<p>Just wondering if anyone with experience with U of Washington - Seattle has any suggestions for settling in at such a big school. D is coming from Ohio and will not know a soul. They must be doing something right, they have a high freshman retention rate, especially for a large public school. Was it easy for freshmen to find things to get involved with? She cannot go out there early for summer rush, and I think she (and us) would rather she delayed joining a sorority for awhile, a little time to adjust would be good, so maybe 2nd semester or soph yr. Do a lot of kids try and find off campus housing as early as sophomore year, or do they tend to do a couple of yrs in the dorms? Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh yeah, and do they have to live with the people in their FIG if they choose to do one? Thanks</p>
<p>My daugher is a freshman at McMahon. I think she has been satisfied with the arrangments there as far as meeting people goes. Her clustermates provided an immediate group of friends and there is quite a bit of interaction with other clusters immediately around your own. However, even though her high school probably had 60 to 70 kids start at UW, most other new friends have come from my daughters classes. She is an engineering major so there are a large number of kids basically taking the same calculus, chemistry, etc classes who are engineering, pre-med, or hard sciences majors. These kids seem to form the strongest frienship bond since they study and do homework and labs so much together. My daughter is in the process of finalizing a place for next year. It looks like some of girls may move to a nicer cluster with a view of the mountains and lake. She tried to get into some of the 4 bedroom UW apartments (Stevens Court), but was low on the priority list, so will try again next year.</p>
<p>Your daughter will probably experience some home sickness, especially when her clustermates run home for the weekend. My daughter comes home about every third week, primarily to stock up on goodies I think, rather than to see us, but we are an hour away, so its not a big deal.</p>
<p>Nikrud, I forgot to ask what major is your daughter planning on? Also I forgot to add that it seems to me that even though UW is a large school, it doesn't feel that way to me when I'm up there. And I went to UT -Austin and UC- Berkeley and my wife went to Michigan, so we are familiar with large schools.</p>
<p>Can she manage to go to the freshman-only September class? I forget what they call it, but there's a wide variety of classes, all 5 credits, so it's pretty intense. They only take one class, and it's only freshmen on campus, so they have a chance to get to know each other, the campus, and the city, before the crowds descend at the end of the month.</p>
<p>Do have her find some sort of group that has weekend activities. The campus really empties out as many of the locals head home.</p>
<p>My son has been in McMahon for two years, and is arranging for an off-campus apartment.</p>
<p>I don't think they have to live with the people in their FIG. They would all have put down different dorm preferences.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone - Olyman, D is pre-social sciences, interested in public relations and the like. That may all very well change, though, as it often does. However, I can say with some certainty that she won't be a science or engineering major anytime soon.
Does the campus REALLY empty out on weekends? Oh, I hope not. We were given the opposite impression on our visit out there. But my brother and his family live in Seattle, so that is a huge plus, one of the only reasons we let her apply there. She is so in love with Seattle and the Pacific Northwest in general.<br>
She cannot do the freshman intensive seminar class, I wish she could. Thinking of having her do one of those extended orientation things during A & O, where she might meet a few kids.<br>
She really has a remarkable gift for making friends, guys and girls alike. Guess I have to have faith in that. I guess if she did get lonely bc it empties out on wknds she could hang out w/her uncle - I'm sure they'd welcome the babysitting! Not quite what she had in mind for college, tho, I'm sure.<br>
I think McMahon was one of her prefs, don't remember the others. I know she will get involved with a few things, and we moved in the middle of HS and she quickly made friends in her classes as well as the neighborhood, actually elected senior class pres sr yr. So, hopefully she'll be ok. We have lived in different parts of the midwest for so long, that I'm just so familiar w/Big Ten Schools, etc. H & I graduated from Indiana. She got into the Honors college there, but just wanted to experience life outside of the mid-west. Can't say I blame her! LOL.<br>
Here's hoping for the best! Thanks again.</p>
<p>As an OOS myself, I will try and keep occupied with many extra-curricular activities in order to become comfortable and forget about homesickness. I am also applying to the business school early, so I will be very occupied academically until I am admitted. Maybe your daughter can do intramural sports?</p>
<p>I'm sure she'll be fine. The campus isn't EMPTY, it's just much quieter on weekends. Maybe down to one third the number of people who are normally in the dorms. There are lots of international students who clearly can't go home for the weekend -- perhaps getting involved with some club or activity that would draw internationals might be one way to go.</p>
<p>Fycus- you know, IM sports is a big possibility. She played varsity softball and lax, so maybe that's an avenue to explore. I also know my brother and his wife and their friends do a lot of day trips to hike, go boating and things like that, so maybe she can entice some friends to go with her and stay for the wknd. LOL.<br>
What are everyone's experience with football games? Do a lot of the kids go? Is it hard to get tickets? Football weekends in the midwest are huge. Maybe a sorority is not such a bad idea after all. I think I read they have informal rush, not sure what that's all about. Ungh - she's not worried at all (yet) but I am, this is going to be hard, hopefully just for me!</p>
