Arizona State 2011 Forum

[yabuddy]

Over/Under on the next wave of decisions:

Lets say 2 weeks

[sab0tage]

Over, unfortunately.

[athenian]

How much mobility does an ASU diploma have to Southern California?

[gaud]

Depends on whether or not you may have a network... Generally I would say that there is not that much 'mobility' because you will be competing with California grads that already live there and have interned at firms from schools like USC or UCLA that seem to have pretty good ties in the area. I would say that going to school in SoCal is going to be your best option if you want to work in SoCal.

[AngelAuthor]

How much mobility does an ASU diploma have to Southern California?

ASU has a great deal of power by reputation in the southwest/western U.S. with the exception of California I would say, because it is flush with great law schools of its own like USC, and UCLA. Not saying an ASU grad couldn't get a job there - it's just going to require some extra legwork and shine on your resume to beat out the CA graduates applying for the same position. And passing the California bar is no cakewalk, either.

[JonSanchez2009]

I submitted my tuition deposit, immunization records, FAFSA, and official transcript. I'm confident enough to say I'm a sun devil, now!

[gaud]

Congrats!!

[Capitol A]

I submitted my tuition deposit, immunization records, FAFSA, and official transcript. I'm confident enough to say I'm a sun devil, now!

Nice. Congrats. That makes at least 2 of us. Btw, for those of you who are out of state...I just got home from a spring training game...it's 80 in Phoenix today.

[JonSanchez2009]

I submitted my tuition deposit, immunization records, FAFSA, and official transcript. I'm confident enough to say I'm a sun devil, now!

Nice. Congrats. That makes at least 2 of us. Btw, for those of you who are out of state...I just got home from a spring training game...it's 80 in Phoenix today.

Yay for new classmates. I'm excited.

Except for the weather. Yuck. Anything north of 65, imo is too hot. Anything above 75 is unbearable.... I plan to live in the, presumably air conditioned, law library so I don't melt.

[Veyron]

I submitted my tuition deposit, immunization records, FAFSA, and official transcript. I'm confident enough to say I'm a sun devil, now!

Nice. Congrats. That makes at least 2 of us. Btw, for those of you who are out of state...I just got home from a spring training game...it's 80 in Phoenix today.

Yay for new classmates. I'm excited.

Except for the weather. Yuck. Anything north of 65, imo is too hot. Anything above 75 is unbearable.... I plan to live in the, presumably air conditioned, law library so I don't melt.

And you want to work in Arizona?

[AngelAuthor]

Except for the weather. Yuck. Anything north of 65, imo is too hot. Anything above 75 is unbearable.... I plan to live in the, presumably air conditioned, law library so I don't melt.

North of 65? Seriously? Dude we drop below that maybe 10 days out of the year. You'll acclimate to normal temperatures of around 80 in a year or so, though you'll never get used to our 115 degree summers.

[JonSanchez2009]

Except for the weather. Yuck. Anything north of 65, imo is too hot. Anything above 75 is unbearable.... I plan to live in the, presumably air conditioned, law library so I don't melt.

North of 65? Seriously? Dude we drop below that maybe 10 days out of the year. You'll acclimate to normal temperatures of around 80 in a year or so, though you'll never get used to our 115 degree summers.

http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Alaska/Anchorage/
http://www.weather.com/outlook/driving/ ... av_driving

Yikes! It's gonna be rough to acclimate. I figure as long as I don't immediately sublime into the atmosphere I'll be okay after a few months. Maybe I'll just come back up to Alaska for summers to work

[haoledugan]

I'm seriously considering ASU. Anyone with input on the area, i.e., outdoor activities, cleanliness of area, public school system (I have two young children), or anything else they would deem as an important factor in considering Phoenix, please let me know

[Capitol A]

I'm seriously considering ASU. Anyone with input on the area, i.e., outdoor activities, cleanliness of area, public school system (I have two young children), or anything else they would deem as an important factor in considering Phoenix, please let me know

I have lived in phoenix for almost 30 years (my whole life), and I will never leave.
Outdoor activity is phenomenal. Obviously it gets hot in the summer, but there is hiking, cycling, swimming, golf, running, kayaking, whatever you can imagine all year round.
Quality of the public school system varies by neighborhood/suburb. There is an elementary school in the central phoenix area that is consistently one of the best public elementarys in the country. There are also some really outstanding public highschools, but of course there are some really awful ones as well-the greater phoenix area is enormous geographically and encompasses many very different cities and towns. You may want to do a little research on this before choosing a place to live, but you can definitely find something near good schools.
Cleanliness....We have some air pollution at times, particularly in the summer, but as far as cleanliness of the city, and of ASU, it's very nice.
In addition, we have all 4 major sports, no shortage of restaurants, bars, theater, museums, etc.
For the cost of living, I really think Phoenix is second to none. Other than the heat, I have absolutely nothing negative to say. If you have more specific questions, or if you can tell me a little more about your specific interests, I can definitely give you more details.

