I am a junior in high school and am really considering these pacific northwest schools; Whitman College, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, Washington State University, and Oregon State University. I have 100+ volunteer hours, will have total of 11 AP’s, 3.8 UW GPA, 4.2 (current) W GPA, and I dont have my ACT score yet but my guess is somewhere between 30-33. I love the outdoors (hiking, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking) and would prefer a smaller school, but I am open to everything. Right now for a major I am leaning towards biology, neuroscience, or possibly engineering…I am leaning less toward engineering but haven’t completely discounted it. Does anyone have any experience with any of these schools? Pros/cons, general atmosphere, or strength of my possible majors? I am also considering Montana State University. Any advice or insight will be greatly appreciated 
Money is definitely a large factor, so if anyone has any experience with financial aid or merit aid with these schools that would also be appreciated.
If you’re into biology and health, your GPA and ACT score are well into the range for the University of Washington. If you like Seattle and beautiful cherry trees, I’d recommend UW. Especially if you live in Washington, the tuition is much better for in-state applicants.
The only thing with UW is it’s huge size and big-city environment…I would prefer a more rural atmosphere but definitely wouldn’t be opposed if I felt it was the right fit. Hopefully I can get up this summer for a visit! Did you attend UW?
I live in the Pacific NW, so I have some subjective info on some of these, but don’t know many of the details. From what I hear, Oregon State is extremely strong in the natural sciences, especially animal- and agriculture-related ones. It’s a really big school enrollment-wise, but Corvallis is considerably a smaller town and in a more rural environment than UW. Whitman is known for having lots of opportunities for hiking, outdoor activities, etc, but it’s a really different environment from the state schools – a small, 2,000-ish liberal arts school in a really rural but nice eastern Washington town. It’s more selective than the others as well, but with your scores your chances are good.
Whitman is very strong for biology and one of the only smaller schools you listed. I would look into the outdoor experiences that Whitman offers… they have them for kayaking, hiking and other types of activities and so would have great opportunities for outdoor experiences.
In regards to Oregon State, it feels like a very large school. The relations between the town and the school are often very tense, so if that is a con for you I would beware that students are not always well received. I would say another con of Oregon State is that the amount of aid is extremely limited, even for top students.
Are you from any of the states that are part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange? If you are then that night really make a difference in finances.
http://wiche.edu/wue
Whitman is probably my top choice at the moment, but I have heard that it is TOO rural and TOO small. Is anyone familiar with the environment at Whitman? Thanks everyone for your replies.
LKnomad, I live in Colorado, so I am part of the WUE. I forgot to mention that
@markowpolo No I don’t go to UW but I grew up around it. My uncle worked there and I would stay in his office and follow him around campus. Most of my family has chosen to go there as well, and i’ve lived in Seattle my whole life. If you prefer a small rural atmosphere, I don’t think most of those schools you listed are very rural, most in somewhat large college towns.
EDIT: Whitman is probably your best bet.
EDIT #2: There are around 1500 people at Whitman for undergrad, so it’s around the size of a large high school.
Western Washington U is a mid-sized school with lots of the outdoor attributes you’re looking for. They are WUE participants, and have a decent bio and neuro sciences.
Any info on University of Puget Sound vs. Whitman College? They seem very similar to me.
Whitman is in a pretty small town of around 31,000 people. When I toured a month ago it felt pretty secluded, but I am also from a town of 80,000 for most of the year. I think whether it feels too far away would depend on how big of a town you come from.
I would also consider whether or not small classes are important to you. Whitman certainly offers them, but a school like UW or Oregon State will have you in 300 people lectures.
Whitman is academically more selective than Puget Sound and has a higher graduation rate, etc.
Be careful with looking at WUE schools. According to this brochure, UW, Oregon State and U of Oregon are not participants.
http://www.wiche.edu/info/publications/wueHandout.pdf
Yeah the only one on my list included in WUE is Montana State University. Thanks everyone for the info! Has anyone attended Whitman? I am curious if the isolation/size is a limiting factor, as well as the quality of academics.
Whitman is a school that would be in much higher demand if it were in the Northeast. The quality of academics is quite high, Walla Walla is a really nice small city, and there are lots of outdoor opportunities available. It also scores high on the “happiest students” scale.
Someone above mentioned Western Washington University. A lot of strong students in Washington who are looking for a more liberal arts environment prefer it over UW.
Here are details on the WWU eligibility numbers for the WUE and other potential scholarsips:
https://admissions.wwu.edu/freshman-out-state-scholarships
You will be able to find other outdoor sports enthusiasts at any of these schools, some require a little more driving. Other than Whitman they are urban, especially us and ups. Might add Willamette to the mix in Salem. Unlikely to get aid to the state universities, wue is great but look at each school for restrictions. Why northwest? Compare your stats for scholarship opportunities may be good aid at some other good schools. Catholic or not, what about gonzaga university of portland, Carroll?
D looked at Whitman and decided against applying because it was too expensive for us. Run the NPC. But aside from cost, it was a favorite.
Instead, D applied to University of Puget Sound and Willamette. UPS is in a larger urban area than Willamette. She was accepted to both with merit aid. You have higher grades, so if you score a 32 or higher, you’ll probably get very nice merit awards available from these schools.
When D and I visited Willamette, it seemed other kids also applied to Lewis and Clark and Chapman as well as Whitman, Willamette and UPS…
Are your parents willing to pay the OOS rates at the schools?
My son went to Whitman and graduated last year, he really liked the small town atmosphere. It’s a wine making destination so it has nice stores, restaurants and shops, especially downtown. The Whitman campus is literally 2 blocks from downtown and you can get almost everything you need within walking distance. It’s very charming, there are some great old neighborhoods with lovely Victorian houses and huge Sycamores. The Whitman campus is gorgeous and well maintained. It’s not a big hip city, but it’s very cozy. He never thought the location was a drawback. In fact, he got involved in the award winning outdoor program ( the OP) and led hiking trips, went kayaking, rock climbing and skiing many weekends. Transportation is provided if you don’t have a car.
The center of students lives during the week is the campus, and it’s a GREAT campus. There are so many activities going on its hard to feel deprived. Of course, the academics are rigorous and taken seriously, but Whitties are pretty good at helping each other out and the school has many resources to aid those who need it.
Visit while school is in session if you can, and stay overnight, that’s the best way to get a good feel for the place. Good luck with your search!
P.S. you may qualify for merit aid.