So I just read through last year’s thread. I’m realizing that we need to find out how hard it would be for our daughter to get a degree in the Sciences at UW. It seems pretty much every STEM major is constricted. I knew about CS and Business etc but hadn’t really realized how tough it might be for her to actually study what she wants to even if she gets admitted as a freshman!
The culture at UW was pretty cutthroat in the STEM fields 30 years ago when I went there - I can’t imagine how crazy it must be now . . .
There is a part of of me that won’t mind if D23 doesn’t get in because then we won’t be tempted by the incredibly low instate price tag and she can more clearly select the school that’s the right fit for her. I’ve got to remind hubby that it HAS to be her decision in the end!
Totally agree. My D22 is open to her major. Whether it be Psychology, Sociology, ect… Came into UDub with a ton of credits (Sophmore standing). Will double major more than likely. However, if you need a specific major and are counting on it…that could be tough. Direct major admits are slim as you know.
The competition can be a pain no doubt, but I do think it adds some value to the degrees if they can survive it. We just gave our kids a chunk of cash to spend on college as they see fit and somehow they magically saw the value in an in-state school (UW in this case)!
College Experience and Cost is not much of a concern, but if there is difference in quality of education, job and internship opportunities then yes it is worth considering.
My daughter is wanting Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Neuroscience or something similar. In truth she’s not sure yet. But all of the above and related majors seem to fall under the umbrella of constricted majors. I still need to dig deeper to figure out exactly HOW constricted each is.
Son has heard from one friend that she received a waitlist offer from UW today. Wow - sounds like decisions are starting to roll out - altho we haven’t gotten anything yet.
Seattle campus will initially give you a leg up on internships, grad school, and 1st time jobs. So if you can get in and obtain that degree, it’s very valuable. Of course going to another college like UDub Bothell, ASU, Oregon St, ect…is more than enough to be successful. Most of the time it just comes down to the kid and their drive/social skills/attitude, ect…
My D22 applied Psyc and Soc to CA colleges
Last year and going forward there is a big emphasis on 1st generation students, low income, and certain ethnic groups. For the UC’s, around 47% accepted were 1st gen students. Around 43% were low income. My D22 didn’t fit into any of those categories. Is what it is
Kind of interesting in that it is almost the reverse in our case. My D really wants to go to UW but my Wife and I aren’t sure it is her best option given difficulty in getting classes, class sizes and overall bureaucracy.
Here’s exact quote from Understanding Your Assigned Major sheet re: CS/CSE that S21 received: “There are a limited number of spaces for students not admitted directly to CS or CSE as freshman. Therefore, we encourage you to pursue another major at UW, as it is unlikely that you will be admitted to CS or CSE at a later time.”
