Let Your Mind Breathe in the Pacific Northwest

By Jenny Blackman, ApplyWise.com Intern

As our green conscientiousness soars with rising gas prices, it could be fun to take your road bike to visit some of the country's most distinctive colleges. Instead, we recommend that you take the whole family for a ride in your rented hybrid and make the 283- mile drive from Eugene, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. Make sure that you pack rain jackets and umbrellas—this part of the US receives between 37 to 50 inches of rain a year. Regardless of the weather, we guarantee you'll love what you see — some of the most environmentally friendly urban environments and their intellectually friendly colleges and universities.

Begin your journey in Eugene, otherwise known as The Emerald Empire. The self-proclaimed "Greatest City of Art and Culture," Eugene is home to the University of Oregon. Located at the city's northern end, the university, whose Latin motto is loosely translated as "minds move mountains," prides itself on mixing a diverse student population with some of the country's top programs in business, journalism, and architecture. This is a school that values both intellectual curiosity and good old-fashioned fun. It was, after all, the backdrop for the film Animal House. Tour U of O's campus, literally set within an arboretum containing 500 species of trees, and bask in the school's generally laidback atmosphere. Make sure to stop by 133 year-old Deady Hall, the school's oldest building, before hiking up Skinner Butte and indulging in one of the city's best views. If you'd rather be a spectator, catch a musical performance at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts or cheer on U of O's sports team at the state of the art Autzen Stadium. Although their mascot, Donald Duck, may suggest weak competition, Oregon's teams are annual contenders for titles in football, basketball and track and field.

Travel a little over 100 miles north and you'll be visiting Seattle, "North America's Best Big City" according to Money Magazine. This town happens to contain several institutions of higher learning worth your time and gas mileage. The first stop, Lewis and Clark College, is a well-respected liberal arts school and has the best environmental law programs in the country. Although city exploration is just a bus ride away (first-year students cannot have cars on campus), most students find that they prefer to stay peacefully tucked within the school's own vibrant community. While touring this rose filled campus, be sure to check out the residence hall that best suits your personality; several dorms are recognized for appealing directly to specific needs (e.g. substance free, multicultural, etc.).

A visit to Portland is not complete without a visit to Reed College. Just east of the Lewis and Clark campus, this campus is just what you'd expect from the Pacific Northwest: leafy, natural and inventive. But it pays to do some serious research before visiting; Reed is not like most colleges. It is a school for life long learners, now known for their intellectual independence and intensity. There is no Greek life, nor varsity teams (although there is a physical education requirement and a wealth of classes at their modern sports center), so asking students where the football stadium's located might raise eyebrows.

"Reedies" are known nationally for their intense intellectual training. Reed requires all students to complete a year long Senior Thesis and students literally spend days and nights in their individualized library carrels writing and rewriting on a subject of their choosing. Because of the challenge and rewards of Reed's academics, many go on to get their Phds; in fact, Reed ranks third in the country for producing graduates who then go on to get Phds in any variety of disciplines. Still, Reedies do know how to have fun. Your tour guide will happily espouse the virtues of the school's traditional social gatherings, of which Renn Fayre, an annual campus festival where students enjoy letting off some steam, may be the most well-known.

After visiting the above colleges, venture into the city. If you're looking to conserve gas, take TriMet to Portland's "living room," officially called Pioneer Courthouse Square, constantly host to festivals and marches. You are almost assured to find yourself in the midst of some festivity. Still, if public frivolity isn't your style, curl up with a book at Powell's City of Books or chow down at Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar.

As you continue north on I-5, you might notice The Cascade Range, one reason why the Pacific Northwest gets so much precipitation, to the east. Check out Mt. Hood in Portland, and as you drive into Seattle, you'll also be given a great view of infamous Mt. St. Helens. As you get closer to Seattle, you might even be lucky enough to glimpse Mt. Ranier on a clear day. At 14,410 feet, it's the tallest mountain in the Cascades.

Before you arrive in Seattle, take a quick pit stop at two more noteworthy liberal arts colleges. Olympia is not only Washington's state capital—it is home to Evergreen State College, one of the few public colleges without a grading system, specific majors or school departments. It's certainly no cakewalk though. Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Evergreen alumnus, can attest to the college's unique ability to foster a sense of intellectual creativity. Just thirty minutes north, you'll find the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. While the students are known to build very close relationships with their professors, the university also produces an enormous number of future Peace Corps participants (ranked 4th among small colleges in 2007) and is newly recognized for its efforts in sustainable living.

Although Seattle prides itself on coffee, great seafood and a wide array of tourist attractions (Pike's Place, the Space Needle, or the Experience Museum Project), a visit to this gateway city is not complete without having toured the University of Washington. Considered a "Public Ivy," this university, founded in 1861, is the oldest on the west coast. With nearly 40,000 students, "UDub" is large enough to appeal to any student. Considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, the University of Washington certainly warrants an extended stroll beneath the cherry trees that line the Quad and Suzzallo Library. And with a clear picture of Union Bay from Husky Stadium, sports fans boast one of the best views in college football. After your lingering stroll, wander the Washington Park Arboretum's 230 acres or study the Henry Art Gallery's collection of over 18,000 pieces (the photography collection is to die for). UDub's research facilities are very impressive, too. And it's no wonder; since 1974 the University has been the top public university in receiving federal support for research and training.

So amidst the mountains and rainy days, you'll find that visiting the Pacific Northwest will not only open your eyes, but your mind. And with a newly refined perspective, you might just find a college to suit your specific needs.