University of Washington or HELP! Western Washington University for pre-med?

U-Dub all the way

didn't they build you guys a little cage somewhere on this website?

i think it's hsdn or something 😉

I didn't even read your post. Case closed

Go to UW. The school is beautiful, very well-regarded and should be cheap with IS tuition

I wish I could have gone to UW (I visited it during an alternative spring break trip to seattle my sophomore year). It's a gem. My undergrad was much larger than 20k undergrads and I had no problems getting letters from professors, or getting clinical opportunities.

I kind of view weed out classes as a good thing. Better be weeded out early in the process then be lead along till MCAT-time and have your hopes crushed. Weed-out classes are in your best interest and I'm sure UW has a great rep for putting kids in med school

Im from WA too, love it there 😀

First of all, Western has approximately 13,000 undergrads. But, the class sizes are going to be markedly smaller than at UW. UW has a phenominal med-school...but that is beyond your reach at the undergrad level. I don't think having gone to UW for undergrad and applying there afterward is going to impress anybody. Im sure Western will be just fine as far as science and 'pre-med' is concerned. If you excel at either place you will be on a pretty equal footing.. and at Western you might get to know your professors a little better for LOR's.

that being said, Seattle is funner than B-ham (althoug bellingham is pretty darn cool) AND you will have more opportunities at things like research, clinical experience and other EC's that you might be interested in. Seattle is a pretty diverse place with a lot of opportunities. It might be more competitive at UW pre-med, and that would be the trade-off to having smaller classes and a less competitive setting (which is not something to be taken lightly; I had small classes at my university and it was very helpful to have an intimate setting with your profs..I got some SWEET LORs).

good luck, thats a tough choice. i have friends at both schools and they all love where they chose to go!

Hi Mahnster,

I went to UW for undergrad and am currently working there in my gap years before starting med school in the fall, so perhaps I could have some useful perspective on your issue.

First, your concern about the sizes of the universities is totally legitimate. I myself had often felt very lost in the 200+ premed courses, and I truthfully did not get to know my professors that well because of that reason. I must also say that I am also somewhat of a shier person, so that definitely contributed. That said, I have known some of my classmates that made special effort to go to a prof's office hours, which is a GREAT opportunity to get to know them, especially because honestly most kids will NEVER go to a prof's office hours, so you get even more bonus face time.

HOWEVER, it is not impossible to get recs. I personally got my recommendation letters from profs where I had smaller classes, and rest assured they DO exist at UW. They are typically upper level classes, so take that into consideration if you are one of those kids that wants to go to med school right after undergrad. In that case, you're probably better off putting in that extra effort of getting your recs from a premed course prof.

What makes me vote UW, hands-down, is all of the other opportunities that will be available here in Seattle that you probably won't get as much of at Western.

1. Many, many volunteering opportunities--either at UWMC, which is next to the undergrad campus, or at Harborview (Level 3 trauma center a free bus ride away), or at Seattle Children's Hospital (where I personally volunteered).

2. Many, many research opportunities. UW is a HUGE research school, and for good reason--we are extremely well-funded by the NIH in general, and there are so many labs in different areas that could/have supported undergrad researchers. Also, this is a HUGE plus, there are tons of scholarships/internships you can apply for that can support you financially for doing undergrad research. There is also an annual undergrad research symposium that is mind-boggling in the number of students and in the breadth of research areas--there is just as many humanities students that do research here, in addition to the hard sciences.

3. There is a rural clinic shadowing program here that I would definitely check out. It's called Health Care Alternative Spring Break, and it's basically a chance to see how medicine is practiced in rural clinics throughout Washington (basically, the 90% of Washington that isn't Seattle). It's practically free, run and organized by students, and one of those unique opportunities that will open your eyes to the scope of medicine that is practiced. I did it and it was one of the main reasons that I chose medicine over pursuing a PhD.

Anyway...those are just some of my thoughts on why you should choose UW. Granted, I don't know much about Western, but I would definitely urge you to compare the 2 schools with my advice in mind 😀 If you have more questions, feel free to PM me! And good luck! 😛

I think top schools are hesitant to accept kids from schools that aren't well known. Even though my undergrad isn't thought of as an academic powerhouse, it is a university of __________ which gives it credibility. UW is probably much better than my university and I've had a lot of great opportunities this application cycle.

Then again, who cares about top schools. It only takes one school.. A school! Theyre all the same anyway.

Go to UW, it is a great school and has classes that can prepare you well for their medical school, for example their undergraduate biochem series is comparable to the one you take in medical school. Also, an undergraduate degree at UW is well recognized by other medical schools (I was quite surprised to hear all the positive comments about UW during my med school interviews).

What is more important than academics, however, is your overall enjoyment of the school/area/people. College is an incredible time in life and taking advantage of all that college has to offer is a lot more important than academic considerations in my opinion

BTW: I've never seen frat houses like the ones at UW. They were monstrous! Are they as nice inside as they look from the outside?

veaselhaufen said:

BTW: I've never seen frat houses like the ones at UW. They were monstrous! Are they as nice inside as they look from the outside?

