University of Hawaii at Manoa Reviews

"I feel the pros of our graduate program are one that a two semester internship is built in, this way we are able to experience real world working environment and the inner working of an architectural firm before we graduate, second would be the firms available for the internship. These firms are world renown and are capable of teaching us and giving us insight into how to become better architects. The cons would have to be that we get no financial assistance from our school for our internship, this is costly due to it being abroad and still having to pay tuition, and not being able to get compensated for our time."

"The only drawback to the University of Hawaii, in my mind is the cost of living in Hawaii. It is so expensive to live here. There is a price to live in paradise though."

"Dedicated professors. Great location, especially if you are interesting in Hawaii/Pacific or Asian research. Underfunded like a lot of public universities although a lot of construction is going on now. GAs make a pittance and it's hard to live on that in Hawai'i. Overall however, I really love UH and I am getting an amazing education. The English Department is stellar. I've had excellent instructors in American Studies, PoliSci, History, Ethnic Studies and Hawaiian Studies."

"If I were rating just my graduate program, this score would be different. However, you are asking me to rate the school in general, and I don't take advantage of many of the above listed services, so I don't feel that I can truly give this school an accurate rating. My graduate program (specifically) is good in that we are exposed to diverse disciplines and thinkers. There are only a few of us in our respective specialty fields, which works for me. Because I am among a few, it makes me want to work harder, to show my program that they made a valuable choice when they allowed me into their program. My experience thus far in the program has been positive."

"University of Hawaii at Manoa offers a diverse selection in different areas of studies. The staff and faculty are very helpful and will tend to your every need. If you ever needed help, there are tutor sessions and study groups available for students of all academic backgrounds. You will not be disappointed!"

"The University f Hawaii At Manoa is a place where you will see students from different parts of the world and they gradually become a part of this culture. As for me, I am from India, and from the very first day in this school, I got a very warm welcome from the International Students Association, and moreover, from my department. The faculties in my department are involved in first rate research, and they are always available for the students. We also have a profound bonding with the other graduate students and undergrads in our department. UH Manoa has a widely known sports facility, especially the women's volleyball team. The campus food services are also good, and some of them are really inexpensive. Being a graduate student, we need to spend evenings, and sometimes nights, for our coursework, but we never faced trouble even in the middle of the night, thanks to the campus security. Even for off campus residents, it's pretty safe to leave the campus at night. The transport system, i.e. "TheBus" is one of the best in the US, and it's available even at pretty late hours. The university, being in the heart of Honolulu, is well connected to the various parts of the city. Personally I think this university welcomes every American and Non-American student, and allows them enough space, so that they get enough time to settle here, and feel the beat of Hawaii. I personally feel proud to be a part of this university."

"UH Manoa is ideally located, but has traffic and parking problems. If you are not an undergraduate from the mainland, you can expect to pay for your own housing off campus... which is always an adventure. Roommates are needed to keep costs low in most circumstances, and can be an equally interesting adventure. The School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) is one of the elite learning environments for all degree levels. Specifically, the Geology and Geophysics department offers hands on exercises, a semi-yearly public outreach called Open House, and a top notch faculty (most of whom are very interested in helping all the students). I would recommend this program to anyone who is willing and wanting to learn a lot, become and expert in a field, and enjoys making themselves a better scientist."

"The research at UH Manoa is highly competitive with other institutions. The department of physics is growing by leaps and bounds, bringing in people who have made a name for themselves in their field and upping our quantity of women faculty/students. The only downside to this institution is that we live in one of the most expensive citites in the country and the grad student pay does not account for that. We are at the bottom of the totem pole as compared to peer institutions. The faculty are amazing. They are genuinely concerned about our welfare and making sure that we get what we need."

"Not a bad program, but not a GREAT program."

"The faculty of the Linguistics Department are absolutely amazing. They are brilliant, student-oriented, approachable, and are very good at teaching. The kinds of students the program draws are also of a high academic caliber while being very down-to-earth and friendly. While the program is of a high academic quality, it has a collaborative feeling, as opposed to a competitive one. I highly recommend the linguistics graduate program."

"As a grad student it's a little difficult to speak for everyone, since so much depends on the specific department, your committee, your lab and of course your advisor. I'm very excited to be at the Botany Department UH, my lab is extremely supportive and my advisor is FANTASTIC! My funding has been manageable, although the cost of living is prohibitive for a lot of things. We learn to get really creative with our budgets :) Hawaii, surprisingly, can be a love-hate relationship for some grad students because of this. Sort out your financials first and you'll have a much more productive experience."

"Overall, I enjoy studying in Hawaii, the large influence of the Hawaiian culture in the school, and how much the school respects diversity. The school is large, so sometimes I do feel like a number rather than an individual. However, my small department more than makes up for this."

"I am in the linguistics department at UH. It is an amazing department, with wonderful professors who do solid research but also love to teach and mentor, but it is lacking in facilities. However, our department has quite a bit of funding for students, so in that, it is much better than most."

"Grad housing is pretty much non-existent because this is an island where property is limited and difficult to acquire. Social sciences don't have much funding so you will have to find outside funding, but there are some great professors here. It is not cheap to live here so it's good to be sure that your program is the best possible fit (particularly if you are interested in Asia and the Pacific Islands)."

"This a multicultural environment with highly helpfull faculties."