AT College Consulting - College Tours

California College Tours

5 things I loved about the University of San Francisco

1. Ranked the most ethnically diverse campus in the US, the University of San Francisco has a motto of “We’re in this together.” With an emphasis on community engagement and hands-on learning, USF students all participate in a service learning course that helps them extend their impact beyond the campus.

2. As one of 28 Jesuit institutions in the US, the University of San Francisco educates 5,300 undergraduates, with an emphasis on ‘care for the whole person.’ They emphasize self-care so students can then extend concern for others. Through CASA, the Center for Academic and Student Achievement, all USF students are supported by friendly, welcoming support coaches who collaborate with faculty/major advisers and other offices to holistically support each student’s development and success.

3. Located at the true epicenter of San Francisco, USF’s campus sits atop a hill in the Inner Richmond district, known for being the safest area in the city. With a two-year housing guarantee, students can enjoy dorms with a view of the Golden Gate bridge, and apartment-style living in a brand-new residence hall, complete with full kitchens. Using their free Muni bus pass, USF students are just 20 minutes from downtown and the beach and can easily walk to Golden Gate park to experience nature, museums and more.

4. As a Division 1 school, USF students cheer on 14 teams, rooting for the Dons in the Sobrato Center. Located on the lower campus, this pavilion hosts men’s and women’s basketball games and women’s volleyball. All students can stay healthy and active through their free memberships at the Koret Health and Recreation Center, which has group exercise classes, the largest indoor pool in SF, plenty of weights and cardio equipment, and a relaxing lounge space featuring a 50" HD plasma screen TV, table tennis, billiards, sun deck, and views of the Koret pool.

5. Merit scholarships are available, ranging from $9-$31K for future USF students. Additional $5k scholarships are offered to students who are invited to be part of the Honors College, a perk that comes with priority registration, a global jump start program, and small, seminar-style classes with hands-on field trips for general education classes. Students who join the Horizon Collective can earn an additional $5k scholarship as they prepare for careers in climate, health and technology fields through guided mentorship and 150-hours of practical, hands-on learning.

5 Things I loved about Claremont McKenna College

1. The Athenaeum brings respected leaders to campus for their weekly speaker series. CMC students get to join these world-renowned guests for lunch or dinner and learn how to have productive conversations as they exchange ideas respectfully.

2. 97% of CMC students live on campus all four years and get to benefit from having dorms filled with mixed grade levels. This creates an organic form of mentorship as your next door neighbor can help you register for classes, recommend professors and might even be able to answer those organic chemistry questions!

3. During freshman orientation, all CMC students either go beach or cabin camping to bond and get to know their peers. Other fun annual traditions include a Monte Carlo night, McKenna Palooza and trips to Disneyland and Lakers games.

4. Through the Soll Center, CMC provides career services and coaches for students all four years. They promote opportunities, offer need-blind funding for internships and have several networking trips each year where students head to NYC, Boston and SF to meet with CMC alums and learn about careers.

5. From 2-4pm, free treats and baked goods are available for students to enjoy on their way to class and activities. CMC students can dine on their own campus, or head to any of the 7 dining halls shared by the Claremont consortium. An app makes it easy to schedule meals with friends so you don't miss Steak and Make Your Own Pizza Night at Harvey Mudd, the Sushi Bar at Pitzer or Weekend Brunch at Scripps!

5 things I loved about University of Redlands

1. The University of Redlands’ mission statement is “We welcome, educate, and empower a diverse community of learners for lives of meaning, impact, and joy.” By volunteering 80+ hours in the local community, each Redlands’ student upholds the university’s values of excellence, exploration, inclusivity, justice, kindness and service.

2. Redlands has its own study abroad campus in Salzburg, Austria where students can study with their Redlands peers and professors. Or they can choose from 80+ additional locations around the world. The 4-4-1 academic calendar allows lots of students, especially athletes, the opportunity to go abroad during May term where they focus on one class at a time.

3. The Johnston Center for Integrative Studies allows students the flexibility to create their own major. Students in this program craft their own educational vision and customize their curriculum with the expert guidance of advisors who specialize in fostering interdisciplinary connections.

4. With a music conservatory on campus, Redlands hosts 200+ theater, arts, music, dance and other cultural events each year. And since Redlands has a 4-year housing requirement, students are always close by to attend these engaging events and get involved with any of the 70+ clubs on campus! One of the most popular is Esports, which has a cool new building that hosts gaming events, competitions and movie nights.

5. Redlands has an LA Metro stop on campus, making it easy for students to access the greater Los Angeles area! Centrally located, destinations such as Joshua Tree, Big Bear Lake, Disneyland, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Long Beach and San Diego are popular weekend getaways. And for students who have cars, parking is always free at Redlands– all four years!

BONUS ♥️ Redlands has had a live bulldog mascot since 1918, and a campus highlight is getting to meet George, the 8th official mascot! Check him out on the socials at @urmascot

LA and Beyond College Tours for NCL

Out of State

5 Things I loved about Xavier University

1. At Xavier, students have six advisors ready to coach them to success all four years. The moment a student becomes a Musketeer, they get paired with their Success Coach who helps them transition to Xavier and navigate their new environment. Along the way, students also regularly connect with their academic advisor, career coach, peer mentor, financial aid advisor and professional mentor, an Xavier alum working in the student’s field of interest. This personalized support truly distinguishes Xavier.

2. Xavier University holds the patent on the Pizza ATM, a fully automated, super cool contraption that makes customized pizza on demand, 24/7. Located in Fenwick Place, the sophomore dorm, the Pizza ATM is truly an Xavier hot spot! With its two-year live on campus requirement, Xavier has plenty of housing for the 5,000 undergraduate students who come from 49 states.

