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I already applied for transfer from BCC to UW for the fall, so this is great news! 
UW transfers: a thorny issueBut as the number of community-college applicants has declined from 7,300 three years ago to 5,500 last school yearThree years ago, only half of community-college transfer applicants were accepted this year it's likely to be three-quarters. That has raised concerns about the quality of the transfers, especially at the highly competitive Seattle campus.
"It's a great time to apply to UW Seattle if you're a student applying from a community college," noted Philip Ballinger, the UW's director of admissions.ed out as freshmen at the UW. They also add diversity and value to the UW.
"Transfer students deserve to be admitted to the UW under our agreement, and we're confident the UW will fulfill its commitment."
Earl points to data that show high-school graduation rates will reach record levels over the next few years and says it's important to figure out whether the application drop represents a data fluctuation or long-term trend before overreacting. The State Board is also concerned students may not get to choose from a full range of majors at the branch campuses.
Student awaits word
At Seattle Central Community College, engineering student Jason Clemens, 27, said he applied last month to transfer to the UW but hasn't yet found out whether he's been accepted.
"My understanding is that it's pretty easy to get in because of the direct-transfer agreement," Clemens said. "But I could potentially get into the UW but not into the engineering school ... It's very rigorous."
Clemens said he decided to go back to school after getting laid off from his building-maintenance job in Colorado. He said he never could have gotten into the UW as a freshman.
"I didn't do well in high school, so I wanted to get my study skills up," he said. "Here, I could ease into it."
At WSU, community-college applications dropped from about 3,400 two years ago to 3,150 this year. And at Western, fall applications fell from about 2,400 two years ago to 2,150 this school year.
Review sought
Karen Copetas, Western's director of admissions, said she, too, wants to review quotas in light of falling applications but favors a broader approach.
"As part of a statewide system of public universities, we believe it is imperative to review the system of proportionality on a statewide level rather than for individual institutions to act independently," she wrote in an e-mail.
At the UW, both Emmert and Provost Phyllis Wise say they will analyze this year's transfer data carefully before formulating any plan for change.
"I want everybody to know that we are not in any fashion interested in backing away from our commitment to community-college students," Emmert said.
"It's a great time to apply to UW Seattle if you're a student applying from a community college," noted Philip Ballinger, the UW's director of admissions.ed out as freshmen at the UW. They also add diversity and value to the UW.
"Transfer students deserve to be admitted to the UW under our agreement, and we're confident the UW will fulfill its commitment."
Earl points to data that show high-school graduation rates will reach record levels over the next few years and says it's important to figure out whether the application drop represents a data fluctuation or long-term trend before overreacting. The State Board is also concerned students may not get to choose from a full range of majors at the branch campuses.
Student awaits word
At Seattle Central Community College, engineering student Jason Clemens, 27, said he applied last month to transfer to the UW but hasn't yet found out whether he's been accepted.
"My understanding is that it's pretty easy to get in because of the direct-transfer agreement," Clemens said. "But I could potentially get into the UW but not into the engineering school ... It's very rigorous."
Clemens said he decided to go back to school after getting laid off from his building-maintenance job in Colorado. He said he never could have gotten into the UW as a freshman.
"I didn't do well in high school, so I wanted to get my study skills up," he said. "Here, I could ease into it."
At WSU, community-college applications dropped from about 3,400 two years ago to 3,150 this year. And at Western, fall applications fell from about 2,400 two years ago to 2,150 this school year.
Review sought
Karen Copetas, Western's director of admissions, said she, too, wants to review quotas in light of falling applications but favors a broader approach.
"As part of a statewide system of public universities, we believe it is imperative to review the system of proportionality on a statewide level rather than for individual institutions to act independently," she wrote in an e-mail.
At the UW, both Emmert and Provost Phyllis Wise say they will analyze this year's transfer data carefully before formulating any plan for change.
"I want everybody to know that we are not in any fashion interested in backing away from our commitment to community-college students," Emmert said.
