<p>My high school (I'm in Seattle, by the way, at a private school) has this online college planning tool, and one of the things it can do is show where people from my school have applied, been accepted and enrolled. They have data on this from 2005-2011.</p>
<p>Back in 2005, 62 people applied to UW and 52 got in. An 84% acceptance rate! The numbers hover around that range for a few years, with the peak being a 90% acceptance rate in 2006...</p>
<p>...In 2009? It absolutely plummets. 39 of 77 people accepted. People fared a bit better in 2011, but not by much. And it used to be that if you got into my school you were, if nothing else, a safe bet for UW admission. And I'm pretty sure that the classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011 weren't just all a bunch of morons :P</p>
<p>I mean, I've heard that it's been hard for in-staters to get in since the U has been hurting for money, but seeing those numbers made it more real, I guess. This darn economy...anyway, just thought someone might find this interesting like I did (:</p>
<p>Are you using Naviance? If so, it should show the GPA/test scores plotted on a graph.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s getting harder to get into UW. I wouldn’t even consider a 3.8 unweighted GPA and a 2000 SAT score as a guarantee to get into the university. They look holistically - GPA, test scores, rigor of courses, extra curricular activities (leadership? sticking to a specific activity instead of doing each one for a year?), and most importantly, the essay.</p>
<p>My school had Naviance and while I noticed that people were being denied with almost perfect GPAs, I also knew them personally and could attest that they had barely any extra curriculars and sloppy essays (unless they fixed it up between the English class we looked over them and the due date… 2-3 days?). Others who were kind of “on the fence” were waitlisted or probably would have barely made it onto the waitlist but were ultimately rejected.</p>
<p>Since you’re from the area, I’m sure you know of the very expensive, highly regarded private school with a mascot that is related to Simba. A friend of mine graduated with a 3.5/2000 about three years ago, and while it is HIGHLY rigorous with intense courses, could not even get on the wait list at UW. He was well rounded and spent a ton of time on his essays (I didn’t read the final versions though, it may be a factor to why he was rejected). The rigor and reputation of his school couldn’t save his GPA, unfortunately. :</p>
<p>Yep, we have Naviance! I just looked at the graph; it seems like you’re only safe if you’ve got at least a 2100 SAT. The average GPA of admitted students is 3.98.</p>
<p>speedsolver, I know exactly what school you’re talking about wow, not even on the wait list?! That’s crazy…</p>
<p>Yeah, not even the wait list :\ His GPA was the main factor (according to admissions to his college counselors) and he didn’t have any “good” reason to appeal… since it wasn’t like he had a year long sickness or had a close family member pass away or something. He just couldn’t keep up and get a higher GPA at that school.</p>
<p>I like Fresh Expresso. I went to a couple of their concerts…</p>
<p>My sister got into UW but went to WWU because all of her friends were going there and she didn’t want to go to the University 13 (or so) blocks from Mom and Dad’s house. I think she regrets it now.</p>
<p>I wonder, do you know how many of those 2100 SATs and 3.98 GPAs got accepted to UW but decided to instead go to Johns Hopkins, for example?</p>
<p>We have to take into account the possibility that they were “forced” to apply by their parents … and their heart was set at another school, like Johns Hopkins. The attitude probably would show up on their essays … for example, I know I worked my butt off my essay for UW but kind of just half heartedly wrote one for a California school that I didn’t really want to go to.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that 3.98 is unweighted, but the graph isn’t very clear on that. It doesn’t say specifics on where specific people decided to go instead, and where they went. But out of the 48 people who were admitted last year, only 21 ended up enrolling, which is more less the same ratio as previous years. It seems that the yield for UW at my school is rather low, maybe that’s also a factor as to why admission has been dropping?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t take into account “yield” from your school. (That happened in some private high school admissions decisions though … long story…) That would be completely unfair to students who really want to go to UW but happen to go to a school that had students who got into UW but went to a different school for a reason or another.</p>
wow, not even on the wait list?! That’s crazy…</p>