3. D1 sports are huge at Xavier, and student tickets are always free. Conveniently located on campus, the Cintas Center seats 10,000+ fans during basketball games. Whether you’re on one of their 19 D1 sports teams, you play a club or intramural sport, or you just like to work out, Xavier’s brand new Health United building is a popular student hang out that provides tons of options for staying fit!

4. As a Jesuit school, Xavier allows students to decide how much they want to prioritize their faith in college. Approximately 40% of students are Catholic and there are 19 different faiths represented on campus. Rooted in the campus tradition of service to others, Xavier’s Alternative Breaks are student-organized programs that highlight a particular social justice issue that students educate each other on and then head to a destination to make an impact. For example, some visit the coast of California to help conserve an important ecosystem, while others refurbish homes for refugees in Boise, Idaho.

5. Xavier students take full advantage of big city perks, given their close proximity to downtown Cincinnati (aka “The Queen City”). Located along the Ohio River, Cincy has three professional sports teams, 52 distinct neighborhoods, a thriving arts and culture scene, tons of history, cool murals, chili and more great eats!

5 things I loved about The Ohio State University

1. The Ohio Union is a campus destination filled with Buckeye pride! This gorgeous building bleeds scarlet and gray, Ohio’s signature colors, and the school’s identifying logo and symbols (from the giant “O” to the buckeye leaf) adorn every corner as they are carved into the wood, built into the chandeliers and displayed proudly in spaces where students relax, study, eat and plan campus events.

2. There are 18 libraries on The Ohio State campus, including the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum which houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comics. The Thompson Library, which serves as the campus’s main library, has a grand reading room and cool study spaces overlooking the stacks. From the 11th floor reading room, students can enjoy a 360 degree view of campus and downtown Columbus, including glimpses of Ohio Stadium, the fourth-largest on-campus facility in the nation that seats 102,780 fans during Buckeye football games.

3. Fun fact: the Ice Cream Drumstick was created by Ohio State food scientists in 1928. To this day, research and innovation go hand-in-hand at this university, where industry partnerships provide cutting-edge opportunities to advance knowledge and solve problems. Mechanical engineers can take advantage of Ohio’s partnership with Toyota, future vets can improve their practices based on research from Ohio State’s Equine Center and aerospace engineers can celebrate that Ohio State was chosen as the research home for Starlab’s George Washington Carver Science Park Terrestrial Laboratory, the first-ever space science park on Earth.

4. Ohio State just opened two brand new buildings dedicated to the arts. The $165.3 million project included both renovation and expansion to the School of Music building and construction of a new Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts building. Students also can enjoy exhibitions, performances, screenings, educational programs, artist residencies, and publications through the Wexner Center for the Arts, which the Washington Post has deemed “one of the most dynamic contemporary programs in the country.”

5. Ohio State is committed to providing students with various opportunities to make the large campus (with over 40,000 students) feel smaller. To build community during freshman year, Ohio State offers Living Learning Communities that make students feel more connected to OSU. And second year students can join STEP, the Second-year Transformational Experience Program where they work with a small group of peers and a faculty mentor to set goals, explore ideas and craft a proposal for a signature STEP project.

5 Things I loved about University of Michigan

1. Museums are abundant at UMich! Whether students are interested in art, archaeology, natural history, zoology, paleontology, anthropology, the stars, dentistry, musical instruments, plants or trees, they can access world-renowned resources in these specialized museums. For example, the archaeology museum is so immense, they only have room to display 2% of their collection.

2. Located in the middle of UMich’s Central Campus, the Diag is a large, grassy space filled with sidewalks that cut across the quad in a seemingly random fashion. When UMich decided to make pathways through the quad, they observed where the students had worn down the grass and made each thoroughfare official, making it even easier for students to get to UMich’s most frequented buildings.

3. 98% of freshmen live on campus in 18 different dorms, many recently renovated. Students who want a more close-knit family can join one of 10+ Michigan Learning Communities to combine their academic and residential experiences. These intentional communities provide students with access to specialized courses and programming geared towards their interests.

4. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program creates partnerships between students and researchers. Students can apply into the program as early as their freshman year and participate in a weekly seminar where they learn the ins and outs of research and ways to facilitate professional development to help them engage with researchers.

5. UMich has 20 different libraries, many of them specialized, and two of them open 24/7. Within the Shapiro Library, students have access to multiple creative spaces for individual projects and collaborative work. The Design Lab has 3-D printers, die cutters, engraving machines, and other hands-on equipment, and there are multiple production and editing studios for audio and video projects, game design, 3D and graphic design, data visualization, animation, and more.

5 things I loved about Ohio Wesleyan

1. As a Colleges That Change Lives school, Ohio Wesleyan’s academic culture promotes personalized learning and opportunities to engage with professors. Most classes at Ohio Wesleyan will have 10-15 students and can be a mixture of discussion-based, seminar and lecture style classes. OWU offers an impressive collection of 70 different majors and their approach towards ‘gen ed’ classes is truly unique, promoting interdisciplinary thinking and building nine core skills that align with the traits future employers highly value most.

2. Students live on campus all 4 years at OWU and have a variety of residential life options. The freshman dorm has been completely renovated and has cool lounge spaces, a full kitchen, a workout room and a 24/7 cafeteria! Sophomores and up have the option to live in one of eight different “Small Living Units,” which are thematic houses where students can form intentional communities and bond over shared identities and priorities.

3. The town of Delaware provides OWU students with easy access to a downtown full of fun! Just down the street, students can shop, see a movie at the historic Strand Theater, go to the bi-weekly farmers’ market, and dine at multiple restaurants and cafes. Plus all of the excitement of downtown Columbus, including a zoo, multiple museums, sports opportunities and more, is less than 40 minutes away!

