Hey guys, I am a high school senior who lives in the state of Washington, and I am planning on going to either UW or WSU (assuming I get accepted into UW this coming march). I have a 3.91 GPA and have taken 7 AP classes. Which ever one I end up going to I plan on majoring in Chemical Engineering.
Basically, I am super torn between which one I want to go to, and would love any insight on the topic. While I am fortunate to have my college fully paid for by my parents, at WSU I would get more financial aid and be able to take some of the burden off of them. I’ve applied and been accepted to WSU’s honors college, and if I end up going their I will enroll in it for sure. The honors college will give me that academic focused college experienced I am looking for, and give me lots of opportunities for research and study abroad paths. I also believe that I would be at the top of the class at WSU and would most likely have an easier academic experience than at UW. However, at UW I know I will be getting a great education and be prepared wonderfully for my future career. I am worried at UW that I may not get accepted into the Chemical Engineering department, and therefore have to change my major. Which blows.
All in all, I really just want to know from anyone who has insight on the two schools what they think about the education you gain at each school, and how happy I’d be at either college. As long as I am happy and enjoy wherever I end up, the rest will fall into place.
Thanks guys!
If you are not directly admitted to the chemical engineering major at Washington, see https://www.engr.washington.edu/current/admissions/admitstats for information on how competitive it will be to enter the major later.
Thanks for the reply! Just took a look at the link and it has some helpful info that I’ll be sure to keep in mind when making my decision. Looks like you need a 3.5 GPA or above if you want any significant chance in getting in.
Yeah, the separate and subsequent engineering school admissions process at UW is a bummer for kids. Sure, a lot of applicants are successful, but even sharp kids get stressed out during the Freshman and Sophomore years worrying about being admitted into UW Engineering.
That said, WSU STEM certainly isn’t weak, just not as robust as UW Engineering. Significant companies do recruit WSU engineering alumni. Your career will be fine at WSU.
^ It’s a bummer for some kids. Is your 3.91 GPA weighted or unweighted?
@LakeWashington , thanks for the reply! That is reassuring knowing wsu engineering will help me succeed.
@UWfromCA , 3.91 unweighted
@RJDailey98 , that’s super. If your test scores are in line with your GPA, you should have a great shot at either freshman direct, early or regular admission to the chemical engineering major at the UW. Good luck!
Thanks! Really appreciate it.
Here is an example of a student who now has to transfer away from UW if s/he wants to continue in his/her desired major, due to not entering as a direct admit and earning only a 3.16 GPA:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/1838242-rejected-from-cheme-at-uw-for-low-gpa-is-my-life-ruined-what-are-my-options-p1.html
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-majors/1859686-applied-physics-major-at-uw-or-engineering-at-university-of-north-dakota-employability.html
If you enter UW without direct admission to your major, be prepared to manage your GPA like a pre-med until you get admitted to your major and/or prepare transfer applications (perhaps to WSU) in case you are not admitted to your major.
^ A cautionary tale: If you are an international student with a 1590 SAT (730 math) and a 600 SAT 2 in Chemistry, obtaining a chemical engineering degree at UW will be difficult.
If you enter UW without direct admission to your engineering major, be prepared to have to succeed in your classes in order to be admitted to your major.
Of course, “succeed in your classes” is the pre-med definition in this case. I.e. B grades, normally considered successful, are failure for this purpose.
“Of course.” “Succeed in your classes” is more like the high school definition in this case.
@ucbalumnus , thanks for the links to the posts, I definitely don’t want to get into a situation like them. I’m leaning more towards WSU I think now.
@UWfromCA , I’m a little confused what definition you are getting at, but I am fully aware that in order to get into the chemE department I will have to work my butt off like never before.
@RJDailey98, I was referring to what would be considered succeeding in high school, for example, a 3.5 to 4.0 unweighted GPA.
With your academic ability, in order to get into that department at UW, you would need to keep doing what you have been doing.
@UWfromCA , ah gotcha, thanks for the clarification
With your current GPA and achievements, you should be fine at UW even if you’re no a direct admit (although your odds are good).
Washington State’s vibe is VERY different from Seattle’s and UW’s. Have you visited and done at overnight at both ?(attend 2 classes: one in engineering, one a freshman seminar or a small humanities class; eat the food, talk with people, read the campus paper…)
One of my major concerns is that WSU doesn’t have a lot to offer besides the school. I’m worried I will get bored because really the only thing in Pullman is the college. Obviously I am going to college to learn, so it shouldn’t be that big of an issue, but does anyone have any insight on getting “bored” at college?
One thing for student facing a high college GPA requirement (to enter the desired major, to renew a necessary-for-affordability scholarship, to have a chance at medical or law school) to consider is whether such a high college GPA requirement will inhibit taking risks with grades in order to explore additional interests. For example, would you consider doing the following:
- Take the most advanced placement possible with AP credit after reviewing the old final exams of courses that can be skipped.
- Choose honors courses or other more in depth versions of courses, even though they may be more difficult to get A grades in.
- Choose interesting breadth and free electives that may be more difficult to get A grades in.
- Take higher course loads in order to fit in more courses of interest into the schedule.
Or would you make the stereotypical grade-grubbing choices:
- Repeat AP credit to try to get easy A grades.
- Choose the least rigorous options to try to get easy A grades.
- Choose breadth and free electives based on the ease of getting A grades.
- Take normal or light course loads to make it easier to get A grades.
@ucbalumnus , thanks for the lists of pros and cons! Really makes things clear. And yeah, that is one thing I have thought about a lot lately. I know at WSU I would take the honors path and get myself involved in as much as possible, like independent research. However, at UW I probably would not take any honors classes. As far as AP science credits go, I have earned a 3 on the AP Chem test and hopefully at the end of this year I will earn at least a 4 on my computer science and calculus AB test. I am having a difficult time deciding whether to use my AP credit in chem, as it is a subject I could use a refresher on, considering my major will most likely be ChemE. I am very confident in my computer science and calculus class, so I do not plan on retaking those in college for an easy grade. Any insight on the issue?