Washington State-University of Idaho
Washington State-home to 17,000 undergraduate students, approximately 400 are from California although the number of applications they are receiving is climbing rapidly. Strong programs include Business, Communications, Engineering, Nursing and Pharmacy.
Nursing offers a 2 plus 2 program with 2 years in Pullman and 2 years in Spokane (for your Nursing courses). The Business major has a Global Learning Requirement, which requires either a study abroad or foreign language to graduate. WSU offers a program in Interior Design which is currently being incorporated in to the Architecture and Construction Management in the School of Design. Apparel Merchandising, Design and Textiles offers opportunities to study Apparel Design or Apparel Business.
The WUE program is offered through the Cougar Academic Award. A sliding scale applies but a student with a 3.4 unweighted GPA, 1140 (SAT-CR & Math) or a 25 ACT can receive $9, 000 a year. Students with a 3.4 unweighted GPA, 1040 (SAT-Cr & Math) or a 23 ACT can receive $4,000 a year. Currently, out of state tuition is $24,468. These scholarships could quickly put the cost of attendance below a University of California school.
University of Idaho, in contrast is home to only 9,000 undergraduate students. Their strength is not just in STEM programs but also in the Liberal Arts. Strong programs include Engineering, Education, Physics, Math, Forestry, Music and Literature. Unique majors are Wildlife Fire Ecology and Professional Golf Management. The University of Idaho compares itself to Clemson and Colorado State.
The Business program offers a unique program Junior year to prepare students for the "real world" of Business. The Integrated Business Curriculum pairs a team of 3-5 students with a faculty team from Human Resources, Finance, Information Systems, Marketing, and Production Operations. The team works on a real world project with a sponsor company, having to manage each piece of the project themselves. Students have opportunities to listen to corporate speakers and have lunch with some of the executives.
Approximately 50% of freshmen go Greek and they have the opportunity to move in to Greek housing as freshmen. All students are required to meet with an advisor every semester. If a student is not on track to graduate in four years they are likely not listening to the advice they are receiving. University of Idaho teams up with Washington State to each year to bring in corporations for job fairs and internship recruiting.
California students are eligible for the "Discover Idaho" scholarship. This program requires at least a 3.4 GPA to receive approximately $4,500 and a 4.0 to receive $8,000. Out of state tuition is approximately $19,000.
Washington State and the University of Idaho, both fantastic institutions with many unique opportunities for California students. If you are looking for schools with strong career preparation at a reasonable cost, think about visiting Pullman, WA/Moscow, ID.
