How to Write the University of Washington Application Essays 2018-2019

Located in Seattle, the University of Washington is a large research university that offers 180 majors and operates on the quarter system, giving students an opportunity to experience a large variety of fast-paced courses. UW is ranked as the #20 public school in the United States, according to US News & World Report 2019 Top Public Colleges and Universities.

With 30,933 undergraduates, UW creates a diverse community with representation from 46 states and 56 countries. 94% of freshmen return for their sophomore year, a sign of student satisfaction at the University of Washington.

The University of Washington has seen an increase in competitive applications. The middle 50% of students had a GPA of 3.7-3.95, SAT composite of 1180-1370, and ACT composite of 27-32. If you want to stand out in this competitive applicant pool, read on for advice to tackle your essays.

University of Washington Essay Prompts

All applicants to the University of Washington must answer the following essay questions. We will break down each of these prompts to help you optimize your answers. Here are UW’s instructions: 

Main Essay (500 words): At the University of Washington, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. Some of the best statements are written as personal stories. In general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300 to 400 words in length. The UW will accept any of the five Coalition prompts.

Short Response (300 words): Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds.  Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the University of Washington.

Tip: Keep in mind that the University of Washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints.

Additional Information About Yourself or Your Circumstances (200 words): You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

• You are hoping to be placed in a specific major soon
• A personal or professional goal is particularly important to you
• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

Additional Space (Optional): You may use this space if you need to further explain or clarify answers you have given elsewhere in this application, or if you wish to share information that may assist the Office of Admissions. If appropriate, include the application question number to which your comment(s) refer.

The main essay shares the same prompts as the Coalition prompts. For help on these prompts, check out our blog post How to Write the Coalition Application Essays 2018-2019.

This question serves two purposes: it gives UW an opportunity to learn more about how you developed your values, and it allows them to consider, from what you describe as your past experience, how you might interact with UW students. It is easy to get mired in focusing on describing your community, but remember, UW wants to learn about you through seeing how your community impacted you. Use a description of your community to frame your essay, but always remind yourself to connect the story back to how it changed you.

UW is fundamentally an institution of learning, and diverse perspectives enrich the learning experience of all students. Once you have framed the essay with a description of who you have become as a result of your community’s impact, be sure to extend this thread to your potential future influence on UW.

Consider UW’s tip: “Keep in mind that the University of Washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints.” Diversity is not limited to cultural diversity, but also includes life experiences, viewpoints, opinions, and academic, social, or economic ideas.

Recall the experiences your have undergone, events you have witnessed, or articles that you have read that shaped your perspective and values. For example, you could write about how competing in robotics taught you the importance of teamwork and communication, or about how working in a local coffee shop inspired your desire to understand people from all walks of life, and bring a smile to their faces.

There are several ways to interpret community. You could interpret it in the literal sense by explaining how your hometown and family have guided your ambitions. For example, maybe the agricultural focus of your town inspired an appreciation for hard work or the technological atmosphere in the Silicon Valley led you to a love for innovation. Using the overall environment as a springboard, invoke a specific and detailed anecdote that illustrates the atmosphere in your community that you wish to capture.

This prompt also encompasses the people you surround yourself with. You can also write about how your friends from different backgrounds remind you of the importance of understanding or how your family inspires you to work harder.

Although this question is not required, it may be in your best benefit to answer this prompt, especially if you hope to be directly admitted into a specific major at UW. Some majors, like Computer Science, are difficult to get into after freshman year as most students were directly admitted. If you are hoping to get directly admitted to a major, this would be your opportunity to elaborate on your interest in the program. Talk about why you want to major in the subject as well as how you would use the opportunities at UW to pursue your interest.

You can also use this space even if you aren’t applying to any direct-to-major programs. This can be your opportunity to talk about anything else you didn’t have space for in the main body of your application. If you experienced any extenuating circumstances that hindered your academic or extracurricular performance in high school, this would be the place to explain them.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.