<p>My situations a little complicated but i'll try to keep it simple. My mom is an army nurse and lives in seattle stationed at ft. lewis. I live in Florida!!! (Orlando area) I've never been particularly fond of the weather here as it is ridiculously hot and humid for 9 months out of the year. I'm always saying I want to get outa this state! </p>
<p>But basically I applied for UW seattle from OOS (obviously) and I think I have a decent chance of getting in. But my problem is I can get Bright Futures if I stay in Fl. (merritt based Florida Scholarship) which will pay for about 75% of college. The only university I would go to here is UCF (in orlando- but i also got into UF). I love the newness and freshness of the school, i'm already quite aquatinted with the area and it seems very nice, although NOT VERY PRESTIGIOUS or thought of very highly. It also has a reputation as a party school but it has been rising in the ranks considerably. </p>
<p>SO basically, CONVINCE me(or don't) to move completely across the country to go to UW, and abandon my life here in florida (which i'm not necessarily particularly partial too) to attend a more prestigious university and completely change my environmental backdrop.
P.S i've been to Seattle and the surrounding UW area and while I liked Seattle ALOT I thought the school area was a little dumpy...?? ANY ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.</p>
<p>I feel ya, when I first visited the campus I thought it was a little dirty. But there is so much to like about UW and Seattle. The weather is amazing, especially in the spring and summer (no, it does not rain 24/7 here, it’s usually overcast!). There’s tons of school spirit, especially at the football and basketball games (both teams are pretty good, too). And there’s a plethora of activities around Seattle (Seahawks, Mariners both in state-of-the-art stadiums, shopping, waterfront, boating, skiing, etc.) And the campus has a homey feel to it, too. People here are very friendly.</p>
<p>I want to first say that Seattle weather is definitely not for everybody. The time of year makes a huge difference. While the spring and summer are beautiful on most days, the fall and winter can be dreadful if you are not accustomed to rain and grey skies. </p>
<p>Aside from the weather, UW is a great school if you want the traditional college experience. Decent greek system, good sports teams and a large, diverse student body.</p>
<p>The surrounding area can get sketchy after dark so never walk anywhere alone, but the best thing about the UW is it’s located right on the lake. Lake Washington is perfect for late spring and summer days and since UW starts later and ends later, there is sufficient time to enjoy the water. </p>
<p>Hope this helps! You can PM me if you have any specific questions about the school or the general Seattle area.</p>
<p>UW > anything in florida</p>
<p>I’ve lived in both seattle and florida (crestview) . I hate hate hate florida. I hate the muggy god awful hot weather. Give me seattle’s gloomy skies with crisp air any day</p>
<p>Personally, I couldn’t stand the 8 days I spent in Florida to go to Disneyworld. It was scorching hot and so humid. In Seattle, the summers can get hot but it hardly ever feels muggy and at night it will cool down and feel really nice when you open your windows. In the spring, the cherry blossoms are amazing! The rain is a bit much for many people but I think you get used to it. The air always feels so clean and I really like that about the PNW. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of fun stuff to do around Seattle. UW is a well known school and I think it’s well worth it to move out here to get an education from a better school. College is a new experience, regardless of where you attend, so why not make it an all around big change by moving? 
It’s a huge move I understand but it’s a good opportunity to experience what’s out there as long as you are comfortable with the major changes, such as climate.
I don’t find Seattle dumpy at all…what about it did you not like?</p>
<p>Thank you very much ghuskies. i just found a few select areas of the area of town near UW to seem a little run down and older, but nothing major of course. Just compared to UCF its a lot different. (everything in orlando is always under construction and is usually brand new)
I’m more concerned about the money issue to be honest tho I pretty much kno i’ll love Seattle weather minus the occasional longing for some sun.</p>
<p>No problem. I get what you mean now. It definitely isn’t as big and booming as Orlando. Even the airport was under major construction when I visited lol. </p>
<p>I’m not sure how FA offices work yet because I’m still a junior in high school but one of my friends wants to go to school in Louisiana, where her dad lives. She wants to look into in-state tuition since her dad lives there and work out something with the FA office. maybe there’s an option there for you? can’t hurt to try anyway.
You’ll hear everyone wishing for some sun and a break in the rain but surround yourself with good company and school/work, you should be okay :)</p>
<p>If your mom pays Washington state taxes, you qualify as an resident applicant and for resident tuition. Even if your mother doesn’t claim you as her dependent last year or ever. (many parental agreements agree to alternate the year parents claim the child for tax deductions)</p>
<p>Washington has no state income tax. Also, military personnel are able to claim a “home state” as their state of residence, regardless of where they are stationed. Thus they can be registered to vote, have their driver’s license and even vehicle registration maintained in another state.</p>
<p>So definitely worth further investigation.</p>