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I know it is much harder to get in from out of state, but can somebody give me an idea of just HOW much harder?

I live in Florida, and I think I can use that to my advantage (minorly) since I'm assuming few Floridians attend UW.

What kind of SAT and GPA do you think I'd need to get in?

My school counts AP as 2 extra points (6 = A) and honors as 1 extra point (5=A).

By Musefinity (Musefinity) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 02:43 am: Edit

The entire state of Washington has no weighted GPA so they will be hella impressed at something like a 4.25 or above (average in-state is 3.7). Less than half are in the top 10% in-state, so I'm assuming just meet that and you're looking good. Plus top range SAT is about 1290. I'm sure you know only 15% are in-state, but this is probably because not that many qualified people apply from out-of-state and most that do are Oregon/California kids.

Hahaha....why would you want to come here all the way from Florida?

By the way, does it really help for out-of-state applications if you come from a state that's not represented well?? I'm applying to eastern schools from Washington so will this help a little?

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 04:38 am: Edit

Oh lol, I was aiming for something like a 4.6...so I guess I'll be fine. The S.A.T. score doesn't give me much to worry about, either . How much do they care about EC's?

It most always helps in the admission process if you come from an under-respresented state; so to answer your question, yes, it will help a little.

And as for why I want to go to U of W:
A) The weather
B) The school is always talked to highly of, yet isn't too hard to get into
C) They have an excellent biology program
D) It's not too expensive
E) May also subconciously I want to go so because it's one of the farthest colleges in the US from Florida...I'm not entirely sure

Of course nothing is set in stone yet, but this is one of the schools I'd definately consider attending.

By Miakulpa (Miakulpa) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 10:08 am: Edit

I think UW can be a great school if you don't need any hand-holding. It's best if you hit the ground running. Know what you want and how you're going to get there. I don't mean that you should be intellectually inflexible, but UW is such a big school and the resources are stretched pretty thin so you need to take your academic future firmly in your own hands. If you can get credit for your AP high school courses (and you should be able to), you can move ahead through the university system more efficiently. (I've heard that one of the problems with UW is getting the courses you want/need when you want them.)

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 10:33 am: Edit

I used to work as a college advisor at a Seattle community college and we often had students who were attending the UW but couldn't get into a class they needed like English 101 so wanted to take it at the community college rather than wait for the next quarter and screw up their schedule.
The UW is a great school- I hope my D is admitted for grad school, instate tuition would be a nice change ;-)

This article gives pointers on application to UW
http://success.shoreline.edu/ebbtide/archive/v39/01/dta.html
In 1995 out of state students made up 10% of enrolled freshman class. Since budget from state legislature has not kept up with the numbers of instate students who formerly would have qualified for admission, expect future out of state enrollments to drop further.

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 03:20 pm: Edit

If my stats get me into University of Washington in 2006, does it means they're really good and I should just go to another better out-of-Florida school that allows more out-of-state students admission?

Will my stats have to be INCREDIBLE to get into U of W in 2006, or just good?

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 03:42 pm: Edit

At least good.
In state students need an 3.7 GPA and 1200 SATs to be automatically accepted into the UW.
I would assume that it will be more difficult for out of state students who are not athletically inclined( for jocks ,scores can be shockingly low)

If you like the weather I would also apply to U of O. Not so big, very good biology program, same weather, not quite as competitive.

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 04:02 pm: Edit

I know it's hard to predict, but do you think a 3.5 uw 4.5 w GPA, 1300 SAT, and decent EC's would be enough to get me in?

These aren't my stats, but I'd just like to know what would be needed.

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 09:28 pm: Edit

bump :d

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Monday, December 08, 2003 - 10:29 pm: Edit

Well how good is your essay?
I read on another board that you won't be getting finaid ( if your parents have that much money , your EFC will probably be above what the costs at the UW will be or pretty close), so that may increase your chances, as a full boat out of state payer could look more attractive than someone instate that needs aid. But this is just my guess.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 08:25 pm: Edit

Look at Wisconsin. Better in biology and loves out of staters.

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 08:55 pm: Edit

Wisconsin at Madison I'm assuming?

By Useatoothbrush (Useatoothbrush) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 05:30 pm: Edit

in reply to Museinfinity:

"The entire state of Washington has no weighted GPA so they will be hella impressed at something like a 4.25 or above (average in-state is 3.7)."

