UW transfer from Oregon CC - chance me and help me?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Washington
1

<p>So I'm in the Portland area attending a CC. I had some trouble disciplining myself to do work in high school and had very poor grades that were significantly under my potential. Let's just say I had a sub-2.0 gpa. </p>

<p>I took a few community college classes during high school - I received B's for three of them, and forgot to drop the fourth, leading to an F. </p>

<p>However, I received all As for my first term of community college (this Fall term) as an actual high school graduate (this year), during which I took English Comp Honors, U.S Govt, World Religions, and Photography. I feel assured that I can maintain this trajectory - I did not put a special effort in, I just actually did my homework this term, something I used to never do. </p>

<p>My college GPA is a 2.81 cumulative because of that F. However, it will be a 3.4-3.6 - if I continue to get all As - by the time I want to transfer. I am disappointed that college classes taken during high school will be on my college transcript, but it is what it is. </p>

<p>SAT Scores:
1st time: 2080
WR: 800
R: 720
M: 560</p>

<p>2nd time: 2080
WR: 690
R: 740
M: 650</p>

<p>ACT: 29</p>

<p>I want to apply to transfer either winter term of sophomore year or as a junior.</p>

<p>My major will be something like International Relations/Studies, Politics, Anthropology, perhaps English or Journalism. </p>

<p>What can I do to boost my admission chances and what are they currently? I know it will be difficult in light of my previous grades, but I feel that they do not reflect on my abilities or current work ethic, so I would appreciate suggestions that would help my chances. </p>

<p>If I continue to get all As, do I stand a chance? Will they take my progress into consideration, or is it a very technical decision based on the GPA without the context? </p>

<p>I have a passion for writing and I think I might be able to deliver well on the essay. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>The best thing you could do to boost your chances of admission would be to move to Washington state and enroll as a resident in a community college here. I know that isn’t an option for everyone, but if it is for you, it will dramatically increase your chances. That’s what I did. I graduated from an Oregon high school in '06 with a 1.85 GPA (failed all my senior classes except English my senior year due to some personal issues). For high school, if you’ve failed classes, you’ll want to look at their minimum class requirements for high school or community college (English, math and foreign language).</p>

<p>As for the major you pick–If you’re not sure, just pick one and get on track for it. “Preparation for intended major” is the most important factor admissions says they look at. Do the pre-req’s, finish your foreign language requirement. That’s another thing they’ve said they’ve shifted gears on- with budget cuts they don’t want upper classmen in language courses so transfers are getting shafted for not finishing 3 years of a foreign language.</p>

<p>To improve your best chances, don’t apply without all those requirements and 90 transferable credits. Personally, what I did was talk about how not only UW but the state of Washington was the place for me and how I intend to stay in Seattle post graduation. Who knows if that helped, but UW is a state university, and acts in the interest of the state which funds it, so who knows.</p>

<p>Also, get in touch with academic advisers at UW, not your community college. Take the classes UW wants, not work toward your AA. The counselors at my community college wanted me to take all these classes and so I did, but they didn’t transfer and I wish I had taken classes that would have instead.</p>

<p>Last, about that F… talk to the professor who gave it to you and just beg to work something out. Maybe he could change it to an I instead and you could do work or something, or talk to somebody else at your community college and explain that it just reflects that you didn’t drop it. Your other grades will attest to what kind of a student you are and it’s worth a shot.</p>