I took a drama class because I needed a VLPA and I thought it would be a breeze. It wasn't exactly as easy as I predicted: I performed monologues and scenes in front of my quiz section as well as in front of my lecture. It was nerve-wracking; I was tense before class; I ended up loving the class. It let me focus energy on something other than a paper or an in-class exam and then release it in a controlled whoosh in front of people who were just as nervous and busy as I was. Not only did I have a blast being challenged in an area outside of my once puny comfort zone, but now I can give presentations about early childhood education as well as talk openly with professors in conferences no sweat. Well, let's be honest, there was a little sweat, but much less than before.
So, yes, I am learning a lot in class, but the University of Washington offers much more outside of class. I came from a smallish town in Washington and had only been to Seattle a few times before I started school at the UW, so when I did start school, the UW forced me to take the bus (something which was both daunting and extremely foreign to me). Now I am not so scared to try to take the subway in NYC.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
Totally. The campus is BEAUTIFUL. I've visited several campuses before accepting the UW's offer of enrollment, and none of them compared to the UW's campus. The quad erupts in fluffy pink cherry blossoms in the Spring, which makes studying a little easier as I can plop down beneath a gnarled cherry tree instead of staying inside. The grass is always green. In the Autumn, the sky is so blue, it's almost ridiculous.
The campus is also big enough that I can wander around if I have an hour to spare and find something I've never seen before, but small enough that it only takes ten minutes to walk from one end of it to the other.
It was a little scary at first coming to such a large school (27,000 undergrads, I think), but it's really accessible. Tutoring sessions are advertised all over the place, the class sizes range from 700 to 15 students (it's really easy to take nap in the biggest lecture room in Kane Hall and it's really easy to pick a spot up front and stay awake). The school's big, but with a little effort, your community can be as small or large as you wish.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
UW offers so many loans and scholarships, that even if you're coming from out of state, tuition is totally doable. And if you need some help finding scholarships and other kinds of tuition/housing financing, drop by Schmitz or Mary Gates Hall room 120 where you can find people who are paid you help you out and are happy to do it.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Visit the school. Learn about the UW's offered majors and minors. My friend is studying medicine and UW doesn't have pre-med, so she's majoring in Art and still taking pre-med classes. You don't have to know exactly what you want to do, but try to figure out a few areas you're interested in and ask a UW advisor about classes offered that relate.
Also: learn to love Pho, boba, and music and coffee snobs.
Oh! and it's NOT Pike's Place Market. It's Pike Place Market. It's not a market that belongs to some dude called Pike.
Oh! Oh! :) There's more to Seattle than the UW campus, which is of course wonderful and busy, but there's more. There's also more to Seattle than the Space Needle (which is not the tallest thing in Seattle) and Pike Place. Before the first quarter of your first year, grab your roommate or best friend and bus around. Go to Georgetown and get a slice of Stellar Pizza. Go to the Seattle Art Museum the first Thursday of the month for free admission. Wander through the very large Goodwill on Rainier for cool junk and then get some dim sum. Chances are, you're still a teen. If you are, register for Teen Tix. You'll get way cheaper tickets to things from movies to ballet to museums to plays. I saw a Seattle Rep production for $10 when all the old people had to see it for more than $40.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Students who love culture (you'll see once you get here).
Students who love music (awesome records stores all over the place, awesome rock scene, awesome hip hop scene).
Students who love coffee (not Starbucks. Victrola. Fuel. University Zoka, this place is awesome for studying).
Students who love reading (Elliott Bay Book Store, the Seattle Public Library).
Students who love people ('cause there are quite a few).
Students who love learning.
I took a drama class because I needed a VLPA and I thought it would be a breeze. It wasn't exactly as easy as I predicted: I performed monologues and scenes in front of my quiz section as well as in front of my lecture. It was nerve-wracking; I was tense before class; I ended up loving the class. It let me focus energy on something other than a paper or an in-class exam and then release it in a controlled whoosh in front of people who were just as nervous and busy as I was. Not only did I have a blast being challenged in an area outside of my once puny comfort zone, but now I can give presentations about early childhood education as well as talk openly with professors in conferences no sweat. Well, let's be honest, there was a little sweat, but much less than before. So, yes, I am learning a lot in class, but the University of Washington offers much more outside of class. I came from a smallish town in Washington and had only been to Seattle a few times before I started school at the UW, so when I did start school, the UW forced me to take the bus (something which was both daunting and extremely foreign to me). Now I am not so scared to try to take the subway in NYC.
Totally. The campus is BEAUTIFUL. I've visited several campuses before accepting the UW's offer of enrollment, and none of them compared to the UW's campus. The quad erupts in fluffy pink cherry blossoms in the Spring, which makes studying a little easier as I can plop down beneath a gnarled cherry tree instead of staying inside. The grass is always green. In the Autumn, the sky is so blue, it's almost ridiculous. The campus is also big enough that I can wander around if I have an hour to spare and find something I've never seen before, but small enough that it only takes ten minutes to walk from one end of it to the other. It was a little scary at first coming to such a large school (27,000 undergrads, I think), but it's really accessible. Tutoring sessions are advertised all over the place, the class sizes range from 700 to 15 students (it's really easy to take nap in the biggest lecture room in Kane Hall and it's really easy to pick a spot up front and stay awake). The school's big, but with a little effort, your community can be as small or large as you wish.
UW offers so many loans and scholarships, that even if you're coming from out of state, tuition is totally doable. And if you need some help finding scholarships and other kinds of tuition/housing financing, drop by Schmitz or Mary Gates Hall room 120 where you can find people who are paid you help you out and are happy to do it.
Visit the school. Learn about the UW's offered majors and minors. My friend is studying medicine and UW doesn't have pre-med, so she's majoring in Art and still taking pre-med classes. You don't have to know exactly what you want to do, but try to figure out a few areas you're interested in and ask a UW advisor about classes offered that relate. Also: learn to love Pho, boba, and music and coffee snobs. Oh! and it's NOT Pike's Place Market. It's Pike Place Market. It's not a market that belongs to some dude called Pike. Oh! Oh! :) There's more to Seattle than the UW campus, which is of course wonderful and busy, but there's more. There's also more to Seattle than the Space Needle (which is not the tallest thing in Seattle) and Pike Place. Before the first quarter of your first year, grab your roommate or best friend and bus around. Go to Georgetown and get a slice of Stellar Pizza. Go to the Seattle Art Museum the first Thursday of the month for free admission. Wander through the very large Goodwill on Rainier for cool junk and then get some dim sum. Chances are, you're still a teen. If you are, register for Teen Tix. You'll get way cheaper tickets to things from movies to ballet to museums to plays. I saw a Seattle Rep production for $10 when all the old people had to see it for more than $40.
Students who love culture (you'll see once you get here). Students who love music (awesome records stores all over the place, awesome rock scene, awesome hip hop scene). Students who love coffee (not Starbucks. Victrola. Fuel. University Zoka, this place is awesome for studying). Students who love reading (Elliott Bay Book Store, the Seattle Public Library). Students who love people ('cause there are quite a few). Students who love learning.