Um, no. The UW won't even look at a weighted GPA, they just want your unweighted grades. Everything is capped at 4.0. Instate, they account for grading differences amongst high schools with some sort of inflation factor based on the average U-Dub GPA vs. the old high school GPA (the closer these are on average for a school, the better), which they then plug into their formulas and get out their admissions index number. Or something vaguely like that. I'm assuming that your freaky Florida weighted average is high because of the honors/AP classes you took, which they definitely will consider, but not in the context of GPA.

You are probably in. It just won't be cheap.

By Tonyv (Tonyv) on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Washington is relatively easy to get into, even out-of-state. In their brochures, they said something like approximately 50% of students with GPA's of 3.3-3.5 and SAT scores of 1020-1120 get in and something like 95% of students with 3.5-4.0 and 1130+ get in.

By Evan195 (Evan195) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:19 am: Edit

I applied to University of Washington under sociology. I have a 3.33 unweighted and 3.38 weighted and am ranked 33$. I only took two AP classes in high school. I got a 1290 SAT and wrote a solid essay and have good ECs. Does anyone think I have a chance or am I doomed for rejection?

-Evan

By Evan195 (Evan195) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 03:19 am: Edit

Also I forgot I am out of state...

-Evan

By Kellygirl (Kellygirl) on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 05:21 am: Edit

Evan195:
Just my opinion, but I think you have a pretty good shot at getting into UW. I got my acceptance letter on the 5th and my stats aren't much better than yours:

Out-of-state
Competitive college prep school in Hawaii
3.72 Unweighted [ranked 67/238]
1360 SAT I
740, 680, 640 SAT II [Chemistry, Math IIC, Writing]
Decent Essay
Decent ECs

But good luck to all UW applicants!

By 0486 (0486) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 12:31 am: Edit

i know that there is a 'what are my chances' topic..but i thought i'd just post my quesion here, since it's about UW anyway...

i just wanted to know what my chances are in getting into UW.. esp. because my SAT score is RIDICULOUSLY LOW.

gpa: 3.83 unweighted
sat: 980 (not a good test taker...=/...)
ranked: 20/230
EC: tennis, key club (vice president during junior year), NHS
AWARDS and ACHIEVEMENTS: a lot of 'em.. don't wanna list
two IB classes during junior year, and five IB classes senior year (IB is basically like AP)
i guess a decent personal statement

oh and btw, i'm a washington state resident..

thx

By Slaquer (Slaquer) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 08:06 pm: Edit

I APPLIED:

white male
3.3 unweighted
4.4 weighted
Ranked top 20% at extremely competitive public school
SAT I: V680 M620(1300 total)
SAT II: Bio 760, Writing 660, US History 600
really good essays
2 gr8 letters of recommendation

APs taken: five, and im currently in four
Scores SO FAR:
Bio - 5; Eng (Lang) - 3; Psychology - 4; Human Geo - 3; US Hist - 3

Junior Year Schedule
AP Bio
AP Eng Lang
AP US Hist
AP Psychology
Honors Marine Sci
Honors Spanish III
Regular Algebra II

Senior Year Schedule
AP Enviro
AP Eng Lit
AP Euro
AP World Hist
Honors Economics
Regular Trig
Film Studies (for my fine art)

EC’s
-400 hours work experience at insurance agency
330 total community service hours
-300 at a biolab
-30 hours from key club stuff
Treasurer for ecology club (11th-12th)
Memember of biology club (10th-12th), science honors society(11th-12th), key club(10th-12th)

I want to major in bio and ALSO possibly psych, neurobiology, or genetics and i live in FLA

Good chance of me getting in, right?

By Dschnapps (Dschnapps) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 07:31 pm: Edit

probably

By Zephyrmaster (Zephyrmaster) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 07:45 pm: Edit

What's so great about UW? I'm from Washington, and although most people who can get in go there (it being the best public in the state... by far), it doesn't seem spectacular to me.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 08:38 pm: Edit

I don't know if it is the best public in state. It probably is the best for grad school although WSU depending on major( like vet and food science) is good.
I like Evergreen better actually than UW, but it takes a certain type of student to thrive there, but the size is much more reasonable the U is simply too big, plus for many it is a commuter school since housing is really limited and even off campus is tight.

By Averna (Averna) on Friday, December 19, 2003 - 09:49 pm: Edit

What do you all think my chances of getting in are?


