About Me

• More 

Intro

While I may not be as famous as my North American siblings, I'm hot stuff when it comes to education in Latin America. You can think of me as the friend next door who would invite you over to her quinceañera to meet the family, except this time you get to stay over for four years.

Carpe diem is my motto, and nobody knows that better than my students who really love to party it up. It's not all fun and games though, being one of the best—if not the best—schools in Latin America requires upholding to certain standards. Yeah, I can be a bit full of myself.

I'm a major university with all those fancy BAs, MAs, and PhDs, so you can count on me to be with you for the long haul if you're the academic type. I'm well rounded, and can satisfy math nerds, mad scientists, dramatic actors to be, and future best-selling authors.

Also, I have a bit of a European je ne se quoi mixed in with some American entrepreneurship due to my genealogy. This means that I can be a bit old-school, philosophical, and artsy sometimes. Nonetheless my American side helps me keep things real and not let elitism get to my head.

Name

The Red Rooster

Hometown

Hato Rey in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Also known as the cultural center of the island and home to the best street food. Whether it's late night poetry or live music, I've got it all within five blocks of me. There's also a train station on campus in case you want to make a quick trip to Old San Juan. Students often kid around by saying that I'm so big, I could be my own city.

Birthdate

1903

Body Type

With around 17,000 students, I'm one of the most attended colleges in the Caribbean. Most of my students are undergrads with a few bookworms here and there focusing on long-term careers in academia. The vast majority of my students are local islanders, so if you're coming from the mainland, be prepared to be the minority (as well as the center of attention).

Current Living Situation

I'll be real with you, here in the island we never quite got the whole "it's college, time to leave home" thing, so a lot of my students actually commute from their parent's place. For those that do decide to leave the nest, I can offer two residences: one being a rundown building from the 70s, while the other one is a fancy new dorm. When there's high demand, it's usually decided via lottery, so may the odds be ever in your favor.

Also, there's no school cafeteria, so be prepared to get all Julia Childs if you want to save some much needed money.

Relationship Status

I have a bone to pick with the Inter-American University of Río Piedras. Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy, but he's a bit stuck up—not at all a cool public institution like me. During the spring break games, competition can be pretty fierce if you get what I'm saying (winner gets a day off school, so all bets are off). My cousin in Mayagüez also tries to steal the spotlight from time to time, but although he's better at math than me, he just can't compete with a Jack-of-all-trades like myself.

Politics

I'll be honest—the European side of my family has captivated my students' attention more than my American side when it comes to politics. Most students tend to be pretty left-leaning during their first years, and most professors encourage it. Many of my students are advocates for all sorts of rights, and they will fight till the end for what they believe in. This might result in unexpected hiatuses here and then every time there's a hike in my tuition or a teacher's strike. Yay or nay? You tell me.

You should apply to me if...

you care more about learning while expanding your horizons than a diploma screaming "Ivy League."

Website

http://www.uprrp.edu