University of Washington-Freshmen Information Sessions & Campus Tour

The University of Washington is one of the best Universities to attend in the North West for Undergraduate,Graduate,and post Graduate studies and Research. Locally in Seattle theUniversity of Washington, is called the UW, pronounced U-Dub. My youngest sister Arrianna,came up from Los Angeles,CA for a visit a few weeks ago to take the University of Washington Freshmen Information Sessions.

She plans on studying Anthropology,one of the reasons that attracted her to the University of Washington was the fact that the UW is one of the top research institutions in the nation. She signed up for one of their weekly freshmen information sessions, called the Programs for Prospective Freshmen and a 90 minute guided tour. This was a special program created to give potential freshmen and their families an inside look at their admissions process and what the University of Washington has to offer. For incoming freshmen the UW offers a very unique program just for freshmen. It is called the Early Fall Start program. It gives incoming freshman a chance to make the transition to college early, meet other incoming freshmen, and learn their way around the very large campus at the UW.During that month before the Autumn quarter starts, freshmen can participate in one of 25 Discovery Seminars, which are small classes just for freshman; that cover a range of topics such as art, music, geology, literature, history, philosophy,cultural studies,etc. They are 5 credit, 4 week courses designed to give freshman a taste of what is to come during the regular school year.

Another program that is available only for freshmen is called the Freshmen Interest Group, otherwise known on campus as FIG. FIG is basically a small cluster of freshmen (20-25) that share the same academic interests and share the same cluster of 3 or 4 courses their first quarter at the UW. It is unique because it creates a social support network and a learning community for freshmen since they are new and may not have too many friends. The UW offers more than 160 FIGs in the autumn, which covers a rangeof interests and topics.Other programs offered are Freshman Seminars, University Honors Program, and Phi Eta Sigma.

Overall the Program for Prospective Freshmen was informative, and the campus tour not only introduced parents and potential students to the beautiful campus, it offered a heads up on all of the opportunities for freshmen.From experience, starting a big University,  can be very overwhelming and scary, especially since your parents, friends and family will not be around.

The University of Washington offers unparalleled support for their freshmen and think ahead with these unique programs.My sister sent in her application before she left and we will be anticipating an acceptance letter this spring.

A few facts:The UW is the number one public institution for attracting the most federal research dollars, for their research programs.At the UW students can have access to and take advantage of their large array of academic opportunities.From picking a major, to student research, to finding a great job opportunity, or if a student was looking for challenging courses, or if they were interested in studying abroad.The University of Washington offers many resources that can help students take advantage of a variety of opportunities from one of the nation's top Universities. 

The UW Vision Statement: 

The University of Washington educates a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders through a challenging learning environment informed by cutting-edge scholarship.Discovery is at the heart of our University.We discover timely solutions to the world's most complex problems and enrich the lives of people throughout our community, the state of Washington, the nation, and the World.

For more information on any of the above listed programs, just click on the links or click

UW Freshmen Apply.

Carlene Pride 

Buyer Specialist

206.619.3117

University Village, a ritzy outdoor mall great for strolling!

University Village, the very ritzy outdoor mall of the even ritzier Laurelhurst, has the feeling and atmosphere of a fancy mall, but is set on 24 acres of a beautifully landscaped and decorative outdoor venue. In between Laurelhurst, The University of Washington, Bryant, and the neighborhood that we now call Univeristy Village, it is a center so festive in the winter with holiday glitter and lights, and so inviting in the summer when moms, kids and families relax in strolling weather. Indeed, it feels like a quaint village on the outskirts of town at first glance, with coffee shops, book stores and specialty boutiques galore. But upon closer inspection, you realize that these are not you regular run of the mill mom and pop stores. These are the grandest of upper crust flagship chains, from Crate and Barrell, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, to Barnes and Nobles, Anthropologie, and Banana Republic.

Built in 1956 as a simple local mall atop what used to be wetlands and marshlands, University Village changed hands in the 1990's and metamorphised into a gleaming example of a metropolitan shoppers delight. No need for the elite of Windermere, Laurelhurst and Washington Park to make the long trek to the downtown department stores when their very own uptown mall resurrected just around the corner. It is definitely not the University Village of decades ago, when hardward stores and garden centers were the norm. Now, even the QFC flagship store looks shiny and new!

Stop on in before or after a game of football, basketball or other sports event at Husky Stadium. The University of Washington and Stadium is just a stone's throw away. And if you work up an appetite, don't miss the Zao Noodle Bar, Atlas Foods, and The Ram Cafe. Quick and student friendly places for comforting food. If watching sushi whirling around on a conveyor belt strikes your fancy, University Village has Blue C Sushi to amuse you. Fast and healthy, a good alternative to the common fast food choices. (We are not talking Toyoda Sushi in Lake City, but it will do in a pinch.) And for you chocolaholics anonomous, (of which I happen to be a proud member of) nothing quite compares to the velvetty rich, oh-so-delicate flavors of the handmade European chocolates at Fran's. They are not as sweet as American chocolates, but much smoother and more buttery. Thus, they are best eaten when fresh. Of course, if you must, Kidd Valley and Burgermaster keep good company with McDonald's nearby for the burger fixated crowd. Something for everybody at the new and glamourous University Village!

Helen Toyoda

Realtor
Helen@SeattlePowerSearch.com

206.383.8182