The University of Washington was our second stop on the Summer 2014 college tour.  The other schools we toured included:  University of Oregon, University of Puget Sound, University of British Columbia. Our guide was pretty smart, just like the school.  He said coming from a small town the big school was an adjustment but it worked out.  Your buddies will probably be your first roommate and whomever you meet at Dog Days.  He strongly encouraged joining clubs to get connected.

Best Advice:  “Don’t be afraid to say hi and introduce yourself to other freshmen. They are in the same boat and want to make friends too.”

University of Washington, Seattle WA

Draw: We wanted to see a school in an urban setting with access to multi-ethnic population, culture and good eating. It’s a tough school to get into but worth a shot.

Likes

Majors: UW has got it all with a heavy emphasis on engineering and sciences. The info session made me wish I packed my Hubble telescope. This is a university that exudes excellence and offers tons of research opportunities.

Culture: UW tries really hard to make students feel welcome and not let anyone fall through the cracks. If a student needs direction, help is there but you have to ask. If a student wants a specific study experience, like inventing a new mode of transportation presented as an example, it can happen but the student has to ask. Freshmen orientation is called Dog Days and it’s a week of festivities to get students to bond.

Admissions: All high school grades count (9-12) and are manually entered into a grid to get an apples to apples comparison since not all high school grading systems are created the same. SAT or ACT are a factor. Essays are short and important in that a candidate can explain a down year due to health or play up extracurricular activities.

Campus: The campus is BEAUTIFUL in architecture and setting. UW is older than the actual state of Washington. The main library looks like it’s straight out of Harry Potter and many of the buildings are very European in style. Apparently an app exists to help a student figure out which of sixteen libraries is the best fit, i.e. lighting, coffee, noise.  Fountains, trees and plazas weave together the quintessential university experience.

Looks like Hogwarts.

Residences: Most freshmen live on campus. We did not see the dorms here. We were told about a newly constructed dormitory so high-tech it sends a text when the drying cycle ends.

Location: Seattle is only an hour and half by plane from San Francisco. Public transportation is the best mode of transportation on and off campus as parking is expensive, $300 per month. Light rail from the airport to campus is in the works, also providing another way to get into the city for a night out.   Food and culture abound!

Football: YES! The stadium is huge and tickets are $99 for students; they can go to every game.

Jobs: The admissions rep spoke highly of the corporations headquartered in the area, alumni connections and internships.

Music: Non-music majors can take music courses and play in ensembles. This was not promoted on our tour but briefly mentioned.

Dislikes

Size: The campus is HUGE and the population is HUGE. A skateboard or bike is a great way to get across campus. We got lost just trying to find the information session and our car after the tour. The population totals 60,000 to include undergrads, grads and personnel.

Major Declaration: Most freshmen cannot declare a major until junior year. The student essentially demonstrates their capability for a specific major. I asked the tour guide about the level of difficulty declaring a major he said, “If a student really loves a subject, they will excel and not have an issue getting accepted.”

Parent Take: “Now this is a REAL university,” says Dad. We loved the setting, course offerings, job connections and caliber of students and professors. We are not fond of the size; the general courses can get as large as 700. A student really needs to have their act together to make the most of the university. Help is there but the student needs to be a self-advocate.  I look tan here too.

Kid Take: Both boys (ages 16 and 14) toured the school and had the same feeling: “It’s old. I don’t like it.”