Pullman, WA/WSU/Eastern WA

[Saeleofu]

I'm seriously considering applying for the MS in Zoology at WSU in Pullman. It's in Eastern WA, where I've never really been before. I used to live near Seattle (Tacoma), and I know the climate is completely different in eastern WA. It's 6 hours away from where I want to be, but it's a WHOLE LOT closer than where I am now! Also, I figure grad school is probably the best way to get moved halfway across the country.

So, those of you who live/have lived in eastern Washington (specifically Pullman)...what do you like about it? Dislike? What's the climate like? How easy/hard is it to find a place to rent with dogs?

For those of you who have been/are going to Washington State Univeristy, specifically the Pullman campus...do you like it? Likes/dislikes? Class sizes? Do you get a lot of financial aid? Are the professors generally pretty good?

Are there any other MA/MS (or Doctorate) in zoo/zoology/animal behavior programs in the WA/OR area you know of or would recommend?

 

[Romy]

Pullman has the best for any kind of veterinary/zoology/animal husbandry programs in this part of the country. My cousins all went to WSU because their uncle used to be the head of the psychology department.

It's an excellent school. One cousin has some sort of animal husbandry degree from there and now manages a gigantic pheasant farm. Another has a business degree, and another has a sociology degree. I don't remember much about the campus except that it's pretty huge (no help there, lol).

The climate is different like whoa. It's more like Idaho. Pretty dry, but there are rivers and trees around so it's not the desert or anything. In the winter it gets really really cold. When my baby cousin was born it was below zero with the windchill.

ETA: About the climate in general, it's pretty nice in a lot of ways. More like Idaho than western WA. The summers get really hot and dry, in the nineties and spiking up to 101 or so once in a while is pretty normal. They have rattlesnakes. Winters are more like cold traditional winters with snow and stuff. That whole part of the state is pretty rural, with the biggest cities being Spokane, Yakima (((shudders))) and the tri cities. My aunt lives in Yakima and my grandparents in Soap Lake and I used to go stay with them every summer.

The good things. Eastern WA has the best smells. When they burn the fields and the old orchard wood, it makes the countryside smell like applewood smoke and grass smoke. I LOVE the applewood smell.

Also, certain times of the year warm breezes come off the hills and they're just the perfect temperature and they smell like sage and when that happens I'm in heaven. lol.

They have way better sunsets than us too.

And lots more cattle. Tons of orchards and wheat fields. Housing and real estate is a lot more affordable. I'd love to have a second house on that side of the mountains some day.

 

[Red Chrome]

I live in TriCities. I'll respond more tomorrow. I can say WSU is an amazing school. Pullman is an awesome college town. We are desert climate, very dry and hot. Temps over 100 in summer is the norm. We don't get a lot of snow here in the Columbia Basin but Pullman gets a good amount.

 

[Saeleofu]

in the nineties and spiking up to 101 or so once in a while is pretty normal.

They have way better sunsets than us too.

And lots more cattle. Tons of [...] wheat fields. Housing and real estate is a lot more affordable.

You're making it sound like Kansas :rofl1: At least it wouldn't take much getting used to?

I'm glad to hear it's a good school! My dad used to work for WSU waaaayyyyy back when, but I don't remember it much, and it wasn't in Pullman.

Funny, too, I graduated with my first degree from Wichita State University...also WSU :lol-sign:

 

[Saeleofu]

Wow...just checked Craigslist and there are SEVERAL places for rent under $400, some WELL under $400 and pet-friendly.

Anyone know if it would make more financial sense to live in Washington or Idaho? It's what...20 minutes from the border? I need to research car registration and taxes and all that fun stuff lol.

 

[Romy]

You have to pay sales tax on out of state cars when they're first registered, but depending on the car it's not very much. License tabs are cheap-ish. $35 is the base statewide price with a handful of fees. I think mine comes out to $65 or so annually.

WA has no income tax. You might get a better tuition rate in state? I don't know if ID has income tax or not.

ETA: And yeah it's a really pet friendly student town. My cousin rented with a rottie, yellow lab, and two cats when she was a student there.

 

[Saeleofu]

I donlt think it would matter for tuition, since I'm out of state now nd usually they don't count you as a resident if you moved for school