4. Building community starts early at OWU where all freshmen participate in one of three pre-orientation trips. Whether they attend the service, wilderness or challenge camp, students get to know their peers and mentors as they transition to college. Fun activities continue all year long and include popular events such as the President’s Ball and “Day on the Jay,” with free shirts, food, activities, crafts, and more.

5. This small liberal arts college is well known for cultivating entrepreneurship amongst its students. The Woltemade Center for Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship offers special programs, fellowships and scholarships to provide opportunities, strengthen soft skills and prepare OWU students for the working world.

5 Things I loved about Miami University (Ohio)

1. The motto “Love and Honor” creates the magic of spending four years at Miami University. This code is embedded in Miami’s traditions that support a welcoming, supportive environment for students to build community. There are 600+ clubs and orgs for students to explore their interests, develop skills and build networks.

2. Poet Robert Frost described Miami as “The most beautiful campus that ever there was.” The brick, modified Georgian-style architecture is consistent across campus, and all new construction is centered around the same red brick mold, including the brand new $96 million complex for Clinical Health Sciences and Wellbeing, which houses classrooms, labs and the on-campus clinic and mental health center for all students.

3. The town of Oxford is consistently ranked one of the top college towns in the US, with a brick-paved “Uptown,” filled with blocks of restaurants, shops and an amphitheater to enhance students’ lives. A two-year live-on campus housing requirement, thriving living/learning communities, plus plenty of residential options in the surrounding neighborhood means students stay engaged on campus during weekends.

4. Miami is committed to fostering the undergraduate student experience, and consistently lands top billing for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.” Academic flexibility is built into Miami’s core, where 60% of graduates completed multiple majors or added 1+ minors. Additionally, Miami has 35 combined degree programs for students to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in an accelerated time frame.

5. When Miami was designing the Armstrong Student Center, they asked students what they missed most about their homes. The answer was their living room! So Miami constructed the Shade Family Room, complete with lounging spaces, big windows, cool lighting and a huge fireplace to create a cozy atmosphere for studying and socializing.

5 things I loved about Oregon State University

1. Seven cultural resource centers, complete with full kitchens, lounges and libraries, offer a home for students seeking to connect with their identities. The centers are also a hub of popular activities and OSU traditions. Students can pick up cookies every Friday from the Women and Gender center and participate in their clothing swap every term. The Eena Haws Indigenous-based center has an annual salmon roast where they bring in 1,000 pounds of fish and students wait 3 hours to sample the deliciousness!

2. The Dixon Rec Center helps OSU students stay active with athletic fields, a pool, a decked out gym, and one of the largest rock walls on the west coast. For just $20 a term, a student can play as many intramural sports as they want, including the ever popular inner tube water polo and kayak battleship. Corvallis is also recognized as a Gold Level bicycle friendly community. Each week, students can eat well when they can pick up a Healthy Beaver Bag, a meal kit that contains new recipes and all the necessary ingredients!

3. OSU is one of only three land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the US. This designation means their research is deeply connected to the natural world, and that beauty starts on the OSU campus, an accredited arboretum. OSU’s College of Forestry is ranked #1 in the US (and #2 in the world) and students enjoy 50% of class time outside. Oceanography students can spend time on OSU’s research vessel located in Newport, where they are building the next generation of regional-class research vessels for the U.S. scientific fleet.

4. OSU has multiple Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) and Special Interest Communities where students can live with peers who are either studying the same subjects or are seeking connection through key identities. For example, business students can join the Innovation Nation LLC and have access to the DAMlab makerspace — a partnership between the College of Business and the College of Engineering filled with cool design and prototyping tools enabling them to realize their business ideas.

5. Engineering is huge at OSU, with 9,000 undergraduates studying 13 different engineering disciplines, with CS being the largest major on campus. The first year program introduces students to the various engineering options, and throughout their education, students can do research, network, participate in a co-op program and get involved with numerous clubs, from robotics to Global Formula racing to solar planes. The engineering program offers free peer tutoring and has their own wellness coordinator because they understand the challenges of the majors. OSU has broken ground on a new $200 million building that will serve as a center to support innovative collaboration to drive tech research in the state.

5 Things I loved about University of Oregon

1. 74% of undergraduates participate in research, and some get to work in the Oregon Coffee Laboratory with professor Christopher H. Hendon, an international expert on the science of coffee. University of Oregon is also the zebrafish capital of the world, where their population outnumber students 5:1.

2. Oregon’s business school ranks in the top 1.5% in the world and students can specialize in entrepreneurship, sports business, accounting, finance, marketing and operations and business analytics. The Women in Business is the biggest club on campus, and the Sports Business Club comes in second.

3. 29% of students study abroad, some even choosing to go international during freshman year, opting for programs in London, Siena or Spain. Just google Global Education Oregon to check out all of the exciting options.

4. The arts are thriving at Oregon, which has its own art museum on campus and hosts 300+ performances a year. Ensembles are open to students in all majors, and the movie Pitch Perfect was inspired by one of Oregon’s acapella groups. On campus, the Knight Arena regularly draws big-name performers and the Craft Center has studio spaces for darkroom photography, woodworking, glassworking, paper arts, printmaking, fiber arts, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting and drawing, and ceramics.

5. The impressive Student Rec Center promotes active, balanced, healthy lifestyles for all Ducks! There’s a rock wall, an indoor track, intramural sports, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and much more. Plus for just $50/quarter, students have unlimited access to fitness classes. Or you can ‘check out’ a bike for $8/month and explore Oregon’s natural beauty!

