The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach—they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Abigail received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish translation from Brigham Young University in 2012. She specializes in a number of levels of Spanish tutoring, among other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience attending Brigham Young University:
Describe the campus setting and transportation options.
Abigail: Brigham Young University is a very large walking campus, to some students’ chagrin. I walked for most of my time as a student and planned my commutes and my class schedule accordingly, but I also rode a bike for a couple of years which was very practical. There are large student parking lots on the perimeters of campus, but they were usually always full during popular class times and you typically still had a substantial hike on foot after you parked. The city of Provo does have a bus system, but I never had occasion to use it.
How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants at Brigham Young University?
Abigail:Very available, I wish I had used this resource more. Professors are open about their office hours and I always felt comfortable seeking out a teacher in their office.
How would you describe the dorm life—rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Abigail: Social! Dynamic! Family style! Fun! At BYU you can choose dorm style or cooking style apartments. I chose the latter because I wasn’t a fan of the cafeteria diet, but there certainly are options for that. Since this is a church school, student resident life is organized by into congregations as well, and that group dictates most of the social life/activities you are involved in.
Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at Brigham Young University?
Abigail: I’m not sure what major/program is most popular at BYU, but they do have a prestigious language program largely due to the fact that most of the student body are LDS and many of them have served volunteer foreign language speaking missions. I studied Spanish Translation, and the program did a thorough job of orienting us toward the world of opportunities in that field and there was always a wealth of experience available within an international church.
How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life?
Abigail: It is extremely easy to make friends as a freshman. There are always activities in your building and in your ward that connect you to the people you live around and go to church with. I was part of Sigma Delta Pi as part of my Spanish degree, but there were never any events or meetings associated with my membership in that group. Your ward plays a stronger, more significant role in your social life than a fraternity or sorority…in fact, I don’t know of any fraternities or sororities on campus.
How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services?
Abigail: The Career Center is always buzzing and there is an actively updated job board with campus job postings. This information is also available online, and I was always able to find a campus job. There is also an annual job fair with many reputable companies who come to recruit. BYU students are known for being good students, good citizens, squeaky clean, honest, hard working, and cultured.
How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges?
Abigail: The BYU library is enormous and mostly underground. There is always a place to study whether you do better in large space with many people studying quietly or more secluded cubicles or nooks and crannies that you can sneak away to. There are also many computer labs. I didn’t have a computer for most of my time as a student and I was always able to find one to use on campus as well as to print.
Describe the surrounding town at Brigham Young University.
Abigail: Provo and Orem are fun college towns with malls, movie theatres, restaurants, indoor rock climbing, museums, water parks, canyons, mountains, and the Provo River. I was around south Provo and Orem almost as much as I was on campus.
How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Abigail: It’s a huge student body. 30,000 plus students. I had some very large lectures with hundreds of people, but I also had small classes with only a dozen people. I loved both experiences.
Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Abigail: Every Tuesday morning the whole campus shuts down at 11:00 for a campus wide devotional or forum. You can attend these devotionals in person in the Marriott Center, or watch them broadcast throughout campus. Rich, inspirational, intellectual messages are delivered to the student body each week.
Check out Abigail’s tutoring profile.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
