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Who can apply to the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

All adults age 18 and over may apply to the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program. There are no course prerequisites.

Who is the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program intended for?

The Wilderness Awareness Residential Program is an outdoor course intended for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the natural world in an intensive training setting. The course is designed to meet the needs of a variety of different types of students from young people directly out of high school, to college students and recent graduates, as well as older adults.

Who are the instructors at the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

With over 5 decades of combined experience teaching outdoor nature skills, the Residential Program's core instructors facilitate all aspects of the course, teaching, coordinating guests and field trips, and serving as mentors to the student body. Chris Laliberte, Angie Jordan, Alexia Stevens and Marcus Reynerson serve as the core course instructors, with additional staff specialists sharing their knowledge in specific topics over the course of the year.

The Residential Program also incorporates expert guest instructors that visit the course to offer their unique perspective on special skills and topics, including edible and medicinal plants expert Karen Sherwood, nature education expert and renowned tracker Jon Young, and nature awareness and native scout skills expert Chris Kenworthy.

What is class like at the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

Class meets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., three days a week (Wed. through Friday) at Wilderness Awareness School's campus and other nearby locations. Each day consists of both lecture and extensive hands-on, outdoor experiential activities such as animal tracking exercises, wild edible gathering and preparation, bird language exercises, awareness games, and survival skill projects, to name a few.

The class also takes day trips and several extended field trips during the course of the year. Each fall we go on a tracking expedition to the beautiful Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, in winter we make an extended trip, and during the spring the course goes out on a wilderness survival expedition. Outside of class, students work on the Kamana Naturalist Training Program and other assigned work.

What is the application process for the course?

To apply, you can use our Residential Program On-line Application (or download an application in pdf format). We began accepting applications for 2008-2009 school year on November 1, 2007. The Early Decision Application Deadline is January 15, 2008, and the Regular Decision Application Deadline is March 15, 2008. See the rest of the application timeline and payment due dates.

To receive an application packet by mail (which includes a free DVD and color brochure about the course), please use our request form.

Can International/Overseas Students Apply?

Yes. Wilderness Awareness School is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students (international/overseas students). Please use our request form for more information about enrolling.

What are the backgrounds of the Program's students?

Our students have a variety of backgrounds. We have no "typical" Residential Program student. However, most of our students have taken either Wilderness Awareness School courses or other outdoor/ wilderness classes or have been referred from colleges and universities.

Many students have read the book, The Tracker by Tom Brown, Jr. and consider it an important catalyst for being a Wilderness Awareness Residential student. Some of our students are recent high school graduates. Others are participating in the course to complete their college degrees. Still others are college graduates who have been working, but now are changing their focus and the Residential Program is part of their graduate school experience. We also have "non-traditional" students who have joined the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program several years or even decades after they graduated high school or college. Other students come from a wildlife biology background. All students have one thing in common though - an above average passion for connecting with nature and the outdoors.

Is there an academic component to the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

Yes. We keep academic transcripts for all students. The Residential Program transcript is made up of three components: Learning Contracts, Self-Evaluations, and Student Evaluations. Each trimester, Learning Contracts are set up with each student that includes a course description as well as individual learning goals and activities. At the end of each trimester, Learning Contracts are reviewed, the student writes a Self-Evaluation, and the instructors write a Student Evaluation.

Also, all students work on The Kamana Naturalist Training Program outside of class. It is a rigorous academic course in and of itself, involving a significant amount of research, fieldwork, and a variety of journal activities.

What opportunities are there for those who complete the first year of the Program?

Students who complete the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program have the option, and are highly encouraged, to continue into a second year of study in our Instructor Training Apprenticeship or the Tracking Intensive. These courses provide the opportunity for students to round out their Wilderness Awareness studies with professional experience and focused learning.

Why is there a Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

The Wilderness Awareness Residential Program came about to fulfill a longtime vision, held by the founders of Wilderness Awareness School, to provide an opportunity for participants to become highly skilled in all aspects of our curriculum while also guiding them to become natural teachers and leaders. The Residential Program serves this vision by providing an intensive training course of full-time, full-immersion studies for adult students.

Where is the course located?

The Wilderness Awareness Residential Program is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains by the Snoqualmie River at Wilderness Awareness School's home base in Duvall, Washington. The school's property is called Linne Doran (Gaelic for "Pond of the Otter") and consists of over 20 acres of mature and second growth forest as well as the land's namesake pond and wetlands. This campus is adjacent to the vast forest lands of the Snoqualmie-Baker National Forest, west of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.

