Q&A w/ current freshman.

<p>I'm a current freshman here at WSU -- if you have any questions, ask. I'll answer.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>How is the weather? I’m from Texas so this is pretty important.</p></li>
<li><p>How is the student body in terms of diversity and student life?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the school academically?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the school environment; are there green places and sunshine?</p></li>
<li><p>How is it as a freshman?</p></li>
</ol>

<ol>
<li>How is the weather? I’m from Texas so this is pretty important.</li>
</ol>

<p>Well, from what I can gather from my short amount of time here, the weather is quite bipolar. It would be a week of sunshine, then a week of rain, then a week of cold weather. The campus is beautiful though, so in my opinion, that makes up for the craziness of the weather. I was told to expect a really cold/snowy winter this year, so I’m not really sure what to expect. Unlike Texas, we have four distinct seasons here. Normally, there’s very little rain, it’s really cold during the winter, but other than that, I can’t really say anything else since I haven’t experienced all of it firsthand. As long as you have a good jacket, you’ll be fine. It’s not a huge campus and you’re pretty much always indoors.</p>

<ol>
<li>How is the student body in terms of diversity and student life?</li>
</ol>

<p>Probably one of the weakest points of the school is the lack of diversity, as far as race goes. That doesn’t mean everyone here is white, but it’s probably between 60-70% caucasian. With that saying, you will find every kind of person and personality on this campus. You won’t have a hard time finding your niche. Everyone is really nice, and to be honest, race or religion seems to be a somewhat trivial factor here unless you’re really into culture, then in that cast you can find whatever it is that you’re looking for since there are tons of culture specific clubs here. I know that diversity is something they are constantly promoting and recruiting for. </p>

<p>The student life is fantastic. Whatever you’re looking for, you will find it. It depends on you and how engaged you want to be and how outgoing you are. There’s always something going on, you just have to find it. </p>

<ol>
<li>How is the school academically?</li>
</ol>

<p>The school is actually a lot better than I expected it to be. Obviously, engineering majors have a harder course load than say, Comm majors. It’s really up to you to succeed, you just have to do well. I would suggest you join the Honors College because even though they’re pretty selective, there are much more opportunities available to you and it really challenges you. Because it’s a small school, if you can rise above everyone else, it would be easier for you to get research experience and things like that. I really like it here. I sailed through high school, but I’m kind of struggling right now, barely holding on to Bs and B-s…which is bad, but I guess I’m just having a hard time transitioning. </p>

<ol>
<li>How is the school environment; are there green places and sunshine?</li>
</ol>

<p>Tons of sunshine. But don’t be fooled - sun does not equal warmth. It could be sunny and 40 degrees out. The campus is beautiful, especially right now with all the pretty fall colors. Green? If you mean grass…eastern WA is a lot different from western WA–Pullman is in the middle of wheat fields. Go to google maps and check out the campus from there, you can zoom in to the max and basically get your own tour of the campus.</p>

<ol>
<li>How is it as a freshman?</li>
</ol>

<p>As a freshman, I love it. I came here kicking and screaming because I wanted to go to another school in the east coast, but had to come here because of scholarships and now, I can’t imagine being somewhere else. It really grows on you. They’re constantly renovating and upgrading buildings so basically everything is new or will be. I know they’re doing major projects every year. They’re trying to really get the school to be on the same level as UW so they’re spending a lot of money on research and stuff like that.</p>

<p>What is the general attitude towards international students?</p>

<p>Students here are either indifferent or interested. International students are interesting, especially with the different culture and language and stuff like that. Most international students are at McCroskey Hall and paired up with a domestic American student. 50% are internationals and 50% are Americans. I know others who live in various halls throughout campus as well, and everyone I’ve met seem to really be enjoying WSU and have made tons of friends and found things to do. I would definitely suggest WSU for an international student because we’re not in a big city and everything is catered to us. The whole point of Pullman is the WSU. You get the whole college experience here.</p>

<p>How is the apparel, merchandising, and textiles program? Is it reputable?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Are you in engineering? If so, how is the department?</p></li>
<li><p>This may be a bit weird to ask a freshman, but would you consider WSU to be transfer-friendly? I’m currently at a CC and am worried about transferring there as a junior and knowing next to nobody.</p></li>
<li><p>Do people typically dorm all 4 years?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Sorry for the late responses - since this thread seems pretty dead, I only check it every time I remember…haha…sorry.</p>

<p>@paperpeony I’ve heard that the program is pretty good. I don’t know a lot about it, other than what I’ve heard from the students on campus. According to their webpage, here are the strengths of the program:</p>

<p>WSU has the leading bachelor’s and graduate program in apparel and textiles in Washington.</p>

