Quoted:
We got a meeting with a professor- in his proposed field of study
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Do you mind sharing what that field of study is? I'd guess someone here could offer an analysis of good/bad for that.
UofA really is a jewel but they have their problems, too. I was told that a few years ago, UA housing contracts were not renewed for students above freshman level which forced upper level students out into off-campus housing. It was rumored that the space was needed for incoming freshmen. Perhaps it was a pay-off to Pres Clinton's advisor Bruce Lindsey who held a LOT of the local off-campus housing? I'd guess MOST upper level students would PREFER to live off campus so that might not have been such a big deal but I know a few families that were scrounging for suitable housing at the last minute.
I've been told of bureaucratic nonsense like requiring complete shot records for older students coming back for another class FOR 100% ONLINE CLASSES!
Over the years, UA has grown substantially in number of students but the campus footprint has remained about the same. I'm not sure what that has done for class sizes but classes with more than 100 students were common for some classes (chemisty, cough cough). I remember that in some departments classes were typically taught by fresh grad students, not an assoc professor or full prof. It'll make a difference if you really need help from an instructor outside of class.
Finally, a pet peeve: I dare you to determine the exact amount (or even a close dollar figure) of how much his first semester is going to cost ahead of time. There are tuition fees, lab fees, health fees, student government fees, old buildings fees, parking fees, and on and on and on. You might think you have it nailed down but until those first couple of weeks of class are behind you, you cannot be certain that you really got in the class you signed up for or that one wasn't dropped at the last minute, or maybe filled up with seniors who'll bump you off the list until YOU are a senior.