University of Hawaii at Manoa Questions (credit, student loans, house)

[sochocklover17]

Hi, recently i've been looking up colleges that have my major (Asian Studies/East Asian studies) with Korean language as a class and I found Hawaii Manoa. I became interested in Asia when I went to Vietnam in 10th grade with my Vietnamese friend, and ever since then I've wanted to travel and learn more about it, specifically South Korea.
I just have some questions that hopefully someone can help me with.

1. Is this school hard to get into? My GPA was only a 2.7 something and SATS were average.

2. Is the study abroad program good?

3. Is it expensive to live Hawaii? (I would be staying in a dorm but i mean food wise and extra things)

4. Is it hard to find a part time job? (I don't plan on staying in Hawaii after college I'll probably be moving to Asia I just need one for the time I'm in College)

5. If this school is not good for me, do you know of any others that have the korean language and asian studies/study abroad programs?

[Mililani Gal]

Originally Posted by sochocklover17

Hi, recently i've been looking up colleges that have my major (Asian Studies/East Asian studies) with Korean language as a class and I found Hawaii Manoa. I became interested in Asia when I went to Vietnam in 10th grade with my Vietnamese friend, and ever since then I've wanted to travel and learn more about it, specifically South Korea.
I just have some questions that hopefully someone can help me with.

1. Is this school hard to get into? My GPA was only a 2.7 something and SATS were average.

You can check admission information at www.hawaii.edu/admissions

2. Is the study abroad program good?

I've worked with the staff but I am unfamiliar on whether the program is good, or not. Sorry.

3. Is it expensive to live Hawaii? (I would be staying in a dorm but i mean food wise and extra things)

Yes. Dormers always complain about the meal plans offered. Here is a list of this academic year's Student Housing prices Fees (http://www.housing.hawaii.edu/apply/fees.cfm - broken link) and there is a link to meal plan information towards the bottom of the page.

4. Is it hard to find a part time job? (I don't plan on staying in Hawaii after college I'll probably be moving to Asia I just need one for the time I'm in College)

I would say that if you want to work retail, Ala Moana and Waikiki are near by. Service industry like restaurants are also near. It may not be too difficult to find part-time work. Due to budget constraints on-campusemployment is not as easy to find as it was a year or two ago. You can get employement, both On and Off campus at the Student Employment Center CDSE - Career Development and Student Employment at the University of Hawaii at Manoa

5. If this school is not good for me, do you know of any others that have the korean language and asian studies/study abroad programs?

Not sure about this, as I am an alumni and employee at UHM. UHM does emphasize asian studies as the population as well as culture is heavily Asian.

Good luck with your education!

[Boxcar Overkill]

You may also want to consider going to school in the Philippines.

[Paradise Calling]

I'm posting from research and not experience. UHM does not seem extremely selective in terms of admissions. I don't think you'll have a problem there.

The cost of Hawaii is exaggerated. Dorms and meal plans are overpriced at every school. Share a house with some roommates you find on craigslist and watch where you spend your money and you will not have too much of a problem.

As far as jobs, if you are a full-time student you can take out student loans for whatever expenses you have. If you are worried about paying them back then maybe you should choose a more lucrative major. I'm not telling you what direction you should take your life, but college is very expensive and you should consider the return you will get on your time and money investment when it is said and done.

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by sochocklover17

1. Is this school hard to get into? My GPA was only a 2.7 something and SATS were average.

I'm faculty and don't work in admissions, so I can't really answer your question based on experience. But a quick google search yielded stats about this year's freshman class:
UH Manoa Undergraduate Admissions: About UH Manoa: Freshman Class Profile

Your GPA is below average, but that doesn't mean you won't get in. I do know that they have a regulation about % of students from the mainland (I think it's capped at 30%). So it may be more difficult for you to get in than for a non-HI resident.

Originally Posted by sochocklover17

2. Is the study abroad program good?

I've heard good things about it from my students. I know that they also solicit faculty to go and teach courses abroad sometimes (thinking about it... gotta get tenure first, I think). Again, quick google search gave a link: University of Hawai'i at Manoa Study Abroad Center

Originally Posted by sochocklover17

3. Is it expensive to live Hawaii? (I would be staying in a dorm but i mean food wise and extra things)

In a word, yes. This has been discussed to death in this forum. Do a forum search on "expensive" or even better "milk" to see what people have to say.

Originally Posted by sochocklover17

4. Is it hard to find a part time job? (I don't plan on staying in Hawaii after college I'll probably be moving to Asia I just need one for the time I'm in College)

All of my students work. The lucky ones work on campus. Others wait tables or work in retail nearby. Jobs aren't plentiful, but it seems like students do find them.

[Paradise Calling]

Originally Posted by newUHprof

All of my students work. The lucky ones work on campus. Others wait tables or work in retail nearby. Jobs aren't plentiful, but it seems like students do find them.

Really, all of your students work? Is it just for the extra cash? Because they have the time?

You mentioned in another thread about students having to work which makes it more difficult for them to maintain high grades. Is there any reason they can't take out more loans? I know many people who do not, or did not work in college and got by only through loans and grants. An engineer I work with told me he had so many loans being thrown at him that he actually managed to "save" money while in college and let it accrue interest.

From what I've seen the loans are still out there. Are people reluctant to take on the additional debt due to concerns over the job market?

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by Paradise Calling

Really, all of your students work? Is it just for the extra cash? Because they have the time?

You mentioned in another thread about students having to work which makes it more difficult for them to maintain high grades. Is there any reason they can't take out more loans? I know many people who do not, or did not work in college and got by only through loans and grants. An engineer I work with told me he had so many loans being thrown at him that he actually managed to "save" money while in college and let it accrue interest.

From what I've seen the loans are still out there. Are people reluctant to take on the additional debt due to concerns over the job market?

Yeah, really, all of the undergrads work. The grad students, like grad students everywhere, are mostly TAs. But that's still working.

When I was an undergrad, I worked rather than take out extra loans. The idea of purposefully taking on debt was just not something that was done in my family, I guess. I got all the same offers, and I tossed them.

I think the local students especially see lots of people struggle to get by, work multiple jobs... maybe they don't feel certain they'll be able to pay off loans when they graduate and still get by. Maybe they're still living at home and work to help out with family expenses (I know this is the case at least with some of them).

[Paradise Calling]

Originally Posted by newUHprof

I think the local students especially see lots of people struggle to get by, work multiple jobs... maybe they don't feel certain they'll be able to pay off loans when they graduate and still get by. Maybe they're still living at home and work to help out with family expenses (I know this is the case at least with some of them).

I can understand that. Maybe working through college seems like the more responsible option.

I have a different take on it though. I think ultimately it might be better to take out the extra loans if it helps you focus more on school. A higher GPA might allow you more grants and scholarships or make it easier to get into a graduate program.

I'm actually planning on working weekends at least.

[sochocklover17]

Thanks Everyone, and just another question, do you think it'd be better for me to get 24 credits at a community college then just transfer? Is it easier to get in when you transfer? I think that i'll have a better college gpa than i did at highschool