UC Davis or UW Seattle for CS?

UWfromCA
Sat, 01 Apr 2017 16:37:48 +0000

A recent article in the Seattle Times provided an update to those numbers at UW:

"Although computer science and engineering is a tough program to get into, the picture is getting better. In 2016, 43 percent of bachelor’s applicants were admitted to the program. In previous years, the admission rate was lower.

“[The CSE Department] is now enrolling about 370 new undergraduate students each year, double the number it was able to accommodate in 2012… This year, it is asking for $6 million from the Legislature to increase the number of students it graduates by 120 degrees per year. Most of that increase would be in bachelors degrees, Lazowska said.”

The small number of students offered freshman direct admission to CS (almost all of whom are WA residents) have an average unweighted GPA of 3.97, ACT 34, and SAT 1522. Overall, however, UW engineering and CS appear to enroll a broad range of students (middle 50% range SAT 1170-1420; ACT 27-33)

Knowing that you will need to be in the top 40 to 50% of the class when you apply for regular admission to the CS major (assuming the projected growth described in the Seattle Times article happens), try to determine where you stand academically in relation to the entering class. You will want to be around the upper range of these scores and have a 3.85+ unweighted GPA. If you have any doubts about your prospects for admission, I recommend enrolling at Davis.

Congratulations on your admissions, and good luck!