I'm a '93 grad. Evergreen helped me learn to reason, write, argue, budget my time, and think about others. I loved it, and I am a better person because of my time there. After graduating, I attended (and also graduated from) a masters program at a Brand X university and found that Evergreen had prepared me far better than my peers had been at their respective schools. Many of them had a lot of catching up to do with regard to seminar skills and writing. If you want to go to college simply to be able to make more money, or if you don't want your thinking challenged, you may not like Evergreen. However, if you're willing to keep an open mind and to work for the sake of learning rather than for a grade or other extrinsic reward, then you're bound to come out ahead. read more

The Evergreen State College - Trail to the beach from F Lot. - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Going to a graduation there? Decline. Get them a gift and move on with life. Their venu is straight garbage. Cant see the person you are looking for and it was confusing. Plus the school waited for graduation to do CONSTRUCTION. One way in and one way out. Ugh... IF you decide to go either because you have a grad or by invite, SIT ON THE GRASSY KNOLL with the TREES either on the left side of the stage OR at the back by the steps. I cannot stress that enough. I saw people in the CLOCK TOWER looking for their people. You will not regret this wisdom. Do what I say and you will enjoy the commencement ceremonies. read more

This is a review for the beach trail that's located right off of the campus. There is a Lot of paid parking at entrance; and make sure you pay it; I tried to get lucky and was written a ticket The trail is really pretty, maintained and was very quiet if I'm honest. During The entire hike in, I only saw two other people. The beach at the end of quite lackluster but the overall experience was really nice read more

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Tried calling admissions. No one returned my call so I drove out to the campus. No visitor parking except for one thirty minute spot with a campus security filling it. There were two 15 minute spots available but I had no idea how long I would be. Decided I didn't need to work this hard to be admitted so I'll go elsewhere. No wonder they are having trouble attracting student. read more

This school helped me write and reason a bit better. But of course if I just waited until I was 30, all of that would have caught up. I had to pay somewhere between 15k-20k back in 2004. And that was out of state. Now, somewhere around $39k. If I am paying that type of prices, I would rather go to another college. So price wise, is it worth it? Probably not. read more

A beautiful setting amidst evergreen trees and fields of green. From here, you can breath fresh air, see the stars glowing at night, and learn your way around the relatively small campus within days of arriving. Classrooms are clean and neat and offer a variety of sizes and settings for varying learning opportunities and styles. The buildings are mostly concrete, but that is easily overseen with the abundant greenery! Dorms are uniform, with single-occupancy bedrooms of four or six sharing the same bathroom, living and kitchen areas. They could use updating, but it works. An urban garden, family of deer, and more can be seen as you walk through campus. read more

The Evergreen State College - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Olympia, Washington

If you want to chill and learn about social justice come to this school. I you want to make a living and be part of a productive society I would not recommend this college. unless you have a strong plan made before you come to this institution. Tuition is cheap.. I have tried taking mostly science and agriculture classes while at evergreen. These classes still teach you their one sided belief systems about social justice. I feel fortunate that I was able to travel and have multiple jobs before attending this college to avoid being brainwashed by their propaganda. This is my second year at this college, I feel trapped because I have already invested money into my education here and the credits are not quite transferable. read more

My stepson attended here and he told me it was the worst decision of his life so far. Hated it. Said it was so pc, you were afraid to say anything in class for fear of being expelled. Do your research. read more

TESC is the best school anywhere. It taught me how to be a real person. If you want to become that person you've always wanted to be, go check out the school in the woods. read more

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Absolutely hated going to college here teachers were preferential and wouldn't give me any credit for anything I could do. Couldn't get any classes I wanted. Had issues with their housing. This school was a terrible experience for me and so was Olympia and has been Washington State. I don't recommend. Degrees are useless anyways. Real learning can happen just about in any way else and shouldn't cost so much money and emotional energy. read more

Love my undergraduate work here... cannot think of a better place for people who want to learn to think critically and not just repeat back information. The campus is gorgeous! There are all sorts of people here, hippies, military, radicals, completely normal people too ;) I have found despite what a lot of people think there are a lot of different types of people that go to this school and it would be impossible to not find someone you get along with :) read more

The Evergreen State College - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Don't take your child to the child care center. Our child cracked their skull when in the care of this facility and had to be taken to the hospital. Instead of taking responsibility they blamed us and had CPS take away the child to cover up their own culpability. And this was 2 days before Christmas. I have no comment on the larger institution other than they aren't interested in accountability. At all. Right now if I could give negative stars, I would. I welcome a public response from the child care center. PLEASE DO. read more