5 things I loved about Washington State University

1. For just $300 students can join the “Zoo Crew” and cheer on their Division 1 Cougars at all home games, including PAC-12 football and basketball games. But you don’t have to a D 1 athlete to play on the fields as all students are welcome to enjoy the facilities.

2. Research is accessible at this university where the 19,000 undergraduates dominate in numbers as there are only 1,000 grad students on campus. One unique location is WSU’s Bear Center, the only grizzly bear research facility in the US and home to 13 injured bears.

3. Washington State’s Hospitality major is ranked #2 in the US and #10 in the world, supported by a training suite donated by Marriott Hotels, a partnership with a Switzerland hospitality college and a 1000 hours experiential learning requirement.

4. On this very hilly, and often snowy campus, igloo-making and sledding are popular winter pastimes! When the university feared kids would sled down the big hill into oncoming traffic, the physics department did the math and proved sledding was safe!

5. A $30 million renovation recently jazzed up the Commons Student Center and the Frank Innovation Zone, a makerspace enjoyed by students from over 40+ campus clubs ranging from architecture to theater to engineering.

5 Things I loved about University of Arizona

1. Cultural outreach is huge on campus and students love AROMAS, a long-standing program that connects Latinx/Hispanic students with Tucson grandmas who provide support, hugs and opportunities to bring their culture to campus.

2. A cool sculpture in front of the science building depicts professors, their scientific discoveries, & the color of socks they were wearing when they founded their discovery at U of AZ!

3. For just $125, you can join the “Zona Zoo,” get tickets to all home football games and sit in the student section with 5,563 other Wildcat fans.

4. University of Arizona’s outdoor pool is just one stunning feature of their student athletic facility and happens to be open for everyone until midnight

5. The spirited motto “Bear Down” gets repainted every year on the roof of one of the university buildings. The sign is so large you can read it from an airplane.

Read more about University of Arizona below!

The University of Arizona campus has a larger city feel while still being small and tight-knit with 30-33k undergrads in one square mile. It’s a free-public-transportation and bike-friendly campus (including free bike valet) with three campus rec centers full of equipment and classes: very fitting for the mountainous landscape of Arizona, ideal for biking, hiking, and days in the sun. The original 1887 Old Main building shares the campus with seven libraries, the Integrated Learning and Bartlett Student Success Centers, and a host of lab spaces, lecture halls, and collaborative learning spaces, not your traditional classrooms. The Student Union building is the main dining facility, with a range of restaurant style eating, all-you-can-eat cafeterias, eateries, and fast-food options like Chick-Fil-A and Panda Express.

Research and sports receive equal funding at this Tier 1 research university. Access to research is emphasized and offerings are diverse; psychology and business are big, but so are opportunities in philosophy and law through the PPEL program, in medicine with the two hospitals, and in astronomy with NASA partnerships to make Tucson the astronomy capital of the world. Still, undecideds and changes of major are popular and expected. With a 17:1 student to faculty ratio and many first year classes capped at 35 students, students are supported in deciding what they want to study. University of Arizona students access resources appropriate for a school ranking top 15 in the nation for health and wellness, ranging from free tutoring and a writing center to a food pantry and campus closet to First Gen Thrive and Dog Days with the Dean. The SALT center for academic support is the largest program of its kind in the world and the gold-standard, providing 1:1 support, workshops and technology resources for students with disabilities.

The University of Arizona is a spirit icon today, and understandably so. Whether you’re looking to play Division 1 sports in the PAC-12, travel with club sports, try things out with intramurals, or sit in the 10,000 person student section at a football game, the university lives up to this reputation, even without mentioning the “fight song” being played everyday at noon. With a Red Pass, students will have no trouble attending football games, and basketball games are also popular, just with less space to watch. Students can also go off-campus for their recreation on outdoor rec trips with rented equipment, kayaking in the Grand Canyon, and surfing in San Diego. But, it’s not just athletics: there’s a radio station, a daily wildcat newspaper, an esports gaming lounge, and the Catalyst maker space with 3d printers and sewing machines.

Some students are drawn to the university especially for its W.A. Franke Honors College program where students choose their classes, access research and live in the honors village. Interested students submit a personal statement, letter of recommendation, an activities resume and any fine arts supplements, ideally by November, to secure a place in the program. Any student interested in the university can access the online degree search tool and Scholarship Universe, a great resource for additional scholarship money. Once enrolled, students should submit their $150 housing deposit ASAP to access the best housing of the first-come, first-served options in their first year; housing is not guaranteed for freshmen. Most students live on-campus in their first year in 4 high-rise-filled, dorm districts containing doubles with community bathrooms, double suites, singles, and apartment style housing. Students can choose their own roommate, find one through social media, fill out a survey, statement and compatibility rating, or go random. There are also the options of living-learning communities (LLCs) for finding and building community.

The University of Arizona prides itself in its campus culture, sports and research facilities, and for the 40k undergraduate students living in Tucson with its 300 days of sunshine and the best 23 miles of Mexican food, this pride is felt with every cheer of “Bear Down”.

5 things I loved about Case Western Reserve University

1. Case Western nursing students graduate with 1300+ hours of hands-on, clinical experience

2. The Think Box, a 7-story maker space, is the largest of any university and pairs well with the Blackstone LaunchPad program for business advice.

3. The full-scale wind turbine on campus provides a real-life environment for Case engineering students to test cutting-edge ideas

4. Case Western students have access to the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and more- all within walking distance!

