It’s March, and the U of Washington-Seattle will start sending out its acceptance letters. If you forgo the University of Washington and choose another 4-year university, please know that it is VERY, VERY difficult to transfer into the University of Washington from another 4-year institution. My daughter was accepted, went to another university, and tried to get back into UW. When she applied again to the University of Washington – this time as a transfer student from another college – she had high grades, deans-list standing, and was a member of the university’s Honors College. We thought it would be ok – after all, she had already been accepted once as a high school senior. But because she was now a transfer student, her high school acceptance didn’t count. She was rejected. University of Washington prioritizes community and technical college students who have a 2-year transfer AA degree. (If you have less than a two-year degree from a community or technical college, your changes are also very slim.) My daughter spent her first year of college at the first university, transferred to a community college, got her AA degree, and was only then able to get into UW-Seattle (UW-Tacoma and UW-Bothell are not as tough on transfer students…your chances are high to transfer to those two branch campuses). Don’t assume that if you don’t like the school you chose that you can transfer to UW-Seattle. We learned this the hard way, so I want to spare others.
Good advice. Thank you!
Thanks for the information. I’m a little scared that I won’t get in too.
I am a transfer student and I hold an AAS-DTA from Everett community college.
I got accepted to UW seattle for Autumn 2014 but was unable to attend due to health reasons. So I rejected their admission.
Now, 2 years later, I have applied again as a transfer student for Autumn 2016.
I am very scared that I am not gonna get in this time because I rejected their offer of admission once before.
I have 95 credits and was an Honors student at Everett CC.
Do you think UW will hold my rejection against me?
Thanks
@nadayou , I do not think UW will hold it against you. For example, on the admissions website, it states: “If you choose not to attend the Seattle campus of the UW, we’d like to know. The information you provide will help us do a better job in the future. Rest assured: If you choose to apply to UW at a future time, we will never take into account your comments about declining.”
Good luck!
@UWfromCA Thank you for replying. That makes me feel better. 
@nadayou I’m sorry my post worried you. The problem my daughter faced was that she was trying to transfer to UW from the University of Arizona. She applied to UW as an in-state resident her senior year of high school, but she chose UA instead. As someone who has earned a transfer degree from a WA community college, you will be prioritized over transfer applicants from other 4-year universities. To the UW, the goal is to give priority to students who MUST transfer to get access to a 4-year degree. That’s why community and technical college transfer students are prioritized over transfer students from other 4-year universities, who already have the ability to get a bachelor’s degree right where they are.
Daughter was just accepted to the UW as a summer 2016 transfer from an out of state four year school. She just completed her freshman year and will begin her sophomore classes in a few weeks. She’s 4.0 student, with quite a bit of community service & leadership in college.
@nadayou have you received your acceptance letter yet?
I applied as transfer student for Autumn 2016 too. I’m still waiting 
I originally planned to go to UW in hopes of getting into their Aeronautics department. From March to June I jumped through all their hoops and did everything they asked, even quit my great job and moved to Seattle to go take a class as a prerequisite for summer quarter; which they made me pay out of pocket for. Eventually I thought, “Is this school really worth it?” They seemed to want so much from me without giving anything in return… So I moved back, got my job back, and told UW I accepted a better offer for full scholarships to both WWU and WSU; for which WWU was my choice.
I was actually pretty stoked about not having to worry about the whole UW decision anymore, as I already completed orientation at WWU and got ready for Fall quarter. Then two days later I checked the mail and notice I received the infamous golden admittance letter from UW… I immediately called the school the same day and told them my situation - I was already taking another offer, already signed up for classes, etc.
What happened next was very surprising… The person I talked to on the phone seemed very focused on making a deal with me. He simply said, “Check our counter offer, if you have any more questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us back.” He had hung up after that. I checked the My UW portal the next day and saw there was a new message in the scholarship and grants section of the finances tab, so I clicked on it. BOOM, there it was; an offer that blew all other schools out of the water… So it looks like I’ll be literally getting paid to go to UW for a good while…
The point I’m trying to make here is that when it comes to UW, you literally will not have a clue about whether you will be accepted or not until it happens. Even with top tier grades and extracurriculars up the rear, it still has the potential of not being enough. But I will say this, UW is a very competitive university, and for good reasons. In a way, they treat their school as a business, and in business tactics, you gotta learn to play hardball sometimes. I can almost guarantee that if you’re a scholarly student who’s been accetped to all these other schools that want you badly, then UW will fight for you eventually too, they just tend to drag their heels. In my own experience, I picture myself an asset being put up to bid on from other schools. Some of them may jump in the beginning to up the ante and compete with each other; but UW is the wealthy tycoon individual way in the back laughing at their petty attempts and just waiting for the moment to make an outrageous bid that shuts everyone out for good. Keep that in mind, and don’t be afraid to play a little hardball with em, it worked for me.
I am a uwbothell freshman and i really want to go to uw seattle. I was thinking finish my first year here, then go to a cc for a quarter and then transfer to uw seattle. Is that not possible?