I work here, live here, and love it. What else can I say? I have used just about every facility on campus from the residence halls, to the CRC (Campus Rec), to Dining Services, to the library, to event and meeting spaces. The CRC obviously could use some updating in the workout rooms, but there's a rock climbing wall and raquet ball courts, basketball courts, and even a pool, all free for students. Dining options include The Greenery (all you can eat), The Market (coffee/ pastries, pizza, or burritos), and the Sem II Cafe (more coffee/ pastries, plus some to go options). All of these are in The CAB (Community Activities Building) which is kind of strange but ultimately makes sense- that's the newest building and also sits in the center of campus. I like the food in The Greenery, The Market and Sem II Cafe both serve Batdorf and Bronson coffee, and if I change my mind on buying a meal on upper campus there's always the corner store in the HCC (Housing Community Center) where I can pick up pre-made stuff, snacks, and basic grocery store items. Housing facilities are updated on a regular basis, students do most if not all maintenance, and there are a variety of floor plans to choose from. I have taken a few programs here as well, and really enjoy the collaborative teaching and learning opportunities; so much so that I am starting one of the graduate programs in the fall! read more

Most amazing experiences in undergrad and grad school. Best faculty ever that will support and encourage you in your aspirations and career dreams. Plus most beautiful campus anyone could ask for. read more

BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! Ok, that is a bit overstated, but Evergreen helped shape who I am today. I am a graduate of the class of 2003 and I am a rare, all four year student. There were good times and there were bad times but in the end I am very happy with my education. I was a tour guide here from 2000 until 2002 and I performed all of the tours for an entire summer. All told, I did probably 250 tours so I got pretty good at talking about the school. In typical Evergreen fashion, I told, what I knew as the truth. The school had a 40% freshman return rate while I attended. This meant that most of the people you start with will not be back after the holiday break. It also means that THIS SCHOOL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Unlike most universities there are no tests, scores, clubs or academics that will help you get in. They'll take pretty much anyone (as long as your application is on time) and you can schmooze your way in. However, you can not schmooze, fake or cheat your way though seminar if you haven't done the reading. Everyone will know. You will get a four year degree in yourself. It won't, however, help you get a job. You'll have to schmooze, fake and cheat your way into the job interview, but they'll probably love you. Ok, this is really hard to do, but I suggest seriously looking into this school if you think you might like it. Go visit the school, sleep a night in the dorms (it doesn't cost much), develop a relationship with a councilor but you should be able to walk up to ANY student and ask them questions about the school (you can probably find weed in about 10 minutes this way as well). Also realize that it rains a lot more in Olympia than it does in Seattle and that's saying something. You will get seasonal depression, your program will collapse and may go on strike and you won't have much sex. You will meet some of the most interesting white people in the country, be surrounded by marijuana, be dissed hipsters (scenesters) on a regular basis, hate patchouli for the rest of your life, and be challenged more than ever before. YOU WILL GET OUR OF EVERGREEN EXACTLY WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT. I love Evergreen. read more

I learned a lot about myself and the world around me at Evergreen, but in the years following graduation (I graduated in 2007) I have found my work at Evergreen to be fairly useless. If you intend to move on to Grad School, especially in any field that requires very specific pre-reqs, I would think long and hard about choosing an Evergreen education. I love that Evergreen is progressive and non-traditional, but the rest of the world is not. Here I am, 2 years later, taking classes at Community College so I can apply to graduate programs. I have no GPA, I have no Credits that are called anything other schools recognize. Evergreen can be a great experience, but you best be willing to work in food service with your four-year degree. read more

Evergreen is a very unique, public liberal arts college. I'm sure you've already perused the site, but here's some basic wiki info on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Evergreen_State_College Evergreen is one of the only public colleges that has a similar caliber of liberal education as "the Little Ivies" such as: Vassar, Trinity, Bates, Amherst, etc. Evergreen regularly receives high rankings for best first year experiences, and was cited in Loren Pope's "Colleges That Change Lives" that I encourage you to read. See: http://www.ctcl.org/colleges/evergreen for more info. The college underwent recent renovation in the last few years installing "green tech" buildings and improved IT infrastructure. It's a great $ deal for in-state students relative to other colleges of this type. Although it is a dedicated liberal arts, (social science, art, design, performance, eco-studies, writing) school, but there is a very small, but specialized hard sciences (biochem/physics/math) group there as well. I think it's a great choice for an adult learner that is self-motivated and has some idea what they want to do. I didn't know this at the time that I went there, but graduate schools have a high admit rate for students from Evergreen for their ability in systems thinking, design, self-motivation, social responsibility and writing skills (among other things). Pros: Cultural commitment to: creativity, sustainability, critical thinking, individuality Excellent athletic facilities Located on 1033 acres marine west coast rainforest Independent campus radio station Great for grad-school bound students Cons: As other reviewers have noted the weather in Olympia can be brutal for people unaccustomed to PNW winters. Some coping skills will be needed. There is a traditional Swedish saying that "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." read more