5. Playhouse Square in Cleveland is the second most active theater district in the US and Case students get discounted performance tickets

5 Things I loved about Gonzaga University

1. It’s a tradition for students to camp out for 2 days to get basketball tickets to the hottest rivalry games

2. “How to Zag” workshops demystify what it means to go to college and emphasizes available resources

3. 60% of students study abroad, including engineers and nurses, many at Gonzaga’s campus in Florence, Italy

4. There’s a direct path to Spokane’s Riverfront Park and owntown, complete with shops, restaurants, cafes and touring Broadway shows

5. Gonzaga’s focus on the transformative power of education encourages students to ask, “Who am I?” and “How can I serve?”

5 things I loved about Wesleyan University

1. Football and baseball games happen right in the middle of campus, generating tons of school spirit.

2. Lin Manuel Miranda wrote, produced and staged “In the Heights” during his time as a student at Wesleyan.

3. Students enjoy cookies under the stars on Wednesday nights at the Van Vleck Observatory.

4. They have an ice skating rink and an Olympic-size pool on campus.

5. There’s an aptly named “Pi Cafe” in the Exley Science Center for all your coffee needs.

5 Things I loved about NYU

1. The Leslie E-Lab serves as an incubator hub for entrepreneurial students to launch their ideas.

2. NYU owns the only private street in NYC, and it’s home to their immersive language houses.

3. The most popular Starbucks in NYC is on the NYU Dining Dollars plan.

4. Discounted tickets are available to performances all over NYC.

5. NYU students have 24/7 access to research librarians around the globe.

5 things I loved about Barnard College

1. The Maker Space in the Milstein Library was decked out with cool gear and projects.

2. Students have the flexibility to design their own major

3. Freshman orientation preps students on living in NYC

4. Opening the massive doors on the Diana Center generates energy for the whole building

5. Underground tunnels connect all academic buildings on campus

5 Things I loved about McDaniel College

1. It snowed while I was on campus!

2. Students take a “My Career” class to learn resume writing, interviewing, salary negotiating and networking.

3. College mascot is the “Green Terror,” a metaphor for “The Hill,” where the ever-popular McDaniel tailgating events take place.

4. ASL program is taught by professors who are deaf or hard of hearing.

5. The Psychology Department has a pigeon lab on campus for research.

5 things I loved about American University

1. AU Students get a U-Pass for unlimited public transportation all around DC

2. Weekend brunch includes AU logo-shaped waffles

3. Campus is an arboretum with over 130 types of trees

4. Night monumenting is a rite of passage for AU students

5. The Bridge Coffee Shop on campus was rocking and served up a great matcha latte

5 Things I loved about George Washington University

1. Being able to walk to the White House from campus.

2. The cool GW community spaces, complete with seating, located in the middle of several city blocks.

3. The fact that the Democrat and Republican Clubs share an office space in the Student Center.

4. The tradition of rubbing George Washington hippo’s nose for good luck before exams.

5. All the delicious dining options around campus.

International

5 things I loved about the University of Glasgow

1. When I stepped onto the compact, campus-style environment on a Monday morning in early spring, I loved observing the bustling scene as students made their way to classes. With 43,000+ students, there’s a vibrant energy on the campus that extends into its West End location, where students have easy access to shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. City center is within walking distance and an easy-to-use subway system connects students to the entirety of Glasgow, the friendliest city in the UK (CN Traveller, 2024), that boasts sports, arts, culture, music and more.

2. Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the 4th oldest university in the English-speaking world, a member of the prestigious Russell Group and home to eight Nobel laureates. A top 100 university, Glasgow embraces its history of openness and inclusivity, naming its new Learning Hub after James McCune Smith, the first African American to be awarded a medical degree in 1837. This flexible study and social space provides interactive, immersive learning experiences and student support services.

3. With an international student population of 30%, University of Glasgow students benefit from the global conversations and connections they have inside and outside of the classroom with their peers who come from 140+ countries. As a world top 20 for sustainability, this intentional community of innovative “World Changers” come together to “advance global solutions to real world problems.” They accomplish this goal in the classroom, societies and in the brand new Mazumdar- Shaw Advanced Research Building, committed to collaboration and interdisciplinary research.

4. Glasgow means “Dear Green Place” in Gaelic. With 90+ parks (including one with a herd of Highland cows), university students can easily access green spaces, including Kelvingrove Park, an 85-acre, classic Victorian park. Given Glasgow’s location, students can enjoy the entirety of Scotland’s natural and historic beauty, from epic coastlines, lochs and castles to the mountains and valleys of the Highlands. Plus Glasgow’s airport provides transport links to the world.

5. With Scotland’s flexible, four-year degree programs, students don’t have to know what they want to study upon arrival. During the first two years, students get to try out different subjects before they commit, and the majority of Glasgow students graduate with joint Honours degrees (aka double major). The University of Glasgow is also well-known for their professional programs, including medicine, law, veterinary medicine, dentistry and accountancy & finance. When students need a break from studying, they can join the Taylor Swift society (with over 1000 members), E-Sports, the rocket team or 300 more societies. And before exams, students can visit the Lion and Unicorn staircase to pat the unicorn’s head or rub its horn, participating in a centuries-old Glasgow tradition that grants good luck.

5 things I loved about Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland

1. Ranked as the Top Modern Scottish university and UK top 10 for teaching by the National Student Survey 2024, Abertay has been delivering transformational skills for employment since 1888 and embraces a ‘learn by doing’ philosophy. Each course I toured had professors engaged in both research and hands-on applications of knowledge. Abertay’s small class sizes allow professors to get to know students by name and provide personalized instruction, work placements and integrations with the city of Dundee.

