University of Hawaii-Manoa (Ewa Beach: travel, work, universities)

[AlisVolatPropiis]

Hi everyone..

I was just introduced to these boards today by a co-worker of mine. I can't believe I haven't found these forums sooner! They seem to be incredibly helpful in getting various perspectives on various areas.. And in my case, especially Hawaii.

I just got back from Oahu a few weeks ago. I went with my bestfriend, who has family there, residing all over... Maui.. Makakilo.. Kalihi.. Ewa Beach.. It was an amazing trip and I fell in love with the local areas and culture. We visited Waikiki just once for dinner. Other than that, we stayed away from the areas that seem to be saturated with tourists. I will be traveling back during the beginning of December and I can't seem to countdown the days fast enough.

With that said, I have been pondering a move to Hawaii -- but no, it is not entirely impulsive. I am a college student and I will be finished with my AA this December. Thus, I need to select a transfer school. Since my trip I have been looking into the University of Hawaii - Manoa.

With that said, I was just wondering if anyone on these boards has any insight in the University? Whether it be about the academics, school morale, campus location, etc

& I think it is somewhat important to keep in mind that re-locating to Hawaii as a student is a bit different.. & It will be only another 2 years until I finish up my undergrad degree.

Any information and shared experiences, whether positive or negative, are appreciated.


& If it is of any interest, I reside in a suburb just 35 minutes outside the Seattle area. Though I have traveled to many other states, I have lived in WA my entire life [and therefore I'm itchin to get out!]. Also, my intended major is Psych, with future plans of a MA or PhD in Educational/Child Psych.

[newUHprof]

I'm a prof at UHM. I'm not sure what exactly you would like to know.

Overall impression: I taught at two hoity-toity private schools before this (one of them Ivy League). The students here are quite good, and I really like working with them.

One thing that takes some getting used to for me: All of the students work. Really, all of them do it seems like. So the campus is really hopping in the mornings, but by late afternoon (3pm or so), it's much more quiet than at other schools I know. Most folks have cleared out for the beach (if it's their day off) or for work. So there's not as many campus events in the afternoons & evenings as you might see other places... not as much of a campus community in terms of active student groups or even just people hanging around campus. But there is a lot of school spirit... you'll see folks wearing UHM stuff all over town. The sports teams are popular and get a lot of support. And lots of alumni come back to work at UH. So, that says something about what the students think of the school, I think.

For academics: the department I'm in (a physical science dept) does not have nearly as rigorous a program at the undergrad level as you would find most other places. But the good students here (who challenge themselves to take harder classes than are strictly required) are as good as the good students anywhere else I've been. The faculty is top-notch in terms of their research.

As for the campus, it's in Manoa, which is a beautiful area. If you haven't been there, you should visit the campus on your next trip to Oahu. It's a couple of miles from Waikiki. Manoa is more lush and green than the drier Waikiki area. It's a small-ish campus (judging by large state school standards), but that's good. It's easier to navigate.

Anyway, if you have other specific questions, feel free to ask. I've only been working here since May. But I've been a student or prof at five other major universities, so at least I have a basis for comparison.

[lokahi]

A few of my friends attended UH and they loved it. One was in the nursing program and another in the graduate school. The only hard thing was the out of state tuition which was pretty expensive. Plus, cost of living is much higher than what they were used to on the Mainland. But, they made great friends and loved their time there. They commuted to UH from Mililani. Good luck!