I graduated from the University of Washington before they stopped honoring the "direct transfer agreement" that community college students once enjoyed. There was a time when community college... More

I graduated from the University of Washington before they stopped honoring the "direct transfer agreement" that community college students once enjoyed. There was a time when community college students could expect entrance to the UW merely by having an AA degree and a gpa of 2.75! Now that this is no longer the case, I look a lot smarter, and so do many alumni. It's unfortunate, because many 100 level courses have that "I'm in a herd of cattle" feel to them, due to class sizes. It's often better to take lower level classes at a community college. But in addition to tightening admission standards and rapidly raising a respectable endowment, the UW has dramatically improved its facilities. In a few years, it's not going to be "our little secret (that it's a great school)" any longer!
Less

The UW is, without a doubt, the most respectable public school in the northwest. But the cost of this prestige is the lackluster undergraduate experience. To be blunt, the dormitories are... More

The UW is, without a doubt, the most respectable public school in the northwest. But the cost of this prestige is the lackluster undergraduate experience. To be blunt, the dormitories are downright dismal--I've seen closets bigger than some of the rooms in Mercer. The student-cafeterias are more like mall food-courts in that they are expensive and rarely offer anything that isn't deep-fried or the same thing they had the day before. I've never seen a college-cafeteria that charges by the slice of bacon. Some of these kids can't even afford to be in school, why should they be burdened with RIDICULOUS living costs? I recommend getting your education here--IF you can find somewhere else to live.
Less

Well, for what it's worth, I think the UW is a great school, if you have the discipline to handle it. It's way too large for some. When I was a freshman, I was much more interested in drinking and... More

Well, for what it's worth, I think the UW is a great school, if you have the discipline to handle it. It's way too large for some. When I was a freshman, I was much more interested in drinking and having fun and being in my sorority. I had to drop out in my junior year. Lack of funds (I had a dirt poor mother, so I had to pay for my own education, working 2 jobs too). I went back when I was 33, divorced and had 2 young kids to put in daycare. I highly value this last year of my education much more than my first three when I was 18-21, because I had to work even harder for it. The UW student's average age is 26, which means that there were plenty of us older Gen Xers going back to finish their degrees. I had a lot of company, lots of single moms like me. My professors appreciated me more, I think. I had very fruitful conversations with them that didn't end in "cool dude." I got 2 4.0s and a 3.9 this time around, and my family and I are very proud that I got my degree (finally). Makes me proud to say I have a $40,000 (I was out of state the first two years) piece of pretty paper on my bookshelf, because I know that my kids' chances of getting good degrees are even higher now. Plus I got a good job at the UWMC out of it! "Real" college degrees are SOOOO worth it!
Less

As with any university, the University of Washington has areas in which it excels and others where, well, it could do better. But if you happen to want to attend an area it is well known in... More

As with any university, the University of Washington has areas in which it excels and others where, well, it could do better. But if you happen to want to attend an area it is well known in (medicine and computer science, to name a few), then this school is a fine choice. Especially if you're a washington native - the value for your money is hard to beat. Some people complain that the UW is too big of a school and hence it will be hard to make friends, but this is never something I understood. At some point, you'll always be in smaller classrooms, and once you enter a department, you start to take the same classes with the same people.
Less

The UW is an excellent school. There a lot of cool professors and classes, the campus is amazing and there is always something fun to do. It is such a large school that you get to mix with people... More

The UW is an excellent school. There a lot of cool professors and classes, the campus is amazing and there is always something fun to do. It is such a large school that you get to mix with people from all over the world and learn a lot about different cultures. It is a fun expereince that I hope everyone has!!!!
Less

i took an astronomy class at UW and was very impressed both with the subject-matter and the teacher. my professor was attentive and helpful, always ready to answer any questions. the material was... More

i took an astronomy class at UW and was very impressed both with the subject-matter and the teacher. my professor was attentive and helpful, always ready to answer any questions. the material was very interesting and enjoyable to read. i would highly-recommend the classes at UW based on my experience. the in-state tuition is another amazing bonus.
Less

Considering the size of UW, I was surprised about how accessible the staff was and how easy it was to sign-up as a non-matriculating student. The people in financial services are friendly and... More

Considering the size of UW, I was surprised about how accessible the staff was and how easy it was to sign-up as a non-matriculating student. The people in financial services are friendly and extremely helpful. I took a summer class for credit, but I didn't definitively know from my school whether I would receive credit until after the add/drop date had ended. It took a little work to find the right person, but they told me they would make an exception, and give me a full refund if I needed to drop the class late. It's a well-managed school.
Less