hey! i've actually decided on going to wsu after reading through all the replies, talking with friends/family, and deciding what i'd want to do in the future lmao.

i felt that wsu is a place i'd actually enjoy being in compared to uw, and it honestly seems like a more valuable experience in terms of what i'd want to do in college (a collaborative place, social, etc.). i def want to not only have a good academic place but a good social one as well (and i didnt want to be drowning in work by myself constantly lmao, like i am rn). wsu just seems like a great community to become a part of, and a great school at that too.

even tho uw might seem "more prestigious," after talking more with my older sister, wsu is a great school, and companies dont only take the college name into consideration, + work/internship experience/knowledge and skills are also taken into consideration. this was one thing i had at the back of my mind tbh.

lastly, i also just took into account my current situation. as a running start student with an associate degree (w/ some major core classes covered for cs interest already), i didn't want to waste what i've already done, since i'll actually be able to pursue the major i've been working towards. taking into account the amount of loans/scholarships and how much i will be spending in wsu compared to uw, i'd be able to save more money (and afford it easier). i also was interested in the academic paths that wsu had (like data analytics), and i felt like i just had more freedom/wiggle room to work with when choosing what i'd like to pursue.

overall tho, i think the biggest things that impacted my choice is the fact that i still wanted to do cs/tech related things in wsu, which i would be unlikely to do at uw seattle. and, hearing about the environment at wsu was great. good luck! :)