The University of Hawaii - Hilo

Date: Aug 31 2013
Major: Finance (This Major's Salary over time)
I went to the UHH through a national exchange program to study for one semester, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. The experiences and knowledge received there are unforgettable.

Coming from a large home school, i found UH Hilo's size(about 4000-5000 students) very helpful in terms of studying and making friendships. The student and teachers are very friendly. The locals are friendly as well and ready to help out as long as you are not too obnoxious and show some sign of respect for their land, and once they get to know you they become extremely nice.

Coming from a fast-paced New-England i found the calm environment at Hilo more stimulating towards my studying.The class sizes are small enough in order for the teacher to know your name and be able to track your progress. Most of the teachers that i had in the business program as well as other classes were accessible and helpful in case you need anything.

One of the best features of the school is their "Outdoor Edventures" program. If you are an outdoorsy person and like exploring new things,you are absolutely gonna love it. Every weekend they take out students on different adventures around the island, like kayaking, going to the beach, historical sites, volcano, summit and much more, for absolutely free!! This program definitely made a big impact on the overall feel of the school.

As for nightlife, you won't find much of that in Hilo. There's only one club close to campus and so far it didn't have the best reviews, otherwise there are better ones on Kona side if u know how to get there.Sometimes there are student parties here and there that one can look forward too. Mostly at night you can go to the bars downtown, or call a bunch of friends and make your own party, have a night swim or go stargazing. If you have a car, you definitely wont be bored on fri-sat nights.

There are also buses that run through campus and around the island for only $1 or free with an ID, yet those don't always follow the schedule. And they have $2 taxi rides!

The only negative thing i can say about the school is on-campus housing. the wireless connection is pretty bad at places, but u can always get an internet cord. Kauanoe dorm rooms are extremely small, Kehau is much better. Campus food is ok, yet better have your own kitchen, thus Ikena would be best choice for on-campus housing. University palms are ok, but i heard of ppl having problems with landlord and same picture with bad wifi and not so clean.

Overall, UHH might not be for someone who loves to party crazy and be on a fast-pace all the time, those might find that place a bit boring. Yet if you are somebody who loves nature(island has 13 different ecosystems), loves exploring and relaxing every now so often, this would be the best choice to go. Don't know about other areas but they have a pretty good business school and i learned a lot in those classes.