<p>Like GoBlueMom, I am from Michigan. I attended the other university of Michigan, Michigan State University, for undergrad in its Honors Program. A number of students at MSU, including those in the Honors Program, worked part time in the auto industry, some on assembly lines. There are a number of assembly plants in Lansing so MSU was extremely convenient to the workers. Many received a tuition reimbursement from their employers. These students brought a good deal of experience to the classroom. In fact, between their experience and their realization of the value of a college degree, they may have been the most serious students in any class. The curve in each class was not decreased by their participation; it was made tougher. </p>
<p>My son was admitted to my alma mater, a school that according to US News and World Report, outranks both ASU and U of A. He also received generous scholarship money to all of these schools. The fact of the matter is that MSU was not for him (“It’s your school, Mom. I want my own school.”) If I thought he would receive a bad education at ASU, he wouldn’t be going there. The truth is, he is going to get an extraordinary education at a large research university with a diverse population. The Starbucks employees in the Phoenix area who attend classes in person at ASU may raise the bar for that education due to their work ethic and understanding of the value of an education. For that I am grateful to both ASU and Starbucks. Go Devils! (and Go State, of course!) </p>