What is it Like to Attend Adelphi University

What is it Like to Attend Adelphi University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Wendy is a New York City tutor who graduated from Adelphi University in 2011. She acquired her Bachelors degree in Biology, andshe specializesin Biology tutoring, Anatomy tutoring, Literature tutoring, and more. See what she had to say about Adelphi: VT: How easy or difficult is it to get around on your campus? Is it hilly, do lots of people bike, are there buses, etc. Wendy: Adelphi is a pretty small campus and it's really easy to get around. There are no hills. There are plenty of bike racks in case you want to bike. The campus is beautiful because Adelphi gets some funding from the NY Botanical Gardens to they keep the landscaping gorgeous. Also, there are many sculptures and art pieces on the grounds that are created by members of the Adelphi community, so that makes it even more enjoyable to walk on campus. There is a shuttle bus that goes to various points on campus as well as nearby bus and train stations. Many people that attend Adelphi commute (the LIRR has a stop just a few blocks away) so the shuttle buses help those who take public transportation get around. The shuttle buses are free and come very regularlyand often. VT: How helpful are the academic advisors? Wendy: The academic advisors are great. You must meet with an advisor before registering so that they can help you plan out your schedule and make sure that you are covering all of your requirements. It's easy to switch advisors also if you find one that may know more about your particular career or educational interests. If you are a part of multiple programs (i.e. Honors College, STEP Education Program, etc.), the various departments try to make sure that they assign you an advisor that is familiar with the curricula of all of the programs that you are enrolled in so that they can best help you plan your schedule. VT: How would you describe the dorm life? Wendy: Adelphi is primarily a commuting school. I commuted for my 4 years there, but I had some friends who resided at the University. From what I've seen and heard, the residence halls are very nice and they have a lot of options for what every individual student is looking for. The RA's are very helpful and the Resident Life association is veryaccommodating. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Wendy: Adelphi has a big liberal arts program, but there is truly something for everyone. Our performing arts program has a big representation and the facilities that they use are newly renovated and gorgeous. There are regular performances by the music and theatre departments that are phenomenal. There is a big interest in the STEP program. STEP is a combined Bachelor's/Master's program for people interested in going into teaching. Students can complete both degrees in 5 years. There is also a program in the Physics department that is a combined BS/MS with Columbia school of engineering where students complete a BS and MS in 5 years but they finish their final 2 years at Columbia. There is a big adult student population (the ABLE program) for various programs. There are a considerable number of master's programs offered at the University (Biology, Psychology, Speech Language Pathology, etc.). There is an Honor's College that has a wonderful curriculum modeled on that of Harvard Univ ersity. In order to be enrolled, students must achieve a minimum score on the SAT, have a minimum GPA in high school, and complete a one-on-one interview with the deans of the program. The curriculum incorporates a well-rounded education complete with science, music, art, foreign language, philosophy, and classical literature requirements as well as having special seminars offered by various professors from the different departments at Adelphi. Students must complete and defend and Honor's Thesis on the approved topic of their choice before graduation. Even though it is a very rigorous program, I found it to be a really fantastic experience-the deans are amazing, the curriculum is wonderful, and the doors that the curriculum and professors open up for the students are numerous. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Wendy: I didn't find it difficult at all to make friends. There are many student organizations that help bring together students with different interests- the radio station, Honor's program, Greek life, intramural sports, dance teams, honor societies for various subjects and programs, the newspaper, and many more. The programs range in size but the classes in general are small enough to allow students to both get to know each other as well as the professors teaching them. VT: How helpful is the Career Center? Wendy: I found the Career Center to be pretty helpful. I used the Career Center to help me find jobs on campus. After visiting the career center, I had a job within 2 weeks. I enrolled in medical school after I completed my undergraduate education so I didn't use the Career Center to help me find a job after graduation. I instead relied on the pre-professional office and committee as well as the advice and help of my advisors and mentors in the Biology program and the Honors College. The Learning Center helped me prepare for my medical school application process by helping me write my resume, personal statement, and essays for application. They have a wonderful group of people who meet with students individually to go over graduate school applications and prepare for interviews. They have people that will comprehensively help you prepare for the interview process by doing mock interviews and workshops for application and resume writing as well as interview preparation. VT: How are the various study areas? Libraries? The Student Union? Dorm lounges? Wendy: The library is beautiful and huge. The hours are very friendly for studying and they have a setting for every student- quiet study rooms that can be reserved by individual students, quiet study areas and cubicles, and group study areas. I didn't live on campus so I don't have much experience with the Dorm Lounges and Student Unions. As a member of the Honors College, honors students have 24 hour swipe access to honors college computer lounges and study areas that are perfect for group or individual studying. VT: What is the surrounding town like? What are the best local attractions that make it unique? Wendy: Adelphi is in the heart of Garden City, which is a very nice, quaint town. It's easy to walk around in and grab lunch or coffee. There are many small cafes and places to get lunch from or just hang out in. There is a mall nearby that has any store you could possibly want. Shuttle buses can take you to the mall to see a movie or do some shopping. The beach is ~20 minutes away and is always nice to visit. Adelphi is a 5-10 minute walk from the LIRR station which is a ~30 minute ride to Penn Station in NYC. Shuttle buses also will take you to the train station if you don't feel like walking. VT: How big or small is the student body and how does that affect your experience? Wendy: The student body is a decent size and I personally found it the perfect size for getting to know people without it being too smal so as to prevent you from branching out. The individual programs vary in size, but there is plenty of interaction with people in different schools or programs. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you dreaded the most. Wendy: Personally, the best part about Adelphi for me was the professors. Whenever I had a problem or concern, I had 2 go-to professors to help me. One was my mentor in the Biology Department. I did research for 2 years on plant genetics with him and he helped me every step of the way with applying to medical schools, deciding which locations and programs were best for me, counseling on writing and completing my thesis, preparing and presenting at research conferences, and outlining and completing my requirements for graduation. The other person that would always help me when I had a crisis was one of the deans of the Honors Program. She was there to help me decide what I wanted to do after graduation and how to go about combining my interests of writing and science so as to find a career that would make me happy and explore all of my interests. She helped me get in touch with my mentor in the Biology department and put me in touch with alumni and professors that I could talk to abou t my interests and professional concerns. I had a great support network in Adelphi of people that would go out of their way to stop everything they were doing to help me figure out my professional concerns. Check out Wendys tutoring profile.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.