How competitive is the University of Washington in Seattle?

I'm trying to understand how competitive it is to get into UW Seattle. Does anyone know the school's ranking nationally or within Washington? Is it generally hard to get accepted there?

The University of Washington in Seattle is a highly respected public university with a track of academic excellence and a reasonably competitive admissions process. According to U.S. News & World Reports, they are currently ranked 46th in National Universities (2025 edition) and 1st within Washington state.

In terms of selectivity, acceptance rates can provide a certain perspective. In recent years, UW Seattle’s acceptance rate has ranged around 43%, indicating that nearly half of the applicants get accepted. However, acceptance rates can be a bit misleading because they don't always capture the caliber of the applicant pool.

Admission into UW Seattle involves multiple factors. It's not just about GPA and test scores (although they are important); the university also considers the rigor of your high school coursework, extracurricular activities, personal essays, and, to a lesser extent, demonstrated interest in the school. The school is known to value students who are academically strong and who have shown involvement and leadership in activities beyond the classroom.

From a numbers perspective, the middle 50% range of accepted students’ GPAs has been typically between 3.72-3.95 on an unweighted scale, which indicates that most admitted students are high performers academically.

So, while it is competitive to get accepted to UW, it's certainly not impossible. Consistent effort, solid academic performance, and an application which shows your passion for your intended field of study and extracurricular interests can go a long way towards securing a spot there. Good luck!