<p>The state’s apparel and textile industry is ranked third in national productivity.
WSU’s specialized faculty educate for strong careers, industry leadership, and professional satisfaction.</p>

<p>The faculty are nationally and internationally recognized in apparel, merchandising, design, and textiles.</p>

<p>Learn apparel sizing, resource development, creative fashion design, social and psychological aspects of dress, data management tools, and technology-based information research.</p>

<p>Broaden perspectives through field trips, internships, and study abroad.</p>

<p>Here’s a page for prospective students interested in the program–I suggest you check it out and decide for yourself.</p>

<p><a href=“Washington State University | FOS | Admissions | WSU”>Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles | FOS | Admissions | WSU;

<p>@khyess

  1. Yes I am. The department is fantastic. Personally, I find it ironic that the engineering buildings (Sloan and Dana) are kind of outdated and old, but they’re programs are really good. I know people have this misconception of WSU being this easy school, well, none of them are engineering majors or know any engineering majors. It’s tough–but it’s good. I have a friend who’s a sophomore who already got an internship with a major engineering firm in Pullman that’s also giving her a scholarship. It’s pretty neat. The department really helps line up prospective employers. The career fairs are swimming with engineering firms and the advisers will really help you get an internship that could possibly be a permanent job after graduation.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I definitely consider WSU to be transfer friendly. I know so many people who transferred from community college, ones who are called untraditional students and decided to go back to school after several years, or ones who went through running starts. Even though technically, everyone will see you as a freshman, the only difference for you will be that you do have credits and will get to register early and just take the classes that you do need, etc. I wouldn’t worry much about not knowing anyone. I can assure you that you will make tons of friends. I was worried about that before I started, but you have to remember that everyone else is new there too. The first 2 weeks are crucial–people, people, people! There are tons of people who are looking for friends, and eventually, you’ll find your niche. I’ve made so many friends by just saying hi, or asking questions. If they know the answer, they will gladly help you out, if not, then you basically go on an adventure with that person to go figure it out and you have an instant friend.</p></li>
<li><p>No–most people move out of the residence halls after the first year. As a first year WSU student, I am pretty sure you will be required to live on campus. If you’re worried about making friends, this is definitely the way to go. You get to know the people on your floor and building, and the RA will have programs and you just get to meet people. I don’t know how old you are, but if you want a quiet hall, I would suggest Rogers or Orton. They’re age restricted and have basically no freshmen. On the other hand, as chaotic and rambunctious as the other halls are, they’re really fun. It’s part of the whole college experience thing. And you get to meet so many people. Definitely live in a residence hall at least for a year. You might like it and stay there for a couple of years.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks for providing this service. I can’t believe there is only one WSU thread so far.</p>

<p>Have you heard anything about the Interior Design program, and how it compares to the one at U of O?</p>

<p>Also, do you know anyone who transferred from UW so you can get a direct comparison of WSU versus UW? How do you see the difference?</p>

<p>You’re welcome. I wish someone would have done this last year when I was a high school senior. </p>

<p>I have not heard anything about the Interior Design program–sorry. I would look it up for you but I’m supposedly studying for finals and just got distracted. I’ll get back to you on that in a couple of weeks.</p>

<p>Visit all the schools you’re considering. Your opinion is what really counts, not mine or other people. I don’t know you, so I can’t really give you the answer you’re looking for. Honestly, I’ve made so many great connections here–something I never would have been able to do at UW. The school is significantly smaller and if you can find a way to rise to the top and have profs like you, I can assure you that you won’t have a hard time finding a good job afterwards. College is what you make of it. </p>

<p>I’ll ask around to find transfer students from UW. I promise I will get back to you. Back to studying.</p>

<p>Hey, thank you so much for opening this thread :)</p>

<p>I’m a first year RS student and a senior in HS.
I already applied to the UW, but that was with the intention of getting into Foster’s Accounting program and I recently switched majors from Accounting to Comm/Journalism.
I heard that WSU’s program is pretty good, but I don’t know if I should apply just yet.
How’s living in Pullman? And how do you think is WSU’s Comm department compared to UW’s? </p>

<p>Thank you so much, ross25 :)</p>

<p>@baronbvp Sorry, but I couldn’t find any transfer students from UW. </p>

<p>@aheadofthegame Definitely apply - I’m glad I had all the options I had. In my case, WSU was also quite generous with the scholarships compared to UW. I’m sure I mentioned this already, but I had every intentions of attending a private school in the east coast, but ended up deciding to stay in-state and take the scholarships so I can graduate debt free. Life has a horrible sense of humor and a funny way of making things work. I never expected to be this happy at WSU. </p>

