The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Christina is a New York City tutor and 2012 graduate of Northern Kentucky University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and specializes in Mandarin Chinese tutoring. Check out her review of her alma mater:
VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike?
Christina: It is not so urban, although I can get to downtown Cincinnati within less than 10 minutes. I would say it is a safe campus. I had a car when I was in school, because I lived 20 minutes away. There are 2 bus stops at our campus, and there are shuttles that take students from campus to their dorms. If you live close enough you can actually ride a bike to school.
VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants?
Christina: All the professors would have open hours at least 2 days per week for students to stop in and ask any questions or get help on the subject; we could also make an appointment if the open hours did not fit in our schedule. At the beginning and the end of semester, we needed appointments with the advisers because those are the most busy times, and other than that, walk-in’s are available to students.
VT: How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?
Christina: I lived at home all through my 4 years in college, so I didn’t really experience dorm life. But from what I have heard from my friends, most of them liked it. They might not have the healthiest food, but they do have nice amount of variety, and most of our dorms are very close to campus. Only one of them is a little further but still within walking distance, and students are able to take the shuttles.
VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study?
Christina: At Northern Kentucky University, the Business program is one our best programs. We have a pretty good Nursing program and Law School also. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. I just thought Marketing would be fun since I would be able to be creative, study what the current trend is, learn what consumers want, and understand how to market to target consumers. I think our school is doing a good job supporting our Business program.
VT: 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?
Christina: Actually, it wasn’t hard at all. For the first 2 months, I was kind of just by myself, mainly because I wasn’t really trying to meet people. But then I made one friend and she introduced me to a few others, and I ended up knowing a lot of people and making a few really good friends. I was not involved in Greek life, so I am not so sure about that, but there are a lot of students involved in it.
VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus?
Christina: It was very helpful. They were able to help me to build my resumé and cover letters for all the Career Fairs. There are a lot of reputable companies that recruit at the Career Fairs on our campus.
VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious?
Christina: I had great experiences with our libraries and student union. The student union really is our favorite hang-out place on campus; I got to meet most of my friends there. I preferred to study in the library than anywhere else. I could always find available areas to study. I could also rent out laptops if I forgot my own.
VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus?
Christina: Downtown Cincinnati is less than 10 minutes away from us. There are baseball games and football stadiums, as well as a lot of restaurants and pubs. We are right by the Ohio River. Most students go to the downtown area instead staying near campus.
VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?
Christina: Most of our classroom sizes are between 25-30, so it is a lot easier for us to connect with the professors. I prefer smaller class sizes.
VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most.
Christina: I was taking a 400 level Management class last summer. I worked hard in that class, and the professor actually noticed that. At that time, I was looking for an internship and my professor happened to talk to the person in charge of the Marketing Internship department about how good of a student I was – I got an internship a week later. The head of the Marketing Internship department had highly recommended me to this company and I was so grateful.
Check out Christina’s tutoring profile.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.
