University of Washington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother got degrees there in engineering, and in relevant specialties it really is up there.

I was of two minds about it growing up in WA. There were some strong programs there, but it was also a university that let in so many much worse students than me, so I wanted to look down on it. I didn't go there. Sometimes I say that if I had done the right specialties I would have had a very elite experience there. Anyway, my life would have turned out quite differently.

The prior poster brings up something I've thought about as well. My son is interested. He is a great student. But if he isn't able to get into the harder programs due to numbers of seats, isn't he just going to Big Box University?

I don't want a kid who is working really hard to gain human capital for a future career to end up with nothing more to show for it than kids who got Cs in high school and a 1200 on the SAT. That's my worry. Or at least one of them.

Seattle person here. Times have changed. No one who "got Cs in high school" is getting into UW nowadays. Their GPA 25/75 is 3.74-3.98. https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/by-the-numbers/.

I would caution folks about apply OOS to CS, which has an extremely competitive 2% acceptance rate(!). You cannot switch into CS, but my understanding is that students can switch into any other majors. The campus is safe and beautiful and nowhere close to the areas where the homeless/mentally-ill hangout (i.e. south Seattle, international district, even downtown).

Was a Seattle person until 2021. Your point, while somewhat true, is relative to being in Seattle. To someone coming from the dc area, it’s likely the homeless in the u district over towards Ballard would be somewhere between uncomfortable and shocking. Downtown, Id, and Sodo would be downright frightening. We really don’t have anything here that comes within 1/10 of Seattle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Out of state is almost $70,000 a year.

With an acceptance rate of 50% be prepared to take large classes with weed out pre-requisites.

It is more like low 40s, but the school is known for grade deflation

[Anonymous]

OP: thanks, everyone. This is so helpful!

My kid is pre-health and keeping an open mind as to what that looks like (pre-med, pre-PA, BSN). So possible majors are biology, public health, BSN. To the PP offering to ask their student at Washington, are any of these particularly competitive to be accepted to?

We already have a family vacation planned in June that goes through Seattle so we will visit. And she will have a chance to see how she feels about the homeless/safety issues. Our area’s shelter is a block or so away from her school, and she’s traveled often to many major cities, so she’s no stranger to seeing homelessness.

Sincerely appreciate all these insights!

[Anonymous]

OP again: Pitt is also high on her list. How do the two schools compare with respect to these issues? Homelessness/crime, weed-out classes, collaborative vs competitive feel, school spirit? I read a few PP who had experience with both schools. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother got degrees there in engineering, and in relevant specialties it really is up there.

I was of two minds about it growing up in WA. There were some strong programs there, but it was also a university that let in so many much worse students than me, so I wanted to look down on it. I didn't go there. Sometimes I say that if I had done the right specialties I would have had a very elite experience there. Anyway, my life would have turned out quite differently.

The prior poster brings up something I've thought about as well. My son is interested. He is a great student. But if he isn't able to get into the harder programs due to numbers of seats, isn't he just going to Big Box University?

I don't want a kid who is working really hard to gain human capital for a future career to end up with nothing more to show for it than kids who got Cs in high school and a 1200 on the SAT. That's my worry. Or at least one of them.

Seattle person here. Times have changed. No one who "got Cs in high school" is getting into UW nowadays. Their GPA 25/75 is 3.74-3.98. https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/by-the-numbers/.

I would caution folks about apply OOS to CS, which has an extremely competitive 2% acceptance rate(!). You cannot switch into CS, but my understanding is that students can switch into any other majors. The campus is safe and beautiful and nowhere close to the areas where the homeless/mentally-ill hangout (i.e. south Seattle, international district, even downtown).

Was a Seattle person until 2021. Your point, while somewhat true, is relative to being in Seattle. To someone coming from the dc area, it’s likely the homeless in the u district over towards Ballard would be somewhere between uncomfortable and shocking. Downtown, Id, and Sodo would be downright frightening. We really don’t have anything here that comes within 1/10 of Seattle.

Because we do not that lots of homeless in DC? Seattle does not seem any different to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother got degrees there in engineering, and in relevant specialties it really is up there.

