How to get into University of Washington
What 483 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 748 University of Washington results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
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University of Washington admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.97
Middle half 3.87 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,530
Middle half 1,480 to 1,550
Median ACT
35
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.45
Middle half 4.27 to 4.62
Results posted: 483 admitted, 185 rejected, 80 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the University of Washington acceptance rate; the official rate is in University of Washington’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.97 | 3.90 |
| SAT | 1,530 | 1,520 |
| ACT | 35 | 35 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What University of Washington admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service67%
- Athletics50%
- Tutoring/Teaching47%
- Research37%
- STEM club/competition37%
- Internship34%
- Work/Job34%
- Music33%
Held a leadership role
86%
Founded something
42%
National or intl. award
66%
Did research
37%
Early vs. regular decision at University of Washington
- Early (36 results)83%
- Regular (274 results)70%
Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.
Intended majors of University of Washington admits
- Computer Science20%
- Engineering13%
- Biology8%
- Business6%
- Economics6%
- Political Science5%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 9% first-generation, 6% low income, 10% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 12% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 9% chose University of Washington.
Three recent University of Washington admits
2026 cycle · EA · Economics
Forensics and mock-congress competitor with a state title, plus tutoring and economics-focused coursework.
GPA 3.96 UW · ACT 35 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Physics
Physics-focused student with T5 quantum computing research, an international competition semifinal, and extensive tutoring.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1570 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Refinery-town environmental activist and electrochemistry researcher with city commission work and science fair awards.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
Where else University of Washington admits got in
University of Washington admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into University of Washington?
- Among 483 applicants who posted a University of Washington admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.97 and the middle half reported 3.87 to 4.00 (405 reported a GPA). University of Washington sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for University of Washington?
- Among 483 applicants who posted a University of Washington admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,530 and the middle half scored 1,480 to 1,550 (342 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- Does applying early help at University of Washington?
- In these posts, 83% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (30 of 36), against 70% in regular decision (193 of 274). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
- What extracurriculars do University of Washington admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (67%), athletics (50%), tutoring/teaching (47%), research (37%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 66% listed a national or international award.
- What is the University of Washington acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by University of Washington in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to University of Washington?
A Specialist who got into a school like University of Washington can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with University of Washington. All colleges