Wow... well, I have to say my education at Evergreen was top notch. The best thing I learned there was to take charge of my own education and learning. And I learned how to teach myself. These things have served me beyond well. Did I hate the trees and the wet wet wet! Yes yes yes! And the campus was dark and dreary most of winter time. And when I went (many many moons ago) all of the stores and restaurants in Olympia closed at 8pm! I couldn't believe it. I had grown up in a very dinky town and our stuff stayed open until 10pm! Anyway, campus is gorgeous in the summer so go to summer school and take winter off if you hate the rain. The beach is great as are the trails in the woods. The organic farm is tres cool too. And the library rocks. And lets not forget the animation stand! You wanna learn film animation? Here is a great place to do it (and remember the part about taking your education into your own hand.) I made so many great friends here and had a blast learning myself and getting life experience points. I even came back just a few years ago to take a electronic music class. Which was totally awesome! I suppose if you want to sit back and have someone spoon feed you info, this would not be the place for you. But, if you are ready to have an open mind and determination to learn, this might just be your kind of place. One warning though, it has taken me many years to remove some of the "social" brainwashing that occurred here. So, do keep that in mind! read more

OK, I was a very early graduate, 1973 - the second year anybody graduated and my wife is a 1975 graduate. My youngest daughter, however, graduated from TESC last year and her hubby has one quarter left. From what I got from her it is still pretty much the same. I had been to a community college and 2 small 4 year colleges (both are now Universities). I had started as a Engineering major and switched to Biology. I had fantastic teachers prior to finishing up at TESC. The professors I had at TESC were also fantastic. I was involved in a environmental biology program Evergreen Environment, which sounds like it still may be around. Any learning situation is what you make out of it. That was the case here - I was in a study group 9 other students and we were involved in a Forest Community study. We all worked hard and learned more and got more real world experience in 9 months than one would in 3 years at a traditional college. We were putting in 12 to 15 hours days between class room / seminar and field work. There are people who sail through with little effort and there are those who put their all into it. You get out based on your effort. I, like Rachel and Tyler got lots out of it and it was a very enriching experience. The written evaluations can be much worse than an "F" and can also be much better than an "A". Also as Megan found out, you need to insist on your evaluation being ready when you give the teacher his/hers. Unfortunately, human interactions can taint the written evaluations. I had a friend who put very little real effort into her work one quarter. Her professor wrote that "Everything that . . . learned this quarter was a danger to herself as well as others" I got along well with my professors, we and they learned a lot. Evaluations were good for everyone. Evergreen was and probably still is not for everyone. People who will be successful and learn a lot at Evergreen need to be very self directed and self motivated. If they need hand holding of a traditional college, Evergreen is probably not for them. Note: The alumni association told me I actually am listed as a 1974 graduate. I walked in June of 1973, but still had to do summer quarter to finish all my credits. I may have to see if I can find my diploma to resolve this delema. read more

The school and the faculty are amazing! At Evergreen, a student will receive a well-rounded and progressive education with staff members who care for the advancement of each of their students. The course work that a student faces is challenging while applicable to the ever-changing world. Evergreen offers some fantastic programs and internships that will change anyone's perspective of gender, race, sexuality, economics, social justice, world studies...my point is made: Evergreen is a transformative school. The Evergreen State College is a great college, however, one of the larger struggles I encountered while attending was the student body. I felt that the students that I shared classes with were more focused on fighting an imaginary "MAN" than applying practical solutions towards actual problems. Ideals are rampant at Evergreen, and because there is such little discourse made when people care so passionately about an issue, a lot of wonderful ideas and concepts are lost in the rage or frustrations of young 18 years-old. If you're a late-blooming college student like me (I started at 24), prepare your self for a large population of angst-filled, rude and spoiled children who will try at any length to "best" you in Seminar. Over all, I loved my time at Evergreen; The education is superb; most of the people I met shared great ideas and hopeful ambitions about their lives, and I will miss that very much. However, after graduating, leaving The college and eventually leaving Olympia were some of the best feelings of closure I have ever felt. 4/5- TESC is a great college with a lot of growing to do. read more

I loved this place, and I hated it. Really do your research before coming here. And that includes going to the campus (outside of a tour) while it's October - May. Observe the kids that go here and ask yourself, "Could I interact with them for 4 years?" I made lots of great friendships here, but the classes were really hit and miss. Some of the professors have no interest in teaching. And most of the students that were in my programs had no real interest in learning. While this wouldn't be a deficit at most universities, it's vastly important here because of how the classes are structured - a lecture component (professors teaching) and a seminar component (you and your classmates read, and then discuss what you thought of the material). I've found that within the seminar component where none of the kids cared (and thus didn't read the course material), seminar was USELESS. I could either talk to myself, or spend my time someplace else. I felt like I was flushing my out of state money down the toilet. read more

