I'm just finishing up my second year at Pasadena City College and though I have the credits I need to transfer, I plan to stay another year to complete a Library Technician Certificate program. Along with the certificate, this extra year also gives me more time to figure out where I want to transfer to. I've looked at several schools both in and out-of-state, but my current first choice is the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

Why UO?

Well, for one, it's not in California.

It's a part of the WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) program, so my tuition would be only 1.5 times that of the in-state tuition (meaning I'd only have to sell one arm).

The packet of information that I requested was actually pretty personalized. Not specifically for me, but it included extra information pertinent to activities and areas of study that I mentioned interest in. No other schools have done this for me, and you know what, I believe it does work in making prospective students feel a little more invested in by the school.

I've been to Oregon once before and it was beautiful.

It's not in California. Oh, did I mention that already?

I really love what I've read about the Religious Studies and Anthropology departments (my decided major/major or major/minor). AND they have a Folklore certificate program--Folklore being an area that I am considering doing some grad work in, along with getting my MLIS which I'll need to be a librarian.

It just sounds like a lot of fun to be a duck (school's mascot).

So yes, if my best friend had a helicopter, I'd fly up to Eugene, Oregon for the weekend so that I could check out the school and try and get a better feel for whether or not the school is right for me.