Hi - my son is a senior and plans to major in ME and also apply to the Barrett Honors Program. What are the differences in the two campus approaches? It appears that Polytechnic is more hands-on and you can focus in a bit more in certain areas (e.g. automotive systems) if you wish to do so. Can you live on the Tempe campus and go to classes at Polytechnic? Or do Polytechnic students live there and commute to the Tempe campus if they want main campus activities/events? Is Polytechnic’s campus life good or are is a student really missing out if they’re not on the Tempe campus? It looks like there are Barrett dorms at both but not sure if being a Barrett student is better on the Tempe or Polytechnic campus. Thanks!
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@kiddaniels - parent of two Barrett kids, both at Tempe campus. During a visit last year, we drove to each campus in the greater Phoenix area. Poly campus definitely has a different feel. It is a former airbase that ASU has converted to a campus that it shares with other entities including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It was honestly kind of a let down compared to the main Tempe campus and even West campus.
You can definitely live at Tempe and take classes at Poly. ASU has a shuttle bus that goes to each of the campuses several times per day.
I do not know this for a fact, but I think the bigger labs are all at the Tempe campus. If your son is Mech E, most of his course work will be at the Tempe campus. The Engineering majors at Poly are Aero, Applied Science, General Engineering and a few others. The Barrett dorms at Tempe are roughly the same size as all of the Poly campus.
Feel free to message me if you have more questions. This is my 7th year with a kid in Barrett.