I had a quick visit to University of Washington in Seattle - affectionately called UDub by locals. The flagship state University, UW Seattle has almost 30,000 undergraduates, with less than a third living on campus, as is common at large state universities. The majority of students either live just off campus or commute. Greek life is a very big part of the social life here, with just under a third participating. It doesn't go unnoticed that that's the same number of students living on campus. What I like about large state universities is that there isn't just one type of stereotypical student. UW is no exception. Anyone can find their people here but make no mistake, Seattle is a very liberal city and the university follows suit. Engineering, computer science and pre med are top programs here. Getting in is a prize and one can expect a competitive atmosphere once admitted.

Some fun facts: bubble gum, vinyl, synthetic rubber and the color TV were all invented here. So was the wave, that crazy thing we all do when caught up in the excitement of a game in a stadium! So yes, there's a lot of fan support for the Huskies.

For out-of-state students, UW is only 20 minutes from the Seattle airport, which is a major hub. Once on campus, you don't really know you're in the middle of a city, although downtown Seattle is only steps away. With many strong programs, endless opportunities, and a strong honors college, UDub has a lot to offer students from any state in the union.