<p>I’m not gonna be able to visit far away colleges and I feel like research has only gotten me so far. Can any ASU students tell me about
- the general atmosphere (academic + social life, and whether the pendulum sways more toward one or the other)
- surrounding life + whether the school feels really isolated or integrated
- research opportunities–are they hard to get or can anyone start researching right away if they seek out opportunities?
- what are the students like? Is the college diverse or is there a “typical” student?
- history, anthropology, other social science majors–generally, are they amazing, good, okay, or subpar?
- the quality of the premed program or advising/whether it has much success or not</p>
<p>This fall I will be a sophomore honors engineering student at ASU, so I’ll try to answer as best as I can.
- I would say the general atmosphere of the school leans more toward social than academic. It’s no secret that ASU is considered to be a party school, and last year I was advised to expect many of the people I met to drop out. That being said, as an honors student I was surrounded by people who cared more about school. Barrett is more focused on academics.
- ASU’s main campus is located in Tempe and is integrated into the Phoenix metro area. There are plenty of things to do and lots of recreation options if you’re willing to drive a little.
- Not sure about the other schools/departments, but I do know engineering freshmen who have started research. I personally believe that if you are a motivated and at least a somewhat talented student, you should be able to find some kind of opportunity. This is where ASU’s large size comes handy.
- There is a stereotype for ASU students, but in practice the students are very diverse. I wouldn’t say that there is a typical student, since there are so many of us. I think everyone could find somewhere to fit in.</p>
<p>That’s about all I can answer. Let me know if I can help you in any other way :)</p>
<p>@jen123. Are you applying to Barrett Honors College at ASU, or to ASU in general?</p>
<p>@Beaudreau I’m thinking about applying to the honors college. But is it possible for me to get rejected from the honors college but still get admitted to ASU as a regular student?</p>
<p>@jen123 You must be accepted to ASU before you get access to the Barrett application.</p>
<p>If you decide to apply to Barrett, you want to make sure you get the Barrett application in by the first Barrett priority date. Acceptances to Barrett get more difficult after that. So, apply as early as possible to ASU so that you can get the acceptance and access to the Barrett application as soon as possible.</p>
<p>@jen123. I am a parent, so take this for what it’s worth. I have one son heading for college this fall, one next fall,a and one in fall 2016. I am going to cut and paste from a post I made in another thread a few weeks ago:</p>
<p>I have visited Barrett twice with my three sons and it is a very impressive place (and we have visited 15 colleges, including Stanford, Caltech, Pomona, and Michigan). The dedicated facilities are incredible (dorms, cafeteria, gym, etc.). A Barrett graduate can go just about anywhere for graduate school and Barrett’s job placement rate is outstanding. The 1300 average SAT score is up there with all but the very best liberal art schools. Barrett’s 4-year graduation rate is 73%, right up there with some of the best private schools, and over twice the rate for ASU.</p>
<p>My senior son is graduating tonight from Basis Scottsdale, the number two ranked high school in the U.S. He ultimately picked Texas A&M over six other colleges, but still was very impressed with Barrett. From his graduating class, four are going to Stanford, three to Brown, one to Harvard, and one to Duke. But there are probably 20 classmates going to Barrett next year and some only applied to Barrett, including the valedictorian. I know several Basis Scottsdale graduates who are completing their first and second years at Barrett and absolutely love it there.</p>
<p>Ultimately, it’s about what you can afford and where you feel at home.</p>