Tucson is an increasingly popular academic destination, and it isn’t just because of the scenic mountain views. A large and highly regarded honors college attracts top students, as do excellent programs in the sciences, engineering, and business. Generally viewed as a cut above ASU in academic quality. Now offering tuition discounts to out-of-staters. Bring plenty of shorts and sunscreen.

With a campus that’s encircled by mountain ranges and the beautiful Sonoran Desert, lined with palm trees and cacti, and set against a backdrop of stunning Tucson sunsets, it’s no surprise that students at the University of Arizona love to hang out at the Mall. Not the shopping center, mind you-but a huge grassy area in the middle of campus where 36,000 Wildcats gather between classes. Judging by numbers alone, that’s enough people to fill a medium-sized town. But students are quick to point out that Arizona has a strong sense of community. “I always see familiar and friendly faces around the Mall,” says a senior. With all the natural beauty that surrounds them, many Wildcats simply purr through four satisfying years.

Architecturally, Arizona’s campus distinguishes itself from the city’s regiment of adobe buildings with a design that seems a study in the versatility of red brick. Old Main, the university’s first building, is into its second century, but others verge on high-tech science facilities. A $28 million aerospace and mechanical engineering building has a state-of-the-art subsonic wind tunnel and rocket-combustion test facility. Eager shutterbugs can pore through photographer Ansel Adams’s personal collection at the first-rate Center for Creative Photography. The Student Recreation Center is LEED Certified, and the Student Success District, slated for completion in 2022, will centralize health and wellness, tutoring, and academic advising services, in addition to providing access to library and technology resources like 3-D printers.

Arizona, whose origins date to 1885, has 14 colleges and more than 250 undergraduate majors. Under the general education curriculum, students take 10 courses, one of which must have a diversity emphasis, that fall under the broad categories of arts, humanities, traditions and cultures, natural sciences, and individuals and societies. Almost everyone gets a healthy dose of freshman composition, math, and foreign language. Sciences are unquestionably the school’s forte-the astronomy department is among the nation’s best, helped by those clear night skies. Students have access not only to leading astronomers, but also to the most up-to-date equipment, including a huge 256-inch telescope operated jointly by the university and the Smithsonian. The small but rigorous College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture is a national leader in sustainable planning for arid regions. Programs in biomedical engineering, optical sciences, nursing, entrepreneurship, business management, and retailing and consumer science are particularly well regarded, and the English and history departments are also standouts.

“The academic climate is challenging but rewards student initiative and hard work,” comments a history major. Some first-year courses are taught by graduate students, and 45 percent of all classes enroll fewer than 20 students. “Most of my professors are very well versed in their fields and continue to do research,” says one student. Students also praise the THINK TANK tutoring program that operates out of several academic buildings and residence halls for academic support.

Arizona’s Student Engagement and Career Development office connects students with real-world learning experiences, whether through courses that involve experiential learning components or through out-of-classroom opportunities like internships, fieldwork, and research or service projects. Career educators in the LifeLab assist students with career planning. The Honors College offers one of the nation’s largest and most selective honors programs, serving more than 4,000 students. In addition to offering a variety of honors courses, the college features smaller classes, personalized advising, research opportunities, and the new Honors Village living/learning community. The Undergraduate Biology Research Program also has a national reputation. For those seeking new vistas, there are study abroad programs available in more than 60 countries; 8 percent of undergrads take part.

“Arizona students are often driven, fun, energetic, and innovative,” says a business management major. Despite-or possibly because of-tougher admissions standards, the administration cites a sharp increase in freshman applications over the past few years, especially from out-of-staters, who constitute 29 percent of the undergraduate student body; another 7 percent hail from foreign countries. Hispanics account for 27 percent, African Americans 4 percent, Asian Americans 5 percent, and multiracial students 5 percent. A diversity action council, a student minority advisory committee, and cultural resource centers help promote positive race relations. There is a mix of political views on campus, and a senior reports, “Immigration is quite a hot topic, since we are so close to the border of Mexico.” Merit scholarships averaging $8,900 and hundreds of athletic scholarships are available to qualified students. Arizona guarantees that incoming students’ tuition and fees won’t increase for four years. In addition, the university now provides full-tuition grants to in-state, Pell-eligible students at the main Tucson campus.

A junior says the quality of Arizona’s 23 residence halls is “all over the board,” but all are generally well maintained: “Dorms range from brand new with every amenity to a 1920s women-only dorm with sleeping porches that’s a historical landmark.” Only 20 percent of undergraduates live in the dorms; some first-years and most older students flock to the abundant and inexpensive apartments near the school. Several restaurants are located in the student union and sprinkled around campus, and although options are varied, some students complain that there aren’t enough healthy choices. In regards to the national issue of campus sexual assault, a sophomore says that the university “emphasizes consent” and that “students seem to take the issue seriously.”

Despite the high percentage of off-campus residents, students stream back to campus on weekends for parties, sports, cultural events, and other activities organized by more than 600 student clubs and organizations. Five percent of the men belong to fraternities, and 10 percent of the women join sororities. The campus is technically alcohol-free, though some question whether the frats have realized that yet. “Tucson is a hippie town and offers a different local vibe and a fun atmosphere for a college town,” says a junior. Students enjoy Tucson’s shops, restaurants, bars, and various dance clubs, not to mention easy access to hiking and other outdoor activities. Phoenix is less than two hours away. One of Arizona’s most time-honored traditions is Spring Fling, said to be the largest student-run carnival in the country. On Dead Day, the day before final exams begin, the university offers free snacks and stress-relieving activities like yoga, meditation, and coloring. Seniors have been known to relax by jumping into the Old Main fountain after midnight and splashing around-a ritual that may or may not be related to preceding hours of drinking.

The university is home to 500 athletes who compete in 17 sports as a member of the Division I Pac-12 Conference. The Wildcats women’s golf team recently took home the national championship, while the men’s basketball team has won multiple conference titles in the last few years. Football and basketball enjoy national prominence and provide great weekend entertainment, especially when the opposing team is big-time rival Arizona State. As one Wildcat points out, “Every time we play against ASU in any sport, there are T-shirts, stickers, and people asking, ‘A-S-who?’” Arizona’s battle cry, “Bear Down!”-frequently heard at sporting events-dates back to 1926, when a campus football hero, fatally injured in a car crash, whispered his last message to his teammates: “Tell them, tell the team to bear down.” More than ninety years later, the enigmatic slogan still appears all over campus.

The University of Arizona offers a wide variety of academic opportunities along with spectacular weather. Prospective students are warned to honestly evaluate how that will affect their ability to concentrate. “Professors and advisors urge us to get involved in any way possible and get as many experiences as we possibly can under our belts before we finish our four years,” says a marketing major. Indeed, Arizona is a place to go in pursuit of knowledge, experience, and a good tan.

-Fiske Guide