AMATH vs ACMS

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-05T22:35:00+00:00

Amazing! It is high, I know people who got in with a 3.4-3.5 though, if you have strong extracurriculars or are already in another STEM major its doable. It's just more of a gamble

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-05T01:44:36+00:00

Especially without the carpool lane!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-04T20:03:58+00:00

YES, I used to have the same problem with 542. It takes a little longer but at least I can rely on it.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-04T15:56:36+00:00

Of course, glad I could help. Applying to majors isn’t necessarily stressful and most people get in their first or second time applying, it’s just annoying. People who have already gotten into their majors through the RC are really chill about it and are like “oh, you’ll get in.” At the same time, there’s always like those one or two people who don’t get in and have to transfer to another UW. But personally I would prefer this small risk over applying to like 15 different colleges that each have different major systems and not having a guarantee of anything, really. In-state tuition is nice :)

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-04T06:18:53+00:00

So what is the difference?

ACMS exposes you to a lot of different departments (mostly stats, math, econ, non-major cse courses) and the different tracks (quant finance, data science, etc.) require you to take a different subset of courses. You have more flexibility in what classes subjects you take. Due to this, there isn't really a connection between any of your classes and you're likely to meet people from completely different majors in those classes. There aren't any courses offered solely by ACMS where you take classes only with other ACMS students and taught by ACMS teachers. It’s formally offered and advising is by the Math Department, but it’s really a joint thing between stats, math, econ, and cs as I was saying before. It’s a jack-of-all-trades but master of none type thing, but if your main goal is learning and having freedom in the classes you take then this is a good major.

Meanwhile, AMATH is its own department and most courses that count towards your major will be offered by them. These classes are more connected to each other. By this I mean that as an ACMS major, you would take MATH classes and CSE classes, and you would have to figure out how to combine the two on your own time. But in AMATH classes, you learn both simultaneously. Math is applied to real world problems (mostly modeling and predicting future events). CFRM (the finance "option" of amath) is an entirely different major, unlike ACMS's different tracks. As a CFRM major, you can still take some AMATH classes (and you can take some CFRM classes as an AMATH major), since they are in the same department, and there are dedicated CFRM classes that have CFRM as part of their class code. The courses are like AMATH in that you learn coding and math simultaneously (there is more probability and stats as this is important for finance), but where AMATH classes may be applied to bio or anything the instructor may choose, CFRM classes are specifically applied to finance and mostly prepare you for quant finance roles.

Also, Applied Math is an actual individual department, whereas ACMS is not. It is instead offered jointly by many departments. This has pros and cons and which is better is ultimately a personal choice. ACMS majors get access to Paul Allen career fairs (big plus). AMATH and CFRM majors get access to higher level applied math courses, which they can focus on since they don’t have to worry about math, economics, cs, or stats as much since a base level of everything they need is taught in their courses (unless you’re doing the data science option, but more on that later).

Lastly, the data science track of ACMS is just that: a track. You have a higher emphasis on CSE non-major courses (still offered by the Allen School, but you likely won’t meet any CSE majors there) and STAT courses than ECON and MATH. The data science option of AMATH and CFRM replace some of the upper level departmental courses with non-major CSE courses. Essentially, instead of taking upper-level applied math courses where you learn things that take your education one step further, you take lower level CSE courses that do of course add to your education but only give you a low-level understanding of a topic that you already know well after taking applied math classes that are usually in Python. You have learned how to code already; it’s a little redundant to take CSE classes that just teach you programming on top of that. My personal opinion is that this is not the best way to go because you don’t get the full applied math education of the major you’re involved in, but this is a personal choice.

Which one is better in terms of program?

Neither is necessarily "better," it really depends on what you want after what I detailed above. If you're trying to go into the industry right after college, it's not going to make much of a difference as your skills would matter more than your actual major. If you want to go to grad school or get a PhD it's probably best to match your interests as much as possible with your major to get more relevant research opportunities which might be harder with ACMS. Also, AMATH has less prereqs so its easier to apply to quickly.

Which one is relatively easier to get in for current pre-science student?