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Lol, some of them are pretty nice. I've spent my fair share of time stumbling up and down UW's greek row.

U-DUBBBBB iLL CYA THERE THIS SUMMER BABAY WASSSSSSUP????!?!?!

Personally I would recommend Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Whitman is one of the most highly regarded liberal arts colleges in the country. A large percentage of Whitman premeds are admitted to the University of Washington med school every year. Your science classes generally will have about 25 students and your professors will know you on a personal basis and will be able to write strong recommendations. The financial aid packages from Whitman are great and so it might not be more expensive than attending a public school, depending upon your family's financial situation. I have a couple of friends who attended Whitman, one is now in med school at Washington, and they give the school glowing reviews, just real positive about the whole Whitman experience.

searun said:

Personally I would recommend Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Whitman is one of the most highly regarded liberal arts colleges in the country. A large percentage of Whitman premeds are admitted to the University of Washington med school every year. Your science classes generally will have about 25 students and your professors will know you on a personal basis and will be able to write strong recommendations. The financial aid packages from Whitman are great and so it might not be more expensive than attending a public school, depending upon your family's financial situation. I have a couple of friends who attended Whitman, one is now in med school at Washington, and they give the school glowing reviews, just real positive about the whole Whitman experience.

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Can't beat the location either...🙄

DoktorB said:

Can't beat the location either...🙄

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It is actually in a very beautiful location, the rolling hills and the wine country of Southeastern Washington. If you like the outdoors, it is a great place, fishing, snowboarding, rock climbing, river rafting, the whole outdoor gamut. Walla Walla is a small town, so if you are totally an urban person, it may not be for you. But for someone who enjoys the outdoors and wants a sweet undergraduate experience, it is an excellent choice, according to my friends. If you do well at Whitman, and are a Washington resident, it is likely you will be accepted to the University of Washington for med school, and then you can have your urban experience for the next 4 years.

searun said:

It is actually in a very beautiful location, the rolling hills and the wine country of Southeastern Washington. If you like the outdoors, it is a great place, fishing, snowboarding, rock climbing, river rafting, the whole outdoor gamut. Walla Walla is a small town, so if you are totally an urban person, it may not be for you. But for someone who enjoys the outdoors and wants a sweet undergraduate experience, it is an excellent choice, according to my friends.

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I agree that if you love the outdoors eastern washington is great. Walla Walla is just the brunt of a lot of jokes in western WA because of how sparsely populated it is...But I guess I really can't comment too much because I am headed to Iowa next year 😛

searun said:

If you do well at Whitman, and are a Washington resident, it is likely you will be accepted to the University of Washington for med school, and then you can have your urban experience for the next 4 years.

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Whitman will probably prepare you well and have recognition factor at UW. It is rough getting into the U wherever you went to undergrad though..Whitman is no golden ticket. You've gotta have what it takes to get into a med-school like that plus a good dose of luck; the undergrad you go to will not define who you are as an applicant. Why would the same person with the same intellectual capacity and motivation be any better off at whitman than at a place like UW?

searun said:

Personally I would recommend Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Whitman is one of the most highly regarded liberal arts colleges in the country. A large percentage of Whitman premeds are admitted to the University of Washington med school every year. Your science classes generally will have about 25 students and your professors will know you on a personal basis and will be able to write strong recommendations. The financial aid packages from Whitman are great and so it might not be more expensive than attending a public school, depending upon your family's financial situation. I have a couple of friends who attended Whitman, one is now in med school at Washington, and they give the school glowing reviews, just real positive about the whole Whitman experience.

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I went to Whitman and it was the greatest decision of my life. It was between Whitman and UW. Whitman offered me some money, so I took the opportunity in Walla Walla. If you like the outdoors and very relaxed people, and a liberal campus, it's the place to be. One of my fraternity brothers is a first year at UW med, and I know at LEAST 8 others between the first two years there. Last year a large number of Whitman grads got into UW med. It's a slightly different story outside the NW. While recognizable to west coasters, it just doesn't hold up to names like Cornell and Penn out here in the east. That bit of "luck" someone mentioned was how I got into Georgetown. Whitman grads have had success at many other schools though (Tulane, Columbia, OHSU, Drexel, Temple, and more). If it's an option, explore it for sure. I realize it's almost March, but if you have more questions, fire away.

veaselhaufen said:

What is more important than academics, however, is your overall enjoyment of the school/area/people. College is an incredible time in life and taking advantage of all that college has to offer is a lot more important than academic considerations in my opinion

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This is the most important post in this thread.

In no way should medical school influence your undergraduate college selection. You don't even know if med school is where you will end up (really, you don't - which is cool cause you shouldn't be certain at this point). Besides, it doesn't matter where you go to UG for med school apps anyway. Seriously. Don't even consider medical school at all. Consider location, urban/suburbran/rural, cost!, size of the student body, etc.