2. Collaboration and interdisciplinary learning happen daily in Abertay classrooms and labs. For example, games students and professors work together in one of the UK’s largest PlayStation development labs as they code and design PS5 games. Food scientists and nutritionists work together to create cutting-edge food products that are also healthy. To sharpen forensic science skills from crime scene to court, working practitioners perform analytical research and collaborate with police forces, and law students teach undergrads how to cross examine witnesses.

3. When it comes to CS, Abertay has many notable firsts! In 1997, Abertay launched the world’s first degree in video games design and in 2006, they introduced the first Ethical Hacking degree. Today, both programs are consistently ranked among the best in the world. Thanks to Abertay’s gaming and cybersecurity excellence, Dundee is an international hub for video games design, providing talent for successful companies such as Rockstar Dundee (Grand Theft Auto creators), and is home to Abertay cyberQuarter, a dedicated cybersecurity R&D center.

4. Abertay is truly integrated into Dundee, Scotland, a UNESCO City of Design that provides students with plentiful opportunities to engage with the local community. Thanks to partnerships fostered by the university and faculty, there are a wide range of projects linked to schools, research, community groups, speaker opportunities and guest lectures. With its plentiful public transportation, Abertay students can easily access Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, which are both short train rides away.

5. Abertay students appreciate that they have balanced lives outside of the classroom. Abertay’s recently refurbished library and brand new Student Association building provide welcoming spaces for the university’s 5,000 undergraduate students (7% international) to access resources and support services, promoting involvement on and off campus. From yoga and tabletop games communities to the crafting corner and E-sports, students can join societies to make friends across majors. Students can grab free food at Abertasty, the weekly food band, play multiple levels of competitive sports and access career services for life.

5 things I loved about the University of Stirling

1. Stirling is known as “Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence.” The university’s sports facilities are ranked #1 in the UK and top 5 in the world. Home to Scotland’s national tennis, swimming and triathlon teams, Stirling is always well-represented in the Olympics and students are often training next to world-class athletes. Stirling values the concept of the “student athlete” and provides support structures to promote balance. Even if you’re not a high-performance athlete, Stirling’s brand new facility (opened in 2021) offers 55+ sports clubs, hundreds of weekly fitness classes and plenty of opportunities to keep active and stay healthy.

2. Attending university in Stirling puts you at the heart of Scotland’s history. Stirling Castle played a pivotal role in battles for control of Scotland, and impressive monuments celebrate the achievements of William Wallace (Braveheart) who outwitted a much larger English army, securing his legacy as Scotland’s National Hero. Today, Stirling students can head to the city center to shop, dine and roam amongst the medieval and Renaissance churches, mansions and cobblestone streets.

3. Centered around Airthrey Loch (aka lake), Stirling is a modern university filled with natural beauty, and students value its secure, campus feel. Study spaces face out onto the loch, and student accommodations are reached by crossing the campus bridge. Students can run on the treadmill and gaze out on the loch or get exercise by walking around its 2.5 km perimeter. A popular campus tradition is climbing to Dumyat, a route that starts at the university’s buildings, proceeds through wooded areas and emerges onto an open hillside with panoramic views.

4. As a purpose-made university, everything on Stirling’s campus can be easily accessed in less than a 10-minute walk. Through a series of interconnected buildings, students can easily move between their lecture and lab spaces to the library, Student Union and multiple dining spaces. Stirling has a cinema/art gallery space for artistic inspiration, a Blue and Green Space/Resale shop to promote sustainability and a short-loan access room in the library so students don’t have to buy textbooks. Stirling’s Student Union sponsors 70+ societies ranging from Aquascience to Formula One to Pub Quiz and champions students’ interests on campus.

5. More than 30% of Stirling students are international and come from 140+ countries to find their passion. Given Scotland’s flexible 4-year degree system, students are encouraged to explore subjects across a variety of disciplines, giving them the freedom to change their mind, combine degrees or stick with their original subject. Stirling offers 170+ single and combined degrees and is well-known for sports-based majors, psychology, business, marine biology, environmental science, film & media and journalism. Stirling’s new International Undergraduate Scholarship offers eligible students a £5,000 tuition discount per year.

5 things I loved about St Andrews

1. Drawing on over 600 years of history, traditions abound at St. Andrews! Founded in 1413, St. Andrews is the oldest institution in Scotland, and the 3rd oldest university in the English-speaking world. Students wear classic, red robes on special academic occasions, with each year draping their robe in a distinctive way. The university’s location on the North Sea is the perfect backdrop for a plunge into the freezing waters at dawn on May 1st, a tradition to purge academic sins and promote good luck in exams.

2. Home to just over 8,000 undergraduate students, community is a big part of the ethos at St. Andrews. Academic families are strong and upperclassmen ‘adopt’ first year students as their ‘children,’ guiding them as mentors. This tradition culminates in Raising Weekend, where parents encourage their children to engage in silly pranks, games, costume- wearing and an all-out shaving foam fight! Students love tracing their families back several generations, deepening their ties to the history of St. Andrews.

3. Located in a small, historic town with plentiful shops, cafes and (of course) golf courses, the Students’ Association and Athletic Union at St. Andrews provide a variety of societies, sports clubs and recreational activities. My tour guide assured me that students have multiple events to choose from nightly, and that you’re always running into your peers in town. Club 601 at the Student Union schedules “bops,” thematic parties that unite the campus in music and dance. When students want to get off campus, Dundee and Edinburgh are only a short journey away, with trains and planes providing easy connections to the world!

4. Flexibility is a hallmark of Scotland’s four-year structure for most degree programmes, allowing students to study a broad range of subjects before settling on their choice of degree. In the first two years, students can study three different subjects and then specialize in third and fourth years. So while students apply into St. Andrews with one major, it’s completely possible to graduate with a different outcome or even a joint degree as students explore the depth and breadth of academic offerings at St. Andrews.

