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Hello, I am currently looking at colleges/universities on the West coast.
Right now, my top picks are
1- University of Washington
2- Oregon State University
3- Colorado State University

I would like some help adding more schools to the list!
I am going to major in Zoology or Wildlife Biology, and if it is possible I would like to minor in Photography.
In terms of the college, I would prefer it be in a city area, aka like Seattle.
I don't care about the size of the student body, but I do want to meet a lot of new people.
I am coming from New Jersey, so I will be an out of state student dorming.
My TOP TOP TOP pick is University of Washington, and I want to go there sooooooo bad but I'm not sure if I will get in, so that is why I want to look at other colleges as well.
I am currently at the end of my Junior year, and will be a senior in the Fall, and will graduate in 2005.
My Sophemore+Freshman GPA is 3.7/4.5 and class rank of 50/420. With my Junior year grades, I do expect them to rise.
My Junior year grades have the best upwards trend out of all 3 of years taken !
I took the SAT twice, the first time I got an 1110 (510M,600V) and I will get my 2nd SaT score next week. I didn't study the first time and I didn't know that you lost points for getting incorrect answers, the second time I did study, but I don't know if I did any better because I thought it was hard (I'm not a math person).
Can anyone give me a list of universities/colleges I should look at somewhere on the West coast? I would like to go to a public university as well.
My Junior year schedule is
Junior Honors English
Pre-Calculus
Independant Study Photography
US History
Int. Architecture
Physics

and my Senior schedule is CURRENTLY:
A.P. Biology
A.P. Literature
Teen Pep
MS Office
Sales & Marketing
Supernatural

but I am considering trying to get into A.P. Government because I feel like I should beef up my schedule more, and I also hopefully can get into Independant Study Photography again next year (It is a matter of room in the class).

So suggest away please!

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 05:30 pm: Edit

Try these: The University of Arizona, University of Alaska (Fairbanks), Humboldt State U (Calif), University of Idaho, Washington State, U of Wyoming, University of Montana, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Calif-Davis. These schools all have wildlife management or zoology programs.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 05:32 pm: Edit

Another thought: you might also look at the offerings in the biology departments of: Seattle University, Willamette University (Oregon), Lewis & Clark (ORegon), and University of Puget Sound (Washington). WHile these schools don't have specific zoology majors, they may allow you to put together your own zoology focused major within their biology departments.

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 05:40 pm: Edit

Some of those are private schools, no? I am looking more towards the public type.

By Dontgouc (Dontgouc) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 10:17 pm: Edit

Platinum I don't see you having a very good chance at any of the UC's coming out of state. Some good public schools on the west coast are: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, Arizona State. However out of all of those public schools the University of Washington is by far the best. Maybe I am a little biased because I will be attending UW next year but in terms of US News and World, Washington's ranking is far higher than any of those other public schools. Not to mention its in a much better location (Seattle).

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 11:55 pm: Edit

Judging by your schedule I think you'd stand a pretty good chance in getting into UW. About 50% of my friends applied there, and most of them were accepted (even ones I thought didn't stand any chance got in.) Try to get your SAT scores up...if you don't have any luck there, try the ACT because people seem to score higher on it. UW is a pretty urban campus, but it's nice, and near some cool Seattle locations (though I hear the dorms suck and our public transportation is a little rocky).

Seattle is a neat city, though, a far more fun location that WSU, which is in the middle of absolutely nowhere ;)

Noelle

By Mom60 (Mom60) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 12:05 am: Edit

You could also look into Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Under their Bio they list several different programs including wildlife biology. I have several friends who graduated years ago and are working as wildlife biologists for the US Forest service.

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 08:20 pm: Edit

Any more tips?
I think my biggest problem would be the out-of-state thing, and my GPA & SAT. This last few grades this year is all I have right? My Senior year grades won't have much of an impact? Because my AP classes next year should raise my GPA and class rank more. What else should I do to better my chances at UW and other schools?

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 08:21 pm: Edit

And are there any bad things about taking the ACT? Is it like an easy way out of taking the SAT or something?

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Friday, June 11, 2004 - 06:32 pm: Edit

bump

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 12:20 am: Edit

And is Washington State University really in the middle of nowhere? i was checking out their website and I thought their rec center looked great and the video was good. Most of the colleges everyone has posted are like rural settings...

By Eyesclozedtight (Eyesclozedtight) on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 02:22 pm: Edit

i'd check out UC davis. it's a great veterinary school

By Dontgouc (Dontgouc) on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 05:57 pm: Edit

Washington State is in Pullman Washington which is essentially in the middle of nowhere. Platinum go to UW, better academics, athletics, location, city, everything. WSU is inferior to UW in every aspect. I would only consider going to WSU if I couldnt get into UW.

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Saturday, June 12, 2004 - 08:06 pm: Edit

I already know I will go to UDubb if I get Accepted. But I am asking for more options in the west for me to go to, where the college is near or in a city and has zoology/wildlife biology and isn't a private school.

By Dontgouc (Dontgouc) on Sunday, June 13, 2004 - 01:12 am: Edit

I'd say the top 3 public schools on the west coast excluding the UC's and CSU's would be the University of Washington, University of Arizona, and the University of Oregon.

By Platinumtlc (Platinumtlc) on Sunday, June 13, 2004 - 01:51 pm: Edit

Isn't the University of Arizona in the desert? And University of ORegon doesn't offer Zoology or Wildlife Biology.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Monday, June 14, 2004 - 01:51 pm: Edit

The University of Wyoming has an exceptional zoology and wildlife management program. Weber State in Utah, San Jose State (Calif), Humboldt State (Calif), and Cal Poly Pomona (Calif) all have majors in either zoology or wildlife managment.

Otherwise, I think everyone has pretty much summed up the various schools available on the west coast. As you can see, unlike the east coast, choices are somewhat fewer here, especially if you are (1) looking for a major that is not very common to begin with and (2) are unwilling to consider private schools.

I think everyone has pretty much listed all the schools available on the west coast. Good luck!

By Afay05 (Afay05) on Monday, June 14, 2004 - 11:34 pm: Edit

Platinum, the University of Arizona is in the desert, but the desert here in Tucson isn't endless sand and drought like they show on TV and such. There are palm trees and grass on campus, plenty of greenery around town, and we get a decent amount of rain in the late summer months every year. I guess you'd have to visit to really get a good idea of what it's like. Just hoping no one discounts the U of A because it's in the "desert".

By Jayandbutton (Jayandbutton) on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 01:32 pm: Edit

if you want to stay in a major metro area in that field university of washington should rank first and then cal poly pomona, which is just outside los angeles in a fabulous wooded setting like washington and is ranked second within the 23 campus state university system. all of the other schools mentioned above are not located in major metro areas.