University of Washington is a school with very strong academics and different options on campus. There's a big culture of discovery, of debate, and of moving into the future. It's a rainy, rustic campus with a lot to offer to students.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
If you learned a language in high school, take language placement tests at UW as soon as possible. Almost every major has a language requirement that you can test out of, and it's a pain to try to deal with that when you're three years into college and you've forgotten almost everything.
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Plan to live on campus or as close as possible. It's very difficult to be involved in extracurriculars, study groups, or social events if you live more than 15 minutes away from campus.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Most classes are fairly difficult. Introductory STEM classes tend to be some of the worst, especially elimination classes-- basically, these classes try to reduce the number of students eligible for certain majors by giving everyone a high workload and difficult tests so that only a few can succeed and move into the major. Do not take computer science classes for general education requirements-- the first few are notoriously difficult because computer science is a very competitive major. Classes with a lot of pre-med students tend to have steep curves, so if you can manage it, it's good to take biology and chemistry classes out of sync (for instance, taking the first in a series in the winter instead of the fall) because pre-med students have to take classes in sync to finish them all in time. Social science classes are heavily conceptual. In general, non-STEM teachers are more willing to accommodate students and alter the syllabus if a large chunk of the class doesn't seem to understand something.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
I do not live on campus. My commute is about 12 miles, which takes between an hour and two hours, depending on the time of day. This makes it difficult to participate in a lot of on-campus activities, which are often late into the evening and night. I would not recommend this to anyone who absolutely does not have to do it.
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From what I have heard, dorms are generally pretty good. A lot of people live in apartments close to campus instead of at UW dorms, which is sometimes less expensive but significantly more effort to coordinate.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
There are vending machines with snack food (chips, pretzels, candy, and sometimes fruit snacks) in almost every building. About a third of buildings have a small cafes, where you can purchase coffee and the same few healthy food options. The HUB has several food options, such as pizza, pasta, diner-style food (like chicken strips and burgers), and a few different Asian food options.
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About a block from UW is a street known as the Ave which has dozens of small shops and restaurants. They vary from cafes to brewpubs to Thai restaurants. Each seats about 30-40 people. By bus, there is access to University Village (with larger restaurants) and downtown Seattle (with more expensive upscale restaurants).
Which types of students will excel at your college?
For science subjects, UW is great for highly motivated students with good academic skills. UW's medical school is one of the best. UW funds the most undergraduate research of any public university, so if you are interested in doing scientific research UW might be a good school for you.
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For social science, UW is great for students interested in tough concepts and lots of struggling with contemporary issues (as opposed to a high emphasis on which scholars said what). Social science classes (and the student body in general) tend to have a liberal/left perspective but there's a strong culture of debate and considering different ideas.
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The terrain is supposed to be accessible, but it's often uneven, difficult to navigate, and it's slippery when it rains. If you have difficulty walking, tend to slip, and/or walk with a cane, you may have some trouble getting around campus. Elevators are often broken in certain buildings. So UW isn't always the greatest campus for students with physical disabilities-- mountain climbers, however, would be right at home.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are a lot of clubs and organizations on campus. Almost all of them meet in the evening or at night, after all classes are done for the day. If you can make it to the meetings, there's something for almost everyone.
University of Washington is a school with very strong academics and different options on campus. There's a big culture of discovery, of debate, and of moving into the future. It's a rainy, rustic campus with a lot to offer to students.
If you learned a language in high school, take language placement tests at UW as soon as possible. Almost every major has a language requirement that you can test out of, and it's a pain to try to deal with that when you're three years into college and you've forgotten almost everything. -- Plan to live on campus or as close as possible. It's very difficult to be involved in extracurriculars, study groups, or social events if you live more than 15 minutes away from campus.
Most classes are fairly difficult. Introductory STEM classes tend to be some of the worst, especially elimination classes-- basically, these classes try to reduce the number of students eligible for certain majors by giving everyone a high workload and difficult tests so that only a few can succeed and move into the major. Do not take computer science classes for general education requirements-- the first few are notoriously difficult because computer science is a very competitive major. Classes with a lot of pre-med students tend to have steep curves, so if you can manage it, it's good to take biology and chemistry classes out of sync (for instance, taking the first in a series in the winter instead of the fall) because pre-med students have to take classes in sync to finish them all in time. Social science classes are heavily conceptual. In general, non-STEM teachers are more willing to accommodate students and alter the syllabus if a large chunk of the class doesn't seem to understand something.
I do not live on campus. My commute is about 12 miles, which takes between an hour and two hours, depending on the time of day. This makes it difficult to participate in a lot of on-campus activities, which are often late into the evening and night. I would not recommend this to anyone who absolutely does not have to do it. -- From what I have heard, dorms are generally pretty good. A lot of people live in apartments close to campus instead of at UW dorms, which is sometimes less expensive but significantly more effort to coordinate.
There are vending machines with snack food (chips, pretzels, candy, and sometimes fruit snacks) in almost every building. About a third of buildings have a small cafes, where you can purchase coffee and the same few healthy food options. The HUB has several food options, such as pizza, pasta, diner-style food (like chicken strips and burgers), and a few different Asian food options. -- About a block from UW is a street known as the Ave which has dozens of small shops and restaurants. They vary from cafes to brewpubs to Thai restaurants. Each seats about 30-40 people. By bus, there is access to University Village (with larger restaurants) and downtown Seattle (with more expensive upscale restaurants).
For science subjects, UW is great for highly motivated students with good academic skills. UW's medical school is one of the best. UW funds the most undergraduate research of any public university, so if you are interested in doing scientific research UW might be a good school for you. -- For social science, UW is great for students interested in tough concepts and lots of struggling with contemporary issues (as opposed to a high emphasis on which scholars said what). Social science classes (and the student body in general) tend to have a liberal/left perspective but there's a strong culture of debate and considering different ideas. -- The terrain is supposed to be accessible, but it's often uneven, difficult to navigate, and it's slippery when it rains. If you have difficulty walking, tend to slip, and/or walk with a cane, you may have some trouble getting around campus. Elevators are often broken in certain buildings. So UW isn't always the greatest campus for students with physical disabilities-- mountain climbers, however, would be right at home.
There are a lot of clubs and organizations on campus. Almost all of them meet in the evening or at night, after all classes are done for the day. If you can make it to the meetings, there's something for almost everyone.