5. With a 40% international population, St. Andrews has a cosmopolitan feel in the classroom. Professors value students who want to contribute, ask questions and go to office hours. This proactive attitude extends beyond the classroom to students’ involvement in their societies and interest in seeking career opportunities. In the admissions process, it’s critical for students to communicate passion for their subject, focusing on how their activities provide transferable skills in their major of choice.

5 Things I Loved About the University of Manchester

1. Manchester is a bustling, historic, vibrant city where 200+ languages are spoken. This welcoming, international culture defines the University of Manchester where 46,000+ students come from 59 countries to study 400 different courses, 44 ranked in the Top 10 in the UK (QS World University Subject Rankings, 2024). With a 40% international population, Manchester’s global reach extends to its alumni community, which represent 183 countries.

2. Manchester’s Student Union is one of the largest in the UK! A hub for campus life, you can hang out in the student bar, shop at pop-up resale markets, enjoy live music at one of the four music venues, write for the UK’s biggest student newspaper or get involved with one of the 400+ student societies, ranging from the Jacket Potato society to Quidittch to Wine and Cheese.

3. All international students are guaranteed a place in university-owned accommodations for the 3 years of their undergraduate study. With three distinct housing communities, there’s a vibe for every student, ranging from quiet and campus adjacent to the super social community of Fallow Field that’s just a short bus ride away. With its thriving public transportation network, there are a multitude of buses, trams, trains and even an international airport to take students wherever they desire to explore Manchester and beyond.

4. Manchester’s world-famous architecture ranges in style from the historic, gothic revival arches of Whitworth Hall to the neoclassical Samuel Alexander building, home to the arts at Manchester. New campus buildings include the Engineering Building, complete with a Maker Space and 1,500 student spaces for flexible learning and the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons, which is open 24 hours/day and includes the Zzz zone nap pods.

5. Support for international students begins even before you apply as their admissions reps are happy to answer questions and chat with you about life and studies at Manchester. There’s an airport welcome service to meet, greet and guide students on arrival and a fun, comprehensive Welcome programme to introduce students to all Manchester has to offer. International students are welcome to apply for the Global Futures Scholarship, which awards £8,000/year to selected undergraduate and post-graduate students.

5 things I loved about University of South Wales, Cardiff Campus

1. The inspirational walls of the Cardiff campus are decorated with posters from movies, TV shows and video games highlighting all of the University of South Wales graduates who contributed to each production, including His Dark Materials, Avengers Infinity Wars, The Lion King, Doctor Who and Grand Theft Auto V.

2. The Cardiff campus is a collaborative, creative, cutting-edge space where students studying different disciplines all come together to learn skills from each other as well as the industry professionals who flock to Cardiff because it’s a city of culture and entertainment. Courses include: Animation & Games, Design & Communication, Fashion, Film & Visual Effects, Journalism & Media, Music & Sound, Performance and Photography.

3. Each course-study area has its own hang-out and socialization space at the Cardiff campus, with each floor representing the creative vibe and pulse of the students who meet to collaborate, work, host meetings, network and relax. Each year, students celebrate their work at the USW Creative Graduate Festival showcases.

4. Decked out with industry-standard facilities, film and animation students learn a wide range of skills using the fully equipped HD film studios complete with lighting rigs, green screen and motion capture facilities, a black box studio, Avid HD and Adobe editing suites, Pro Tools sound editing and dubbing suite, and excellent screening facilities.

5. Fashion Design students get to work in new studios that simulate an industry environment with a suite of manufacturing equipment, including industrial sewing machines, specialist machines and steam presses, knitting machines, a variety of dress stands from male, female and children, laser cutting and 3d printing facilities and well as a fully equipped production workshop.

5 Things I Loved About University College Dublin (UCD)

1. UC Dublin’s 330-acre campus is one of Europe’s largest urban campuses. Its location is perfect for students who want to be close to the fun and excitement of Dublin's city center, which is a short 25-minute bus ride away, but prefer to spend most of their time on a more residential, spacious campus with lakes, woodland walks and wildlife.

2. UCD is Ireland’s most international university, drawing students from over 150+ countries. Of the 35,000 students on campus, more than 9,500 are international. While on campus, international students enjoy hanging out and accessing a wide-range of support services through the Global Lounge, a space devoted to easing the transition to living abroad. After graduation, students benefit from UCD’s alumni network, which is truly global and represents 169 countries.

3. Community is essential to life at UCD. UCD celebrates its new students through a scarving ceremony where all students are asked to place matching scarves with the school colors of St Patrick’s sapphire blue, saffron and gold around their necks at the same time.

4. UCD’s Drama Society is the most active society on campus, and they stage 30+ productions a year, organize weekly workshops and provide opportunities for students to display their original works. Dramsoc’s homebase is the Theatre in the UCD Student Centre, and boasts a 113 seater rig, two dressing rooms, a large scene dock for set construction and professional lighting and sound system. UCD students also enjoy the larger Dublin theater scene, with multiple performance venues across the city showcasing West End tours and lots of Irish theater.

5. Engineering students at UCD enroll in a common first year core of classes, discover how to solve problems, gain exposure to engineering subjects, listen to presentations on various specializations and talk with advisors about which engineering pathway is right for them. Students then specialize in Biomedical, Chemical and Bioprocess, Civil, Electrical or Electronic, Mechanical Engineering, or Structural Engineering with Architecture.

5 things I loved about Cardiff Met

1. A 20-minute walk from City Central, Cardiff Met’s location provides students with easy access to a bustling city life, filled with shopping, expansive parkland, sports and performance venues, and over 2000 years of history, including Roman walls and a castle in the middle of the city.

