Arizona State University Reviews

ASU is in a great location. Tempe...

ASU is in a great location. Tempe is a fairly populated area and there are tons of restaurants, bars, clubs, and places to shop. If you like going out, Tempe is the place for you. The campus is surrounded by bars and restaurants that range in price and style. Students often go into Scottsdale (five minutes away) for a change of scenery. Scottsdale has a wide mixture of high-end clubs as well as more low-key places, too. Tempe is literally five minutes away from the airport, very convenient.

ASU has two cafeterias and lots of...

ASU has two cafeterias and lots of fast food. The M&G meal plan can also be used off campus at Chili’s, Blimpie’s, Island’s, Ruby Tuesdays, and at a few other popular restaurants.

The residence halls, though not...

The residence halls, though not all of them are new, are very well kept. San Pablo is the brand new residence hall that opened in January of last year. Manzanita is an all freshman dorm, a great place to meet other students.

I didn’t live in a dorm because I...

I didn’t live in a dorm because I turned in my application for housing too late, but my sister lived in a dorm last year. Generally, students share a room with one roommate and are joined by a bathroom to two others. I’ll be honest, the dorms aren’t the nicest things I’ve ever seen, but my sister met so many people and loved it while she was there. I wish I had lived in the dorms.

The nicest dorms are San Pablo and...

The nicest dorms are San Pablo and New Hayden. Some dorms have one bathroom for guys and one for girls on every floor. Community style bathrooms are cleaned daily by a maid. Other dorms feature suite-style bathrooms (one bathroom shared between two rooms), which, though private, you’ll have to clean yourself.

The freshman dorms are fun because...

The freshman dorms are fun because everyone hangs out together. Try to live in Manzanita. It’s called the STD Center, but I’ve met a lot of people there just by visiting friends. Sonora is cool, too.

The dorms are great at ASU, but...

The dorms are great at ASU, but it’s all about what you make of them. I lived in PV West and absolutely loved it. It was in a great location, and even though it was a crappy building, it really didn’t matter because it just added to the experience. Manzanita Hall is sort of known as being the one to avoid, and everyone seems to like Sonora even though it’s way too far off of campus. It’s definitely the nicest, though.

Avoid Manzy. It is strictly a...

Avoid Manzy. It is strictly a freshman dorm, and is not in very good condition. I’ve heard stories of people puking and urinating in the halls. Sonora is a newer facility, and San Pablo and Hayden are also fairly new and in good shape.

On-campus housing is good for...

On-campus housing is good for freshmen. Off-campus housing is good for everyone else!

The greatest thing about...

The greatest thing about off-campus housing is that Arizona is much cheaper than California. It’s pretty easy to find a nice place for cheap. I have a lot of friends at UCSB and UCLA who pay $500 a month or more to share a room, whereas here you can have your own room in a nicer place for about $300–$400.

Off-campus housing is great...

Off-campus housing is great because there are so many places right near ASU. If you don’t have a car like me, you can still live in your own place and have that freedom, and the walk to school isn’t far at all.

Off-campus housing is pretty...

Off-campus housing is pretty expensive for what you get, but it’s also awesome. I think it’s expensive in any big college town like this. If you go a little further away from campus it’s probably cheaper.

There are a lot of beautiful...

There are a lot of beautiful people on campus, naturally, since we are such a nicely-weathered campus year round. You’ll meet all sorts of people at ASU, just like anywhere else.

Our school is huge, so people...

Our school is huge, so people probably don’t think of it as a commuter’s school, but many of the students are from Arizona and live at home, and a lot of upperclassmen live off-campus. We don’t exactly have the greatest network of alumni. Intramural sports are really big with fraternity boys.

Sports are big at ASU. Football...

Sports are big at ASU. Football games are nationally televised. They’re a lot of fun. I’m on the dance team at ASU and I perform at all the games. We’ve got a huge stadium. It’s beautiful.

Varsity sports are big, but tough...

Varsity sports are big, but tough to get into. I’ve heard that intramurals are great.

ASU’s a PAC 10 campus, so sports...

ASU’s a PAC 10 campus, so sports are huge. Intramurals are great and accessible. We have one of the nicest student sports facilities in the country, and there are intramural teams for every sport.

If you find a house that’s right...

If you find a house that’s right for you, then it’s worth joining. However, with so many people living off campus, and so many things to do, Greek life doesn’t dominate the social scene.

I’ve had a great time at ASU...

I’ve had a great time at ASU without ever joining a sorority. You definitely don’t have to be in a sorority to have fun. There are so many people and so many places to go. I have friends in sororities who love it. It’s just a matter of taste. But ASU is not the type of school where if you’re not in a sorority you won’t have a social life. I’ve gone to some Greek events and they’re a lot of fun. Greek Life can be a good way to meet people, but it’s not a must.

There’s always something going on...

There’s always something going on with the frats, and always a scandal. They party a lot, and they’re a large part of the social scene.

You can get them if you want or...

You can get them if you want or you can easily avoid them. Drugs at ASU are not overwhelming but are readily available.

Campus police won’t arrest you for...

Campus police won’t arrest you for drinking, but they will give you a ticket. You can get caught with alcohol in the dorms twice before you get kicked out.

Parking is limited. If you don’t...

Parking is limited. If you don’t need your car, then don’t bring it. Biking is always a good option, as is walking.

Phoenix is the Valley of the Sun:...

Phoenix is the Valley of the Sun: 340 days of sun a year. It’s hot when you first get here, but come fall you’ll love it.

It’s definitely hot. I won’t lie...

It’s definitely hot. I won’t lie to you. The first two months of school are consistently in the 100s and can be pretty miserable. However, after that it’s so nice. Right now it’s in the mid-70s and it stays nice all night. It’s perfect.