<p>GPA- 3.23 UW (I know)
SAT- results in about 2 weeks, expecting at least 1800+ (I am shooting for 2000+ this coming fall if I am lower than that).</p>
<p>Classes:
9th grade: 1 honors class
10th grade: 3 honors classes
11th grade: 3 AP classes- AP USH, AP Lang/Comp, AP Environmental Sci (completed French 4 this year too)
12th grade (next year): 3 AP classes- AP US Gov, AP Psychology, AP Literature</p>
<p>Total: 6 AP classes, 4 honors classes</p>
<p>Side note: I know my GPA is horrible, but I just got a 3.55 Semester UW GPA (second semester of Jr Year; the highest semester GPA I have had in HS) So I guess UW will see how I kind of got my act together hahaha.</p>
<p>Extra Curricular:
-4 years in a committee (currently have leadership and was reelected to be leader for another year)
-3 years volunteering for the local Food Bank
-2 years French Club (will be Vice P next year)</p>
<p>~I still need to count, but I'd estimate 160 hours+ of community service</p>
<p>People with that gpa do get in, although the number is very small. If you can write incredible essays AND get that 2000+ SAT I’d say you’d have a good chance. </p>
<p>Were there any personal (family etc…) reasons or something that can explain the low gpa in the first couple of years for you? If there is I might mention that… </p>
<p>ilikeUW. Hi, my stats are kind of similar to yours, except with a couple less advanced classes. But at this very moment my UW gpa is 3.34 and my semester gpa will end about 3.55-3.73 which i have been working my butt off for. Hopefully by gpa will go up to a 3.4 by the time i apply to UW. I’d say your chances are on the maybe pile. You have taken a lot of hard classes and that will contribute through the admissions process. Just make sure you get those SATs 1800+ and even 2000+ if you could, write some great essays over the summer and i think you have a good chance.</p>
<p>I have a question. Are you allowed to explain a year of low grades? last year and the begining of this year i got 3.1,3.2,3.2 from personal family issues, but i have focused back into school…would this sound too whiney? I don’t want to sound like im trying to make them feel bad. How do you explain that you stopped trying from family stress but picked yourself up in the middle of the school year?</p>
<p>ilikeUW you browse here enough to know your chances aren’t too solid. Witih Obama not helping things, and UW needing more and more out-of-state students for money, outlook not so good.</p>
<p>Grigg02 - When I applied as a freshmen there was a spot on the application (I believe the 2nd to last or 3rd to last page) to briefly explain any additional information. This spot is where the explanation of personal issues would go. :)</p>
<p>i don’t work at uw so i obviously have no authority over this issue, but just as opinion</p>
<p>i wouldn’t go into the application process assuming i wouldn’t get in, apply to a bunch of places just in case, and put a lot of work into your essay
try to make yourself stand out, you have a lot of volunteer hours and good extra curricular, which is great, try to stand out, talk about your culture
i think you should still write about some reason why your grades weren’t as great in the begining of your high school career, i would just bs that part lol
say something along the lines of you weren’t as serious about school in the begining, or it was a difficult transition from middle school to high school, and although it took you some time to get your stuff together, you have been improving because you realize the importance of applying yourself in school and getting a good education : )
also highlight that you have improved (or are going to) improve on your SAT score, it shows that you actually care, and won’t settle for less than your best</p>
<p>i also wanted to add that although you shouldn’t sound “whiney” in your essay, write with a positive attitude and talk about how your improving
good luck!</p>
<p>I’ve seen a couple of people get in with a GPA of yours and its good you have a lot of community service hours (I think they look highly on that? just something I noticed with a lot of the acceptances). Just keep working hard and try to get that 2000+ SAT. If possible though, try to bring your GPA up as much as possible. Oh and if you get waitlisted, take the chance because my friend got rejected, was depressed for a month, and got in so all hope isn’t lost. Best wishes.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.
Question though. Is it a little late to raise my GPA any more? I mean, in terms of academics the only thing UW is going to see is my schedule because I will be turning in my app before my first semester of my senior year is over. Right?</p>
<p>my friend with a 3.25 uw gpa, 1850-1900 SAT, instate and asian, was president of key club for 3 years, has a internship with microsoft right now, and many other extra curriculars was rejected this year. so your odds aren’t very good… but try and make your essays stand out as much as possible and you could have a chance with the waitlist maybe?</p>
<p>We’re pretty similar. I’m almost sure I’ll get rejected since I will be considered an out-of-state student, even though I’ve lived most of my life in Washington. </p>
<p>Anyway, all I can sat is good luck. Personally, if I was you, I’d just go to a community college instead for a year or two. Bellevue College is a great one and there are a ton of people there that are in our shoes, or maybe even have higher GPAs, but couldn’t afford UW. There’s nothing wrong with community colleges, especially some of the ones in the Seattle area. They’re quite good!</p>
<p>In response to your question, while its true they don’t look very hard on senior year, they still take your grades into consideration. If you apply early decision, they will not see your grades but if you apply normal decision, you are required to send your 1st semester grades. This doesn’t mean grades don’t matter for early decision though. If you can do well in your senior year, its all the better for you. While colleges love to see straight A students across the board, colleges also look at progression because if you are improving while you are in high school, they will assume you will be improving and may end up a scholar once you go to college. (They also know that seniors inevitably slack off so I would assume it would look even better if you did well in your senior year).</p>
<p>And, agreeing with unconditionalove, also make it a point to write your essays well. Get lots of peer reviews because if there is one thing that is a mystery on college admissions, it would be the impact of our essays. Can’t say for certain that we all just happened to have written really good essays. Best wishes.</p>
<p>**** community college hahah. I am shooting for UW and am aiming to get in. Thanks for the advice everyone. I’ll tell you guys in like half a year if I get in or not hahah.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that admissions will think my app looks good. Either that or I hope I will be one of the “lucky” ones that gets in. A senior at my school got in this year with a 3.0 GPA and like 1-2 AP classes… but he was an athlete.</p>