Admissions

The Department of Statistics believes diversity is integral to the well-being of our programs in particular and the field of statistics in general.

We welcome applicants with varied cultural and personal experiences, from varying socio-economic and academic backgrounds, and of differing racial identities, ages, gender identities and sexual orientations.

We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that combines academic rigor with hands-on training in a supportive, socially responsible and inclusive environment that offers access and opportunity for all.

With Direct to Major admission, freshmen applicants have the possibility of being admitted directly to the Statistics program as majors.  Students coming in through this pathway are assured a spot in the major as long as they satisfy the continuation and honesty policy.   

In order to take advantage of Direct to Major admissions, UW freshman applicants must list Statistics as their first-choice major. Please note that the University of Washington does not consider an applicant's second-choice major for admission into direct-entry majors or colleges. Hence, applicants will only be considered for Direct to Major admission if Statistics is their first-choice major.   

Evaluation criteria: 

Decisions are made in conjunction with the Office of Admissions and are based on a holistic review of applicants. There is no separate application for Statistics Direct to Major applicants and no additional materials are required. Applicants should follow the UW Freshman Application guidelines; you do not need to craft a statistics-focused application. Your application will be reviewed by the UW-Seattle Office of Admissions, so questions about the application should be directed to askuwadm@uw.edu. The UW-Seattle Office of Admissions prioritizes academically strong, motivated, and well-rounded students. 

Many students discover a new academic passion during their first year - they indicate preference for one major on their UW application, but an exciting introductory course in another field causes them to reconsider. This is healthy!  The Statistics Department welcomes applications to the major from current UW students who are interested in pursuing statistics.  At least half of the available spots in each cohort are available to current UW students.

Important dates  

• Most students apply at the end of their sophomore year, though this is not a requirement and students can potentially apply in any year as long as they meet the admission’s requirements.
• Applications open on the first Friday of April and close on the third Friday of April at 5pm (Pacific Standard Time).  

Application requirements 

Applicants must have a minimum grade of 2.0 for each course required for admission. Successful applicants typically have a cumulative GPA higher than 3.0 in the courses that are listed below as required for admission, with no individual course grade below 2.5  

• Mathematics: MATH 124, MATH 125, and MATH 126.  Students can substitute this sequence with the accelerated (honors) calculus sequence MATH 134, MATH 135, and MATH 136.
• Computing: CSE 160 (strongly recommended) or CSE 122 or CSE 142. Students who have completed CSE 123 or CSE 143 satisfy this requirement even if they did not previously take CSE 122 or CSE 142.
• Probability: MATH/STAT 394.
• Statistics: Either STAT 311 (strongly recommended) or STAT 390. 

Since admission is capacity constrained, completion of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.  

All tracks share the same set of admission requirements. Students do not select a particular track when applying to the program. If admitted, students must declare one of the three tracks, but switching tracks is easy and should not delay graduation. Please refer to this page to learn more about the differences between tracks.

How to Apply  

Applying is very simple. Once applications open, please click here to start your application. You will be asked to submit written responses to the following prompts: 

• Upload an image which represents one example of either a good OR a bad visual representation of data. This could be a graphic from a newspaper or website, a figure from a research article, or something from a class you took (it does not need to be a statistics class).
• In a few sentences, describe why, from your perspective, the image you uploaded above is a good or bad example of data visualization. If you choose an example of a bad visual representation, explain what you would do to improve it. Add the details of where you found it and a link to it. Surprise us with your choice! (Submit the link to the original source in the designated field below and check that it works.) (max 200 words)
• Why are you interested in Statistics? What about the field of Statistics appeals to you as something you want to study? If you have chosen a particular track, you might also comment on why it appeals to you. Additionally, is there a specific experience of class which contributed to your decision? If so, you are welcome to add details on date, place and course number. Personal and specific examples are most appreciated! (max 200 words)
• For students who plan to Double-Major but do not have a declared major: Please explain what other major you plan to take, why you wish to do so, and how you expect Statistics to complement your other major. (max 150 words)
• For students with a declared major: If statistics is your second major or you are planning to change your major to statistics, please explain why you wish to do so and how you expect Statistics to complement your other major. If statistics is your second major or you are planning to change your major to statistics, please explain why you wish to do so and how you expect Statistics to complement your other major. (max 150 words)

• (Optional) Write up to 200 words: If you have overcome challenges in your educational journey that you would like the committee to be aware of, please describe them here. For example, you can use this space to tell us about:

  • Elements of your record which might misrepresent your potential as a statistics major;
  • Your experience(s) as an individual from a traditionally under-represented group in higher education; your perspective on issues related to diversity, inclusion, and equity; or any topics related to these themes;
  • How your personal history (family, educational, cultural, and economic background) has influenced you and your goals.

   

In addition to the writing prompts all applicants will be asked to:

• answer a set of multiple-choice questions addressing experiences in Statistics and with the activities of the Department of Statistics;
• indicate their preferred track within our major (this choice is non-binding).

Once you submit your answers, your transcripts will be pulled directly from your UW academic records, so you will not be expected to upload them. 

Students wishing to apply to the statistics major must complete the online application by the due date and time (see important dates above). 

Incomplete applications will not be considered, and extra time will not be given. Please plan ahead so you do not find yourself in this situation. 

Evaluation criteria: 

All applicants will be evaluated using the following criteria: 

• academic ability as measured by GPA, factoring in difficulty and breadth of courses completed, frequency of incomplete courses, and number of repeated courses,
• relevant work and life experience,
• motivation. 

Admission decisions 

Decisions are made approximately within two weeks after the application deadline. Students are notified of the decision via email.  

Admitted students have 2 business days from when the offer is sent to accept our offer by email. If admitted, students have 5 business days from when the offer was sent to declare STAT as their major, 10 business days for double majors. Non-response by the deadlines is considered a decline of our offer.  Applicants are not allowed to defer admissions and they must be declared Statistics major in the Fall quarter immediately after notification of acceptance. Failure to do so can result in a withdrawal of our offer. 

Non-admitted students have the right to petition and appeal the Department’s decision within five business days from when the decision letter was sent. Please contact mhon@uw.edu to obtain a copy of the appeal form.

Transfer students need to be admitted to UW before they can apply to the Statistics major. Once admitted, they can apply to the Statistics major in Spring following the procedure outlined above. Currently, the Department of Statistics does not consider Direct to Major admissions for transfer students. 

If you are a transfer student and you are interested in the Statistics major, you are highly encouraged to contact the Statistics advisor (statugradadv@stat.uw.edu) as soon as possible. Our advising staff will help you plan the coursework in preparation for the Spring admissions cycle. When you submit the major’s admission application, please explain that you joined UW as a transfer student.