I was of two minds about it growing up in WA. There were some strong programs there, but it was also a university that let in so many much worse students than me, so I wanted to look down on it. I didn't go there. Sometimes I say that if I had done the right specialties I would have had a very elite experience there. Anyway, my life would have turned out quite differently.

The prior poster brings up something I've thought about as well. My son is interested. He is a great student. But if he isn't able to get into the harder programs due to numbers of seats, isn't he just going to Big Box University?

I don't want a kid who is working really hard to gain human capital for a future career to end up with nothing more to show for it than kids who got Cs in high school and a 1200 on the SAT. That's my worry. Or at least one of them.

Seattle person here. Times have changed. No one who "got Cs in high school" is getting into UW nowadays. Their GPA 25/75 is 3.74-3.98. https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/by-the-numbers/.

I would caution folks about apply OOS to CS, which has an extremely competitive 2% acceptance rate(!). You cannot switch into CS, but my understanding is that students can switch into any other majors. The campus is safe and beautiful and nowhere close to the areas where the homeless/mentally-ill hangout (i.e. south Seattle, international district, even downtown).

Was a Seattle person until 2021. Your point, while somewhat true, is relative to being in Seattle. To someone coming from the dc area, it’s likely the homeless in the u district over towards Ballard would be somewhere between uncomfortable and shocking. Downtown, Id, and Sodo would be downright frightening. We really don’t have anything here that comes within 1/10 of Seattle.

Because we do not that lots of homeless in DC? Seattle does not seem any different to me

With all due respect, have you spent significant time in Seattle? If not, you have no idea how bad it is. So no, dc does not have homeless compared to Seattle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of state is almost $70,000 a year.

With an acceptance rate of 50% be prepared to take large classes with weed out pre-requisites.

Isn't Univ of Michigan close to $90k a year for OOS all in?

I think so and U Colorado is around 80K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: thanks, everyone. This is so helpful!

My kid is pre-health and keeping an open mind as to what that looks like (pre-med, pre-PA, BSN). So possible majors are biology, public health, BSN. To the PP offering to ask their student at Washington, are any of these particularly competitive to be accepted to?

We already have a family vacation planned in June that goes through Seattle so we will visit. And she will have a chance to see how she feels about the homeless/safety issues. Our area’s shelter is a block or so away from her school, and she’s traveled often to many major cities, so she’s no stranger to seeing homelessness.

Sincerely appreciate all these insights!

My kid who is there is Chemical Engineering but leaning towards a biomedical slant so will know about those. Additionally, one of my younger children is applying biochemistry with a pre-health - maybe pre-med or maybe more medical research?

Okay - child says:
- One of their friends is in Biology - very chill to get into like 90-95% acceptance rate
- Nursing is harder but not terrible but definitely need to get decent grades first year.
- Public Health and Biochem aren't hard "as long as you don't fail out freshmen year".

I have heard that nursing at most schools is competitive these days - need As and Bs.

Also, we live in DC and my kids have grown up roaming the city on their own. They say Seattle feels safer then DC though the homeless can sometimes have a more unhinged edge Also, if you haven't been to visit - the geography of the city makes the University area feel somewhat protected. I have been there many times and love it - so many cool neighborhoods and the trees and gardens are beautiful. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother got degrees there in engineering, and in relevant specialties it really is up there.

I was of two minds about it growing up in WA. There were some strong programs there, but it was also a university that let in so many much worse students than me, so I wanted to look down on it. I didn't go there. Sometimes I say that if I had done the right specialties I would have had a very elite experience there. Anyway, my life would have turned out quite differently.

The prior poster brings up something I've thought about as well. My son is interested. He is a great student. But if he isn't able to get into the harder programs due to numbers of seats, isn't he just going to Big Box University?

I don't want a kid who is working really hard to gain human capital for a future career to end up with nothing more to show for it than kids who got Cs in high school and a 1200 on the SAT. That's my worry. Or at least one of them.

Seattle person here. Times have changed. No one who "got Cs in high school" is getting into UW nowadays. Their GPA 25/75 is 3.74-3.98. https://admit.washington.edu/apply/first-year/by-the-numbers/.

