Is Arizona State University a Good School? A Comprehensive 2023 Evaluation
As Arizona State University continues expanding into one of the nation’s largest public research universities, with over 150,000 graduates pursuing careers across industries, high schoolers considering ASU are rightfully wondering — does it provide a quality, valuable education that sets students up for success?
In my decade analyzing higher education institutions and policy, I’ve developed an in-depth understanding of the student experience within large-scale university systems. As we evaluate ASU’s overall value proposition across key areas from academics to admissions, I’ll share my insider perspective on where this ambitious institution is succeeding — and where it still stands to improve.
Let’s thoroughly examine the ASU advantage:
Sections
- Introduction: History and Overview
- Breadth and Innovation in Academics
- Accessibility and Support Driving Admissions
- Campus Culture and Student Life
- Value, Affordability, and Outcomes
- Rankings and Reputation as an Emerging Leader
- Key Takeaways: Is ASU a Fit For You?
Introduction: Context of a Complex, Ambitious Institution
Originally founded as a teaching college in 1886 with just over 30 students, Arizona State University has seen exponential growth over the past 50 years to become the largest public university in the United States by enrollment, with over 120,000 students across physical and online campuses.
ASU offers studies in every field imaginable, leveraging nearly 3,000 world-class faculty members and state-of-the-art facilities. And the numbers only continue rising – ASU admitted ~30,000 new first-year students in Fall of 2022.
This massive scope comes with distinct benefits: exposure to diverse perspectives in the classroom, increased flexibility around learning models, and access to emerging interdisciplinary fields. However, it also poses scalability and consistency obstacles. With a population surpassing many cities, creating an inclusive culture and ensuring educational quality across campuses takes strategic oversight.
As we analyze the full student experience ASU provides, we’ll examine both the immense resources it offers plus areas ripe for continued improvement.
Academics: Cutting-Edge Programs Meet Practical Skills
Home to over 450 graduate degrees spanning traditional mainstays to trailblazing new fields, ASU empowers students to develop expertise aligned with the opportunities of tomorrow. Especially in interdisciplinary areas around sustainability, healthcare innovation, and data analytics, ASU moves quicker than older institutions to build programs that tackle evolving real-world problems.
They also incorporate ample practical learning, from primeira research labs producing over $600 million in new discoveries annually to studios for co-creating solutions with external partners. Undergraduates gain access to experiential learning far sooner than typical universities thanks to ASU‘s focus on tangible outcomes.
Examining core aspects of the academic experience:
Breadth of Majors
With over 350 undergraduate degrees offered, resourceful students will undoubtedly find multiple programs matching their passions – whether within traditional disciplines like business, engineering and nursing or cutting-edge options like astrobiology, geographic information systems, and transmedia storytelling.
The rate of new additions also impresses, with degrees in data science, finance, and educational policy rolling out just over the past year. Prospective students can feel confident ASU will provide in-demand specializations relevant to the accelerating pace of technological and social change.
According to junior communications major Alicia C.:
“I specifically chose ASU over other California schools because I was interested in integrated marketing, advertising and PR as an emerging career path. The Cronkite School of Journalism had exactly the innovative, cross-disciplinary program I hoped for to build a unique skillset.”
However, certain large foundational courses do suffer from impersonal lecturing. Intro surveys see 400+ student class sizes, which higher education research shows can hamper engagement and performance. ASU should consider reforms in these spaces.
Faculty Excellence
The university has tripled its full-time professor count since 1990 to its current figure of over 2,700 faculty members. Combined with just under 1,000 part-time lecturers and instructors, this provides a solid 16:1 student-faculty ratio for most upper level courses.
And the professors themselves contribute exceptional expertise – among tenured staff, over 90% hold terminal degrees in their fields while 82% conduct active research advancing their areas. Students directly benefit from this groundbreaking scholarship.
As senior kinesiology major Jeff W. shares:
“Getting to work in Dr. Leyva’s biomechanics lab was life-changing. We expanded concussion prevention research through a VR headset project I co-designed. My mentorship directing me toward researcher journals and conferences showed me firsthand how new discoveries get made and published.”
Showcasing academic excellence, ASU boasts highly cited researchers across domains – from psychology Professor Keith Crnic and educational tech scholar James Paul Gee to physicist Peter Crozier and sustainability expert Charles Redman.