Stats:
ethnicity: hispanic female
ACT: 23
SAT: 660 verbal and 460 math...I know it's bad, but I was sick when i took the test
GPA: 4.33 weighted and about 3.7 unweighted
Rank: 5/340
EC:
Chess Club - 1 year
Key Club - 2 years
FBLA -2 years <--webmaster
Drama - 1 year
Sportsmen Club - 1 year
IB Diploma Candidate with lots of community service for CAS
NYLC Convention
FBLA Nationals
Apache of the Year (student of the year..elected by teachers)
Principal's List Honor Roll all 4 years
I also do some French tutoring.
discussing astrology - Astrology Discussion Group
ghost hunting


Courses this year:
IB Math Studies
IB Biology II
IB English IV
IB History of Europe II
IB French III
AP Government

Tests: AP Euro. History - 3, and IB Spanish B - 6

All together I've had at least 20 AP/IB/Honors courses throughout all 4 years of H.S.

Please tell me what you all think. Thanks a million.

By Krparkjk1 (Krparkjk1) on Sunday, December 28, 2003 - 05:22 pm: Edit

I also.. have applied.. to UW and what is my chances.. i am nervous.. because.. i am from...out of state.. even.. i am an international student...my stat.. is
SAT --took three times..(v:360, m:700 junior.
v:420, m:750 oct
v:470, m: 770) dec so tatal.. 1240
SATII-- 2cmath:770 physic:600 writing:430...
i will retake.. in jan... 2cmath.. will be 800 and physics will be about..700 and writing.. will be about500

and my gpa is 3.61.. and i am top10%.. (2out of 20)
no ap but.. took.. hard cources..

and i got 237 on the toefl.. computer base...

varsity soccer team.. 3years.. captain.. in senior year..
some ecs....

some award for .. soccer.. and math..
help me out pliz...

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:18 am: Edit

how does UW compare to UC Davis and UF?

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 10:16 pm: Edit

People interested in UW should read this article
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/155042_edyrahead02.html

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Friday, January 02, 2004 - 11:01 pm: Edit

if i don't get in i won't go, if i do get in i will probably go...

By Ringo27 (Ringo27) on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 08:00 pm: Edit

SEE WHAT RATING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GOT FROM THE UW SEATTLE.

I discovered that the Seattle Times has an education website where college admissions officers rate the area high school's college prep curriculum from 1 to 5. It also has charts of the high school's avg UW freshman grades and AP exams. Check it out. These lists don't do much but see where your high school compares to area schools.

http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwsource.com/rankings.cfm?chart=college&type=public&gradelevel=h&testname=best_overall

Of course, it's basically a list of the rich eastside schools. - mercer, newport, skyline...

By Ringo27 (Ringo27) on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 08:33 pm: Edit

This website's better. It has comments from college admissions directors on virtually every school in the Seattle metro. Same thing above but has comments from admissions folk.

http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwsource.com/story.cfm?slug=collegeprep

Check it out if you want to know what the UW and other area colleges think of your high school.

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 09:11 pm: Edit

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001829923_uwcampaign05m0.html

By Kub86 (Kub86) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 02:07 am: Edit

Ringo, Seattle times also has an article about how the University of Washington "inflates" the GPAs of the students with lower GPAs who are from a "tougher grading high school." So if you have a low gpa but attended an academically tough high school, you'll have an equal chance of being admitted to the student with a higher gpa from an "easy school." This chart shows which schools will give applicants more points when low gpa/ tougher school and high gpa/easy school come to play.

The chart looks daunting and it says that if you're in the top tier schools, you'll only have a "slightly better chance of being admitted."

http://schoolguide.seattletimes.nwsource.com/story.cfm?slug=uwtoughgraders

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 05:56 pm: Edit

My niece applied to UW and although she has little interest in attending she has been told she is admitted for next fall.

A comment about the TImes list.
I have been emailing the education columnist, and she agrees with me that it isn't a good measure of all schools.
For instance some schools like my daughters send too few to the UW for it to be an accurate representation of their graduating class. Students from their schools who choose to stay in town seem to have other concerns than academics, and aren't the sort who would really thrive at a behemoth school like the U.
Other schools with larger graduating classes the measure is more accurate, but as it is all they have to work with, that is what they use as the public loves lists and numbers!

By Constellation35 (Constellation35) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 08:43 pm: Edit

Whoa, UW has a graduate program for astrobiology. I'd so do that, except I doubt I'd be able to get any jobs with it...

