<p>So I'm having a very difficult time deciding between the two schools. The main advantages with UW I see are that I might have more opportunities there due to the quantity of people, and I also live nearby and want to remain in the pacific northwest, so joining a local startup or something would be a lot easier. On the other hand, the first two years sound like a massive stressful mess trying to get >3.5 in weedout classes just to get into my major, and if I screw up, I get to transfer out (The only other majors that interest me also happen to be competitive). I also hate being around large crowds of people, which UW seems to have loads of.</p>
<p>Rose is at the top of its own ranking, but it's not in the same category as UW, so I don't know how to compare the quality of the actual instruction between the two. I came from a small high school with teachers working very closely with students, and that's something I think I would miss. I've head that Rose has very friendly and approachable staff, and their curriculum seems more geared towards helping me succeed. The biggest issue is just the location; the midwest doesn't sound like a very pleasant place to be, and I don't want to live there after I graduate. </p>
<p>What I want to know is if I could get a similar experience at UW compared to Rose, because I've still read accounts of people who say that it does get more personal if you exert the effort to meet people and contact professors.</p>