[cjw2222]

I'm seriously considering ASU. Anyone with input on the area, i.e., outdoor activities, cleanliness of area, public school system (I have two young children), or anything else they would deem as an important factor in considering Phoenix, please let me know

I have lived in phoenix for almost 30 years (my whole life), and I will never leave.
Outdoor activity is phenomenal. Obviously it gets hot in the summer, but there is hiking, cycling, swimming, golf, running, kayaking, whatever you can imagine all year round.
Quality of the public school system varies by neighborhood/suburb. There is an elementary school in the central phoenix area that is consistently one of the best public elementarys in the country. There are also some really outstanding public highschools, but of course there are some really awful ones as well-the greater phoenix area is enormous geographically and encompasses many very different cities and towns. You may want to do a little research on this before choosing a place to live, but you can definitely find something near good schools.
Cleanliness....We have some air pollution at times, particularly in the summer, but as far as cleanliness of the city, and of ASU, it's very nice.
In addition, we have all 4 major sports, no shortage of restaurants, bars, theater, museums, etc.
For the cost of living, I really think Phoenix is second to none. Other than the heat, I have absolutely nothing negative to say. If you have more specific questions, or if you can tell me a little more about your specific interests, I can definitely give you more details.

+1 well said

[gaud]

+1........I have lived in Phoenix almost my entire life and could not have said it better, very nice

[istara]

Just IMHO as a jaded public school teacher for the last few years, Arizona's school system overall leaves a lot to be be desired, but there are some pockets of good schools. Pick your district and your area carefully and you should be ok, but if education really high on your priority list, I'd probably pick a different state altogether.

[haoledugan]

I'm seriously considering ASU. Anyone with input on the area, i.e., outdoor activities, cleanliness of area, public school system (I have two young children), or anything else they would deem as an important factor in considering Phoenix, please let me know

I have lived in phoenix for almost 30 years (my whole life), and I will never leave.
Outdoor activity is phenomenal. Obviously it gets hot in the summer, but there is hiking, cycling, swimming, golf, running, kayaking, whatever you can imagine all year round.
Quality of the public school system varies by neighborhood/suburb. There is an elementary school in the central phoenix area that is consistently one of the best public elementarys in the country. There are also some really outstanding public highschools, but of course there are some really awful ones as well-the greater phoenix area is enormous geographically and encompasses many very different cities and towns. You may want to do a little research on this before choosing a place to live, but you can definitely find something near good schools.
Cleanliness....We have some air pollution at times, particularly in the summer, but as far as cleanliness of the city, and of ASU, it's very nice.
In addition, we have all 4 major sports, no shortage of restaurants, bars, theater, museums, etc.
For the cost of living, I really think Phoenix is second to none. Other than the heat, I have absolutely nothing negative to say. If you have more specific questions, or if you can tell me a little more about your specific interests, I can definitely give you more details.

Fantastic Info!

Catering to myself more specifically, I am HUGELY into outdoors (hiking, fishing, snowboarding, surfing, diving, camping, motocross... pretty much everything) and am looking for a destination which offers some accommodation... sounds like Phoenix does
I don't like big city life, but wouldn't minding working in it as long as I can live somewhere on the outskirts ~ within 30min. commute. Natural beauty is also a big plus (I grew up in Maui and try to be realistic of what other places may offer, but I would like to live somewhere with nice scenery). Again, thank you for the info... I'd be selling my wife on Arizona, so I'm looking for some good pitches.

[haoledugan]

Just IMHO as a jaded public school teacher for the last few years, Arizona's school system overall leaves a lot to be be desired, but there are some pockets of good schools. Pick your district and your area carefully and you should be ok, but if education really high on your priority list, I'd probably pick a different state altogether.

Wow. Totally different than what I've been hearing about Arizona - but your insight is much appreciated and noted.

[Capitol A]

Just IMHO as a jaded public school teacher for the last few years, Arizona's school system overall leaves a lot to be be desired, but there are some pockets of good schools. Pick your district and your area carefully and you should be ok, but if education really high on your priority list, I'd probably pick a different state altogether.

I honestly can't say that I have any direct knowledge to the contrary...I do not have kids...I know a 1st grade teacher from Scottsdale who makes her school/district sound like it should be dismantled so they can just start from scratch because it's a disaster, but my neighbors send their daughter to Madison elementary (Central Phoenix for those from out of town), and they absolutely love it. I also know of a few people with kids at Hopi Elementary, which is the Arcadia area (not sure what district) and they are really happy.
The other thing I didn't say before is about the weather...One really nice thing about Phoenix is the weather. If you want a real winter, its only 2hrs to get up to Flagstaff and get all the snow you can handle. If you get tired of the heat in the summer, you can also head up to Flagstaff for cooler weather, and truly, it's only about a 5hr drive to San Diego, 4+ to Vegas.

[Veyron]

Just IMHO as a jaded public school teacher for the last few years, Arizona's school system overall leaves a lot to be be desired, but there are some pockets of good schools. Pick your district and your area carefully and you should be ok, but if education really high on your priority list, I'd probably pick a different state altogether.

Wow. Totally different than what I've been hearing about Arizona - but your insight is much appreciated and noted.

