The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Sherri received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Alfred University and her master’s degree in special education at Simmons College. She is currently a tutor in Atlanta specializing in first grade reading, phonics, special education, and several other subjects. See what she had to say about her experience at Alfred University:
Describe the campus setting and transportation options.
Sherri: Alfred University in Alfred, New York, was a small liberal arts college that shared the same town as Alfred State College. Alfred was a true college town, with one street light and a variety of people from all walks of life. To get around, you walked; to get out of Alfred, you drove or took the bus out of town. The campus was very safe and very well lit.
How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants?
Sherri: Professors were very much available to undergrads. They had reasonable office hours and made it easy to contact them. I never had to wait longer than one day for responses or communications from my professors or academic advisors.
How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Sherri: My freshman year dorm life was awesome. My dorm was co-ed, but with girls on one floor, guys on another. We had tons of dorm-related activities. My floormates and I were close and hung out all of the time.
Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?
Sherri: Having come from a small high school where everyone knew everyone, I was looking for a small college community. Alfred University provided great support no matter the major and had great mentors to help undergraduates, especially freshmen.
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?
Sherri: I immediately made friends because of sports as well as work study. I did go Greek, and that opened up a new group of friends and social events within the school.
How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services?
Sherri: I used the Career Center for everything from resume building to landing great internships, such as at Walt Disney World. I also enjoyed and received a lot of information from different alumni and networking events.
How are the various study areas such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges?
Sherri: Individual study rooms made my life much easier to study. I couldn’t study in the dorms, and it really made a difference having a quiet room in the library that I could have to myself for any amount of time to study. I also liked having access to the many computer labs on campus. There were the most popular ones, and then there were ones that not many people knew about, which I liked. I mean, who wants to be in the basement of 100-year-old building? ME!
Describe the surrounding town.
Sherri: Alfred University was in between two major cities and then two medium-size cities. There was lots to do when going to Rochester or Buffalo, both of which are about 90 minutes away. But for quick getaways, the closer towns offered more theaters, movies, events, and locals.
How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Sherri: I loved the size of the school. Alfred University had about 2,000 undergrad and 500 graduate students. The class size was around 15 people unless you had a big class, like Psychology 101.
Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Sherri: When I was offered to work at Walt Disney World for my fall semester of sophomore year, I was on the fence. I never thought I would leave school for anything. I sat down with my academic advisor, who was also my mentor in Psychology, and she really made a difference in my decision to go. She basically said I must take every opportunity, whether it’s scary or downright crazy, because it would give me experiences and life lessons that are meant just for me. That advice has been with me forever!
Check out Sherri’s tutoring profile.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
