I need school advice!

krazichinaman

krazichinaman

pew.....IMPACT!.........**PING**
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Ok so heres the deal. I just received letters in the mail from UW Seattle as well as UW Tacoma saying that I was accepted into their business department. I'm very proud that both of them let me in because they are very difficult to get into.(well at least the Seattle one is) The thing is I do not know which one I want to go to.

I went to UW Seattle for a quarter back in 2004. I ended up leaving Seattle and went back to Highline Community College ever since because UW Seattle was too far for me and there were way to many darn people in my classes 700+. Not to mention the PITA of a commute(5 AM bus) and 6pm bus back.

If I go to UW Seattle, I will be moving up there and most likely moving in with the GF who also was accpeted into the business school. I will also beable to prove to myself that I do have what it takes to go back to the school. Ever since leaving, I felt like I was lowering myself because I left such a great University for a Community College.

If I go to UW Tacoma, I will beable to stay at home and commute from home. Only like a 15 minute drive from Federal Way. ALso, the school is much smaller thus the classes should be more student professor friendly instead of student Projector Screen.


*NOTE*
The gf and I have been together for almost 4 years, we are pretty serious. From where I live, UW Seattle is about a 40 minute drive and UW Tacoma is about 20 minute drive. Currently I see the gf about twice a week. She lives only about a 20 minute drive from my house sine she still lives at home.

So these are what I can think off the top of my head as the advantages and disadvantages of each school.

Advantages

UW Seattle
Seattle is more known than Uw Tacoma
Move in with GF
Beable to Finish up what I started back in 04
Beable to finally experience the real college life
Get to get away from the house
Will beable to study with the GF and the GF's sister
Will beable to stay on campus and study/get help


UW Tacoma
Stay at home and save money
Can take care of my dog. (My Dog is like my baby)
Beable to make good networking connections with surrounding businesses.(I heard this is one of the best schools to network)
Smaller classes
Smaller Campus
More 1 on 1 with the professor
Campus is uber urban!

Disadvantages

UW Seattle
Wont beable to see my dog
Will be with the GF all the time (could get sick of it)
Could have trouble studying cause of class size
Probally wont beable to drive my car around
Spend more money on rent and food etc.

UW Tacoma
Not being able to say I got back into Uw Seattle
Obviously not having the chance to live with the GF
Wont get to move out and see college life first hand
Be stuck at home



As you can see, both schools offer advantages and disadvantages. Since the GF is going to UW seattle there is obvious pressure from her to go there. I have a friend that goes to UW T Business school and says that its better to go there since all the surrounding business can network with you. What do you guys/gals think I should do? Im so torn and I have only about a week to reply to either school with an acceptance or a decline.
 
Never decide anything based on a girl at your age. If you go to Seattle be prepared to find another living situation besides living with your GF (not hard to do for a college student).

Pick the school that will give you the best education and help further your long term goals. Don't go to Seattle because of pride if you can get a better education in Tacoma, especially if you plan on staying in tacoma long term.

If you stay in Tacoma, get out of your parents house, but keep the terms real friendly. Free laundry and Sunday dinner can get you far in college, and if you are available to help them around the house when a project comes up they will be happy with the deal as well. But get your own place, you are Chines Man, not Chinese Boy, right?
 
UW-Seattle. Get out of the house, bring your dog with. College is all about getting out on your own in this big bad world. If things are all right with your GF, it will work out. If things aren't right with your GF, you will find that out for the better.
 
Mongo said:
UW-Seattle. Get out of the house, bring your dog with. College is all about getting out on your own in this big bad world. If things are all right with your GF, it will work out. If things aren't right with your GF, you will find that out for the better.
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What he said....
 
Delete your girlfriend from any decision you make. This is one that you need to make based on your big head not your little one.
 
As far as the Universities go...
I don't know about the business schools, but The University of Washington--Seattle is one of the best Universities in the county. It is the flagship of of the UW system, and will certainly have the best resources and teachers in the system. It has an international reputation. While I am sure that the Tacoma school will give you an adequate education, the resources available at the Seattle campus will provide you with a better one--provided that you take advantage of them. It will be up to you to do so--no one will knock on your door.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys! Keep it coming!! Having people give me ideas from different persepectives really helps a lot.
 
Choose your school based on one thig only: academic reputation in the program you intend to study. For the rest of your life, whenever you apply for a job, whether or not you lived with your girlfriend, or drove your car around or any of that will not be on your resume'. The name of your university will.
 