Classroom facilities at Linne Doran include "Cedar Lodge," our new classroom building and gathering hall which houses the Ingwe Library and also has four apartments for Residential Program students on the second floor; "The Wolf Den," our 30 foot modern yurt; and "Malalo Ya Chui" (which means "Lair of the Leopard"), a more rustic 20 foot structure modeled after an African Akamba hut, built to honor School co-founder, Ingwe.

Day trip locations often include riparian sandbars along the Skykomish and Snoqualmie Rivers, many great county parks, the high Cascades, and the desert ecosystems of eastern Washington. The Program also takes several extended field trips throughout the Northwest each year.

Where do Residential Program students live?

There are some limited on-campus housing options, with many of our students locating their own housing in the Duvall area with support from staff. Most students opt for shared housing in rural country homes, though apartments, cabins, and yurts are often available in the area as well. Most of our students live in shared houses or apartments in the Snoqualmie River valley, which includes the towns of Duvall, Carnation, Monroe, Fall City, and Snoqualmie. The shared housing saves the students money on rent and adds an additional aspect of community to the course.

How will my personal learning goals be met?

Residential Program instructors meet with all students one-on-one at least twice per quarter to set up and facilitate Learning Contracts. Learning Contracts include an academic description of our coursework as a class, as well as outline your personal goals and studies. These contracts serve two important functions; 1) to be an integral part of your transcript, and, 2) to help us help you develop, pursue, and evaluate your own individual learning goals.

How long has the Residential Program been in existence?

The first official year of the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program was the 1999-2000 school year, though the Program builds on a legacy of advanced students receiving college credit while studying with Wilderness Awareness School instructors.

How much does the course cost?

Tuition for the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program is $9850. This cost includes all instruction, workshops, field trips, and independent study materials for the school year. Tuition does not include living expenses.

Upon acceptance into the course, a $2,000 payment is required to secure your enrollment (which includes a $1,750 deposit which is credited towards your tuition as your first installment, and a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee which is not applied towards your tuition). The remainder of the tuition is payable in two equal installments (the remainder of the tuition, minus any scholarship, divided by two). See payment due dates.

What types of Financial Aid are available for the Program?

Three forms of financial aid are currently available for the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program:

1) Scholarships
We offer our own scholarships for the Residential Program, which range from $1000 to $3000. Scholarship awards are applied equally to the August and January tuition payments. NOTE: The scholarship application form must be submitted at the same time as the regular course application (download and complete a Scholarship Application in PDF format, and mail it in).

2) SLM Financial - Career Training Loans
The Wilderness Awareness Residential Program is pleased to now be able to provide our students with a Career Training Loan option through SLM Financial, a Sallie Mae Company, the nation's leading provider of education funding.

The SLM Career Training Loan is a private, credit-based student loan for technical training or trade schools (which is how the Residential Program is licensed by WA State), online courses, and other continuing education courses.

Some Loan Features:

• The Career Training Loan has interest rates and fees that reward good credit.
• Repayment terms of up to 15 years are available.
• If you have less-than-ideal credit or no credit at all, you can still be eligible for the Career Training Loan by applying with a creditworthy cosigner.
• You may borrow for both tuition and other education-related expenses.

For more information including a full list of the Career Training Loan features, download the 4-page brochure (PDF download), or visit the Career Training Loan webpage.

Career Training Loan Facts

Loan limits - The minimum loan amount is $1,000 and you can borrow up to the total cost of the education, less other financial aid received, for tuition and education-related expenses such as books and gear, and living expenses. Up to 60% of the tuition amount is allowable for expenses, not to exceed $6,000. So the maximum loan amount for the Residential Program is $15,760. A portion of the tuition must be financed to be eligible to apply for expenses.

Interest rates and fees - Interest rates are variable (monthly) and are based on the Prime Rate plus a margin. Your interest rate margin is determined by your (and your co-borrower's, if you use a co-borrower) credit history. The interest rates start at Prime +0% with fees as low as 0% for borrowers with excellent credit.

Repayment term - Repayment begins 30 days after disbursement. With the 15-year repayment option, you can keep your monthly payments low and affordable. You can also prepay your loan, either in part or in full, at any time to lower your total loan cost, with no prepayment penalty. Minimum monthly payment is $30.

