U Washington Forum

[uwb09]

FYI - don't see it posted in this thread, but UW lost President Mark Emmert, as he took the position of head of the NCAA. That guy was one of the best presidents in the nation, and was raking in private funds like a mad man (something like 3 billion a year) and tuition was still sky rocketing due to the state's complete ignorance to higher education.

I would fully expect tuition to shoot up another big chunk over the next several years as I believe the school had to fight to get a 7% yearly restriction on tuition hikes removed, and can now increase much more if they need to, and judging by the recent legislative session, they probably will

UW has been getting away with huge deals on tuition the past decade compared to the rest of the country, but is finally having to pass the cost on to the students to keep up with rising expenses

[barrydukakis]

***
I know, it is disguising that the legislature, in large part due to pressure from the public, has abandoned higher education as a funding priority.
***

Bear in mind that timber sales on state trust lands are the primary source of revenue for higher education in the state: timber prices have been severely depressed for the past 5-6 years, and as a result harvest bids have been very low, with many offers going unsold.

Timber sales are not the primary revenue source for higher education in our state, it only funds k-12 and land grant higher education institutions. WSU is the only such institution in Washington.

Also, UW09, UW (and WSU) had to fight to get the 7% cap removed for undergraduate students, but has always had completely authority over graduate tuition rates. Certain grad programs have seen 50% one year increases in the past.

[legalease9]

***
I know, it is disguising that the legislature, in large part due to pressure from the public, has abandoned higher education as a funding priority.
***

Bear in mind that timber sales on state trust lands are the primary source of revenue for higher education in the state: timber prices have been severely depressed for the past 5-6 years, and as a result harvest bids have been very low, with many offers going unsold.

Timber sales are not the primary revenue source for higher education in our state, it only funds k-12 and land grant higher education institutions. WSU is the only such institution in Washington.

Also, UW09, UW (and WSU) had to fight to get the 7% cap removed for undergraduate students, but has always had completely authority over graduate tuition rates. Certain grad programs have seen 50% one year increases in the past.

This. The cap has been removed. Undergrad is going up 14%. However, the graduate tuition could go up at any rate at any time. Makes it kind of scary. There's no reason why UW couldn't charge 30+k for law school resident tuition and get away with it. I'm still interested to know where the 5% increase number is coming from.

[legalease9]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

[hellomoto]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Hmmm...UW clearly recognizes that it lags behind its peer schools in several factors (most having to do with money), but it is taking steps to address this.

[uwb09]

***
I know, it is disguising that the legislature, in large part due to pressure from the public, has abandoned higher education as a funding priority.
***

Bear in mind that timber sales on state trust lands are the primary source of revenue for higher education in the state: timber prices have been severely depressed for the past 5-6 years, and as a result harvest bids have been very low, with many offers going unsold.

Timber sales are not the primary revenue source for higher education in our state, it only funds k-12 and land grant higher education institutions. WSU is the only such institution in Washington.

Also, UW09, UW (and WSU) had to fight to get the 7% cap removed for undergraduate students, but has always had completely authority over graduate tuition rates. Certain grad programs have seen 50% one year increases in the past.

thanks for the correction, but ya, while only a small increase in the coming years would be nice, you shouldn't make plans to go to UW expecting such. A JD at UW, even out of state, still costs far less than most of the country, won't be long till they catch up to national averages out of necessity

I'm also curious to where this 5% is coming from, I was lucky enough to speak to President Emmert in private a couple times last year, and while he is very political in his answers, it wasn't hard to get the sense that UW's high tuition cost hikes across the board probably aren't slowing down anytime soon (luckily everyone and their mother dumps money into the Med School, they might be spared, unfortunately for me high school biology/chemistry made me want to stab myself in the ear out of boredom)

[jcl2]

***
I know, it is disguising that the legislature, in large part due to pressure from the public, has abandoned higher education as a funding priority.
***

Bear in mind that timber sales on state trust lands are the primary source of revenue for higher education in the state: timber prices have been severely depressed for the past 5-6 years, and as a result harvest bids have been very low, with many offers going unsold.

Timber sales are not the primary revenue source for higher education in our state, it only funds k-12 and land grant higher education institutions. WSU is the only such institution in Washington.

Also, UW09, UW (and WSU) had to fight to get the 7% cap removed for undergraduate students, but has always had completely authority over graduate tuition rates. Certain grad programs have seen 50% one year increases in the past.

