**APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2024-2025 COHORT ARE NOW OPEN!**

The UW Transition School is committed to supporting students and families from all different backgrounds.

We are excited to continue welcoming:

  • Multilingual families,
  • Students who may or may not have previous experience in highly capable programs,
  • Families with no background in higher education or have international college experience,
  • Students and families with disabilities,
  • Families without documentation,
  • Families with uneven socioeconomic access including uneven access to technology and costs associated with attending information sessions or events (e.g., parking), and
  • Families with other unique needs.

Application Materials & Info

The application process for the 2025-26 school year opens November 15, 2024. Interested 8th grade students will need to create an online profile through the RC website.  The following steps need to be completed in order to have a finalized application.

 

APPLICATION ITEM DESCRIPTION
TS Application Complete the application. 
6th & 7th Grade Report Cards Report cards from 6th and 7th grades.
8th Grade Progress Indicators All quarter or trimester grades available to date.
Math or Science Teacher Letter of Recommendation One letter from a math or science teacher.
Language Arts or History Teacher Letter of Recommendation One letter from a language arts or history teacher.
Choice Letter of Recommendation A letter from a person of your choice.
ACT Score Report Scores near the 85th percentile or higher show potential readiness. However, we review applications with a holistic lens, so students with scores below the 85th percentile are still encouraged to submit all materials. 
  

If your ACT or SAT scores are in the 85th percentile or higher, you do not need to submit any further additional documents.  These will not be considered.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:  These are only to be submitted if your ACT or SAT scores are lower than the 85th percentile OR if you did not take the ACT or SAT.
For those with ACT or SAT test scores below the 85th percentile:

Choose Two Additional Items

 

 

For those without ACT or SAT test scores:

Choose Three Additional Items

 

 

- Smarter Balanced Assessment scores from 7th grade in the 90th percentile. 

-A nationally standardized intelligence or achievement test.

 

-Participation in an accelerated program: Grade or content area accelerated by at least two years.

-Provide evidence of exceptional accomplishment, i.e., received a distinguished award or scholarship. 

-Successfully completed advanced level high school courses through Robinson Center Summer Stretch or other programming. 

-Exemplary Work: Examples include writing pieces,  software or website projects, composed music, etc. This could be shown by creating an essay, poster, recorded presentation, math or science project, art project or other representative work.

-Competition Winner:  Won state, regional, national, or international status in an academic or arts competition (e.g., chess, science, mathematics, arts, leadership, forensics, engineering). 

 

Please click below for a full, step-by-step video walkthrough of the Transition School application.

 

 

Application Dates

November 15, 2024  –  Applications Open! Applications for all interested 8th grade students open online through the Robinson Center website.

January 15, 2025  –  All Applications Due Complete online applications are due to the Robinson Center by 5pm

 

ACT or SAT Test

Some Transition School applicants may choose to submit ACT or SAT scores. Results from the ACT or SAT exams provide insight regarding an applicant's readiness for college-level work. We do not expect applicants to prep extensively for the tests; at most, read through the practice test and familiarize yourself with the format of the test.

We review applications with a holistic lens, so students applying with ACT or SAT scores below the 85th percentile are still encouraged to submit all materials. The Writing portion of the ACT is not required.

Code: When asked for a school code for the Transition School, enter either 481174 (if asked for a 6-digit code) or 9899 (if asked for a 4-digit code). The Transition School test code is different from the UW Seattle code.

Grade Reports

Academic grade reports from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades are required and can be uploaded to the online application portal.  Sixth and Seventh grade academic reports must include final grades for all courses completed.  Eighth grade reports must include all 1st semester grades.

Teacher Recommendations

Applicants will select two educators who can speak to the student’s academic performance and behavior in the classroom. One recommendation must come from a current Math or Science teacher and the second from a current Humanities (Language Arts or History) teacher.

In addition, applicants will select a third person who can speak to the student's other personal attributes and characteristics that may extend beyond the classroom. This recommendation must be from a non-family adult who has supervised the student in an on-going capacity and may include a third teacher or school staff member from 6th, 7th, or 8th grade, a community group or volunteer supervisor, a religious or clergy supervisor, or a private instructor.

Those individuals selected by the applicant to provide a recommendation will not need to write a letter.  Applicants should communicate their intentions to apply to Transition School and request permission to include the person’s email address in the Robinson Center online portal as part of the Transition School application.  Transition School will send each recipient additional information and a questionnaire about the applicant to submit directly to TS.

While not required, applicants are encouraged to waive their right to review the teacher recommendation forms to allow those providing a recommendation to do so honestly in support of the student's academic pursuits.

Application Review

Once all the application materials are completed and the application fee is paid, applications are reviewed by the TS Admissions Committee. This committee determines whether the applicant will move on to the next stage of the admissions process with an interview. Families of applicants will receive emails through each stage of the process to communicate progress.

Interview

Should the candidate be invited for an interview by the Admissions Committee,  the applicant will participate in an interview with the Admissions Committee on campus at the Robinson Center.

Admission Decisions

Applicants and their families will be notified of admission decisions for the 2023-24 applicant cycle (Fall 2024 cohort) by or before May 31, 2024.