University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is a decent school to attend. Since my major was in science, I can only speak to the education I received in that field because I don't feel like I took enough English, economics, art, et cetera, to speak to those areas. The science courses were hit or miss, to be honest. Some teachers were more focused on their research than teaching and it was obvious when that was the case. Some classes were extremely difficult whereas others that you thought would be difficult,... Read More were extremely easy and had take home exams. From those classes, I feel as though I learned nothing, both the extremely hard ones and the extremely easy one. I recommend doing research on professors before taking their classes to avoid this. This university is a good value, one year of full time courses costs around 10,000 dollars in tuition for in-state tuition. I enjoyed the layout of the campus and there are new buildings including a biology and engineering one.

The program at UAF for Elementary Education had many pros and cons when I attended. The most satisfactory thing that I found was the amount of practicum hours in the classroom that each student is expected to complete. The college stands firmly in the fact that they don't want you to get your degree and then realize in your first year of teaching that you, in fact, hate teaching. For each degree specific class that you take you are required to spend a certain number of hours in a real classroom in... Read More the local community. You will experience many different "real life" teaching styles, at all grade levels with elementary students from all walks of life. Your final year will be your internship year. This year you will complete in one classroom with a mentor teacher and teaching with their guidance. There will be hoops to jumps through- but there are with every program. The end result of the Elementary Education B.A. with UAF is that you will enter the classroom your first year teaching as a competent and confident educator. Well worth the hoops.

UAF is a wonderful college campus if you are serious about STEM research. The labs are exceptional and the hands on experience that you have available to you is unprecedented from any other college. There are numerous opportunities to work in environmental sciences and current research. The staff is knowledgeable and eager to mentor ambitious students. The only downside is that the range of degrees available are not as wide as larger schools (I was getting a degree in microbiology and biochemistry... Read More at UW, but when I transferred I had to change to a degree in cellular and molecular biology because a microbiology degree wasn't available to me).

I am going to University of Alaska Fairbanks . It very good university .It is military friendly .This university is great for certain subjects like Native Alaskan languages and art, Petroleum or Mechanical Engineering or Archeology, but not so great when it comes to physical sciences like Chemistry. Their Biology program is decent depending on the direction you want to take. The campus is a bit scattered and the shuttles should run more often in the winter. The campus dining could really use an upgrade... Read More as well. The winter is very long and dark, but overall it is a decent place to get a degree.

I am thankful to the founders for their efforts in creating this program. The Rural Development Department is truly a shining gem at UAF. The professors in the Rural Development degree program have patiently guided and nurtured me through the years, out of the fog and into clarity of mind. The program content and the instructors bring students through understanding a historical context to current issues affecting the lives of all Alaskans, Alaska Native people, and other Indigenous Peoples throughout... Read More the world. I’ve been given practical tools to examine my world, and address issues in providing service delivery in Rural Alaska. I’ve gained a new perspective in learning about my true history as an Alaska Native person. This clarity is now allowing me to make informed decisions and plans as an individual, as a community member, and in my job with Kawerak.

With the exception of a few bad apples, the professors and instructor here are some of the best and most loved I have ever seen. Most students form a bond with their professors that is built off of mutual respect and a genuine interest in learning and improving the performance of the students and the professors alike. That is not to say the classes here are all easy (I am only a CLA student so by nature my classes are easier), but they are worth it. However, that being said the administration and... Read More bureaucracy here is hellish. Especially within the bigger departments that don't actually have to do with student education. The dorms are bug infested so I would recommend living in a cabin if you can deal without plumbing. It seems here that there is a great sense of community, and especially a great sense of community outrage at seemingly uncaring attitude of parts of the University. Although as I have always been one to distrust, perhaps unfairly, those above me, I may be a bit biased. Overall I am glad at my choice of University and if UAF offered a grad program that I was interested I would not hesitate to apply. UAF is not perfect, but it has the right elements one needs to get a full, well rounded education with just enough resentment that it propels you through your degree program without too much hesitation.

UAF is a great university, and the Marine Biology is a great program. The campus, and the state itself, is beautiful. There are a lot of opportunities to experience some really terrific places and participate in excellent research. The faculty, in general, are great to work with. Of course there are some exceptions, but overall the people are great to work with. Every field season there is a ton of activity, and you can usually find an opportunity to go out on one of the many cruises to the arctic... Read More or Gulf of Alaska. The required field course is also a fantastic experience, and you spend about 6 weeks or so learning and researching intertidal areas. So as far as academics go, the Marine Bio program is really great. I think the one so-so point is with financial aid. If you get a position as a research assistant, great! But don't expect to get a teaching assistant position, because there are virtually none available in the program. If you suddenly find yourself without funding, you are pretty much sunk and will have to depend on loans to get by or have to rush to try and find alternate funding.