<p>Arizona State??? What do you guys think?</p>
<p>I got my doctorate from ASU back in the 80s. The program had only 8 students, so I couldn't tell you what undergrad would be like. I've heard the honors college is great, but you have to work really hard to stay in it.</p>
<p>What I can say is that I loved living in Tempe for 3 years. The area was much less populous then, but I've been back to Tempe recently and I still think it's a really nice town. The campus is beautiful, imo. I loved the palm trees and desert vegetation. The warm winters were glorious. Cost of living was much lower than NE and there was good, cheap, Mexican food everywhere (I always think about food). A lot of bars around the campus would have happy hours with free food so many of us survived that way.</p>
<p>My sons were accepted with a great amount of merit aid.They also continued to provide information and support a long time after we let them know kids were not going there.Yes, it is an affordable college if you want the big, enormous college experience. I came on c.c. and asked about it, too. Some who had been there said because the college is in the desert much more time is spent indoors and there are no windows in some buildings. There is an honors college and transportation via bike is big on campus. I met a couple families whose kids had traveled a great distances to go to Arizona State and loved it there.One NYC mom told me she never in her wildest dreams thought her daughter would want a bicycle but her daug. did and really liked the school. I also met people who encourage me to consider University of Arizona as the standards are higher.Also, there is a local boy who went to Arizona state and majored in computer technology, came home to work after college and got a very good job here.My kids could have handled a college like ASU . I think anyone seriously considering should take a trip there to visit.I think there is opportunity there but ALSO, the kids have to be mature about drinking and partying as this does go on at these large colleges .</p>
<p>The kids we have known who chose to attend ASU did not do so for its fine academics (none were good students). They all seemed to enjoy the party atmosphere!</p>
<p>That said, we have heard that there are decent to good departments there. So much depends on the drive and determination of the student.</p>
<p>It is on my son's list partly due to merit money and partly due to being ranked in the Top 40 by USNEWS for engineering.</p>
<p>Not sure either is a great reason but if the money comes through we are going to visit and see what happens.</p>
<p>My daughter is applying to the Barrett Honors College at ASU, and here's some more about it if you're interested:</p>
<p>Lots of So Cal kids go to ASU and UofA because they know they can not get into UC's, at least this is true at our large public high school in OC. Seems that it attracts kids that want to go to a big Pac 10 school, close enough to home, but yet out of reach of the parents and primarily for the kids who did not really apply themselves too hard in high school. I am sure that both Arizona schools have a lot to offer, but here they have a "reputation" for being the school of choice for the middle of the road kids. Sorry if that sounds negative.</p>
<p>Thanks for you opinion. I'm considering ASU, bc I really want to go to a big sports school and a school with an active social life. Also a school with a stron business major. </p>
<p>This is how I view the UC's.</p>
<p>UCB - I would never want to go there. Way too political and way too liberal. Also too competitive for my taste. Also I could never get in.</p>
<p>UCLA - I really like it, but I don't have a decent shot.</p>
<p>UCSD - Pretty nice, but it's division 2, has no business major, and is a very boring campus.</p>
<p>UCD/UCI - Don't have a business major and their communication major is theory based.</p>
<p>UCSB - I love this school and plan to appy. I like their communications departement. It seems very practical.</p>
<p>UCSC - A division 3 school, with a way too liberal and hippie atmosphere.</p>
<p>UCR/UCM - I would never go to these 2.</p>
<p>ASU sounds like a great school, however, I'm worried the school will not feel like a college.....does it have a huge commuter atmosphere, or is it better than it seems?</p>
<p>SoCal- Have you considered the gorgeous University of Oregon? It's big on sports, business programs , and has a lively social scene with tons of on-campus housing. The Clark Honors College is highly regarded. But it definitley does not have the fun in the sun factor like ASU or UA.</p>
<p>I have considered Oregon.</p>
<p>However, Oregon seems like UCSC. A hippie type school with a granola atmosphere.</p>
<p>Is this true?</p>
<p>Also I think UA's campus is extremely ugly.....and that is why I prefer ASU.</p>
<p>Concerning the commuter question: everyone that I know at ASU loves it and has lots of fun in Tempe and around campus. The main reason that ASU is technically a "commuter" school is when you have around 50,000 students, they don't all live on campus, plus it does have some non-traditional students.</p>
<p>There is a very lively social scene, especially if you're into partying; but with its size, I'm sure you can find something to do no matter what your interests.</p>
<p>U of Washington is a gorgeous campus, in the city, but with a real campus feel (brick buildings, ivy......views of the lake., mountains) Seattle is a great city with lots to do, tho drizzly. When the weather is nice, there is no prettier place. Not "granola" at all. I am a so cal girl who went to UCSB for undergrad..........loved it.............then went to UW for grad school and loved it too! Check it out.</p>
<p>blucroo - UCSB is my favorite school, well that and UMiami, but I will check out Udub. I just never considered it, bc I thought it would be too hard to get into out-of-state.</p>
<p>How would you compare it to UCSB?</p>