The schools are both better and worse than the rest of the country. Because of the charter school movement + open enrollment - work and effort = your kids go to an awsome school, being a lazy parent = your kids get screwed. You have to do a lot of research, you can't just take whatever school district you may happen to end up in.

[gaud]

Very true, and they do not make it too difficult to change districts i remember because i lived in an area with a shitty school (excuse the language) and i was able to transfer to a different school fairly easy

[Capitol A]

Catering to myself more specifically, I am HUGELY into outdoors (hiking, fishing, snowboarding, surfing, diving, camping, motocross... pretty much everything) and am looking for a destination which offers some accommodation... sounds like Phoenix does
I don't like big city life, but wouldn't minding working in it as long as I can live somewhere on the outskirts ~ within 30min. commute. Natural beauty is also a big plus (I grew up in Maui and try to be realistic of what other places may offer, but I would like to live somewhere with nice scenery). Again, thank you for the info... I'd be selling my wife on Arizona, so I'm looking for some good pitches.

Obviously we don't have snowboarding in phoenix, but there are 2 decent ski areas within a short drive. Surfing...You'll have to go to San Diego or Mexico, but that's not a long trip. You can do fishing at one of the many lakes within a short drive of Tempe, and maybe you'd like wakeboarding or surfing behind the boat? You may also like mountain biking which is hugely popular here, and a ton of fun.
While Phoenix is probably technically a "big city," the "urban" area is pretty small. Outside of there it's really more of a massive collection of suburbs. Very few people live more than a 30minute commute away from ASU, thanks to our freeway system.
As far as scenery...Thats a matter of personal preference. Some of the higher desert areas are not bad, but honestly, over all I find the desert to be really ugly, but it's easy to forget about that when it's 70 in February and I'm riding my bike in shorts and short sleeves, while my friends in the midwest are buried under 25ft of snow.

[Veyron]

Catering to myself more specifically, I am HUGELY into outdoors (hiking, fishing, snowboarding, surfing, diving, camping, motocross... pretty much everything) and am looking for a destination which offers some accommodation... sounds like Phoenix does
I don't like big city life, but wouldn't minding working in it as long as I can live somewhere on the outskirts ~ within 30min. commute. Natural beauty is also a big plus (I grew up in Maui and try to be realistic of what other places may offer, but I would like to live somewhere with nice scenery). Again, thank you for the info... I'd be selling my wife on Arizona, so I'm looking for some good pitches.

Obviously we don't have snowboarding in phoenix, but there are 2 decent ski areas within a short drive. Surfing...You'll have to go to San Diego or Mexico, but that's not a long trip. You can do fishing at one of the many lakes within a short drive of Tempe, and maybe you'd like wakeboarding or surfing behind the boat? You may also like mountain biking which is hugely popular here, and a ton of fun.
While Phoenix is probably technically a "big city," the "urban" area is pretty small. Outside of there it's really more of a massive collection of suburbs. Very few people live more than a 30minute commute away from ASU, thanks to our freeway system.
As far as scenery...Thats a matter of personal preference. Some of the higher desert areas are not bad, but honestly, over all I find the desert to be really ugly, but it's easy to forget about that when it's 70 in February and I'm riding my bike in shorts and short sleeves, while my friends in the midwest are buried under 25ft of snow.

Now me, personally, I can't stand trees. Rugged beauty FTW.

[AngelAuthor]

Obviously we don't have snowboarding in phoenix, but there are 2 decent ski areas within a short drive. Surfing...You'll have to go to San Diego or Mexico, but that's not a long trip. You can do fishing at one of the many lakes within a short drive of Tempe, and maybe you'd like wakeboarding or surfing behind the boat? You may also like mountain biking which is hugely popular here, and a ton of fun.
While Phoenix is probably technically a "big city," the "urban" area is pretty small. Outside of there it's really more of a massive collection of suburbs. Very few people live more than a 30minute commute away from ASU, thanks to our freeway system.
As far as scenery...Thats a matter of personal preference. Some of the higher desert areas are not bad, but honestly, over all I find the desert to be really ugly, but it's easy to forget about that when it's 70 in February and I'm riding my bike in shorts and short sleeves, while my friends in the midwest are buried under 25ft of snow.

Gonna agree with this - I don't find the desert to be particularly beautiful, but of course, lots of people do. Also, having been born and raised in Los Angeles, I've found the last 8 years in Phoenix to be much like home (sans beaches). Core downtown, with a ton of suburbs surrounding it, and it's all within 30 minutes of the center.

I live on the ASU Poly campus in family housing and have since 2008 when I was an undergrad. The school has a free shuttle (big, huge tour buses with WiFi) to and from the law school on the Tempe campus which is an amazing convenience. So that's an option to consider, especially when you look at what gas prices are up to. The rent is cheap, the houses are ancient (old, military officer housing) but livable, but the campus is on the "edge" of the main part of Mesa and the desert "wilderness" is minutes away to the south and east if that's your thing.

You do come to greatly appreciate Phoenix in the winter (and people from back east never miss the opportunity to rub it in to their friends and family back home), but you will pay for it for about 3-4 months in the summer when they will surely return the favor.