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 11:49 pm: Edit

That is what my daughter is interested in. The UW likes to have people who actually have their BAs from somewhere else for grad school.
I would reccomend going to the library and getting Petersons guide to grad schools in biology to see what types of programs are offered.
Astrobiology is such a new field though that you can enter it from lots of directions. Any science degree and probably even philosopy and psych if you have enough lab science as well.
Some undergrad schools have astrobio courses as well.
http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/institute/college_courses/

By Blackfoot (Blackfoot) on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 11:58 pm: Edit

i applied there frm out of state too but i think my chances r low

gpa =3.15uw 4.0w
rank top 33$ good school
sat - 1190 (580v 610m)
i was in a few clubs but had no leadership
i got good recs and essays
took 2 years of french
3 yrs math only
only ap exam i took so far is euro and i got a 3

junior year
ap enviro, ap english, ap history, honors human anatomy, algebra II, drama

senior year
ap biology, english, ap economcs, ap psychology, honors math mentors, business computers

chance 1-10? i think its low.

By Barrons (Barrons) on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 09:28 am: Edit

1-2. Consider U of Oregon or Washington State.

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 12:43 pm: Edit

The UW does not
require that a student graduate from high school or earn their G.E.D.,
however, all applicants must meet the core subject requirements, and those
who are applying as freshman, must submit SAT I or ACT test scores directly
from the testing agency. The core subject requirements are generally
completed in high school. Core subject requirements include:

English 4 years
Mathematics 3 years
Social Studies 3 years
Foreign Language 2 years
Science 2 years
Fine, Visual, or Performing Arts ½ year
Electives in Cores Subjects ½ year

It looks as though you will meet these requirements with the courses you
will be taking through your Junior year. Some other things you may want to
consider based on previous classes... last year the middle 50 % of high
school applicants had GPAs between 3.52 and 3.89, SAT verbal scores between
510-630, SAT math scores between 550-660, and ACT Composite score between
22-28. Students can take either the ACT or the SAT, the University of
Washington does not have a preference. PSAT scores will not be considered
during the admissions process. While grades and test scores are important,
we look at a number of factors including strength of academic coursework
(courses taken beyond core requirements, honors, AP, IB, and college courses
taken while in high school), grade trends, achievements and awards,
educational and economic disadvantage, cultural awareness, and personal
adversity.

Kirsten Avery
Admissions Counselor

I guess I can do early graduation then.

By Teach4life (Teach4life) on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 01:21 am: Edit

I would have to disagree with some of the ideas presented here, as I know this university well and work in this field.

UW can be INCREDIBLE competitive for out-of-state students, given:

= they have been getting a lot more applications over the past two years,

= their student population simply refuses to graduate anywhere near on-time, lowering the size of the frosh class

= their national prominence in the fields of "getting a ton of fed $$ for grant work."

I know of an out-of-state, white male who would have scored over 100 on their admission index who did not get in on the first pass b/c he waited until the end of the admission period, when the # of slots shrank up.

Apply early, have good letters (they always read them) and write a quality personal statement. They love them....

By Jay12602 (Jay12602) on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 08:32 am: Edit

Early as in early decision?

And since you seem to know a lot about this subject, do you mind just giving me a rough estimate of G.P.A./S.A.T. I need to get in?

By Beeswax (Beeswax) on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 09:23 pm: Edit

Hi,
I'm a high school senior from Alabama and I've applied to both Western Washington University and University of Washington for the Fall admission. I've already been accepted to Western, but I'm still waiting for a reply from UW (I applied during November).

1. weighted GPA - 3.7
unweighted - around 3.56
2. Most of my core classes are honor classes, three years of foreign language, and plently of fine arts. I've also taken 8 AP classes: Euro. Hist, U.S. Hist, Bio, Eng Lang, Eng Lit, U.S Gov, Micro Econ, and Comp. Gov.
3. SAT score: 1220
4. I have many extracurricular activites under my belt including, orchestra, quartet, crew, and some volunteer/employment work.
5. I also display some leadership qualties in school clubs such as National Spanish Honor Society, and National Honor Society.
6. I'm pretty sure I wrote two strong essays for the personal statement.

So.....
I'm just wondering...
What do you guys think? I'm really interested in this school! However, after reading many of the posts, I feel like my chances of getting in are slim. On a scale of 1-10, do you think I have chance?

By Beeswax (Beeswax) on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 09:30 pm: Edit

oh yeah,
my rank is 65/412 = around 15%