University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI, USA

Reviews

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Kelly from Pine Valley, CA

a current student here
25 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
By being in a place that has such rich history and such a different culture than any other place elsewhere in the United States, you not only learn many new things just by being in college but also you learn about a whole culture. I have learned a lot about the Hawaiian culture and other Pacific Islander/Asian cultures.
Am enjoying being here
The people in Hawaii are very friendly. Many of the professors are really helpful and want you to succeed in their classroom. Obviously, being in Hawaii year-round is going to a great place to spend your time and there is much to be explored here.
Tips for prospective students
Be ready for a different demographic of students with many students of Asian and Pacific Islander decent. Some of the classes can be difficult and some of the professors can be hard to understand because of accents, but if you have tutors or form study groups with other students in the class, then you will be ok.
Great for these types of students
Its a great place for students who is alright with having to travel on an airplane in order to get to college if you are from the mainland and you must get used to not being able to drive for long periods of time because you are on an island. Also you must enjoy the sunshine and warm weather year-round. This is also a great place for students who wants to learn many different languages because UH offers many different foreign languages that you probably wouldnt be able to learn at a college on the mainland.

Brandon from Colorado Springs, CO

a current student here
23 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I am attending the Honors College of Engineering. Some of the subjects are hard and require a lot of effort, but the course content and teaching quality is solid.
Am enjoying being here
Hawaii is a wonderful place to attend college. The climate is hard to beat and everything is beautiful. The main drawbacks are that I don't have a car, the cost of living is high (try eating out) and it's challenging to be able to fly back and forth home. The kids here at college are great though and I'm enjoying fraternity acitvities.
Bang for the buck
University of Hawaii is part of the Western Undergrade Exchange program which means it had the cheapest tuition rates of any college I applied to. However, that is partially offset by the expenses of traveling and a higher cost of living (although that is not true of the on-campus housing and meal plan which is comparable to other colleges). Overall, this is an excellent value in education in a warm, beautiful paradise.
Tips for prospective students
There are lots of things to consider before choosing University of Hawaii. Transportation issues are one of the big ones. You cannot drive your car here and although the public transportation (bus) system is pretty good, you have to factor that in. Also you will be far away from family and friends and can't easily go home to visit and do your laundry. You must be independent and self-sufficient and able to function well without your support system. Be prepared to save money any way you can and deal with the higher cost of living. But if you like the college programs (and there are some good ones) and living in paradise while learning, there are few places that compare.
Great for these types of students
Independent, fun, self-sufficient, intelligent and outgoing. You should have a warm-climate preference and love beaches and sun. Perfect for someone who's hard-working and a self-starter, but still likes to have a good time and meet new people. Pack the bikini or swim trunks but leave the snow pants at home. No mama's boys or shy girls who need their parents every minute need apply. Time to put your big boy or girl pants on and show everyone what you can do on your own. A good time and lots of opportunity awaits.

Rocio

a current student here
9 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am enjoying being here
I enjoy attending University of Hawaii at Manoa , we get some refreshing showers every now and then, the sun is almost always shining and your never too far away from the beach. Everyone is really friendly and it's always cool to meet other people from around the world since our campus is very diverse.
Bang for the buck
Compared to other schools where I applied Manoa was the most cheapest, the only thing is that financial aid is very slow,it takes a long time everything to be processed and due to the economy there has been significant cuts in classes being offered.
Tips for prospective students
Take a tour around, sit in a class and see if you like the atmosphere
Great for these types of students
If you wanna make friends with people from all around the world, then Manoa is for you, the campus here is so diverse it's very easy to meet someone from the other side of the globe.

