University of WA vs Brooklyn College???

Applying to College Admission Stories
1

I am trying to decided between University of Washington in Bothell Washington and Brooklyn College in New York City for my undergrad. How important is the reputation in terms of getting a job or applying to graduate school? As of now the plan is to apply for grad school Occupational Therapy after I finish undergrad but honestly I am not certain. Here is a little background information.

I am in my mid twenties and lived in Seattle my whole life. Ive wanted to get out but stayed in state until I figured out what I was going to do to save money, and really, because I was scared. Life has and is happening and I am starting to realize that there are other aspects to it other than school.

The practical side of me says stay in Seattle for 2 more years to finish your degree, save more money and then leave. “what is a couple more years of doing the same thing?” is what I have been saying for the last 5 years. Everything else tells me to go to Brooklyn because I think I would learn more than just academics. With that being said I am not trying to run away from my hometown to become famous or think NYC will bring me fortunes. I just think that it would be a good life experience. Money is not a problem, actually it would be cheaper to go to nyc.

I know NOTHING about Brooklyn College other than the rankings online which are much lower than UW. That is a lot of scattered information but honestly all I want to know is, generally speaking, does the type and rank of school you go to important?

Any input would be much appreciated!

2

There is an awful lot of opportunity at a place the size of the UW.

3

Don’t worry about rankings. If you want to leave Seattle, leave Seattle. The SUNY and CUNY schools are a great option for someone who wants to leave their hometown, but doesn’t want to spend $40,000 a year. Brooklyn College is a beautiful school with high academics. If it means anything to you, it’s far more selective than the University of Washington, so you will be around driven and motivated students. Outside of the Quad of Brooklyn College is a residential area which is extremely safe. The nightlife immediately around some Brooklyn College isn’t fantastic, but it’s New York City, so you will always be a 15 minute drive away from something :slight_smile:

4

The rank of the school doesn’t matter. If you work hard, you will get where you want to be. Brooklyn College actually has a pretty expansive alumni network. The founder of Sweet N’ Low and the CEO of Barnes and Nobles went to Brooklyn College. And the prestige of the undergraduate school has pretty much no impact on what grad school you can get into :slight_smile:

5

The University of Washington Bothell is * not * the same school as the flagship University of Washington in Seattle! It’s much smaller and newer, and shares a campus with Cascadia Community College.

Honestly, rankings-wise I don’t think there will be that much of a difference between the two, haha. If it’s cheaper to go to Brooklyn and you can see yourself attending for a couple of years, then go ahead. Good luck!