It may be hard to focus when you are surrounded by the beauty of the tropics, but Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) may be the perfect choice for students interested in living on the islands.

HPU is a private school located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is best known for the majors of Business Administration, Nursing, Biology, Diplomacy and Military Studies, and Social Work. However they offer much more. HPU has nearly 2,400 undergraduate students and they have a 75% acceptance rate (www.niche.com).

The average payment for two semesters is about $27,500. This includes tuition, transportation, room and board, books, registration and other required fees, and personal expenses such as food and gas. Expenses vary from student to student. Living expenses for students on and off campus may add up to $18,700 per year (www.collegefactual.com). You can easily apply for housing at HPU by going to the school website and filling out their application provided (Housing).

At HPU, they consider a couple of things before they accept a student into their school. This includes GPA, personal statements, a resume, a list of extracurricular activities, SAT/ACT scores, and a choice of the area of study. Like other schools, HPU does accept transfer students, so if you can’t attend as a freshman or sophomore, it is still worth considering after a couple of years at Solano or another community college.

There is no particular software needed to attend HPU, however you will need the usual supplies such as pencils, notebooks, highlighters, and, of course, a computer, especially when more classes and study groups are being hosted virtually. Although, it can be intimidating going to an out-of-state college, especially one as far away as Hawaii, but you may still want to consider Hawaii Pacific University as your destination for the future.