<p>Fall Campus Day at UPS is September 24.
I’m thinking perhaps returning for that if the initial visit looks promising.</p>
<p>Good idea! </p>
<p>We went to three similar programs (the extra-fortified campus visit!) and UPS’ was definitely the best. We also went to Gonzaga’s and OSU’s.</p>
<p>I looked at Portland State University on my last trip there, and I wasn’t expecting much. But I was really impressed with it. It is my 3rd Choice School out of 8 I’m applying to (You can guess Choice A from my name). Give it a thought. Also, I liked Evergreen (Choice 6/8) quite a bit, I was blown away by Lewis and Clark (5/8). Western Washington (8/8) was nice too, but it was a bit white for me.</p>
<p>My younger daughter ended up choosing WWU over OSU, Willamette, and UP. OSU had the advantage of Pac10 (now 12) sports, and had a smaller-college feel to it, even though it’s on the larger side. Ultimately, it wasn’t worth the OOS price and the issues of a public U in trying times. UP ended up being too small. Willamette wasn’t affordable, even with the merit money offered. WWU won out with atmosphere, location, environmental sciences, and a decent business school if she decided to go that route. She had a successful freshman year and is looking forward to September.</p>
<p>Udubhuskies, my daughter had that initial reaction to WWU as well.
( she attended an inner city highschool, and had spent quite a bit of time during the two years previous to college in India & Africa)
However, she has learned from her interactions with the other students and the community in Bellingham, that diversity is more than skin deep.</p>
<p>Really love all the feedback on the various schools, thanks and keep 'em coming.</p>
<p>UW is on the list.
Western and Whitman have been visited way early in the process and will merit a re-visit.</p>
<p>Thinking about Santa Clara and U of San Diego if merit money comes through there.</p>
<p>My daughter seriously considered SCU and will be attending USD. PM me if you have any questions!! We seem to have had the same list! It will really depend on what kind of kid your D is, imo. Mine hated L&C (I would attend there in a second!), USF, Oxy, Pitzer. Didn’t like WU for the size but loved UPS in spite of the size, ended up liking schools that were very similar in size and offerings but differed in location: USD, SCU, Gonzaga. UofO too close, ditto OSU but liked OSU much more than she thought she would. Whitman too isolated, UW too big.</p>
<p>emeraldkity4 i guess i’d have to be at WWU more to recognize this type of diversity you’re describing. nonetheless, I was still pretty impressed by the campus. I think UDUB is still my top choice and WWU would be near the bottom, just because the other colleges were so amazing.</p>
<p>I agree that UW is a great school, but my kids were both born at the UW, and neither one wanted to apply.
;)</p>
<p>Yeah, there is something to be said for going to college in a smaller town that is nice. Going to school and hanging around campus would not be the same as if campus was in the middle of a large city (such as Seattle or Portland). But I suppose some students would prefer to be in a big city… </p>
<p>Out of your list, based on my preferences (not wanting to live in a big city for one), I would pick: 1. UO, 2. WWU, 3. WSU
Although its hard to argue with UO & UW having the best business programs and WSU being really strong in the sciences/vetrinary medicine (and a good but not great business program). </p>
<p>But if you want to live in the big city, I’ve heard some great things about Seattle University. That’s also probably a good option if you dont want to go to a “mega” school. </p>
<p>Gonzaga is also a good school - although not in the best part of Spokane.</p>
<p>My daughter is somewhat interested in Reed and Lewis & Clark. We have never been to the Pacific Northwest, so that whole area is foreign to us. I would appreciate hearing thoughts on these schools. We’re trying to determine how best to use our remaining time and money for college visits. She’s in the top 5% of her class, her test scores exceed Lewis & Clark’s middle 50% and are squarely in the middle of Reed’s, and she is interested in linguistics/French.</p>
