Justin

 Shewell  
Compare/Contrast  Essay  
 
Rivals  for  over  100  years  
  Arizona  has  many  large  universities.  Two  of  the  most  well  known  are  
University  of  Arizona  and  Arizona  State  University.  Any  student  planning  to  come  to  
Arizona  to  study  should  know  the  similarities  and  differences  between  these  two  
universities,  so  they  can  make  the  right  choice  for  them.  Although  similar  in  several  
ways,  Arizona  State  University  and  the  University  of  Arizona  have  some  major  
differences  in  the  programs  they  offer,  the  location  of  their  campuses,  and  their  
student  body.  
  Although  many  people  think  they  are  very  different,  there  are  actually  many  
similarities  between  the  University  of  Arizona  and  Arizona  State  University.  Besides  
both  being  located  in  Arizona,  both  universities  have  long  histories  dating  back  to  
1885,  which  is  before  Arizona  became  a  state.  Both  are  considered  research  
universities,  which  means  both  have  a  large  focus  on  the  sciences  and  on  research.  
Both  universities  offer  undergraduate,  4-­‐‑year  degrees  as  well  as  graduate  programs.  
In  addition,  both  universities  have  well-­‐‑known  sports  teams,  competing  in  all  the  
major  sports  such  as  football,  basketball,  volleyball  and  soccer.  Because  both  schools  
are  supported  by  the  state  of  Arizona,  both  have  similar  tuition  charges  and  similar  
room  and  board  charges.  
  Despite  these  similarities,  there  are  several  important  differences  in  the  
programs  they  offer,  their  locations,  and  their  student  body.  For  example,  Arizona  
State  University  is  very  well  known  for  their  business  and  engineering  schools,  
while  University  of  Arizona  is  well-­‐‑known  for  its  medical  school.  Arizona  State  
University  also  has  well-­‐‑know  school  of  journalism.  Arizona  State  University  also  
just  completed  a  new  Bio-­‐‑Design  Institute,  which  offers  top-­‐‑rated  internships  with  
well-­‐‑known  companies.  On  the  other  hand,  the  University  of  Arizona  has  a  large  
university  hospital  and  nursing  school,  which  are  well  known  across  the  country.  
  Another  important  difference  between  the  two  schools  is  their  location.  The  
University  of  Arizona  is  located  in  Tucson,  which  is  a  city  of  about  1  million  people  
approximately  3  hours  from  the  US-­‐‑Mexico  border.  Because  the  University  of  
Arizona  is  the  main  university  in  Tucson,  there  are  many  places  close  to  the  
university  for  students,  as  well  as  many  natural  places  to  hike  and  explore.  Arizona  
State  University,  on  the  other  hand,  is  located  in  Tempe,  which  is  a  smaller  town  
next  to  Phoenix,  the  capital  of  Arizona.  Being  next  to  Phoenix  means  that  while  
Tempe  may  not  have  as  many  places  for  students  to  have  fun,  they  can  find  anything  
they  need  only  a  few  miles  away  in  the  largest  city  in  Arizona.  While  Tucson  is  closer  
to  Mexico  than  Tempe,  Tempe  is  closer  to  some  famous  tourist  locations  in  Arizona,  
such  as  the  Grand  Canyon.  In  addition,  Tempe  is  closer  also  to  Las  Vegas,  so  
sometimes  students  go  there  on  the  weekends.  
  The  two  universities  are  also  different  in  their  student  bodies.  The  University  
of  Arizona  enrolls  only  about  40,000  students,  with  about  30,000  undergraduate  
students  and  about  10,000  graduate  students.  Arizona  State  University,  however,  
enrolls  about  70,000  students,  with  about  55,000  undergraduate  students,  and  
about  15,000  graduate  students.  Arizona  State  University  also  offers  many  online  
programs,  so  it  may  have  an  even  higher  enrollment  that  given  above.  
  In  conclusion,  Arizona  State  University  and  the  University  of  Arizona  are  
similar  in  many  ways.  There  are  also  important  differences  in  the  programs  they  
offer,  their  location,  and  their  student  body.  A  student  who  is  planning  to  attend  a  
university  in  Arizona  should  investigate  these  two  universities  further  to  find  out  
which  one  is  the  best  fit  for  their  academic  and  personal  goals.