Well now, what about Valdez... (Anchorage, Fairbanks: apartments, homes, transfer to)

[IWExcelsiorE]

If you guys remember me, I was asking about UAF and the Fairbanks area in general......well, I never made it up there as I didn't get the financial aid I needed.


My plan was to transfer to UAA from UAF, and I would've just settled on finishing my general education here in Oakland.......except that I heard about Prince William Sound Community College in Valdez.

So here we go again. I've researched the college and the area through and now I'd like a little info from those who live there or have lived there.....


Thanks!

[JavaPhil]

Valdez is another town at the end of a road. Prettier than most and the people are friendly. Major salmon run. The town sits on the north end of a fjord towards the opening to Prince William Sound. One major grocery store in town, couple of gas stations. Apartments can be found on the west side towards the airport.

[FishTAxi]

A terrific point about PWSCC is no out of state tuition.

What classes aren't available here are online once you are student within the system.

There is student housing thats affordable. Theres a CNA program going on right now that the local hospital will reimburse your tuition if you sign a one year contract to work for them. Lots of grants available.

Deadline for late enrollment is coming up.

[Glitch]

My first impression of Valdez was during the summer, and I thought it was rather odd that the residents of Valdez parked their snowmobiles on the roofs of their homes. Then I found out that the town of Valdez averages 27 feet of snow every winter, and Thompson Pass averages over 50 feet of snow!

When I drove to Valdez during the winter, it was like driving in one large tunnel, with 10-foot tall snow banks on either side of the road. I was also surprised by how well they kept the roads clear, considering the amount of snow they get.

The winters are warm, compared to Anchorage and further north, averaging 20°F to 30°F in the winter. With 64" of annual precipitation, it also rains a lot, mostly during the months of September and October. Flights in or out of Valdez are regularly cancelled during the winter because of snow.

Valdez is where they hold the World's Extreme Skiing competition each year. Thompson Pass is a snowmobiler's, snowboarder's paradise. The new city (old Valdez was wiped out by the tsunami generated by the 9.2 "Good Friday" quake in 1964) is on the north side of the fjord, and the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company (APSC) oil terminal is located on the south side of the fjord. APSC offers Valdez residents some of the best paying jobs in Alaska. Valdez is the furthest north "warm water" port in North America. The seas do not freeze in the winter as they do in Anchorage and further north.

Valdez has excellent salmon runs and good halibut fishing in Prince William Sound. It is frequented by seals, sea lions, and sea otters.