Online Degrees
With over 200 accredited programs offered fully remotely, ASU Online provides tremendous flexibility catering to working professionals and distance learners. Enrollments currently sit at over 45,000 pupils annually.
The pandemic necessitated rapid development of digital infrastructure and synchronous learning tools. And ASU‘s early online program investments equipped them to transition smoothly while many lagged. They smartly recognize new generations show preference for quality blended or online models enabling work/life integration.
As parent learners become more common, ASU‘s virtual degrees grant valuable upskilling opportunities and career advancement. Graduate student Manisha R. explains:
After being out of college for over 5 years teaching high school biology, I found struggling to balance night classes with my family exhausting. Moving to ASU Online let me pursue my master’s in conservation biology and ecology at my own pace while still working full time. The program doesn’t feel dumbed down whatsoever compared to what on-campus students experience.
Still, remote students do miss networking advantages and hands-on research options physical attendance unlocks. ASU should boost hybrid master‘s and doctoral level programs to increase flexible access to those premium assets.
Overall, while marquee labs and renowned faculty drive innovation, undergraduate teaching quality varies significantly depending on class size and subject. Students must be self-directed in seeking meaningful mentor relationships beyond cursory advising.
Additionally, bureaucratic obstacles like credit transfer barriers between campuses highlight needed process improvements to enable more customization around interests and schedules.
Campus Culture: Accessible Diversity
Despite its mammoth enrollment figures, ASU succeeds at fostering an approachable, vibrant student culture welcoming communities of all types and honoring individuality of expression.
With over 1,400 student clubs and organizations, annual beloved traditions like football Saturdays when everyone dons gold and marches to the stadium, and events embracing all affinity groups and interests, there‘s a space for everyone.
Modern facilities like the Memorial Union with fast WiFi, gaming lounges, and trendy eateries draw students for quality time unwinding together. And uniquely designed living-learning communities in ASU dorms tailor the freshman experience for groups united by shared academic or social passions.
Do the huge class sizes inhibit finding your people? While a smaller liberal arts college campus may enable tight-knit bonding from day one, most incoming Sun Devils connect easily through shared experiences and values.
As sophomore business major Riya K. describes:
“Don’t let the giant student population scare you! Between my Changemaker LLC focused on social impact, my Bollywood dance club, and my core classes for finance majors, I’ve made close friends faster than anticipated. We study together often – it feels just as supportive as my hometown.”
With over 13,000 international students integrated across campus – including 2,300 Indian pupils and 1,600 Chinese scholars – global perspectives further diversify daily interactions and learning. Students gain cultural fluency and understanding critical to navigate our interconnected world.
Accessibility and Support Driving Admissions
As part of its charter focused on accessibility, ASU maintains reasonable admissions standards paired with extensive resources helping students transition smoothly into college-level academics.
Examining key details around enrollment and support systems:
Admissions Rate over Time
| Year | Admissions Rate | # Enrolled Freshmen |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 84% | ~11,800 |
| 2020 | 87% | ~13,700 |
| 2021 | 88% | ~15,000 |
| 2022 | 85% | ~16,400 |
The slight dip for 2022 comes after nearly a decade of year-over-year expansion, as regional population growth contributed increased applicants. However, an 85% admit rate still dramatically outpaces highly selective Ivy League peers at ~5%.
Additionally, robust learning assistance programs facilitate the transition for those needing extra resources. According to Calvin Ngyuen, Director of University Academic Success Programs:
“We support students holistically via mentoring for first-generation college attendees, workshops focused on excelling in quantitative courses, and writing centers available across campuses. In 2021-2022 alone, our programs aided over 15,000 pupils in developing skills and confidence for conquering college classes.”
Financial Assistance
Crucial for accessibility, ASU ensures affordability remains central to its mission:
- In-state tuition held under $11,000 yearly
- Out-of-state tuition below national public school average at $29,328
- Over 80% of undergraduates receive scholarships or financial aid
Compared to exorbitant tuition hikes seen across many private and public competitors, ASU contains cost increases. Creative aid solutions like cutting textbook prices 50% university-wide and scaling online degrees provide budget-conscious learning for in-demand fields without compromising quality.