Sara from Aiea, HI

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
As a pre-business major, I have learned a lot about economics, and I anticipate my future at Shidler Business of College at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. However, I have not only learned about business. My knowledge in the fields of history, anthropology, sociology, and Japanese language has increased exponentially. I feel so much more aware of the world, and I can positively say that all I have learned so far has already begun to shape me into a much more mature, intelligent, and motivated person.
Am enjoying being here
Having lived in Hawaii my entire life, I always envisioned myself going to college in some far away state in which I could experience snow and purchase a legitimate $5 foot-long sandwich from Subway (prices are higher in Hawaii). However, when making my final decision, I realized that I could not bear to leave home for a myriad of reasons. Reflecting now on my first year in college, I can confidently say that I enjoyed staying home in Hawaii. Hawaii is a truly magical place because of its temperate climate, the variety of cultural diversity present in its cuisine, history, and day-to-day happenings, and the beauty seen not only in Hawaii's landscape, but in the hearts of Hawaii's people. I encourage anyone who wants to experience something new, exciting, and breathtaking to come to UH Manoa.
Bang for the buck
For residents of Hawaii, the tuition is extremely affordable. For out of state students, UH is still very affordable, and an impressive number of valuable scholarships are available for all students. In addition to its affordable tuition, UH students can attend sports games for free, a year-long bus pass, and work out at the gym.
Tips for prospective students
Join clubs as soon as you can! If you are a Christian, there are a lot of groups in which you can get involved. If you like Japanese or Indian culture, there is also a place for you. Be willing to explore beyond the familiar boundaries of your high school lifestyle.
Great for these types of students
Students who enjoy outdoors activities (especially swimming at the beach), have interest in Asian/Pacific cultures, plan to major in business, engineering, marine biology, or Asian languages and literatures

Christopher from North Hollywood, CA

a current student here
5 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Academic Rigor
The classes that are here can be very challenging depending on your major and the classes that you are taking. There are some very easy classes that can fill your general ed. requirements and the teachers are very diverse in their teaches. Some are very good and entertaining while some can lull you to sleep and not be very good at teaching their knowledge to you.
Am enjoying being here
There is a great diversity of ethnicity's and people from all around the country here so of course you get all these different personalities that you will/will not like. It's really easy to make friends here since like half the students are not from here and therefore are all in the same boat of wanting to meet new people. Also there are a million places you can go and explore around the island where there is beautiful scenery and make all your friends' back home jealous.
Bang for the buck
For me, it was actually cheaper to come here than a lot of schools in California and I would have been paying in-state tuition. But I have noticed people (even students here) rate your education here a little lower than other places. From my knowledge its true to a certain extent. This school is very top heavy in that it has a couple of programs that are rated very highly and then the rest are very sub-par.
Tips for prospective students
If you like to have fun there is always something happening here but as a word of caution the parties are very different here. The parties are not like all out dancing, drinking, being with a million people type. They are more like in the dorms and more laid back. There are clubs but it really isn't like the mainland. Also the things you can do off campus is really unlimited here, there is always something to do. But most importantly do your research on this school and every school you are interested in. if you don't have anything specific that you know you want to do, then see if this has a lot of options that you are interested in. This school has a lot of options, see if they are the options you like.
Great for these types of students
This school is great for students who are very laid back in nature and social. People who can make friends with everyone will have no problem fitting in here. Also the programs that are highly rated here and if you really care that your diploma means something and can't say its not the best is the biology, zoology, marine biology, business, and...a couple of others that you have to research. Also if you like the outdoors this place has unlimited options where you can visit all over the island. Most of us use the bus since we pay 20 dollars to use it for free anyways to get around the island.

Max from Haiku, HI

a current student here
5 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Although I've only been here for one semester, so far my experience has been a positive one. I have had good teachers, most of whom teach with a sense humor, which comes natural in Hawaii, considering the weather. Personally I think that how much you learn is based more on your attitude than the teacher it self, but I also understand how how a teacher can make things more difficult than the need to be. Having said that, based on my experience and that of other students, your average teacher has got his/her stuff together.
Am enjoying being here
Having been raised on the neighbor island Maui, I am used to the country lifestyle; Oahu, however, is mostly Rural, and the Campus is situated right in the city. So if your like me and not a fan of the city, then you might want to reconsider Uh Manoa, and maybe go for UH Hilo instead (that is if Hawaii is a must for you). Living in the city does, however, offer many benefits, some of which include: Transportation(bus), variety of people, and lots of places to eat. Overall, it really depends on your taste, but then again, it Hawaii, and that hard to beat.
Bang for the buck
The tuition is low, weather is warm. Pretty good if you ask me. Lots of the money is put into the sports though, which is good if that's your thing. If not you might feel like they get all the attention, while other programs are ignored. Once again, it comes down to preference.
Tips for prospective students
Get a job as soon as possible, everything you do in the city cost money. Also, if your planning on living on campus, decide if you want to have a meal plan or not, most of the dorms require it. If you want to skip the meal plan and pay for your own food, look into the apartment options, which come with a kitchen and a small living room. They give you little bit more space, which I know is important to some people.
Great for these types of students
Athletes, City People, Students that hate cold, Students interested in living around people of many different ethnicities.