<p>We live in Portland and last year we had a freind visit us to do a tour of Reed. My D14 came along. It was her first “official” college tour. Reed wants thinkers. They want kids who ask questions. Ironically, none of the kids on the tour group (with the exception of my daughter) got it! They do a large freshman seminar and there is a huge focus on writing. The campus is beautifully set in one of Portland’s most historic and elegant neighborhoods–Eastmoreland. The Woodstock neighborhood is just up the road and has lots of restaurants that cater to the college crowd. It’s very close to downtown, too. In the past there has been a lot of controversy about drugs at Reed. It’s hard to believe that with so many smart kids, the drug culture could continue but I guess that is everywhere. My understanding is that they are responding to parents’ concerns and implementing more policies to stop it. Here’s the most recent article: [Reed</a> College students arrested on drug-related charges | OregonLive.com](<a href=“http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/02/reed_college_students_arrested.html]Reed”>Reed College students arrested on drug-related charges - oregonlive.com)</p>
<p>Bonald: Both Lewis and Clark and Reed are very unique schools. Kids seem to love them or hate them, so if they are serious contenders, visit for sure. Reed seemed too intense for my kids and they both hated L & C, but we know kids at both who love their schools.</p>
<p>^ what pacnwmomof2 said, times a million! Your kids will know right away if they’ve found their place with those two schools. (My kids must be just like pacnwmomof2’s kids!!)</p>
<p>OP here, the itinerary has been revised. The big Oregon schools have been dropped, and Whitman College in Walla Walla has been added. Whitman’s location isn’t convenient to combine with anything, but figure it might as well be included on this trip. Travel period, second week in September.</p>
<p>A separate trip (post admission?) is planned for Santa Clara University and University of San Diego.</p>
<p>Also, Western Washington U and University of Washington have already been visited/may be revisited and will be applied to, no matter what.</p>
<p>For the moment, we start with the Pacific Northwest. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Day 1 UPS in the a.m. Will arrive by 9 a.m. If it is viewed favorably, a revisit will be easy, possibly even the Fall Preview Day. On to Lewis and Clark for an afternoon visit and overnight in Portland. The next morning is also available to take a closer look at L&P, if desired.
Day 2: From Portland on to Willamette. Spend the day at Willamette. Overnight in Salem.
Day 3: Head to Whitman. Depending on when we arrive, do something on campus. Overnight in Walla Walla.
Day 4: Spend most of the day at Whitman. Leave some time late afternoon for 5 hour drive home.</p>
<p>Sounds good, though your drive from Salem to Walla Walla will be long. </p>
<p>Just dropped my daughter off at Univ San Diego. Our satisfaction with her choice was confirmed :)</p>
<p>^ Glad to hear that USD is a winner for your family.
I may well be getting back to you with questions in a few months ;)</p>
<p>We did a somewhat similar tour in February to get a feel of the Pacific Northwest during the rainy season. Although we wanted to go to Whitman, we decided it was just too far out of the way for us. Overall, I would say my D’s impressions of the schools were generally predominated with the people we met at the different schools. I really wanted her to like Reed, but she thought the people were too intense (even though I tried to select what appeared to be the most “normal” of the three tour guides). She really, really wanted to like Lewis & Clark, but the number of people smoking, the freshman tour guide and the torrential downpour did not help out. Willamette (despite the massive downpour getting from the car to the admissions office) went from a “probably not” to a “I’d be happy attending here” mostly based on having lunch with a current student assigned to us from the admissions office and a great tour guide. As you can tell, her interest is in small LACs so we didn’t end up at any of the bigger schools. University of Puget Sound also ended up as a possibility but lower on the list than Willamette.</p>
<p>The drive to Whitman is long but worth it.</p>
<p>After your visit to Willamette, I would recommend going back up north that day. Depending on what time you get done with Willamette/Salem, you might look at staying in Troutdale, or even as far as Hood River, to make the next driving day a little easier, plus the drive along the Columbia is beautiful. I don’t think you are going to miss out on anything by not staying in Salem overnight.</p>