Is UMass Amherst or the University of Washington harder to get into?

The University of Washington is typically harder to get into than UMass Amherst. UW draws a very large national and international applicant pool, and admission can be especially competitive for non-residents and for students applying to high-demand majors. UMass Amherst is selective too, but in a broad overall comparison, it is usually the less difficult admit of the two.

One key difference is how pressure builds around majors at UW. Programs like computer science, engineering, and business are well known for being much tougher than the university-wide admission picture suggests, so the bar can rise quickly depending on what you want to study. At UMass Amherst, some majors are also more competitive than others, but the gap is usually not as intense in the way people commonly experience at UW.

Residency matters more at UW as well. Washington residents often have an advantage, while out-of-state applicants can face a steeper climb because UW is a public flagship with a strong in-state mission and huge demand from outside Washington. UMass Amherst also considers residency, but the admissions conversation around difficulty is less dominated by that factor.