<p>I've done some forum searching and have found many helpful strings. I'm submitting this string in hopes of getting your thoughts for my specific situation.</p>
<p>
**Background
**
I am a Washington State resident
I'm diabetic (diagnosed freshman year of HS)
I did ~2.5 GPA work for the first three years of HS (due to diabetes related issues)
I never took the SAT/ACT as I planned to apply to the UW with more than 40 transferable credits (I plan on having 90)
For senior year, I was a running start student at GRCC. I focused on classes that would allow me to graduate HS and would transfer to the UW Biochemistry department (e.g., Calc., physics, Gen Chem series, English, tech writing, etc.)
During my first year at GRCC, I racked up 46 credits and earned a GPA of 3.73
After completing Running Start, my overall HS GPA rose to 3.0.
I'm currently in my second year at GRCC and will have completed by Spring qtr. just over 90 credits. I will have completed Calculus I - IV, The General Chemistry series, the Physics series, two English comp. classes, and other required electives.
My GPA last qtr (Fall 2010) was 3.53. My current overall GPA is 3.70 which I plan to maintain through winter and spring quarters.
On several occasions, I have been invited to join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I plan to join next week.
I focused on taking classes which apply directly to my intended Biochemisty major, rather than obtaining an AA degree from GRCC.
I've applied (online) to the UW on 12/23/11 (first day) and have sent my official transcripts (plus unofficial for Fall 2010 qtr), and two letters of recommendations from my GRCC professors (Calculus and Chemistry). In both of these series, my GPA was 3.90.
My personal statement was just under 1000 words and addressed all of the questions/subjects recommended by the UW. I did cover the diabetes hardship and how that affected my early HS year academic performance.
**The Questions
**</p>
<ol>
<li> Given this unique situation, how likely (or not) is it that I will get accepted?</li>
<li> If accepted, I was thinking about renting an apartment in the Pinehurst area. It would be a 15 commute to the UW. What do you know about this area of town?</li>
<li> I plan to complete the department of Biochemistry requirements (e.g., Biology 180 and 200) before applying to the department. If I maintain my GPA, how likely is it that I would be accepted into that competitive major? Is there any harm in applying before I met all of the requirements?</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks for any insight you can share on these questions, or anything else.</p>
<ol>
<li>UW doesn’t accept letters of recommendation, so the ones you sent were pointless.</li>
<li>Your GPA is average, maybe even below average when you consider that you earned most of your credits at a CC. The diabetes thing works in your favor here though.</li>
<li>UW wants people to take most of their credits that are in their major at the UW. In other words, UW would prefer that you took all your biochem related classes at UW, not a CC. But seeing as how you only took gen chem/calc you might be fine on this.</li>
<li>Not sure about the lack of SAT/ACT thing, but I think UW requires it if you’re applying as a high school senior (even as a transfer). In which case, you might be screwed.</li>
</ol>
<p>The final verdict is that you’re either going to be screwed because of #4, or you’re going to have a fairly decent chance to get in. I think the upward trend in GPA will help you. And don’t worry about getting into majors yet, worry about getting accepted to the school first.</p>
<p>Azwolg -Thanks for providing detailed input. Re the SAT, that concerns me as well and I would like more input on that from the group. I graduated HS last year (6/10) and had something like 45 GRCC credits racked up - all transferable to UW. I’m currently a full time student at GRCC. At the time off application I had 62 credits complete and an overall GRCC GPA of 3.73. By June (prior to fall enrollment at the UW), I would have over 90 transferable credits. I believe UW requires 45 or more in order to waive the SAT/ACT requirement. I figured that I met that requirement based on the above. </p>
<p>It looks like you are applying as a transfer student, NOT as a HS Senior since you graduated last year and have accumulated so many college credits since then so the SAT/ACT should be irrelevant. The only other thing that might give you a better chance is to earn an AA or in your case AS transfer degree that meets the requirements of the DTA. But in your case I would trust what your advisor is telling you. I think your personal circumstances and upward trend are definitely in your favor. Good luck!</p>