I just finished my first quarter at The Evergreen State College and every time someone asks me "so how did you like Evergreen?" I feel like screaming "OH MY GAWWD", with "gawd" sounding like a jewish grandmother, namely Joan Rivers. Seriously. So done, so over it. I received a really great scholarship to attend Evergreen. The facilities are amazing, the science labs would make the University of Washington's undergraduate facilities look petty, at best. There are a ton of resources and a lot of great things you could do at Evergreen. But it was not for me. Olympia is a disaster, there are anarchy symbols all over the place. A great number of the people there don't wear deodorant. Who knew that flushing the toilet was so fucking difficult? Why is wearing shoes to class so fucking hard!?!? Who raised these people? A person could get a really great education at Evergreen if they are (1) extremely motivated and (2) have an insensitive bullshit detector. Evergreen is such a small school and will give you many opportunities to succeed. However, there are many instances for which you will be subjected to bullshit - such as when a fellow student forgets that she is in college and raises her hand in class to ask if a paper should be "double spaced". Guh. Oh my god. read more

I graduated from TESC in 1995. But I loved it so much, I stayed an extra year for fun. The five years at TESC were some of the most formative and wonderful years of my life. The school fosters a genuinely intellectual learning process that suited me very well. To maximize the experience at TESC, you must be sincerely self driven to learn. My professors were true mentors. I still stay in touch with a few. They were accessible and available, for intellectual, academic, personal, and even spiritual guidance. Learning at TESC included the whole person: Personal growth was an integral factor. As was sophisticated discourse. It's not for everyone, if you're a person who doesn't fit into the generic mold, this might be the perfect place for you. One down side is that it can be quite scewed to the left (socially and politically) and can be a bit knee jerk on certain issues. C'est la vie.... read more

I came to TESC as a transfer student and honestly, I couldn't have found a better institution. I'm currently enrolled here, and every day I find myself loving the educational model more and more. If you know what you want to do for a living, Evergreen is amazing. It enables you to hone in on your area of study with a focus that really isn't available until you're an upperclassman in other institutions. I fully expect when I go to my first interview post college and the hiring manager on the other end of the table asks me for my experience, to hear his audible gasp as I tell him the portfolio work I was able to do in my undergrad. That being said, if you don't know what you want to do with your life, Evergreen is still amazing. It's perhaps the best school for students who want to sample a little of everything to really find out where their true passion lies. All of the programs- we call them programs here- are interdisciplinary, so they examine multiple elements of a topic through the same lens. Here's what this does: It gives you context. Period. You're not just taking a British lit class, you're taking a British lit workshop combined with a cultural examination of British imperialism over the ages, slapped between the history of the industrial revolution and a look at Victorian art. Having been to a 4 year traditional school prior, I can't ever imagine going back. What I've gained are the tools for examining how each of the little pieces fit into a larger whole, and quite frankly I think that's vastly more valuable than taking a class to satisfy a requirement for the undergrad department of x. I fully plan on attending grad school too, and Evergreen has a grad school acceptance rate of over 80% for their exiting seniors. It's strange writing a yelp review for your school, I mean clearly I'm shelling out some clams to attend this play, I'd better be a fan, right? But I'm grateful for what the school has brought me. And that's a freedom to think bravely- and do it for myself. I'll be one of those alums who supports their college post graduation. I really think Evergreen is worth consideration for every student who wants an Education that serves their needs and their wants equally. read more

TESC is an amazing school IF you know what you want to get out of your education, especially if what you want is outside the standard academic model. However, if you are not self disciplined and focused Evergreen's lack of traditional structure will be a challenge to apply your education to a real world livelihood after graduation. e.g. you could write an individual contract to study a Tom Brown natural history (Apache scout/tracker) correspondence course combined with chemistry, etc.. and if disciplined you would run applied circles around conventionally trained lab tech and be more well rounded as a human being. On the same token you could sit on your couch and play video games, bs through your papers and graduate qualified for a minimum wage job at the local pizzaria(seen it). But the same is possible at a traditional school by just 'passing tests'. True outcome based education. read more

I graduated in 2001. I loved the school! I wish if I took more classes there though. I took Computer Information Systems class for a year. Groups of students design and build software/website for NGO in different places in the world. My group built one for NGO in SF, but other groups worked with one in Russia, Africa, etc, etc. It was a great experience. My professors are super helpful and friendly. Our long hours of work finally came together at the end made us feel great. In addition to that class, I took Audio in Media which was interesting. I'm not in a band like almost everybody else at the Evergreen. I didn't know anything about handling all the tools to record music to noise, but my classmates who are musicians were very helpful. If you don't want to be one of many at a huge university, I recommend Evergreen. You have to be motivated and opinionated, but people would listen to you. Go Geoducks! read more

Disclaimer: I went here to go hiking once...not for the education. Hike was great...though there were some smelly kids and adults enjoying the hike as well. I guess that adds character, but when people can manage to smell in the middle of nature that's something to be concerned about. There were also some fairy girls in long flowy skirts dancing around barefoot. I don't know if they were on something or just happy that the sun was out. read more

