I wanted to go to a well-established university. By this, I mean one with a history behind it, one that is recognized nationally for prestigious academics – a place that has truly made a name for itself. That’s what drew me to Azusa Pacific University.

I just transferred to APU this semester as a nursing major and music minor. Nursing majors are notoriously known for having no social life, and it can definitely feel that way with all the reading assignments and clinical hours in my schedule! However, I’m finding time to pursue other things I enjoy, including choir. I am involved with the University Choir and Orchestra (UCO), a group that travels to sing for various events every other weekend. UCO has definitely been one of the highlights of my time here so far.

College life has been tremendously busy – it seems impossible to ever get to bed at a decent hour! It is definitely a change to be living on your own. Managing all your classes and homework, having to grocery shop and plan meals (when you have the time to eat them!), doing laundry and cleaning your apartment, and making time to spend with newly-made friends and also keep in touch with the ones back home – all this makes for a pretty busy schedule.

APU is a place where many students seek to integrate faith with academics. Some students here have grown up in the Christian faith, others are new to it, and others still do not claim it as their own or are exploring it. But this college is a place that seeks to foster growth of the person holistically – academically, socially, spiritually, and service-wise. APU is known for its academics, and its high standards are what draw a lot of students. I wanted to go to a university that was recognized for prestige, but I also wanted an environment that highly valued and even nurtured spiritual growth. This is a great community for those who seek it.

I love the size of my school. It’s on the smaller side, with about 5,500 undergraduates. Having a smaller school means smaller class sizes, and this allows for more face time with your professor. Not only do you get more interaction with the professors, but you actually get to know them, as well as your classmates. To put things into perspective, the biggest class I’m in has 70 students; my smallest has 13. Being in a smaller school also helps foster community more easily. And community is something that is so central to APU – we are not meant to go through life alone.

I actually didn’t go to a 4-year university right after high school; I went to Ventura College. To be honest, it wasn’t my first choice to take this route, but it worked out for the better. I really appreciated having two years as a transition period. It gave me gradual independence, which resulted in a very smooth transition moving to a university. First of all, I wasn’t sure what field of study I wanted to go into and going to VC gave me time to explore classes I might be interested in. If I were undeclared at a 4-year university, my major options would be limited to what that school offered. Or, if I changed my major mid-way through, it might take me longer to graduate. By going to VC, I had more time to discover the major I wanted and then was able pick a good school that offered it.