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!
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