University of Washington SOM

Well, I do not go to UW SOM, but I did go there for undergrad, so I can help you with your questions about living. The University District has okay housing, but the houses are old and the apartments have been lived in by TONS of people. I think the best places to live are Fremont, Wallingford, and Madison Park, in that order. All are about a 10 minute drive (or 15-20 minute bus ride) from school. Fremont has great nightlife and tends to be a younger crowd (20 and 30 somethings). As for cost... What is your idea of cheap? Seattle is NOT cheap, I can tell you that. Living in an apartment alone will run you about $700 I think. I always had a roommate and paid about $500-600. North Seattle (Northgate and Wedgewood) tends to have cheaper apartments, but some parts are ghetto.

I know several people who go to UW for med school and really like it. Great school, competitive, and seattle is such a fun city.

As for your computer question, I am a first year med student in TX and have a desk top. I do not know what the UW recommends, but I can say that not a single person I know brings their computer to lecture. Sometimes people work on their laptops in the library, but we have a pretty good computer center. You should find out if the med library is wired (i.e., can you access internet from each desk). If so, a lap top might be the best bet. I used to study in the UW med libray and do not recall seeing internet hook-ups in the carrels.

Hope that helps! <img border="0" alt="[Clappy]" title="" src="graemlins/clappy.gif" />

 

Ballard is also a good place to live in Seattle-- it's MUCH cheaper than Madison Park, and it's not much farther from UW than Fremont. I lived there with my sister in a huge 2-bedroom apartment with beautiful wooden floors, and our rent was $775/month. My husband and I later lived in a small studio in Fremont for $550/month. Fremont is right on the Burke-Gilman trail, and it's only 3 miles to UW from there (I used to walk or rollerblade to my job at UW every day).

Good luck--I'd love to live in Seattle again!

 

Hi there,
I did my undergrad at UW and will also be starting med school there in the fall. If you want to email me with any questions about Seattle and UW, feel free.
as far as computers go you can get a list from admissions in July about what the minimum requirements for computers are.
For living, I agree the U district, Wallingford, or Freemont would be great choices. The U district will be the cheapest, and they have actually put up a few new apartment buildings near campus. Also anything around Eastlake. Ballard is good, but a bit farther than these other neighborhoods. I currently live in Wallingford and it is a 15 minute bus ride to UWMC. If you want to look at apartments, check out seattletimes.com classifieds, or look at the Daily online (UW's student paper)
good luck and I guess I'll see you in the fall!

 

One more thing...if you opt for the U district, avoid anything between 45th and 50th and 17th and 22nd...that would put you right in the heart of the greek system and big under grad houses...ie. you will get no sleep!!!