Washington University Admission
Washington University Undergraduate Program
Washington University Application

The Facts

The University of Washington is located in the beautiful city of Seattle , Washington , far into the nature-obsessed Northwest. The university is known as one of the top medical research communities in the entire country, and has its own renowned hospital. Seattle is also home to the acclaimed Hutchinson Cancer Research center, which does a lot of its work in tandem with the university. The university houses over 23,488 undergraduates and over 10,884 graduate students. Students can choose from 130 majors in many different areas of study, however, some of the most popular include biology, environmental sciences, english and the fine and performing arts. (The university has a very strong drama program.)

Competition is fairly competitive, although not nearly as cutthroat as admission to the popular California state schools. Last year, over 15,900 students applied and 10,884 were admitted, however, only 4,771 students actually enrolled at the school. The class of 2004 had an average SAT score ranging from 1060 to 1290 and an average ACT score ranging from 22 to 28. Over 80% of the students were in the top 25% of their high school graduating class.

Many of the introductory classes are quite large, some can have more than 400 students in them, however, many students say they don’t mind, as the large classes are counterbalanced by small discussion-oriented courses that are just as small as the lectures are large. Often, students have a difficult time figuring out how to get the correct prerequisites in order to take the classes they ultimately want, however, student guidance is getting more comprehensive, and many curriculum counselors are always available for assistance.

The Social Scene

The city of Seattle is known for many things, including its Pike Place Market with “flying fish,” the Space Needle, the beautiful surrounding, Kurt Cobain and the birth of grunge culture, coffee culture (i.e. Starbucks) and the youth-oriented culture. Many students are initially drawn to the university because of the varied and diverse surroundings, and their social life is rich with activities both on campus and on.

On campus housing is sparse and not of particularly high caliber, so many students opt to rent apartments and houses off campus. The housing market can be quite expensive, however, there are deals to be found. Seattle also has a great bus system that runs throughout the city and suburbs, but many students opt for either a car or bicycle.

On weekends, students choose to hang out in coffee shops and cafes, snowboard in the nearby mountains, swim in Lake Washington, boat...you name it. The student population is also known for its remarkable diversity; students say that it is difficult to feel excluded, as diversity is an accepted part of both the school and city’s life.

The guys are usually pretty laid back when they aren’t wired on caffeine, and you are bound to find a lot of chill dreaded gals hanging around 24-7.

What's Good

“The city of Seattle is our playground; there is never a lack of activity going on in and around the city, and the residents are really accepting and appreciative of students.”

“The mountains are less than an hour away by car, so you can go snowboarding in the Cascades and be back in time for dinner.”

“There are people of every color, creed and sexual orientation here. It’s like one big melting pot where everyone loves everyone.”

What's Bad

“The Greeks can tend to dominate the party scene, and even with the university’s strict dry policy, there is plenty of kegging.”

“The classes are enormous, and its impossible to get into any good ones unless you’re a senior.”

“On campus housing is disgusting. The rooms are literally smaller than prison cells.”

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