2. No matter what draws you to sports– athletics, media, performance analysis, management, coaching, conditioning and therapy, Cardiff Met’s School of Sport and Health Sciences offers students world-leading learning opportunities at their Cyncoed campus.

3. Specialized business management courses include international hotel and hospitality, digital marketing, fashion buying and brand and global business management. Plus, there’s a tasty cafe in the School of Management building that serves global cuisine to hungry students!

4. 20% of Cardiff Met’s 14,000 students come from 140+ different countries, and receive robust international support from multiple advisors. All Cardiff Met students benefit from small classes and employability modules built into the curriculum.

5. Cardiff Met earned the top UK award for sustainability in 2022 and the Times Higher Education 2021 University of the Year for UK and Ireland for their progressive values-driven education and excellent student experience.

5 Things I loved about Cardiff University

1. The only Wales member of the distinguished Russell Group, a collection of 24 renowned UK universities, Cardiff University is committed to cutting-edge research. Several top-ranked programs, including Business, Engineering, Computer Science and Bioscience offer work placement years and integrated master degree programs.

2. At the School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Cardiff University students study in a brand new facility directly next to BBC Wales, a location that helps foster stronger industry links and boost students’ employability.

3. Cardiff is consistently ranked one of the most affordable cities in the UK, and is small and compact, with only 350,000 people. International students (25% of the population) are guaranteed university housing, and are picked up from Heathrow airport upon arrival into the UK. The university also has an accommodations team run by the Student Union that helps students find apartments across the city.

4. The brand-new student center reflects Cardiff University’s commitment to creating positive student experiences. The student center has some really cool spaces for hanging out, dining options galore and multiple entertainment venues, all of which are an extension of the fun, city experiences Cardiff offers, including shopping, sports and a concert scene that draws huge names including Beyone, ColdPlay, Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles!

5. The “Give it a Go” taster series, sponsored by the Cardiff Student Union, clubs and societies encourages students to try a new skill, learn something new or explore an interesting destination, fostering community along the way. Students can also learn a language for free! Cardiff’s Languages for All program offers weekly and crash courses in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and of course, Welsh!

5 things I loved about Swansea University

1. With its waterfront location next to 20 miles of the best beaches in Wales, students enjoy an abundance of outdoor recreational activities, and Swansea’s beach volleyball and surfing teams contribute to the chill campus vibe.

2. Swansea proudly invested £450 million into their new Engineering campus, partnering with companies such as Airbus and Rolls Royce to provide cutting-edge technology and research opportunities for their students.

3. Varsity Day is huge for Swansea as they compete against Cardiff University in over 30 sports, including men and women’s rugby, which is the second biggest UK rivalry after the Oxford vs. Cambridge match.

4. The £32.5 million Computational Foundry opened in 2019, equipping Swansea’s math and computer science students with global research, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and focused experience in cyber security, health technologies, and everyday digital connections.

5. The Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law at Swansea provides students with hands-on learning and the opportunity for joint studies with Swansea’s renowned Criminology course.

5 Things I loved about University of Roehampton, London

1. Picturesque 55-acre parkland campus complete with lakes, expansive grassy laws, historic buildings and plentiful outdoor seating.

2. "Growhampton" chickens on campus provide eggs students can buy at the Hive, an on-campus sustainable cafe run by students. Several outdoor community garden spaces and an active Farm Society add to the green vibe on campus.

3. 28% of students are international, representing over 145 different nationalities. All students have access to robust support structures, and Roehampton’s Student Union is ranked #2 in London for student satisfaction.

4. Plentiful campus accommodations provide single-room living options for students. Guaranteed housing for overseas students creates a residential atmosphere and helps students avoid the high price of living in London.

5. A brand new engineering program will open in 2024, joining Roehampton’s prominent offerings in education, dance, psychology, computer science, business, nursing, liberal arts and more, with several programs offering post-graduate options where students can earn 2 degrees in 4 years.

5 things I loved about University College London (UCL)

1. As the third oldest university in the UK, University College London has been promoting “Disruptive thinking since 1826,” through its ground-breaking research and world class educational opportunities where students and professors collaborate to tackle global issues. There have been 30 Nobel Prize laureates amongst UCL’s alumni and current and former staff, and UCL is currently ranked 9th in the 2024 QS World University Rankings.

2. UCL is a truly global institution with 48% international students representing 150+ countries. UCL’s Japanese garden is symbolic of the university’s commitment to championing inclusivity and diversity. Situated in a quad outside of UCL’s main library, the garden commemorates the first Japanese students to study abroad, coming to UCL nearly 160 years ago.

3. UCL has two campuses. The oldest, Bloomsbury, is an enclosed campus in the heart of London that provides students with easy access to the excitement of the city. With five universities in the surrounding neighborhood, the back door entrance to the British Museum and a Waterstones bookstore across the street, students can actively engage with all London has to offer. UCL East is a brand new campus located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. It’s an area filled with start-ups, lots of sports and a dynamic arts culture that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and design for social change. This campus is home to the new Robotics and AI degree where every student gets their own robot.

4. Lots of UCL students love to play music, and rumor has it that UCL alumni Coldplay refer to their university days in their 2005 track, Fix You, where they sing how the “lights will guide you home.” This a reference to how the band members (and all UCL students) use the iconic BT Tower which lights up the London skyline to find their way back to their campus after nights out on the town.

5. Christopher Nolan, another famous UCL alum, filmed parts of Inception in the Flaxman Gallery, housed in one of UCL’s 17 different libraries. UCL also has five in-house museums, including the Grant Museum of Zoology, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and the UCL Art Museum.

Colleges Visited by AT College Consulting

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