This. The cap has been removed. Undergrad is going up 14%. However, the graduate tuition could go up at any rate at any time. Makes it kind of scary. There's no reason why UW couldn't charge 30+k for law school resident tuition and get away with it. I'm still interested to know where the 5% increase number is coming from.

I based the 5% on my financial aid award tuition estimate. I realize that this is not official and could change, but my financial aid tuition estimate last year included the 15% increase that occurred. I made the assumption that since last year's tuition estimate was correct, that this year's probably was too. It sounds like there is a good chance that assumption was wrong, I guess we will find out.

Oh, in case anyone is wondering, the reason I know about last year's financial aid tuition estimate is because I deferred.

[jcl2]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Looks like the dean is recommending a 14% increase. Oh well, even if that is the case it is still quite a bit cheaper than "peer schools." Aside from that, the letter is very encouraging. I like that Dean Testy is optimistic, and has ambitious and well thought out plans for improving the law schools reputation, though I seriously doubt we will ever be "widely and consistently regarded as the best public law school in the nation," since that would require passing Berkeley, Michigan, and Virginia.

[HerseyChris]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Looks like the dean is recommending a 14% increase. Oh well, even if that is the case it is still quite a bit cheaper than "peer schools." Aside from that, the letter is very encouraging. I like that Dean Testy is optimistic, and has ambitious and well thought out plans for improving the law schools reputation, though I seriously doubt we will ever be "widely and consistently regarded as the best public law school in the nation," since that would require passing Berkeley, Michigan, and Virginia.

I'd settle for 6th after UCLA and Texas. Still not sure why UNC, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia, UC Davis, Wisconsin, etc are ranked better (and yes it's just one or two points) but still, I always think after the top 6, it's UW and maybe Minnesota for top public schools.

[jcl2]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Looks like the dean is recommending a 14% increase. Oh well, even if that is the case it is still quite a bit cheaper than "peer schools." Aside from that, the letter is very encouraging. I like that Dean Testy is optimistic, and has ambitious and well thought out plans for improving the law schools reputation, though I seriously doubt we will ever be "widely and consistently regarded as the best public law school in the nation," since that would require passing Berkeley, Michigan, and Virginia.

I'd settle for 6th after UCLA and Texas. Still not sure why UNC, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia, UC Davis, Wisconsin, etc are ranked better (and yes it's just one or two points) but still, I always think after the top 6, it's UW and maybe Minnesota for top public schools.

Yeah, given the resources the parent institution has (one of the top research universities in the world, top ten medical school, ect.) there is no reason why the law school can't be on the same level as schools like UCLA and Texas. With the proper leadership and support maybe it can get there eventually. UW's law school has historically been ranked ahead of most of those public schools that you mentioned, I think the current rank of 34 is the second lowest since the USNWR rankings started.

[hellomoto]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Looks like the dean is recommending a 14% increase. Oh well, even if that is the case it is still quite a bit cheaper than "peer schools." Aside from that, the letter is very encouraging. I like that Dean Testy is optimistic, and has ambitious and well thought out plans for improving the law schools reputation, though I seriously doubt we will ever be "widely and consistently regarded as the best public law school in the nation," since that would require passing Berkeley, Michigan, and Virginia.

I'd settle for 6th after UCLA and Texas. Still not sure why UNC, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia, UC Davis, Wisconsin, etc are ranked better (and yes it's just one or two points) but still, I always think after the top 6, it's UW and maybe Minnesota for top public schools.

Yeah, given the resources the parent institution has (one of the top research universities in the world, top ten medical school, ect.) there is no reason why the law school can't be on the same level as schools like UCLA and Texas. With the proper leadership and support maybe it can get there eventually. UW's law school has historically been ranked ahead of most of those public schools that you mentioned, I think the current rank of 34 is the second lowest since the USNWR rankings started.

I hate rankings, but since they play a fairly significant role in perception, I thought I'd share this link:

http://dailyuw.com/2003/4/7/possible-er ... l-ranking/

Basically, the previous dean screwed up with errors in employment stats, which dropped UW from 26 (2002) to 45 (2003). Since then, the school has traditionally hovered around the 30's.

edit: According to prelaw handbook, UW was ranked 27 and dropped to 47 from 2002 - 2003. (http://www.prelawhandbook.com/law_schoo ... 00_present) Regardless, I guess UW has sort of recovered from that error, but it hasn't come close to its previous highest ranking.