<p>Living in Pullman is pretty great. As a student who’s not into partying, I’ve found a million other things to do and have found students with similar interests. The campus is so beautiful that walking isn’t such a nuisance. Except for when you’re going uphill, it does make things a little harder. Since WSU is a residential college, everything here is catered to us. We are the reason and the lifeblood of Pullman. As far as safety goes, I’ve gone out for jogs at night and have never ran into trouble, except for the occasional cat calls, honks, and screaming. If there was a problem, there’s an emergency post every 100 meters and I hear that cops will be there within a minute. I don’t know what it’s like at UW and I’m not saying nothing bad ever happens here (because it does, I mean let’s face it, it’s a college campus), but I do know that WSU is ranked as the safest campus in the PAC-10. The Student Entertainment Board always has something going on. Once a month, they have these things called Up All Night, it’s themed. They had a De-stress Fest this month with free massage therapists and cheap piercings. There was a Disney one, a Halloween one, and a few others. It’s a big school, that’s small at the same time. I run into at least 20 people I know every day, and make at least 1 new friend a day. The sense of community is pretty incredible. </p>

<p>I know a few Comm/Journalism majors who all enjoy their classes. I also know that Comm is one of the programs WSU is really proud of and apparently known for. I can’t really go much into detail because I don’t want to give you bad info since I don’t know a lot about it. I would suggest you visit UW and WSU. For me, personally, Pullman just seemed more like my kind of environment compared to Seattle and I love the idea of living in the city. But I felt more safe and comfortable in Pullman. Call me self centered and egotistical, but I was heavily recruited by WSU and enjoyed the personal attention I was given when I visited and was able to talk to a premed advisor and some professors. The advisor I talked to is actually one of my advisors now (I have 4 - most students only have 1. It’s complicated) and two of the professors I talked to were my actual professors fall semester. </p>

<p>Also, beware of advisors. I’ve been pretty lucky getting great ones, but I hear that some don’t have the same luck. If you don’t like the one you have, definitely switch. </p>

<p>They take student surveys pretty seriously here. All suggestions are considered, and most are put in place. I know they use the Residence Hall ones when they built Olympia (the new dorm) and now, the new hall renovations for Community-Duncan Dunn. One of the biggest things they’re also trying to fix concern transfer students. The ones they’ve polled felt left out and just didn’t get the proper attention they rightly deserve, so they’re implementing new ways to fix and improve that system. </p>

<p>Anyway, you are absolutely welcome. I will try to answer questions to the best of my abilities, using my own experiences and things I know are true or have read on the university news.</p>

<p>I don’t know if anyone checks this thread anymore but I was wondering about greek life at WSU. Do frats and sororities dominate the social scene here?</p>

<p>Happy New Year ross25! I guess I’m the first 2011 person to post here - I hope you haven’t given up on your Q & A! I read your previous posts and you’re great to spend the time to answer everyone’s questions. My daughter will be applying to WSU this weekend (better late than never). We live in CA and she finished up with those apps last month and now it’s onto OOS. She is a nutrition/dietetics major. Would you happen to know anyone or anything about that program at WSU? I do know that it is a five year very rigorous program that concludes in Spokane. That’s about all I know. </p>

<p>Speaking of cold - we were visiting relatives in Spokane at Christmas and almost drove to Pullman to check out the campus, but there were travel advisories almost the whole time we were there. I had really wanted her to check out the campus then even though everything would have been closed - she could have at least seen the area. We are planning on visiting over her spring break anyway.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>@mariners29 - To be perfectly honest, it really depends on you. If you’re into the party scene, then I would say yes. Especially for freshmen. Older/non-freshmen students tend to have intimate social gatherings in their own apartments with a closer set of friends instead of a free for all. If you’re religious, they have their own social scene. Greek life is pretty big here, but if you don’t want it to be a part of your life, then it won’t be. I’ve somehow managed to stay away. If you have time and want to be part of Greek Life, it would not be a bad thing to consider. Just be mindful of your grades and the code of conduct. </p>

<p>@4rivers - I have a good friend who’s from Sacramento, and the one thing she was quite unprepared for was the weather. So just a heads up if your daughter does decide to attend WSU. Good winter jackets and good boots are a must. And by good boots, I mean like the funny looking rubber boots or boots with great traction because Uggs have none and will be absolutely useless and only end up with you on your butt once you hit a hill on your way to class. </p>