The Evergreen State College provided a powerful education that for a student like me who grew up in special education classrooms in secondary education to flourish and thrive. I truly believe if I had gone to a traditional college or university or college I would have dropped out of school. Evergreen's interdisciplinary teaching method created a culture of creativity and collaboration. It allowed for a rigorous exploration of intellectual and personal development that was constantly encouraged. After completion of my undergraduate degree I went onto graduate school and was pleasantly surprised to find in some ways I was ahead of my peers in critical thinking. Don't let Evergreen's high acceptance rate fool you, it is an academically challenging environment. It requires students to be highly proactive and independent, however, professors are committed to understanding and encouraging of various learning styles. Reading, writing, and public speaking are the building blocks of students education at TESC. Students are thought of as equals in the quest for higher learning. The one drawback to Evergreen is that I had a hard time adapting to life outside of The Evergreen State College environment because I was convinced that I was going to go out into the world and create immediate change. Change has been slow, but as a Greener I am determined to seek a way for more acceptance and inclusion. read more

Love TESC. Great school. Brings wonderful energy to our community. Professors are terrific and engage the community in their classes.

Going to this school was the worst decision I have ever made. Horrible school in every way imaginable, and many more ways that you've never even thought about before you come here. Don't go to this school. read more

If you're wanting a degree, need a place to feel you fit in and lack purpose.. Evergreen is for you. On other hand.... If you are seeking a solid education for a future career, if you are a person that takes pride in achievement.. I strongly suggest looking into other colleges. Three quarters at Evergreen and I could not get out fast enough. Financial aide screwed up so bad I had to use preexisting scholarship money. (That's another point, very difficult to get scholarships without grades or GPA). Can't even begin to go into detail about credits or transferring transcripts, very likely I'll lose 3 quarters worth of financial aide. My advice, visit campus and a couple classes before enrolling (do not trust what you're told by faculty i.e. at transfer fairs or over the phone) read more

I went to Evergreen today to see about possible admission in taking online classes, so that I may not be tied down to a classroom and continue my Digital Design education without restriction. On the Evergreen website, it says explicitly that they have online course for students to take and that they accept all credits. They also offer a program for individual assistance with a teacher. All of these things sounded good to me, and so I went to the college with this knowledge and the hopes of gaining entry. I go there and the first issue I had, was the advisor who was supposed to meet with me, came out of his office and all but ignored me to speak to someone else for a long enough time that the secretary had to introduce us. We then went into his office, and without even opening my file or doing any kind of research to see what Evergreen could personally do in order to accommodate my needs to the best of their ability, proceeded to inform me that their classes are hybrid and not fully online, that it was unlikely I was going to ever get any individual assistance from any teachers since they're "booked" and that they are unlikely to take all of my credits. This was not only a direct contradiction to the information I'd specifically read on their website, but what bothered me the most is that this adviser, Eric Kiger, didn't even bother to try and help me in any way to work around the alleged limitations of the school, nor did he provide me any proof of his claims. So I have his word with no research or papers to back him up, against the website I'd taken time and care to look into and read up on. Overall, my very first experience with Evergreen is a wholly negative one. For me, I don't really have many choices with schooling, and Evergreen seemed like the perfect fit at the time, but now I'm left at a bit of a loss, and feel like I wasted my time with no one bothering to help me in any way. I do not recommend. read more

First, this is review is based on my attempt to use the Evergreen State College library while studying and touring the campus with a student friend. It is also based on my meeting with multiple professors, including one with whom I discussed the potential to work on a specific project. I've lived in Olympia for a decade and had an opportunity to be on the campus and come into contact with Evergreen professors on numerous occasions. The natural setting of Evergreen State College is pleasant if you enjoy woods and trails (I've taken some nice hikes here) but the library is a disaster and one of the trashiest libraries I've ever seen. More than half the study carrels are covered in excessive amounts of grime and graffiti. I've attended two universities and studied in many college libraries and never seen graffiti etched into study carrels and grime and dirt. I hesitated to even sit at one to study. If the lack of cleanliness in the library doesn't get to you then the lack of hygiene of the students might - body odor is everywhere. I don't know how you sit in a class everyday with that smell! I could hardly stand it in the library and had to move because of it. Discussions I've had with Evergreen professors has left me questioning whether Evergreen professors are the most respected and current in their fields. When deciding whether to work on a particular project with one science professor I was struck by how scattered and completely unfocused she was. I've attended talks by other Evergreen professors occasionally while living in the area and have been equally unimpressed. Perhaps most startling is when you ask about reading any of their published articles and you find out how extremely limited their professional work has been. They will tell you with great pride that they don't feel pressure to publish because Evergreen is a "teaching college." If this works for you fine, but I think it is evidence of low standards. If you plan to attend Evergreen and live in Olympia you will also want to plan for the anarchist temper tantrums that erupt into the streets occasionally. These are not like protests, which I've been to and which are constructive in nature, these are just kids dressed in black vandalizing businesses for no clear reason. I'll leave it to you to decide if the anarchists are encouraged by Evergreen, but regardless, it is an unpleasant part of the town you will have to live in to attend Evergreen. The bottom line is that I've been either disgusted or disappointed with almost all of my contact with Evergreen. read more