<p>I agree with Moominmama - the campus is not empty on weekends, just quieter, which a lot of people like. I think with relatives in town she will do just fine. My daughter likes to come home to get a break from dorm food, so your brother's home may provide that option for your daughter. I lot of kids go to football. Its not as hard to get tickets as it is for Michigan or Ohio State (until they start winning again). My daughter loves to go to the girls volleyball games for some reason. It seems the some members of crowd gets pretty entertaining when it comes to supporting the team..</p>
<p>I think there's a vibrant student seating section at football games. Students get opportunities to buy tickets easily, but I think they need to be timely about it. Just deciding one Saturday that you want to go to the game that day won't cut it. Basketball, both men's and womens, is also very popular.</p>
<p>Lots of kids from my high school come home on weekends, but most only do so one weekend a month or so. So I don't think it "empties." However, the fact that many people do go home on weekends is part of the reason I will not be going to UW. I wanted a place where people were less likely to head out on weekends. </p>
<p>That being said, I think your daughter will really enjoy the UW. Maybe she will meet some of the 70+ people from my school who go there! Good luck to her.</p>
<p>DD is an OOS freshman at UW. She went not knowing a soul. Because she is so social, and had a really big peer groupd of friends in high school, she decided to go up the 10 days early for rush and has never looked back. Rush wasn't easy, but she ended up in a house she loves, with friends she really adores. She's very happy. She also took a FIG her first quarter there with a language and has had her language class with the same people for three quarters now. Between her FIG, the sorority, and tutoring, she has met some wonderful people she feels she is good friends with.</p>
<p>Homesickness hasn't been a huge issue. Maybe some tearful phone calls twice since she's been there. Phone calls, emails seem to be good enough. She's happy (is sick of the rain though), and likes UW a lot. When she came home for Spring Brek I asked her if she has thought about transferring at all...No way she said.</p>
<p>I came from an in-state school with 30-40 of my high school friends, but I barely see any of them. I have made so many more friends living in the freshman dorms and in my classes. But really my greatest help in adjusting has been my involvement in extracurricular activities. There are tons of RSOs (Registered Student Organizations) on campus as well as service learning courses like Pipeline Project (working with elementary school kids) and UW Dream Project (working with high school seniors on college apps, financial aid, and scholarships). In just a few months, I've become extremely involved with the Dream Project and really developed not only my social network but my professional network. I've gotten to know some deans, administrators, and professors really well by participating actively in extracurriculars.</p>
<p>On a side note, it's not entirely true that everyone leaves on weekends. A large number of them do, but there are plenty of other people around. I make friends with guys and girls very easily too, so I'm sure your D will do just fine. If I can be of any help, shoot me a private message. I'd be happy to share my experiences.</p>
<p>Proud Husky---as large as UW is my dd and your paths may cross. She tutored during the winter via Project Pipeline and just mentioned getting involved with the Dream Project. That's how one can make a large place much smaller...by getting involved in lots of different activities and groups.</p>
<p>Well keep in mind that you are going to be going to a school located in the area that has bred and raised nearly every single prominent serial killer from Ted Bundy (UW School of Law graduate), the D.C. snipers, Gary Ridgeway, Virginia Tech shooter, Robert Yates, etc.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that you are going to be going to a school located in the city in the world with the highest suicide rate.</p>
<p>Enjoy your stay!</p>
<p>killahkosha- with dumb$%^ observations such as yours, you may want to rethink your idea of going into politics.</p>
<p>you're pretty sick killahkosha - sounds like you need help</p>
<p>How am I sick? I just pointed out the fact that the majority of prominent American serial killers have came from Washington, a trend that is known pretty widely around here. I have nothing against Seattle (nor the suburb of it that I live in) its a great city with terrible drivers and annoying deadbeat homeless wandering around, but what big city doesn't have both of those problems.</p>
<p>kk - those posts are in really poor taste, and also inaccurate. Bundy did not attend or graduate from UW Law, but did attend Univ of Utah Law School. He was a UW undergrad, along with Stanford and UPS - about 30 years ago. It obviously has no bearing on what's going on today at UW. </p>
<p>My3dd - If your daughter is outgoing, she'll have no trouble finding friends and activities. I see lots of students around campus on weekends. There's so much to do, and if she likes to watch or participate in sports, she'll be more than busy. Right on campus she can canoe, sail, rock climb, hit the golf driving range, take classes or workout at the IMA. The Ave is full of funky shops and restaurants, and University Village is a really nice shopping area. All are within walking distance. If she is thinking of joining a sorority, coming in as a freshman seems like a really good idea. The Freshman Interest Groups are really popular as a way to meet other students.</p>
<p>Don't worry!</p>
<p>Another note is to make sure to avoid the Ave at night time since there are usually some muggings by the homeless teens that take up residence in the u district. Also make sure to avoid any alley ways because they usually have at least one or two homeless people shooting up on some sort of drug of choice. Great food though! $2.99 for a gyro and $5 for a big bowl of pho!</p>