1. Personal Statement (Required for all freshman applicants)
Directions: Choose either A or B. Recommended length: 500-650 words

A) Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals.
B) Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

Writing Tips
> Some of the best statements are written as personal stories. We welcome your imaginative interpretation.
> You may define experience broadly. For example, in option B, experience could be a meeting with an influential person, a news story that spurred you to action, a family event, or something that might be insignificant to someone else that had particular meaning for you. If you don’t think that any one experience shaped your character, don’t worry. Simply choose an experience that tells us something about you.

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2. Short Response (Required for all freshman applicants)
Directions: Choose one of the following two topics and write a short essay. Recommended length: 250-500 words

1 The University of Washington seeks to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. How would you contribute to this community?
2 Describe an experience of cultural difference or insensitivity you have had or observed. What did you learn from it?

Writing Tip
> You may define culture broadly in Topic #2. For example, it may include ethnicity, customs, values, and ideas, all of which contribute to experiences that students can share with others in college. As you reply to this question, reflect on what you have learned ? about yourself and society ? from an experience of cultural difference.

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3. Journal of Activities & Achievements (Recommended for freshman if applicable)
Directions: Using the grid provided on the application, identify and describe up to five of your most significant activities and achievements during grades 9-12. Write a paragraph about why this activity or achievement had meaning for you. Tell us about your highest level of achievement or honor you attained; any responsibilities you had; and the contribution you believe you made to your school, community, or organization. Don’t just describe the activity or achievement: tell us what it says about you.

Your journal should include activities, skills, achievements, or qualities from any of the following categories:

> Leadership in or outside of school-e.g., athletics, student government, cultural clubs, band, scouting, community service, employment
> Activities in which you have worked to better your school or community
> Exceptional achievement in an academic field or artistic pursuit
> Personal endeavors that enrich the mind-e.g., independent research or reading, private dance or music lessons, weekend language/culture school
2012 International Transfer Applicants