I write this review as someone who has been going here for over a year, and I am about to finish my Bachelors in Science before doing another year to get a dual degree (Bachelors in Arts and Sciences). I have really enjoyed my education so far, but it is not without it's flaws. It is a great school, and in my opinion it's a much better and cost effective option than going to St. Martins, which charges you an arm and a leg for an education that's more about being stressed out than actually learning anything (in my opinion). If you are thinking about coming to Evergreen, ask yourself: What do you want out of your education? Do you want a competitive learning environment where you are put to the test every day? Or do you want an environment where you have to work and collaborate with others to overcome a singular goal? The latter description is basically what Evergreen is all about, and it's why you will either love it or hate it here. First off, I'm gonna talk about some of the bad. Yes, a lot of stereotypical anarchist/socialist/communist pot smoking hipsters go here, and depending on who you are, that can either be really annoying or really cool. I live off campus so I'm not forced to deal with this 24/7, but sometimes the pretentious hipster vibes are enough to make you wish you went to UW or St. Martins. There are smelly people on campus who sometimes decide that wearing shoes or deodorant are not completely natural and your nostrils are then assaulted with the consequences of their hygiene choices. Sometimes, programs don't have enough structure and some of the programs are either laughably easy or notoriously difficult and soul crushing. The hippie/hipster culture can either be charming or grate on you so badly you'll want to leave and never come back. To some people, it's a laid back environment; to others, it is unprofessional. It depends on your personality and what you want your college environment to be like. For me, being ex-military, I needed something laid back to counter the extreme stress I endured in the Army. Your needs might be completely different than mine, but keep this in mind if you are thinking about coming here. This college is focused on learning, and learning only. There is almost no competition to speak of. Some programs do have midterms and finals (mainly science and math related courses), but most do not. You will be expected to show up to class, read the material, and then actually have to talk about it. If you don't do the work or don't do the reading, you will come across like a huge ignoramus and your instructor will not like you, resulting in a bad evaluation. Yes, there are no traditional grades, but you will be graded with a written report every quarter. Evergreen is a place where you have to forge your own path and decide what you want to learn, and then become super motivated in that direction. If you struggle with motivation, or need to have a more regimented learning environment, then Evergreen might not be for you. This is a school for self-starters and ambitious people, not a school for people who just want to get a degree and then move on with their lives. You have to really love learning to succeed here. You should also know exactly what you want to do, otherwise you will feel like you wasted your time here by the time you graduate. IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Evergreen is a great school; I try to dispel the myths among people I know whenever I can about how Evergreen is total garbage and not a real education. Some of the hardest I've ever worked in my life has been at Evergreen, and I've learned more about what I'm studying right now than I ever intended to know in the first place. It all depends on how you view education. Do you wanna just jump the hoops, cram for tests and get the shiny piece of paper? Go somewhere else. Do you want to really dig deep into a hands-on, collaborative learning environment and get real feedback from your instructors? Go to Evergreen. I know I sound biased, I can't help it because I've really liked it so far. Don't let anyone else sway you from coming here because you hear weird stories about anarchists and hippies and how everyone sits around and smokes pot. I love it, but I would only recommend it to people who are looking for something different than the traditional college experience. read more

After two quarters at Evergreen I finally feel qualified to write a review on it. I feel that 4 or maybe 4.5 stars is appropriate. Its uniqueness makes it better than most other schools IMO, but it has its flaws. I'm not going to sit and explain how the academic system works, because presumably you can read about it at evergreen.edu. I will say, however, that it is a surprisingly easy transition into Evergreen's way of doing things, and it even starts to make more sense after a while. It makes sense that you only go to one class. It makes sense that you are given an evaulation and not a grade. In general, participation is key. You can't be one of those kids who sits in the back of the class quietly and expect to have anything interesting said about you when it's all said and done. You don't have to be a loud mouth either- you just have to put yourself out there a little so that the professor knows you exist. Most of the professors and programs are hit-or-miss. Evergreen is the home of some truly brilliant minds, and if you really want to, you can get an education that is *very* challenging and fulfilling. Or you can spend four years of your life and thousands of dollars writing dream journals and making collages. Your choice. If you go into the subjects of history, politics and the like, be prepared for the professors to generally hold a fairly left-wing bias. For example I've heard many of my professors consistently refer to the United States as the American Empire. I'm not saying that's wrong- I'm just pointing out that it's not something you would observe at every school. Socially, Evergreen is not much of a party school. It's more of a get high and have interesting conversations school. Maybe take a hike in the woods or play frizbee in the field. If you're looking for a school where you can go to sports events and keggers and get mad pussy or whatever, go to WSU, you fucking bro. I mean there's a party scene here, but I think it's smaller than most and all the "real" parties take place off campus. Evergreen is infamous for being very liberal and hippieish, and in many ways it's true. For example, you can't hang out with greeners and say something like "That's fucking gay." ('gay' as in lame or stupid). You'd get called out for it, and rightfully so. You also might get called out for using plastic water bottles instead of reusable ones. It might seem snobby but really it's just because greeners care about our beautiful campus. The dorms are not bad. Most of the RA's are pretty cool. The Greenery (cafeteria) is not as bad as most people say it is. Sometimes the food sucks but it could be worse. On the other hand, the food plans are pretty expensive, so perhaps the Negative Nancies have a point. If you're considering going to Evergreen you may be in for some of the best years of your life, but be sure to really do your research beforehand so you know that you are making the right choice. read more

