Arcadia University

Date: Apr 08 2011
Major: Design Arts - Industrial Design/Graphic Design/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
I'm a Graphic Design major, Business minor here at AU. I'm finishing up my sophomore year right now. I LOVE Arcadia for many reasons, but I also know it has faults.

First off, I wanted to go to art school, but I got ZERO money from all the ones I got into. AU was not my first choice, but ended up giving me a VERY generous scholarship, as well as a place in Honors and the chance to study abroad my first year in Scotland with FYSAE. I visited the campus, and was sold. Small classes, beautiful area, Philly, AND no Greek life? I'm in.

Personally, I've found all of my faculty members to be very helpful, open, and friendly. They are all willing to help. I can't say anything about the Science/Math related departments, but Art, English, and Business all have great professors. I'm on a first-name basis with probably more than 90% of my current and past professors. And for the most part, they tend to be very good with answering emails, as well as being physically available in their offices. They're all very accommodating.

I've noticed that students complain about their advisers a lot. First, you have the options to REQUEST A CHANGE in adviser if you really see yours as incompetent. Second of all, we're in college now. How about you try to do things on your own? My adviser is head of Graphic Design department, and he's very organized and answers all my questions right away. But really? I'm a go-getter, and like to plan my future myself with minimal help, so I plan my schedule and finances on my own. If I need extra assistance, my adviser is there, but he's not a crutch. That's not what they're meant for.

Really, I see Arcadia as the ideal place for independently-minded young adults. The study abroad program promotes this, as does the availability of the city. I'm not a party girl, so I don't utilize this, but many of my friends frequent Temple, Drexel, and U Penn on weekends, or go to various clubs, to party to their hearts' content. College "partying" as most people envision it is not a frequent thing at AU. There are small gatherings of 8 or more people drinking together, or off-campus housing Towers for larger things. But really, the best part about AU is you can GO to that lifestyle, but you don't LIVE in it.

Related to that, socially, I LOVE AU! I joined several clubs (only stuck with two), do work study, and made fast friends with the hall above me. AU also has a knack for making LARGE "families". I am part of the Honors Program, Residents Life as a Resident Assistant, and a First Year Study Abroad graduate. All of these things gave my MASS amounts of friends and contacts (esp. FYSAE), and many events and programs to do all the time. All you have to do is get involved at AU (a little or a lot), and you'll find yourself very busy.

The dining hall food was iffy the first semester of my freshman year, but when I went to Scotland my second semester, apparently they changed a lot! Starting my first semester back at AU from Europe, the dining hall has been updated and the food is really good now!

I said I would pick another university only because I really DID want to go to art school. The professors here in the art department are all very good, talented in their own right, and very willing to help. The only drawback of going to a liberal arts school instead of an art school is that you're not challenged by your own peers, only the professors. If the professors see talent, they'll push you hard, but there's not much competition among your classmates (which is unfortunate, and I believe healthy and properly fuels creativity and improvement).

Another thing I would say: if you don't get a lot of $$$ from AU, and you're not majoring in something to do with the P.T. Program or global studies, I would say the cost is not worth it. Arcadia IS expensive. It is also very generous with its money. But if you don't get a large amount, I would advise calling in and pushing for more money, going somewhere else for two years, or considering another school.