College is SO much more than academics. Let me tell you - at no other point in your life will you be so liberated. Tons of time, relatively no responsibility, all surrounded by people your age. For four freaking years. You will have friends like you've never had. You'll learn so much about yourself. You come into your own. If you are lucky, you'll figure out who you are as a person, not just as a student. You'll meet girls, or guys if thats your thing. There will be parties. There will be stressful exams. There will be spring breaks. There will be "going home", which you've never appreciated like you will when you are dying for a mom-cooked meal.

Like everything in life, college is what you make it. If you make your goal to have tons of fun, meet new people, try new experiences, grow up, and get into medical school.. you can do it as long as you put in the effort.

DoktorB said:

I agree that if you love the outdoors eastern washington is great. Walla Walla is just the brunt of a lot of jokes in western WA because of how sparsely populated it is...But I guess I really can't comment too much because I am headed to Iowa next year 😛



Whitman will probably prepare you well and have recognition factor at UW. It is rough getting into the U wherever you went to undergrad though..Whitman is no golden ticket. You've gotta have what it takes to get into a med-school like that plus a good dose of luck; the undergrad you go to will not define who you are as an applicant. Why would the same person with the same intellectual capacity and motivation be any better off at whitman than at a place like UW?

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I did not attend Whitman but I did graduate from a liberal arts college. My answer to your question is that you will develop relationships with professors at Whitman that you are unlikely (not impossible but unlikely) to develop at a large public school like the University of Washington. A science class at Whitman will have 15-20 students in the upper division courses, a school like Washington will have many many more. Plus the professors at Washington will be focused on their research, the lives of undergraduates will be way down on the totem pole. At a school like Whitman, or Reed in Portland, or Pomona in LA, the professors are focused on their undergrad students, (there are no grad students), the professors know you, care about you, and will do their best to help you succeed. Your success is their mission statement, not so at the large public schools, for undergrads, just a fact of life.

searun said:

I did not attend Whitman but I did graduate from a liberal arts college. My answer to your question is that you will develop relationships with professors at Whitman that you are unlikely (not impossible but unlikely) to develop at a large public school like the University of Washington. A science class at Whitman will have 15-20 students in the upper division courses, a school like Washington will have many many more. Plus the professors at Washington will be focused on their research, the lives of undergraduates will be way down on the totem pole. At a school like Whitman, or Reed in Portland, or Pomona in LA, the professors are focused on their undergrad students, (there are no grad students), the professors know you, care about you, and will do their best to help you succeed. Your success is their mission statement, not so at the large public schools, for undergrads, just a fact of life.

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I'm at a small liberal arts school too and I totally agree. It's been awesome.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are unique opportunities whichever road you decide to take, and if you're motivated you will be able to capitalize on what is available to you. In this case, the intimate environment is great for LOR's and such, but the larger, urban environment is likely better for research and diverse EC's during the year.

DoktorB said:

I'm at a small liberal arts school too and I totally agree. It's been awesome.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are unique opportunities whichever road you decide to take, and if you're motivated you will be able to capitalize on what is available to you. In this case, the intimate environment is great for LOR's and such, but the larger, urban environment is likely better for research and diverse EC's during the year.

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Agree. The University of Washington is an excellent public school. If you are a bright motivated student, the U of W will provide the opportunities necessary to gain admission to med school, no doubt, and Seattle is a very cool city.

U-Dub all the way. Don't even think twice... unless you don't get into UW

It is easy to go by the numbers on USNWR, but there are other considerations.

You should put yourself into the environment where you believe you will best reach your potential.

I had a DD who went to a large UC in SoCal, she wanted a big top 50 school, she wanted to NOT have that small school, everybody knows your name experience that she had in HS. Later she did a masters at WWU and she was successful in getting into a PhD program. She has particpated in a great deal of research and presented at conferences. She did no research at the UC (not that she really sought it out)

She genuinely enjoyed her time at WWU and felt the undergrad science courses she took at WWU taught her more and that the profs were more approachable, more fun, and (don't flame me!!) all spoke English as a first language. (You haven't lived until your OChem marks depend on an ESL prof)

She now says she has learned that she works better and is more motivated in a setting where the prof knows her personally and most of her WWU profs were very involved.

She took a few summer courses there and a term of UG classes, so it was a decent exposure level.

My NorCal UC DD is fine with the great reputation of her school, but has no research experience yet.

It is all about what you do with it.

It may be that a student from a famous university with average marks has a better chance at a top medical school than some one with average marks and a less famous school, but if you are well educated, and have a strong GPA and strong MCAT, you need to go to the school that will allow you to flourish, to find your passion and be involved- sports, Greek, volunteering, etc.

You could certainly find shadow opportunities in Bellingham and there ought to be research, too. Now, it is true my DD did take anatomy from the person who 1st dissected Einstein's brain and found it fascinating; there will be some different levels of research available, but it is about what you actually do when you are in school.

One caveat, I grew up in SoCal and left for small towns in my 20s and have always liked small towns. I don't find Bellingham boring, you might 🙄