Nani Saffer
Hometown: Amahola, Kauai, Hawaii
DeVry campus: Fremont
Degree program: Technical Management with a business major/concentration in Marketing
Expected graduation: Fall 2008
Why DeVry?
Living on the smallest and least city-like of the Hawaiian Islands, I did most of my college selection through online research and Google. My uncle, who I had always looked up to, is a DeVry graduate and he thought it would be a good place for me.
What I like best about DeVry is that it is very personal. Class size is small. You specialize. There are fewer general education requirements so you get right into your major.
I would advise high school students to think about what you love doing and about careers you could apply that to. Talk about your goals with advisors—your high school counselor is ideal if there is one you trust. I talked with Anne Winter, a DeVry advisor, for four months before I arrived at the DeVry Fremont campus, and she was wonderful.
The freedom to choose how you want to study.
I’ve taken some courses online. It’s not as easy as it may sound. Yes, you can do the work from the comfort of home, but make sure you have the motivation. It’s the same amount of work as classroom courses.
Incredible support to help you pay for college.
DeVry is so unbelievable when it comes to financial aid. They make sure you have the money to go to school. My financial aid advisor, Vikki Naples, helped me find grants and loans.
An environment focused on my success.
The most satisfying part to me has been the educational environment. I have never been to a school that paid so much attention to your success. The professors are very knowledgeable and helpful. They don’t let you slip up, and they have office hours if you want extra help. Tutoring is also available in the dorm and in the state-of-the-art computer labs. They guarantee a tutor.
Fun times and good friends—under one roof!
I’m the activities director for the Fremont dorm, which has 217 occupants. I had been bugging the dorm director to organize more events and he gave me a job doing it. I organize birthday celebrations, barbecues, and outdoors events. I have never seen such a nice dorm; it’s brand new. You get a single or double bedroom with your own bathroom. Maids or janitors do a weekly cleaning, including the bathroom. My friends at other schools can’t believe I’ve got a maid.
The opportunity to accelerate my future.
I go to school year-round so I can finish in three years. Career Services counselors start working with you the day you arrive, if you want. Mely Leal focuses on BSTM majors like me. She is helping me apply for an internship at Fujitsu. I want to work in California after I graduate, where all these great technology companies are located. But eventually I want to raise a family, possibly in the islands, and my marketing degree would enable me to find a job there in the tourist industry.
The best part: A complete experience and a path to success.
I would definitely recommend DeVry. Once I interviewed here and saw the dorms and labs and met the people, I canceled my appointment with ITT. Living here is very secure, and I don’t need a car. A focused person succeeds at DeVry, but you don’t need to be a computer nerd. That’s what I expected before I came and I expected to have a hard time with social life. But instead the students come from all walks of life and all countries. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met.
