UW freshmen may have record GPAs, SAT scores

Parents of teens bound for the University of Washington are sounding a common refrain: They're sure glad they're not the ones applying.

That's because getting into the UW just keeps getting harder. Next fall's batch of freshmen is on target to come in with a record average SAT score of more than 1,200. Their grade-point average could also reach a record 3.7.

And only 63 percent of applicants are being offered slots, an all-time low.

"I'm sure glad I've already got my college degree, because it's tough on these kids," said Wendy Krakauer, head counselor at Seattle's Roosevelt High School. "There are so many incredibly well-qualified students who are not getting into colleges, who, with their profile, in previous years would have been a slam dunk."

The situation is far different at the UW's two branch campuses, which have yet to fill their freshman quotas and are keeping the application process open for now. At the UW Tacoma, the freshmen accepted so far have an average SAT score of 1,008. Staffers at the UW Bothell say it's too early to crunch the numbers.

Philip Ballinger, the UW's director of admissions, said that while it's true that UW Seattle is getting more competitive, it's also true that students have more college options than their parents did — not least of which are the branch campuses.

He added that the UW's new "holistic" admissions system, introduced last year, opens the door to a wider variety of students. Under the holistic system, the UW no longer admits students based on grades alone but rather reads each student's transcript and considers a variety of factors.

But the new system hasn't been able to halt average grade levels from creeping up. Ten years ago, the average SAT score was below 1,150 and the average GPA was 3.6. The record was set in 2005 when the average SAT score hit 1,198 and the average GPA 3.69.

As of May 13 at UW Seattle, 5,260 students had reserved spots with deposits. They had an average SAT score of 1,208 and average GPA of 3.7.

A small percentage of students are expected to drop from the rolls before fall while others are accepted from the wait list. That may cause a fractional decrease in the overall averages.

Ballinger said the aim this year is to have an incoming class of 5,300 students. About 130 students on the wait list have been sent letters offering them slots.

At UW Tacoma, the aim is to have a freshman class of about 150. Applications are down slightly from last year, said Jim Coolsen, acting head of enrollment.

"That's disappointing. We hoped it would be higher. We are doing what we can to stimulate that," Coolsen said. "The fact that we're open to a lot of different students in the South Sound is a good thing."

At UW Bothell, Lindsey Wille, the freshmen-admissions adviser, said applications are up by more than one-third, at more than 500. The aim is to have a freshman class of about 175.

Krakauer, the Roosevelt High counselor, said one positive development is that seniors planning to attend the UW have stopped slacking in their final semester after the college began revoking admission last year for those suffering "senioritis."

"I think they got scared," she said. "But we are definitely still seeing it from students going to other colleges. It's still a problem."

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639