Hi everyone!
I am a senior from the Midwest that is very interested in University of Washington Seattle. However, I am worried about my chances of getting in as my academic rigor is high, but my GPA itself is a bit lower.
GPA unweighted= approximately 3.5
GPA weighted= approximately 3.85
ACT: 26
•Is an active member of NHS
•Will graduate with an honors diploma
Extracurricular Activities:
•Member of a dance company for 11 years
•Been a dancer (ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical, contemporary, etc.) for 16 years at a studio
•Belonged to studio competition team for 6 years
•School fall dance team for 3 years
•Volunteered at church over 200 hours
•Held a job at a dress store for a year until it closed
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Marzia
Hey!
I live/was raised in Seattle, so the UW is a huge presence around here. I applied this last season and was accepted (not attending, though). It is slightly easier for an in-state student to get in (although it’s getting harder, due to funding issues that you can read about online somewhere… more out-of-state students are being favored now, which is good for you.) I think your extracurriculars are pretty good for the UW. I don’t remember perfectly, but I don’t think the UW application had as many spaces for ECs as the CommonApp (the UW uses it’s own application).
I think you should focus on your ACT and GPA. If your rank is high and you challenged yourself, that will work in your favor, of course. It’s great that you’re in NHS and will have an honors diploma. I assume that means you compare pretty well to your classmates, even though your GPA isn’t the most impressive at first glance. GPA is hard to change, but I would try your hardest. But I very strongly recommend focusing a bunch on the ACT. The UW puts a pretty big emphasis on that. (Of course they try to be well-rounded, but they have to shave off applicants somehow.) If you can get it higher, your chances will increase exponentially.
I agree that your GPA could be better, but I would put equal (maybe more) focus on your ACT, especially since it can be changed considerably if you approach it correctly. Just remember that practicing taking the test is key. You’ve probably learned everything on the test at one point or another, so it’s mainly just knowing how to answer questions accurately and efficiently. Know how the questions are phrased and what they are looking for. Taking it over and over will help you recognize the patterns on a subconscious level. I recommend getting the official ACT prep book if you haven’t already and taking all the tests. Make sure you go over mistakes with a fine-tooth comb and recognize patterns in the test and in your own mistakes. I don’t know your financial situation, but some people say ACT prep courses are helpful (although I have slight misgivings toward them).
I hope this helped. I definitely don’t think you are out of the running, but I would focus on your ACT and GPA.
I wish you good luck, the UW is really good and Seattle is amazing. (I am a full-on Seattleite, but I was born in the midwest… around Chicago.) If you have questions, feel free to ask. I will almost definitely answer.
And also, don’t worry too much! Everything is going to be ok.