I got my ba here in 2 years, and Graduated at 20. The teachers are amazing. Liberal arts classes were to die for and the political discussions on Thursday classes when we discussed the books we read were unforgettable. If he is still there, take classes with Josè Gómez. He pushed me in ways I could never push myself. He showed me, people matter. Invisible man, and side walks, changed my life and gave me passion to help others in life. The books he had me read changed my view on life. I highly recommend this college. The teacher's truly care for their students. If you are debating going here, do it, it's an once in a life time experience. Someone asked how are the students and how to employers feel about degrees from here and my response was to long so posting here . I got into 9 law schools with my degree in political science and minored in psychology. Ended up with a full ride scholarship, and got a 162 on my lsat. Out side the state of Washington no one seems to care, they don't have grades but if you show up and do the work you basically get a 4.0 on paper for resumes. The kids are a mix of hippies and quirky kids and some very intelligent individuals that end up becoming successful. It's not a competitive environment which was a shock how competitive law school was. They do have a lot of movements always going on and everyone helps out with everything or if you need anything. During the ice storm my friends from school had power and took in other students that didn't and feed them. You'll never be hungry and the local coffee shops are great the college buses people back and forth to down town every 15 minutes. The campus doesn't have a lot for sports but they have a decent gym, and the food court food is so good organic and fresh, the dorms most people stay in aren't bad but most people move to the complexes around the school 2nd year. I recommend still doing general classes if you're looking to go to graduate school, and checking requirements for the graduate programs, like a nursing one you might run into some restrictions where you have to go to the community college. I currently work as a divorce attorney at a firm and none of my clients seem to care that I went to evergreen. read more

Let me tell you a little story about my first quarter at Evergreen. The first day of any college class consists of interminably reading, and at Evergreen, discussing, the entire syllabus. In this case, the professors actually said, out loud, that pets were not allowed in the classroom. They then went on to ELABORATE UPON THIS RULE, apologizing and explaining that in Olympia, a city with the most days of rain of any of the lower 48 states, dogs become smelly. Yeah. Seriously. During an art critique in this class, a student had a grand mal seizure. He fell out of his chair and started convulsing on the ground. After an agonizing, slow-motion three minutes that felt like an eternity during which the entire class including me sat there staring at him like idiots, the teachers asked us all to step outside and called the paramedics. After the unfortunate guy was helped back to his dorm room by some EMTs, and cigarettes were nervously smoked by the rest of us, we reconvened. The professor asked us all for our attention and then said, "N would like to smudge some sage to clear the bad energy from the room." Let me pause here in case you're not familiar with this term. Smudging is a Native American - Ojibway and Cree, says Wikipedia - ritual practice in which a bundle of dried sage is burned to purify spaces and give praise to the Creator. Stupid white hippies and New Age half-wits have co-opted this practice, removed it from all cultural and spiritual context and just burn sage, wherever, whenever, y'know, to get rid of bad vibes and whatnot. But the best part is yet to follow! "We would like to sincerely encourage anyone who has a scent sensitivity to come forward," continued the professor. "Now, I know that sometimes in group settings, it can be difficult to voice your needs. But if anyone has a scent sensitivity, please do say so. Don't be shy, we really want this to be a safe environment for everyone." (Unless you're a Native student who might be annoyed that whitey's helped himself to your customs like your religion is a fucking buffet). THANK GOD, or the Creator in this case, there was one other sane girl in the class with whom I immediately made eye contact while we both tried to contain hysterical laughter. SO THEN THE STUDENT SMUDGED THE ART CRITIQUE ROOM. This was a guy who never, and I mean never, wore shoes. To class. At college. In Olympia, Washington. During fall quarter. When it rained every. god. damned. day. There's good and bad at any school. The bad: the "food" available on campus. The body odor. Rich kids pretending they grew up super poor and underprivileged. Torturous, never-ending seminars (aka discussions). Drum circle every cocking day in front of the library. Library & computer lab have terrible hours. Budget cuts and privatization, welcome to America. Almost impossible to take a world language unless you want to take 20 credits (seriously). The "city" of Olympia. People nervously avoiding eye contact or heaven forbid a greeting. The good: easy access to any and all facilities. Independent learning contracts. Bike shop. Organic farm. Gorgeous woods like something out of a Jim Henson fantasy movie. Narrative evaluations instead of grades. Graduation speakers like Angela Davis and Mumia Abu Jamal. Actually forming relationships with your professors. A lot of hilarious stories like the above. Cheap tuition. Really, really easy admission. Campus police have a free peanut butter and jelly sandwich station (fuck da police, but still, those free sammys got me through many a broke-ass schoolday). It's not for everyone so do your research. There's a lot of bad but the great parts about it are truly great for the right student. And, the campus cops ride Segway scooters now. Hows that for entertainment value? read more

