University Of Puget Sound-Community Music

My 15 and 10 year had taken lessons for over a year but we lost our instructor so I was shopping for a new teacher and I discovered the UPS Music Program. I was somewhat taken aback that there was not a first meeting or interview process in place. We had to pay the application fee plus the lesson fee before even meeting the music teacher. I also could only reach the teachers by email and it was incredibly hard to get them to answer my questions in a reply. The only way I could set an appt was through the email. The guitar teacher never did give me a time or allow me to make an appt and his email was very abrupt so I got the definate impression he didn’t want anymore students. The drum teacher we did have a first lesson with and it was not good. I have to admit I was attracted by the teachers long list of acomplishments and I thought the University would have the correct instruments to teach with. The lesson was taught on a 3 piece set but as I said in the email my son has a 5 piece. The teacher didn’t even make an attempt to pull the other pieces of the set for my sons lesson. The stool was incredibly high and couldn’t be lowered for some reason so my son’s feet couldn’t reach the pedals for the lesson. He knew he was going to give a lesson to a child but couldn’t be ready. The teachers response was «after you play for years you’ll be able to play on any set». Really, what a horrible thing to say to a student to cover up his mistake. He rushed through the lesson not even trying to understand my sons ability or where he was at because my son couldn’t play on that set. He also said he would email us a MP3 to practice to but he never did. I never received a call to see what happened or why we did not reschedule. The director that runs the program seems uninterested in the program. Threes no customer service. Nothing about this is for the community. It was a huge dissappointment.

My husband attends the University of Puget Sound. It is a small private liberal arts college located in the north end of Tacoma, Washington. The campus is gorgeous with it’s uniform brick buildings and ivy. It is easily one of the most expensive colleges in Washington state. In my opinion it is worth the price tag. It is academically rigorous and the students are impressive and intellectual. The school also offers great perks and merit based scholarships. Go Loggers!

We have two boys attending, so obviously we are ‘in’. They offer a strong liberal arts program and have really beefed up their science program.
They have more teachers of the year than any school in the Northwest and are very focused on supporting the student and parent alike. The kids get out in four years and, as of fall 2013, students will be have to live on campus for two years (a plus if you ask me).
The sticker price may be frightening, but they get they get out on time, the school offers excellent need-​based and merit aid and they have just been included among the 40 schools that change lives book.
They really read the apps and are willing to take a chance on a kid that has room to grow. A great school.

Clean, well manicured, organized, a little sterile for my personal preferences, but worth seeing, nonetheless. Doubtful my son will opt for this as a college choice, but a beautiful campus, nonetheless.

Almost midway through my senior year, I feel it is time to discuss the inadequacies of this increasingly expensive school. I was originally ensnared by UPS through its position in the top 100 liberal arts colleges (which now begs the question of how many liberal arts colleges are there in consideration really).
This rating is not completely unfounded– indeed, the campus is beautiful and the student to teacher ratio is great. In addition, the professors are all extremely intelligent and certain ones have been known to frequent the Parkway with a beer or two in hand. This community aspect is fantastic.
HOWEVER (and that is a big, significant however), there are plenty of things Puget Sound can work on. And I mean, a lot of things. Here are some constructive suggestions:
1. The International Programs office should consider investigating scholarships and study abroad opportunities (for example blogging and photo competitions) to help students get the most out of their experience. In addition– and most importantly– they should not allow students to study abroad for a year without discussing possible outcomes, for example the loss of a minor due to the assessment of a course.
2. There should be more classes available and the registering process rectified so it is not so challenging to get the classes you need or want. While I understood not getting certain classes during my first three years, not getting two of the classes I want my last semester of senior year is an absolute disgrace.
3. The Budgeting Office should try to avoid using all of the tuition money on landscaping and knocking down houses to create a pointless and relatively unsustainable lit-​up wall.
4. There should be more of an equal emphasis on arts versus science, for example adding more funding to literary clubs like Crosscurrents and The Trail and improving the deteriorating and less-​than-​impressive theater instead of throwing it all towards the overly decorative science building.
5. If the campus is going to claim to be so extremely sustainable, perhaps they should consider creating a larger more effective community garden and begin a compost program, so we are not wasting so much food.
There are plenty of things to critique at this school, so I think the bottom line I want to emphasize is that if you are going to attend this school, I would recommend only the graduate studies programs (education and physical therapy). I have heard good things about these programs, and paying this much tuition money is only worth it if you are receiving an ivy-​league education or if you are getting your masters. Bachelor degrees have become merely an extension of high school!

One hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
Ummm… Has anyone seen my wallet?

Yes, I chose to live in Tacoma for four years. Why?
Because UPS is where I chose to attend college. A small school of 2600 undergrads, the University of Puget Sound provided me with a great education and opportunities to indulge many of my interests and passions. Over my four years, I had the chance to major in business, study abroad in Asia, play on the varsity tennis team, write for the school newspaper, sing in the university chorale and join a dance group.
Like many private universities, it is an expensive trade off and if you have certain career ambitions, you may want to consider your institutions’ strengths. UPS has an amazing science program, a solid school of business, and is well known for its physical and occupational therapy programs. The other programs I can’t really speak to.
Plenty of on and off campus housing, beautiful athletic facilities, and a whole host of activities make this university worth your consideration. Just don’t forget the weather… this is the northwest, after all.
October to March, bad.
April to September, good.

How can I sum up four years at Puget Sound in a single, 5,000 word Unilocal entry? With the following:
HARVARD OF THE WEST.
Rumor has it one of the former school presidents referred to Puget Sound as the «Harvard of the West» once and it has stuck — as a great foible for the school newspaper and an excuse for Professors to pile on the reading («C’mon guys, you can do this, you’re at the Harvard of the West» is, no joke, a line I received in a class).
If not that tagline then perhaps these words: I DO NOT ATTEND SCHOOL AT A SHIPPING COMPANY.
Yes, I was harassed, and still am, for the school name to this day.
All jokes aside I enjoyed my liberal arts education at Puget Sound. Why I loved it? Let’s break it down, list style:
+ Small school, less than 3000 students total
+ Beautiful campus — the leaves in fall, the cherry blossoms in spring!
+ Great professors
+ Small classes
+ Liberal arts curriculum
+ Tacoma is becoming a really neat city
+ Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Mt. Rainier = all close!
+ More Peace Corps Volunteers, Watson and Fullbright Fellows than you can shake a stick at.
Can you tell I was a tour guide?
My list of detractions is likely equally as long and pretty specific to the situations I’ve found myself in. I’m happy to chat about either.