So I'll be attending the University of Washington next year, and I want to start taking martial arts. At the IMA (intramural activities building, the gym basically) they have a few different martial arts classes you can take for really cheap. Like 30 or 40 bucks a quarter for students.

I wanted to take either muay thai or BJJ, but unfortunately they don't have either of those. So here's what they do have:

Aikido Shin Ryu
Judo
Karate (Shotokan)
Kendo
Kung Fu/Tai Chi
Tae Kwon Do

Of those which should I take? And if you could elaborate a bit that would be great. I'm looking to be a better overall fighter and if a fight were to break out somewhere for example I could successfully defend myself. Thanks!

Judo.

It's the next best thing to (though, many will argue that it's better than) Brazilian jiu-jitsu. And, the club flier mentions that they actively participate in tournaments. This being a good sign, with the reason being that it offers you an opportunity to test your skills against a wider-range of judoka from other schools and clubs. Not to mention it provides you with the opportunity to test your skills in a resistant, non-compliant environment.

It's also worth pointing out that if you're planning to study Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the future, then judo is definitely a good place to start. The reason being, as I understand it, is that the transition between the two is seamless. Also, if you plan to study muay thai in the future instead, then it would easily complement your judo training and vice versa.

If you want a self defense martial art, i think the best of those would be Aikido.
Judo is not a very good self defense martial art because it teaches only throws and ground fighting, and in a multiple attacker scenario is not very good move to take one of them on the ground because you will get pounded by the others.
I choose aikido because i like its standing joint locking techniques and pressure point strikes that are very effective in a street fight.

broncos 7

Not trying to be a downer, but you might want to consider a few things.

1st, as new student your time is going to limited. Between class, studies, parties, maybe a job, you will have other demands on your time.

Plus going to class a couple of times a week for an hour or so at a time really won't add up to much practice time in any given year.

So just how much of a "better overall fighter"---your term--it's going to make you, becomes much less of a question of what art your taking and more a factor of how hard your going to train and how much time your going to be able to devote to it.

No art is going to do much for you as a "fighter" with only a few hours a week practice over a short amount of time.

I'd also suggest that you start running and do some strength training as well. If your not already doing so.

2nd, How much training have you already had and in what art?
If you have already had some trainign then I would suggest that you pick something the opposite of what you already know.

If you have never done any training at all---then that is a tough one. Most of the people I know have never regreted throwing Judo into their training mix. But most of those are people that already knew how to punch and kick.

I don't think you can really go wrong with any of the choices.

If I were you I would invest a little time and effort in checking them ALL out and see which ones really appeals to you. A little time spent now will save you a TON of time and energy later.

Let us know which one you picked and how it is working out for you.

Talk to the instructors, talk to the students, and try out a class or two. Then go to the system that you're most comfortable with.

But buyer beware - there's lots of frauds around, and, even if their rankings are legitimate, their business practices may not be.

Well, going from the direction you have pointed out it seems as if you like the mma type stuff. I think you should pay attention to ctx, He/she/whoever has some valuable insights. Remember, Aikido is not self-defense oriented, Judo, very good as part of a wider self-defense program, is still a sport. Kendo, still a sport, Kung-fu, depends on the style and needs considerable time to be worth while, Tai -chi 99 percent of the time should not be associated as a self-defense or fighting art, and I have never liked tae kwon do myself, as I have met too many students abused by their teachers in the korean arts. Karate has some value but I would hold out for Muay Thai. My advice to you, with what you initially said, would be to train in Judo. With your time constraints it will give you good cardio, and get you prepared for the BJJ or MMa that you can start once you finish your schooling. The best self-defense is being successful, so study hard and get a good job. That way you can afford to train when you have the time. Some more advice, research firearms training and the fillipino martial arts if you are serious about the self-defense aspect of the arts. Any serious attack against you or your loved ones, and future loved ones, will come from criminals who are armed with guns, knives or bludgeons, less so with hands and feet. Check out Mark "animal" Macyoung, and his website. He has some very valuable insights into the realities of self-defense. Good luck.

I'd say karate or tae kwon do, good striking styles. Judo is also good especially on ground but only 1on1. Kendo is a nice art but not practical, because i dont think you will walk on street with sword:)
I'd sy you should ask if you can go to the training of each style and observe how the style looks like, what kind of person the teacher is ect.

Kendo does not use a sword. Their weapon is a shinai, a bamboo stick surrounded by strips of bamboo tied to it at the tip and just before the tsuba or finger guard.
It can thrust and strike. It cannot cut.

yeah I know, but still i dont thing he'll be walking everywhere with it

Judo.

Of the ones on your list, it probably has the greatest real-world applicability. Not because it is inherently "better," but because judo training tends to feature more active resistance in training than the other styles you listed. Plus, all else being equal, people who know how to wrestle usually have a pretty big advantage over those who do not.