Deferment option available - Balancing work and education while you are in school can be difficult. For this reason, a 12-month deferment repayment option is available for qualified borrowers. During the deferment period, you will be required to pay only $10 per month. This $10 payment will be applied toward the interest that accrues on your account during the deferment period. Unpaid interest will be added to your loan amount (capitalized) at the end of the deferment period. You will then pay interest on a higher amount. The deferment option lets you focus on your studies rather than your loan payment while you are attending school. And afterwards, you may still have up to 15 years to repay.

To apply for a SLM Financial Career Training Loan:

1) Apply on-line (recommended; by far the fastest method). Download the Instructions for OpenNet, an online based application process, and when you've read them, click here to begin your on-line application. We suggest using the E-Signature option for this process as it is much faster with less paperwork. Please read these instructions carefully.

2) You can also download the application form and instructions (the application is page two of this PDF) and print it out, complete the application by hand, and turn it into our financial aid officer, Alexia Stevens, by mail or in-person. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

To read more about the Career Training Loan program please go to the SLM Financial website.

If you still have additional questions, call Wilderness Awareness School's financial aid officer, Linda Bittle: 425-788-1301 ext 42 or email her.

3) Veterans Benefits
Tuition assistance is available to U.S. Veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and services.

 

Application timeline and payment due dates:

Rolling Admissions Application Period:
We are currently welcoming applications for the several remaining spaces in the 2008-2009 Residential Program. Applications will continue to be accepted on an ongoing basis until the final application deadline, August 15, 2008.

Acceptance and Scholarship Award letters are mailed if space and money is available upon acceptance. A $2000 payment is due to secure enrollment and scholarship award (which includes a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee) due within one week of acceptance. First payment is due by August 15th or immediately upon acceptance, if acceptance occurs after August 15th.

If you applied by March 15, 2008 or earlier, click here to see your payment due date schedule.

Can I receive college credit?

Yes. Undergraduate college credit through Western State College is available for the Residential Program. It is 18 credits (6 in Environmental Studies, 6 in Biology and 6 in Recreation) and these credits are transferable. There is more information on Western State College's website. If you have additional questions about college credit, please complete our request form.

Also, if you are currently enrolled at a college or university you may be able to work out a way to receive credit for our course through your own college or university. Several of our students have had success in doing so. Talking to an academic advisor at your school is a good way to start researching this option.

Past students have reported that the following schools have granted some form of credit for their Wilderness Awareness Residential Program experience. Students need to make their own arrangements.

Cornell University
Prescott College
Antioch University Seattle
The Evergreen State College
Humboldt State University
Mankato State University

Do I have to be working towards a degree or enrolled in a college/ university to be part of the Residential Program?

No. Many students are here just for the unique training that we have to offer and are not concerned with receiving college credit. Some students are finished with college and are augmenting their education with our course, while other students are attending the Residential Program instead of a traditional college/university.

Should I have taken courses with Wilderness Awareness School or other schools to be a part of the Program?

There are no prerequisites for the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program. You will not have to take any additional classes or workshops other than those covered in your tuition costs.

However, in addition to encouraging prospective Residential Program students to visit the Program if possible (see below), we also encourage you to attend one of our weekend or weeklong workshops or expeditions if you are interested in doing so. This can give you a better idea of what Wilderness Awareness School and our teachings are like, and help decide if the Residential Program is right for you. We offer tuition credit for this weekend or weeklong course if you enroll in the Residential Program within the next 2 years. Please use our request form for more information about this tuition reimbursement option. (*NOTE: tuition credit is only available to prospective students who have not yet officially enrolled in the course. We often offer additional tuition assistance for our courses to enrolled Residential Program students.)

Will I be able to work and do the Program at the same time? Is there work available in the area?

Yes. The Residential Program usually meets during three consecutive class days per week, and this schedule is designed to allow students to be able to work at least part-time. Many of our students do work. Their range of jobs includes working at other schools and child care, outdoor labor, employment at rock-climbing gyms or other outdoor recreation organizations, working with moving companies, working at coffee stands and restaurants, delivering pizzas, etc. You should have no problem finding a part-time job to help support your studies.

May I come and observe the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program?

Yes--we welcome and encourage all interested students to observe our course in person. If you visit the course you can observe class for the day, meet instructors and other members of the Wilderness Awareness School staff, and join us in any community events planned at that time. Even if class is not in session when you visit, we can arrange a tour of our campus and a chance to meet with staff and perhaps students and/or graduates living in the area. Please contact us if you wish to visit the Wilderness Awareness Residential Program. We do require that visitors make an appointment before visiting.

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