University of Puget Sound Admission
University of Puget Sound Undergraduate Program
University of Puget Sound Application

The Facts

UPS is a smaller liberal arts college that offers a fairly non-traditional college experience with intersting and hard-to-find programs such as Asian Studies and International Political Economy. The school is also strong in the arts, particularly its music education program. The school offers many internship and research opportunities in various fields, beginning as early as freshmen year. The required curriculum is equally as innovative, and includes requirements in the areas of written communication, foreign language, mathematical reasoning, historical and humanistics perspectives, society, the natural world, the fine arts, comparative values, international studies and “science in context.” The well-rounded and varied curriculum helps to shape students far beyond the reaches of their intended major.

The Class of 2004 had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1145 to 1345 and an average cumulative ACT ranging from 24 to 29. Over 73% of the students were ranked in the top 25% of their graduating high school class. The classes tend to be quite small; the school only houses 2,457 undergraduates and 244 graduate students. The student to faculty ratio is approximately 11:1, and most students say that the faculty is extremely accessible and quite eager to help out when help is needed.

Students say they dislike the town of Tacoma (where UPS is located), saying it is not really a college town; however, on the upside, the vibrant city of Seattle is only thirty miles to the north. Tacoma is primarily an industrial town, known for its paper production; the chemicals used at the paper plants produce a strong odor that Northwesterners have dubbed “the Tacoma aroma.”

Student Life

Most students make the short trip up to Seattle for their social activities, as many own cars, which are undoubtedly the easiest way to travel in the Northwest, due to its sprawling nature. However, Tacoma is beginning to come into its own, and offers various small shops and restaurants, as well as a new Museum of Glass that houses many works of the famed glass artist Chahuly.

There is somewhat of a prominent Greek life, and over 40% of the student population joins either a fraternity or sorority. They have a deferred rush system so students aren’t required to move into the actual house until their sophomore year. On-campus housing is not guaranteed to anyone; however, there is a dorm reserved strictly for freshmen, and one dorm reserved for a small group of upperclassmen. As with many colleges, drinking is a popular activity, but many students also devote a good portion of their time to volunteer work: over 75% of UPS students work in the community to some extent. Sports are also a large part of life at the school. It sponsors 23 intercollegiate sport teams, and their basketball team, the Loggers, competes in the Northwest Conference, which is NCAA Division III.

What’s Good

“There is a real sense of community here because we are so small. People really bond together when the going gets tough.”

“Many students volunteer, including myself, and it really helps to put the world and petty social issues into perspective.”

“The teachers really help you to expand your intellectual facilities beyond what you already assume about the world. They want you to change it.”

What’s Bad

“Tacoma is really, really boring and it smells questionable.”

“Everyone is scrambling to find cheap off-campus housing because there is nothing available on campus for upperclassmen.”

“The frats and sororities are really obnoxious. If you don’t join you are forever snubbed by all the people who did join.”

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