[aPosseAdEsse]

I've heard through the grape-vine that the extended tuition deadline was today, the 6th. So as of tomorrow someone on the waitlist might hear back! I think it's frustrating and unfair for them to string us along without an indication as to how likely we are to be accepted, while we have to set contingent plans in place.

Nonetheless, I would be thankful for any response from UW (especially an acceptance!), and including an outright rejection. So if you're an adcomm reading this, please understand that we would appreciate ANY sort of update on the situation going forward.

Good luck everyone! Please update with any correspondence you receive or insider info.

[lsatClay]

Just got in off the waitlist this morning. Well Thursday morning, actually...(171/3.51)

[aPosseAdEsse]

Thanks for the update, and Congrats clay. I'm surprised you were waitlisted at all. Are you entertaining any otheroffers? Or have you accepted already? Email or phone call? When is your tuition dep deadline?

[lsatClay]

Well, my softs weren't great, so that probably explains being waitlisted. They gave me till the 21st for a $100 deposit. In my heart of hearts I want to go to UW, but logically it just doesn't make sense. I already have full-ride at a T25 in the bag. My heart and my brain are at war about this.......kept me up last night. I'll call about financial aid today, if they come out with something nice it'll be a real tough decision.

[legalease9]

Food for thought.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/pb/home ... 11/Law.pdf

Looks like the dean is recommending a 14% increase. Oh well, even if that is the case it is still quite a bit cheaper than "peer schools." Aside from that, the letter is very encouraging. I like that Dean Testy is optimistic, and has ambitious and well thought out plans for improving the law schools reputation, though I seriously doubt we will ever be "widely and consistently regarded as the best public law school in the nation," since that would require passing Berkeley, Michigan, and Virginia.

I'd settle for 6th after UCLA and Texas. Still not sure why UNC, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia, UC Davis, Wisconsin, etc are ranked better (and yes it's just one or two points) but still, I always think after the top 6, it's UW and maybe Minnesota for top public schools.

One reason and one reason only... Cash! And the focus of that cash. In particular, Indiana and Illinois drop crazy cash to pull up their medians. Illinois, I know, has NO need based aid. It's all merit based to pull up the median. The other schools on the list act in a similar fashion. But of course the tradeoff is they charge super-high tuition to any and all below median students they admit.

[HerseyChris]

Well, my softs weren't great, so that probably explains being waitlisted. They gave me till the 21st for a $100 deposit. In my heart of hearts I want to go to UW, but logically it just doesn't make sense. I already have full-ride at a T25 in the bag. My heart and my brain are at war about this.......kept me up last night. I'll call about financial aid today, if they come out with something nice it'll be a real tough decision.

Though choice. Full rides are always hard to turn down. I would say I hope you make the right choice, but in this case there is no right choice, just two really great options.

[wtrke]

Just got in off the waitlist this morning. Well Thursday morning, actually...(171/3.51)

Congrats Clay! Were you notified by phone, email, or snail mail?

[HG0506]

BUMP. Haven't heard a word about the wait list yet; hoping it might be this weekend that we who are still waiting hear back.

I did hear they notify by email...

[aPosseAdEsse]

Still nothing here. =(

[hellomoto]

I withdrew from UW recently. I hope one of you gets that spot.

[wtrke]

I withdrew from UW recently. I hope one of you gets that spot.

thank you! still anxiously awaiting here. where you gonna be heading instead?

[aPosseAdEsse]

Does anyone have any clue where UW sits enrollment wise? It seems to me that Law School Numbers typically represents about a 10% sampling, which should be fairly representative, except that the sample size it fairly low. With 12 "attending" that makes about 120 deposits, out of 190 this year. Is there any chance that's right?

[HerseyChris]

Does anyone have any clue where UW sits enrollment wise? It seems to me that Law School Numbers typically represents about a 10% sampling, which should be fairly representative, except that the sample size it fairly low. With 12 "attending" that makes about 120 deposits, out of 190 this year. Is there any chance that's right?

Tough to say, last year there were only 6 people marked as 'attending'. But your estimating procedure seems as good as any I guess.

[aPosseAdEsse]

crap. Given the reasonable tuition, it wouldn't surprise me if it's over enrolled. I'm pretty depressed right now.