The months of November and December are, for the majority of the country, exciting and fun-filled holiday months. However, for seniors in high school, these dreaded months are known as the college application season, which for some students is the most stressful time of their high school experience.
In order to provide more extensive resources to students who are deciding where to attend college, many data configuration companies and college search websites publish lists ranking colleges by academic rigor, acceptance rate, location, price, and a variety of other factors.
Wallethub, a financial literacy company that provides free credit scores and credit reports, released a 2021 report surveying 415 total college towns and cities, calculating the best and worst college cities and towns based on a multitude of factors, including cost of living, employment opportunity.
According to the 2021 report released by Wallethub on Dec. 8, 2020, Phoenix, Arizona ranked 208th overall out of the 415 total ranked cities.
Phoenix ranked 130th out of 415 in regards to the cost of living for young people, which means that Phoenix is financially-accessible and reasonably priced for young people.
Phoenix ranked 142nd in unemployment rate, meaning that unemployment in Phoenix among college students is fairly low. However, Phoenix ranked 364th in the percentage of part-time jobs available, meaning that part-time jobs are difficult to find for college students.
Additionally, Phoenix ranked 199th in the cost of higher education, 266th in the quality of higher education and 286th in crime rate according to Wallethub.
Shealyn Cooke, who moved from Denver, Colorado to downtown Phoenix to pursue nursing at ASU, said that she feels as though Phoenix is an easy, accessible place to live, though it can be a “food desert.”
“Last year, I didn’t have a car which made it difficult to get groceries. To get food, you either had to walk or uber, which would get expensive,” Cooke said. “This year, they added a Fry’s which made things easier.”
Cooke also added that she thought the Phoenix Valley Metro Rail was a perk to living in downtown Phoenix. She mentioned that public transportation in Phoenix is significantly more affordable than the transit she had used in Denver.
Colleges and universities that have campuses in Phoenix include Maricopa County Community Colleges, Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, University of Phoenix and the Phoenix Biomedical Campus which offers programs for both Northern Arizona University and University of Arizona students.
Contact the reporter at clparri2@asu.edu.
Cami is Downtown Devil's co-executive editor. Cami is a third-year student studying print journalism and political science. When she's not writing or editing, she enjoys hosting radio shows, playing piano and bass, and teaching art classes at a local art studio.