I graduated in 2004. I could have stayed another year, but I came in with some transfer credits from high school (Running Start--don't do it). This school is really really really really (can't say it enough) NOT for everyone. I had a great education here, and the number one thing I learned here was how to take charge of my own education. That take-charge attitude waned at times, and not having a letter grading system or the existence of "light" classes made this a difficult school. Do not be fooled by the grading the system here. People often come in thinking "but there's no grades, I can slack!" People slack here, but now they have, for all readers of their transcripts from the date of their graduation until forever, evaluations that include details of their slacking. At any other school, if I'd skipped two classes, I would have just gotten a slightly slower letter grade and people would look at that transcript and think "she's a B student." Now they think things like "she misses classes a lot and sometimes turns homework in late." I know there are students out there who are perfect, and I envy them, but is it really necessary to detail all my failures as a student in my transcript? If this sort of detail is something you can't deal with, go to a school that does regular grades. On the other hand, if you are quite self-directed already, and if you already know what you want to do, check out Evergreen. First, make sure there are professors who teach in your area of interest. It doesn't matter if there's a class offered your first year that sounds similar to what you're interested in--make sure there are faculty who are interested in the same things you are. After all, they're the designers of the programs, and if nobody is interested in what you go here for, you may find yourself without programs matching your interests. If you do find professors whose interests match yours, contact them, talk to them, get to know them. You will not have an official and consistent adviser during your time here since officially, your adviser is whoever your seminar leader is for the quarter. Your other options are the general academic advisers in the advising center, who are fabulous, but who may not have specific experience in your field of interest. They'll be able to do a lot for you, but if you want a first-hand account of what it's like to work in your field of choice, your professors will be your most valuable resources. Do not take their presence in your academic career for granted--seek them out and do not be shy. As far as life on campus is concerned, I had to deal with a lot of whiny and inconsiderate hipsters who smoked a lot of pot. I also met a lot of really nice people too (many of whom also smoked a lot of pot). Anywhere you go you're going to have to deal with other people's drama and whiny-ness (and you probably too will whine plenty). You're going to learn a lot about yourself here too, as a student and as a person. One thing most out-of-towners learn fast is how torturous it is to live in a grey climate for a long period. The rain here doesn't amount to a whole lot if you measure in inches, but it starts drizzling out of the sky in September and doesn't stop until about May or early June when suddenly the sky turns blue (what's that color?! oh no! what, you mean it's supposed to do that? oh.) and the rain briefly stops. I would say you'd be seasonally affected, but is it still SAD when it's year-long? And last but not least, the food here is good. People take it for granted and it annoys me to no end, but as far as cafeteria food goes, TESC is awesome. They go the extra mile to have organic food, Kosher options, vegetarian options, vegan options (most of which even taste good, which is really saying something) and your standard carnivorous options too. Yes, it's expensive, but I've compared the prices with other schools (and I've been to several) and they're really good prices for really good cafeteria food. Trust me, it can be worse. But just to be sure you have a good feel for it, visit. Taste the food, sleep in the dorms, take a ride on the bus (you'll get to know it well if you don't have a car of your own), and see if you can imagine living in a place like this for four years (or more--many of my classmates were on what's affectionately known as the "x-year plan" where you insert some number greater than 4 where x is--one guy stayed 8 years). read more

This is an amazing college that takes education seriously. It is one of the few surviving alternative college education institutions. Because of that, students that have a more "brand-X" conception of what college should look like won't be happy initially. Students are challenged to think deeply and participate fully. Field trips are intense, student voices really matter, the curriculum is creative and changing, discussions are intellectually vibrant, and students are encouraged to think outside their respective "boxes". This college is all about really engaging with the world - not just going through the motions. It makes students into life-long intellectual forces of nature. read more

This schools Administration doesnt care about you, it only wants your money. And they gave me nightmares about commiting suicide, and made me feel helplessl.. they wont listen. They want money from me that I do not owe and are intent on screwing my degree opportunity up because they are lazy and ignorant. read more