<p>I actually do know a few people with that major and athletes who have to classes related to that. Once you get the General Education Requirements out of the way, the classes are very small and you’ll get to know your professors. Having your professor know your name and wave when they say you around campus is a wonderful thing, especially when you need help. I think that because of this, it’s rigorous in a way that the professors will be able to go more in depth in class which equals to intense assignments and whatnot. Basically, almost all health related stuff ends in Spokane. I know Nursing does as well just because it’s a bigger place with more opportunities and resources. Good call on the winter advisory. That is something you don’t ignore. I think it might be better to visit the campus during spring break. Our break is March 14-18, I know most high school have it the end of March/early April. That way, there are classes going on while you’re here so your daughter will get a better feel on what it’s like to be a WSU student. I think the BS degree is Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and it’s endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine and accredited by the American Dietetic Association. I’m not sure if “dietetics” is an actual major but there’s a good chance I’m wrong. I think it’s an endorsement or accreditation you get on top of nutrition to specialize in that field, if that makes sense. Once you’re here, you’ll go to the Welcome Center and they’ll have undergrad Cougar Connectors take you on a tour around campus. They’ve all lived on campus, so it would be good for your daughter to ask them about stuff related to residence life.</p>

<p>Thanks for the lengthy, informative reply, ross25. Actually my d is very used to cold weather as we have alpine/nordic skied in the Rockies before. Are there places nearby or within a few hours drive of Pullman to do either? Also, we are checking out U of I in Moscow since it is close and they have a nutrition program as well. Do you know much about it? In some ways they seem similar but in other ways not so much - U of I is quite a bit smaller I think. Her spring break coincides with a college event in Moscow and we will visit there as well as Pullman in April. She is also applying to both honor colleges which should definitely be a bonus. Do you know much about the honors college at WSU? </p>

<p>Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions - it is helpful!</p>

<p>I do not know a lot about the U of I. I hear they have a nice rock wall, I think I might go check that out. Other than that, I heard it’s a much smaller school, like you said. The only thing I can think of that is close by is Spokane. </p>

<p>I am actually in the Honors College here at WSU. It is an amazing, respectable program. The Honors College is the only building on campus that houses administrative offices (Honors), classrooms (Honors classes), and a residence hall (about 70% Honors students). Instead of taking General Education Requirement classes (I’m told the classes have at least 150 people in them), your daughter will be exempt and would instead have to take Honors classes. The one I had last semester had about 20 students in it. They’re very small, and focus highly on liberal arts. It’s a really great program and curriculum. They also require that you’re proficient in a foreign language by the time you graduate and have to do a thesis. I know a lot of Honors students who are doing research with professors in order to complete their thesis. Actually, I think that’s the only way you can do your thesis so you get research experience in whatever field you’re on. They’re extremely supportive, it’s totally possible to personally know the Dean of Honors or at least the Assistant Dean. The minimum to stay in the Honors College is a 3.2. It doesn’t sound like it’s hard, but it is if you’re taking hard math and science classes. The faculty is fantastic and they have mentors and offer this amazing class that basically introduces you to college. I know that they are no longer accepting applications. They send offers inviting students to join the Honors College. I think you can contact them and say you’d like to be considered. I would highly encourage your daughter to go through Honors. It’s a great distinction and you get to network with a lot of amazing people.</p>

<p>Hey Ross, thanks for opening this thread! I have been trying to talk to a WSU student ever since I applied.</p>

<p>Anyway, here’s the deal, I’m an international undergrad applicant (from Taiwan) and I recently just applied to WSU. Here are my questions for you:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Does WSU admissions favor international students? I heard some colleges LOVE diversity and tend to accept a lot of students from abroad. But I was also informed some colleges, especially state schools, favor applicants from their state (in this case, Washington) and have a quota for international students. What about WSU?</p></li>
<li><p>I’m currently in the waiting phase and I’m just freaking out about WSU admissions. So based on your knowledge and experience, do you think I’ll be accepted by WSU according to the info below?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Status: Int Undergraduate Applicant
Hoping to major: Zoology
GPA: 3.2 (unweighted)
TOEFL: 106/120
SAT: 1040/1600, 1480/2400</p>

<p>I also participated in many extra curricular activities inside and outside school.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot!!!</p>

<p>I was accepted to WSU as well as the honors program. What does “demonstrated proficiency” mean in regards to a foreign language?</p>

<p>Hi Ross25,
Thanks for the forum (:
I have a few questions I want to ask:

  1. When you’re admitted and start at WSU, everyone takes the same courses right? And you declare your major at the end of sophomore or beginning of junior year right? Then why did they even bother asking you what major you want in the beginning (when you were applying to WSU)?</p>

<p>2) This might be hard to answer but do you know how well is WSU pre-vet program?</p>

<p>3) Is WSU really isolated in the sense that its surrounded by nothing but trees?</p>

<p>Thanks (:</p>