Arizona State University - Tempe

Date: Oct 20 2006
Major: English (This Major's Salary over time)
I came here out-of-state for the amazing national merit scholarship, like several hundred other students. Financially, this has been a major plus. The school though, is a disappointment. It is extremely rare to have a sustained intellectual conversation with anyone; even the honors students here are mediocre. After freshmen year, the majority of people at ASU move off campus and become commuter students—it feels like a giant community college. In terms of clubs and/or activities, there are only two choices: drinking and religion (or both). Most of the campus is fairly ugly—most of the buildings, including the brand new ones are prime examples of "brutalist" architecture. You won't find a large grassy quad with students playing frisbee here. Tempe and the Phoenix area can have their charms and have some interesting spots to check out, but anybody that's ever seen a real college town (such as Boulder) won't be fooled. If you're thinking about coming here because of a scholarship, ask yourself what's more important—the money or having a decent college experience.