Gollnick said:
Choose your school based on one thig only: academic reputation in the program you intend to study. For the rest of your life, whenever you apply for a job, whether or not you lived with your girlfriend, or drove your car around or any of that will not be on your resume'. The name of your university will.
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Both schools have good academic reputations. University of Washingtion "Seattle" is older so their business school has more of a history. University of Washingtion "Tacoma" (Same school, the location is just in Tacoma instead of Seattle) is only about 10-15 years old, so their reputation isn't as well known. Both have almost the same choices for their Business programs.
 
Having earned an MBA, I think that I would choose the one with smaller classes. Large classes might be 0K for accounting, statistics, and economics. However, for case-study courses such as business policies, marketing, and some non-quantitative courses such as labor relations, the smaller class increases opportunity for classroom participation and interaction (unless you want to hide and skate by, then the larger classes might be an asset.)
 
Gollnick said:
What you will ultimately end up marketing is the reputation of the school you went to. Spend your money on the best.
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I agree with what has been said here! When you send in a resume, the person reviewing looks at the name of the school and forms an instant opinion about your training. You may be able to change it with a lot of work during an interview (if you get one), but an opinion of you has already been formed. This person will likly be reviewing a number of resumes at the same time and will be doing a sort on them based on a rather brief review, those that make it past the first down select will get a more intensive review and possibly an interview. Do not base the choice on where your GF is going! She may or may not be part of your life at the end of the road, but you will have invested a large chunk of money on an education, make the most of it! Steven
 
I'm just worried if I chose the smaller school University of Washingtion Tacoma instead of the Seattle campus, that employers will look down on that.

Like I mentioned earlier, UW Seattle is more known and established since its been around longer. UW Tacoma is about 10 years old so they dont have that much history behind them. Yet, both schools are "University of Washington."
 
Chinese man said:
I'm just worried if I chose the smaller school University of Washingtion Tacoma instead of the Seattle campus, that employers will look down on that.

Like I mentioned earlier, UW Seattle is more known and established since its been around longer. UW Tacoma is about 10 years old so they dont have that much history behind them. Yet, both schools are "University of Washington."
Click to expand...

So you already know the answer, "UW Seattle".
 
Gollnick said:
Choose your school based on one thig only: academic reputation in the program you intend to study. For the rest of your life, whenever you apply for a job, whether or not you lived with your girlfriend, or drove your car around or any of that will not be on your resume'. The name of your university will.
Click to expand...

THAT is the bottom line.
 
I'd say that you should go with the smaller school; there may be a reason that you did not stay at UWS, and may do better at a smaller school.
Just for clarification, is it a satellite, or is Washington set up like the UC system in california, where UCLA and say, UCSD are vastly different schools, and are indicated on your diploma?
remember, you will probably not stay in Washington state forever, and once you leave, nobody will give a crap about a Washington State University, one way or the other.
 
Are you planning on grad school afterwards or straight to work?

I wouldn't worry so much about the networking on a specific campus unless it's into exactly the sort of business you'd like to do as a career. Chances are you'll change jobs several times over the course of the next decade, so your first job is usually a place to learn skills and apply what you picked up in school to build some accomplishments....then figure out what you'd *really* like to do.

If you plan on grad school, which campus has the better placement record into grad programs? Which do you think will prepare you better?

Like everyone said, place your personal relationship outside of your decision. Treat this as an expensive investment, which it is, and don't be afraid to challenge yourself by going to the school that will pay off the most in the long run. Not just in terms of a job, but in terms of what else you might learn there. If there's one thing I regret about my undergrad days it's not taking enough chances with new sorts of things for fear of affecting my GPA, as if *that* mattered later on in life.

Oh, and also if it works for you, pick up another language at the college level and get good at it--it's a skill that Americans in general lack and makes you much more flexible in terms of what sort of work you might want to do later on...
 
I'd like to throw in that chances are the upper classmen business classes are going to be much smaller than the large freshman classes that you remember. Also, don't look at a 5 am start of your commute as a hardship or negative, your future boss won't think it's a problem. If the Seattle program is tougher to get into, maybe it could be a nicer feather in your cap. I think the folks have passed along sound thoughts.
Best of luck building your future, Craig
 
Why don't you go to a school that someone has heard of? The only people that would be confused are the ones that live between them. You might want to look at something in the Big 10. Name recognition does go a long way. Don't worry about gf, be a man. Do what you want to do. You only have one life but you'll have plenty of women.
 
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