kent100s78 said:
I spoke to the admission coorinator, I was told when I apply the best thing to do is to move out to AZ and finish up my 90 credits or Bachelor's (which ever comes first)so I may establish residency.I have to stress how helpful and nice the staff is at UA.I am in brooklyn and used to everyone just ignoring you or just plain yelling, so you could imagine how I felt when I saw how nice everyone is in UA 🙂
Can anyone tell me how the school is?Are the students happy?How is the scheduale?
I did my post-bac/prereqs at U of A and would be happy to talk to you about that experience. Really look into the residency thing. I was told I could NEVER become a resident as long as I had moved to the state to attend school, that I would have to live and work a year after finishing school. To me it didn't matter too much since I didn't want to give up California residency, but definitely check into it if you for sure want to get residency. I know people who have done it though, so I am sure there are ways.
The school is your typical large state school, though probably you'll find it less diverse than what you are used to in NYC. I found that as a post-bac I was much more serious than about 85%-90% of the people in my classes, so it was very easy to get to know professors and get to do research. They have a great undergraduate research program in biology (UBRP) in the summer that you can. Lots of labs hire students also. People seem happy enough there. If you want to party, it's there. If you want to watch sports, it's there. If you want to just study, it's there. It's a huge place so you can find your niche.
Tucson is an okay city. I was definitely ready to leave after my two years, but I have always lived in very urban areas, NYC, Boston, San Francisco. So it was a bit of an adjustment, but it is very laid-back and has lots of outdoor stuff to do if you are into that. I had no trouble getting volunteer experiences, both in Tucson and across the border in Mexico, and the premed advising was decent. Dr. Nancy Stiller does post-bacs and she seemed pretty accessible and knowledgable when I spoke with her.
I am not sure what else to tell you but feel free to PM me with specific questions. Good luck
🙂