy and too far away from the dorm. That being said, there are A LOT of off-campus food places that are super cheap and affordable for college students. Just explore the options and do your research on Yelp before going because I know sometimes the pictures can be deceiving.
There are a lot of activities that freshman can do during the first week of the semester. There are great cookouts and free food with free t-shirts handed out on the UA mall that have great ways to meet new people. There's a recreational center, the pool is very nice and can be a great place to sunbathe on the water with floating foam pads. Clubs are also a great way to have something fun to do over the weekends, especially intramural club sports. I know for a fact that it can also be fun to just take SafeRide (the free transportation service on campus) to Walmart or shopping outlet (within in 10 miles of the University) to buy food and hang out! A good place to just chill would be the Scented Leaf, which is a great tea house that sells all sorts of teas that offer free second refills. (Just be warned, the tea can be VERY addicting!!)
If you use the resources that are available on campus like ThinkTank and resources that help with individual financial struggles and fully utilize the on-campus services like SafeRide, your college experience will definitely be worth the money that you invested into each of your classes. It also is completely dependent on the amount of effort that you put into making your college experience the best that it can possibly be that truly improves the fulfillment of you bucks.
There are some unusual locations on campus if you're looking for them, I know there is a huge rock near Old Main that is called the music rock because it has holes hollowed into it that make different pitches of sound if you bang on the outside of the hole. There are many practice piano rooms available in the basement of the music building, many of them are just open for the public. And supposedly on campus, there is a unicorn statue, just haven't gotten the chance to see it in person. If you need a nice place to study or relax outside (when it's not melting weather), a great place would be the turtle pond, which is near the park.
If you are a science major, it would be best to get into research early. Find a lab that interests you and go directly in and begin your work, because the sooner you start, the more experience and insight you'll have in the future, which will help you improve upon your skills if you're planning on going into research or any health professions. Also, manage your time and do NOT procrastinate! Just because you have a 2 or 3 hour gap or more, does not mean you should take a nap! Rest is important, but make sure to review over concepts each week in order to reinforce the concepts, so that when it comes time for the Final exam, you're ready!
It depends on which clubs you plan on joining. There are A LOT of clubs that are involved on this campus. Find one that interests you, or are unique to your personality, even your ethnicity. Because, I know there are a lot clubs that are specifically for ethnic American groups that always have great opportunities for whatever major or profession you are pursuing, and they always have authentic free food that is great bonus! I would try as many clubs that you are interested in as possible in order to keep your options open, see what each one is about, take the free pizza, and decide whether or not you're interested in them or not!
I know the greek life is supposedly not as good as other campuses, but it seems like there are a lot of hazing and incidents that do not end in a positive way. The U of A is said to have the worse greek life in the collegiate society and may result in losing their funding for the sororities and fraternities. So if you're planning on joining the U of A just to come for the parties, I suggest a different place for the greek life, because it is said to be not the best.
Overall, the campus can be kind of sketchy to walk around at night. It has been getting better, the blue light system and SafeRide helps a lot, so use those resources. A lot of the roads and sidewalks leading to dorms can be very dark, so bring a flashlight or ask someone to escort you. The key is to always travel smartly and to make sure that you avoid situations that may increase the risk of being attacked or assaulted. This means, avoid dark alleyways, don't walk alone, be alert, don't text while walking, pay attention to your surroundings, and with these tips, it will be easier to avoid these types of situations.