I would caution folks about apply OOS to CS, which has an extremely competitive 2% acceptance rate(!). You cannot switch into CS, but my understanding is that students can switch into any other majors. The campus is safe and beautiful and nowhere close to the areas where the homeless/mentally-ill hangout (i.e. south Seattle, international district, even downtown).

Was a Seattle person until 2021. Your point, while somewhat true, is relative to being in Seattle. To someone coming from the dc area, it’s likely the homeless in the u district over towards Ballard would be somewhere between uncomfortable and shocking. Downtown, Id, and Sodo would be downright frightening. We really don’t have anything here that comes within 1/10 of Seattle.

Because we do not that lots of homeless in DC? Seattle does not seem any different to me

With all due respect, have you spent significant time in Seattle? If not, you have no idea how bad it is. So no, dc does not have homeless compared to Seattle.

Have spent significant time in both. Yes the Av has some crazy homeless but no worse then some DC ones and the crazies are easier to spot. Just don't go to downtown Seattle after dark without a group and a plan!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again: Pitt is also high on her list. How do the two schools compare with respect to these issues? Homelessness/crime, weed-out classes, collaborative vs competitive feel, school spirit? I read a few PP who had experience with both schools. Thanks!

Funny you say this. I’m a Seattle native and just took my junior there for a tour. We have also walked around campus at Pitt but no formal tour. I do think there are some strong similarities. I was surprised to see how much Pittsburgh the city reminded me of Seattle when we were there. Big water presence, downtown is doubly the same size, a little industrial feeling. I think there are some strong similarities in the way they’re both in cities but still very campus-y (unlike GW IMO). Can’t speak to how they compare in terms of the academics or student vibe, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of state is almost $70,000 a year.

With an acceptance rate of 50% be prepared to take large classes with weed out pre-requisites.

It is more like low 40s, but the school is known for grade deflation

They are including tuition/room/board in the $70-75K COA for OOS. $40-ish K is only the tuition. Seattle living cost is expensive, even in a triple dorm!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Out of state is almost $70,000 a year.

With an acceptance rate of 50% be prepared to take large classes with weed out pre-requisites.

It is more like low 40s, but the school is known for grade deflation

They are including tuition/room/board in the $70-75K COA for OOS. $40-ish K is only the tuition. Seattle living cost is expensive, even in a triple dorm!

Yes, it is a factor, UW is going to be more expensive on a day to day basis, too, than almost any non-coastal US city. Seattle is nearly like SF, San Diego expensive.

[Anonymous]

Pacific Northwest schools:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1284972.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP: thanks, everyone. This is so helpful!

My kid is pre-health and keeping an open mind as to what that looks like (pre-med, pre-PA, BSN). So possible majors are biology, public health, BSN. To the PP offering to ask their student at Washington, are any of these particularly competitive to be accepted to?

We already have a family vacation planned in June that goes through Seattle so we will visit. And she will have a chance to see how she feels about the homeless/safety issues. Our area’s shelter is a block or so away from her school, and she’s traveled often to many major cities, so she’s no stranger to seeing homelessness.

Sincerely appreciate all these insights!

My kid who is there is Chemical Engineering but leaning towards a biomedical slant so will know about those. Additionally, one of my younger children is applying biochemistry with a pre-health - maybe pre-med or maybe more medical research?

Okay - child says:
- One of their friends is in Biology - very chill to get into like 90-95% acceptance rate
- Nursing is harder but not terrible but definitely need to get decent grades first year.
- Public Health and Biochem aren't hard "as long as you don't fail out freshmen year".

I have heard that nursing at most schools is competitive these days - need As and Bs.

Also, we live in DC and my kids have grown up roaming the city on their own. They say Seattle feels safer then DC though the homeless can sometimes have a more unhinged edge Also, if you haven't been to visit - the geography of the city makes the University area feel somewhat protected. I have been there many times and love it - so many cool neighborhoods and the trees and gardens are beautiful. Good luck.

+1 "UDub(W)" Public health

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much like Univ of Oregon, it is a very easy school to get into so weed out classes exist with the funnel into the in-demand majors requiring you to jump through academic hoops.

Oregon acceptance is like 78% and UW is like 50% pretty different!

I toured with dd a couple years ago and found it a little local-yokelly. The kids from Washington were so-so but it's stellar from a research position.