Jessica from Lakewood, CO

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
How much you learn depends on what classes you are taking, what professor is teaching and how much you are studying. In college the classes don't go into as much detail as they did in High School. To make sure you learn all you need to know make sure to do your homework and readings for class.
Am enjoying being here
Hawaii is an amazing place. You can go hiking, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, sailing. The possibilities are endless! The temperature is also really nice, not to hot not to cold. But you might get spoiled if you end up coming here :D
Bang for the buck
This school participates in WUE which makes it more affordable for students from the mainland. If you are from Hawaii take advantage of the low in-state tuition.
Tips for prospective students
Check out the general education requirements and try to complete those early if you aren't sure of what you want to major in. If you know what you are going to major in look at the major requirements and try to get some of your heavier major classes out of the way early so that you don't have to deal with all major classes your junior and senior year.
Great for these types of students
Athletes interested in water sports. Also a great place for people who dislike the cold.

Christine from Waipahu, HI

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Classes at UHM are rather large. But if you're one of those students who are active and participate in class then you will definitely learn a lot. A lot of professors are known for being enjoyable which makes learning a lot easier and fun. Although some professors aren't as enjoyable as others, they will still teach you the content in the best way they can.
Am enjoying being here
UHM is very diverse which includes professors and students. The diversity in classes allows students to have knowledge on what they might have not known. One of the general graduation requirements of attending UH Manoa is to have a diversification of Hawaiian and the Pacific which can be simple Intro to Hawaiian Studies. This allows students to know a little about Hawai'i and it's language, culture, and rich history.
Tips for prospective students
If UHM is a school that you would like to attend, make sure to send your application on time. Also, if you're not sure that you'd be able to get into the school try the College Opportunities Program which will allow you to spend a summer taking a class while getting the freshman experience by being able to dorm with other freshmen. Link to COP: http://www.hawaii.edu/cop/
Great for these types of students
UH Manoa is great for athletes. The athletes have state of the art gym equipment and tutoring services to keep their academics up.

rachael-ashlyn from issaquah, wa

accepted here and planning to attend soon
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
the campus is so nice. the dorms are very clean and renovated, as are the classrooms. i love that the classes have a range of the number of students there are in a class.
Tips for prospective students
make sure to leave a little early to class because the walk across campus can be long and tiring.
Academic Rigor
obviously at this point all you get is a syllabus and deadlines, but the professors are very invested in the student. just make sure you make the effort to talk to your professors if you need help or have questions. they are more than happy to answer them and give you feedback.
Dorm Life
the dorm life is pretty fun. sit's really fun to get to know your hallway so go out of your way to meet everyone if possible.
Food and Dining
the food in the cafeteria is so good. they have a whole variety of food to choose from so definitely take advantage of that.
What to do for fun
the beach is right down the street and there is the waikiki strip. north shore is a bit more of a drive but if you have time in the day it is a great trip to go over there.
Greek Life
joining a sorority or fraternity here is awesome. rushing is a great idea to make friends and connections right away.
Campus Safety
manoa campus is very safe. i do recommend walking with someone at night just to be extra careful because you can never be too safe.

Riley from Honolulu, HI

researching this school
3 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
I've been to the campus many times for various events, and overall, the campus is decent in size, appearance, and safety. Hawaii is one of the safest states and Hawaii residents are known for being neighborly and cordial, so it is easy to ask for directions if needed. Although some of the buildings need repair, the general look and feel of the campus is comfortable with the smaller streets and shady trees.
Tips for prospective students
If you don't already live in Hawaii, make sure you take advantage of all the things Hawaii has to offer, (especially beaches).
Food and Dining
the food is very diverse and it is easy to go into downtown and find a nice restaurant.
What to do for fun
swim at the beach, go to the movie, go to a college event, go hiking,
Great for these types of students
people who want to study marine biology
Campus Safety
it's hawaii; it's very safe