UH (what we students call it for short), is just like any other campus you ll find on the mainland, just in a different location with a different atmosphere (a student from LA said that he likes it better here because it s very laid back). By the way, being laid back doesn t mean that we don t care about our education. We just have a different way of approaching life.What I LOVE about UH are the professors. There are a lot of knowledgeable and fun professors in many departments, especially in English (which is my major). I don t have a single complaint about any of my professors. (But then again, I do use ratemyprofessors.com to choose them, well a few).The food s good, and there are plenty of places to eat on campus such as Subway, Taco Bell, Paradise Palms, and Bale.UH is (believe it or not), much smaller than majority of universities up on the mainland, but everything is still spread out. I walk every Monday and Wednesday to the Hawaiian Studies building, which is the farthest building on campus, near the dorms. But I like the walking. (There are free university shuttles that will take you to wherever you need to go, by the way).If you go into any science field, you re in luck because UH is a research-based university. In addition, the music program is good, along with the business and English departments.UH is in Manoa Valley, so it does rain. I suggest you invest in an umbrella and jacket.My entire family (including my aunties and uncles), went to UH. It is a public university but the price is low compared to paying $50,000 to attend a university on the mainland. No way. What we residents (and even non-residents) pay is nowhere near that much. Spring 09 residents paid around $6,000 (which included housing and meal plans), while non-residents paid around $12,000 (which included housing and meal plans).To close my very long answer (which probably went off the mark a little), I think you ll like UH. There are a lot of mainland students, and even international students too.
I went to grad school at UHM for four years. I ve also been involved with private, public, community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities in Hawaii and in North America, as a student, teacher, or visitor.Honestly, you could get a better education more cheaply at dozens, if not hundreds of colleges and universities in North America. Parking would be much easier, and there would be a much livelier campus life. Manoa is a commuter campus. You find students sleeping in odd places in the morning because they got up very early to drive in from the other side of the island before traffic got really bad. And by 4:30, the campus resembles a ghost town, but you still have to pay for parking. If I had a son or daughter who wanted to go to UHM, I d let them if they had a really good reason. For example, if they wanted to study a specific subject for which Manoa is the best place to study. There are some of those: Hawaiian, Ilokano, astronomy, oceanography, for example. I would let them if we couldn t afford the airfare, or if they just could not bear to be that far from friends and family, local food, their halau (hula school), outrigger canoe club, or favorite surf break. Would I recommend undergraduate study at Manoa or another local campus for someone who was not from Hawaii? Probably not.