Could they streamline processes further and reduce administrative program fees? Certainly. But prospective students can feel confident ASU actively prioritizes affordability and reasonable debt burdens.
The ultimate question becomes: does ASU provide enough resources for the students they admit to thrive? The evidence indicates substantial personalized guidance exists for those who seek it out proactively.
Value, Affordability and Outcomes
While ASU strives for accessibility, that should not come at the cost of career preparedness or student success metrics. Fortunately, outcomes data and external assessments confirm students gain expertise to excel after graduation:
- 89% Employment Rate for recent graduates
- Median Starting Salary $52k
- Top 8% for undergraduate teaching nationwide
Let‘s analyze what produces such robust results.
Career Acceleration Programs
With over 500 corporate partners including household names like Adidas, Amazon, Boeing, GEICO, Google, and Wells Fargo, ASU spotlights experiential learning that grants undergraduates professional opportunities rivaling MBA-level access.
The university‘s business mentorship course allows students to solve problems for participating companies. A recent group presented supply chain solutions to shoe giant Nike.
Construction Management undergraduates gain hands-on experience managing builds on real properties. And journalism pupils regularly break major investigations aired by NBC thanks to immersive teaching hospital models.
Such programs demonstrate ASU‘s commitment to tangible career advancement before students even don caps and gowns.
ROI and Earnings Prospects
ASU shines when measuring salary outcomes relative to tuition fees paid and debt incurred.
With 65% of students taking out loans averaging just $23k, typical monthly payments remain reasonable against expected earnings. And the consistent ranking among top earning bachelor‘s degrees in Payscale‘s ROI ratings affirms students realize substantial lifetime value.
Quite impressively, the top 10 median salaries among ASU graduates span disciplines – from engineering and business to health professions and tech sectors. This suggests the career infrastructure provides upward mobility regardless of major chosen. Students gain both specialized competencies and widely transferable skills.
However, sticker price alone may undersell the full cost commitment, as fees for housing, books, meal plans and parking also add up quick. Students should factor these ancillary expenses when mapping budgets.
And while career prep resources prove abundant for go-getters, advising consistency lags among various departments and satellite campuses. Undergrads need self-advocacy skills to optimized outcomes. There‘s room to improve standardization.
Rankings and Reputation as an Emerging Leader
As ASU evolves from upstart innovation hub into an established research institution powerhouse, rankings and external evaluations reflect this rising reputation built on proven student success:
Overall Standing Among Global Universities
- America’s largest public university, ranked top 150 internationally
- Top 75 World Ranking for Patents Issued – National Academy of Inventors
- Home to 100+ IEEE Fellows advancing tech worldwide
Program-Specific Excellence
- Top 10 in Psychology PhD Program Quality
- Top 15 Schools for Online Graduate Criminal Justice Degrees
Social Mobility Impacts
- Top 35 U.S. Colleges Doing the Most for Low-Income Students – Forbes
The variety of top 25 placements across critical fields paired with rising results for accessibility showcase ASU simultaneously lifting national research status while remaining committed to their public service mission.
Few university systems with comparable scale and growth manage to balance elite-level innovation with continued inclusion efforts. As ASU strives to offer quality learning matching career realities at reasonable student budgets, so far it appears to be hitting the mark.
Key Takeaways: Is ASU the Right Fit Based on Your Needs?
ASU hosts world-class faculty pursuing globally impactful research across every imaginable discipline – yet retains a down-to-earth, community-focused culture welcoming diverse learners. This rare fusion underlies its meteoric rise onto the national stage.
ASU Wins For:
- Career-Aligned Programs meeting business demands
- State-of-the-art Facilities and Technologies
- School Spirit and Student Engagement Opportunities
- Diversity: Global Perspectives on Campuses
- Financial Accessibility and Aid Available
However, aspects like expansive lecture-style surveys and inconsistent advising may not suit every freshman. And remote students miss some networking perks physical attendance unlocks.
Ultimately by combining big-picture thinking around emerging fields with student-centric support resources, ASU delivers on its charter to provide quality learning for all. But ensure your needs align with the fast-paced, future-focused approach before applying.
I welcome any other questions to advise which factors matter most as you evaluate colleges!