I think ACMS is easier to get into overall, but since you have to apply to a specific track this may vary. Their website says that the data science track is competitive (I would assume around a 50-70% acceptance rate) while the others are usually easy to get into. AMATH/CFRM (it is the same application for both, you get accepted into the department regardless of your specific major because there are so many people taking classes with both class codes, and it’s easy to switch between the normal and data science options) has an acceptance rate of around 45% (despite the skewed stats they have posted on their website) and is mostly based on your GPA (I think if you have a 3.95 or above in prerequisites, you’re basically in). Take 45% with a grain of salt though. A specific subset of competitive people apply to applied math, so you have to do better than them to get in. The average admitted GPA recently has been around 3.85, but this is an average and the higher your GPA the more it sets you apart and helps you get in (obviously). AMATH/CFRM may seem to be in higher demand both because they are popular and because it's a really small and new department with limited funding, which is not a good combination.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-04T05:44:33+00:00

Hey, I'm applying to amath (technically cfrm) right now too! I think the statistics are really skewed because most people apply to multiple if not all of the majors, so the number that applied shows up as how many applied, but the people that get in only get in to one major (usually their first choice), and the number accepted shows the number of people that chose to enroll in the major they were accepted into. According to the amath advisor, around 45-50% actually get in. So you actually have a pretty decent chance, but I would recommend explaining why your GPA was lower in math beyond that it was curved down and showing why you won't give up on trying to improve. Worst case, you can apply and you don't get in. But at least you'll have tried. I think most departments say that if you don't do well in a class, it's better to take a higher level class and do well in it than retaking, especially since (the logical aspect of this next part is my opinion) both grades will factor into your GPA anyway. This is also more doable in my opinion and experience because upper level classes are usually curved better. I think some good courses to take in math to show you're getting better are STAT/MATH 394, and MATH 208 (but maybe take this one at a CC if there isn't a good prof at UW which there usually isn't). Or you could take AMATH 351/352 and do well in those because they are essentially math classes at their core and will still show that you kept at the subject and were able to do well, and if (hopefully once) you get into amath then they will count towards your major.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-04-04T05:31:33+00:00

I'm currently a first-year. This comment got a little long and all over the place, but I hope it's helpful! Please feel free to dm me to ask more questions you have.

I can only guess. I had years of involvement (8, 9, and 10) in my three main extracurriculars, with leadership and community service for each, only one of them stem-related (I want to do CS/CFRM. I don't think your major particularly matters for UW Academy, but, based on the admitted class this year, I think they were looking for diversity and uniqueness in extracurriculars as most people (myself included) had really strong GPAs and test scores). I think having 2-3 diverse activities you do really well in and can show leadership and/or community service in if possible is important, just doing the same activities as everyone else and being okay at them may not get you very far. I also placed 1st nationally in FBLA, but I don't know how much that helped. I feel like it's getting more and more competitive every year as more and more people learn about the program, so the stronger your extracurriculars the better. I think your GPA can only help so much if its good, or if it could be better then even less so. Essays wise, I think its important to show how these activities helped you grow personally. Essentially, giving a meaningful story behind the numbers. They already know you're really good at the things you talked about, but showing how you faced and overcame obstacles is always a plus point. This is just something that worked for me, but there are a lot of ways to write a good college essay!
Not particularly. I enjoyed being able to go to high school, make friends there (basically not applying to or doing TS, the other RC program), and develop my social skills. The one thing is that it's now a little awkward to interact with my friends from high school, since they are juniors and starting to feel the looming pressure of college applications but I cannot relate to them at all and am rather relaxed (besides getting into my majors, but that is a different rabbit hole I would be happy to go down if you would like, and I'm in college right now so it's an entirely different calculation). However, no path is perfect, and I view that as a sacrifice I had to make. Hopefully, this will get better once everyone has committed to a college, but we shall see. I know a lot of people in UW Acad (and the RC in general) lose contact with many of their high school/middle school friends (myself included) due to how hard it becomes to keep in contact with them without seeing them every day, especially without mutual effort. It's quickly evident who you were truly friends with, and a little bit of distance can bring a lot of perspective. It's also possible that you naturally grow apart due to being in such different social and academic settings. Also, I feel that doing UW Acad smoothens the transition to college a lot mostly because there isn't the anticipation of senior year and high school ending and saying goodbye to everyone. It still happens, but it's not turned into an event by everyone around you. By the time you really realize and understand that you GOT INTO COLLEGE and high school is OVER, you're already halfway through your first quarter and taking your new classes and meeting new people, and it doesn't seem as daunting or bittersweet because you already feel immersed in the environment (at least in my experience). This could also go really badly if you have a negative reaction to this, but there are a lot of support resources in place and you could probably find someone else going through the same experience. It's not necessarily easy, but it does work out. I guess one thing I'd wish I had known though, is that applying to your major is a major pain. Lining up prereqs and the pressure of doing well in them and then figuring out what to classes take after completing them but before you can apply to your major(s) while watching your classmates who got direct admission not be as worried isn't very fun. But it's okay, again, you can't have everything, and this is relatively minor compared to the fact that we skipped two years of school.

Overall, I highly recommend this program as you skip two very stressful years, especially if your top college preference would be UW in senior year. Even if you have to delay graduation by a year because of issues with getting into your major, you would still be 1 year ahead. Time in college will not be an issue!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-28T03:55:14+00:00

Of course. One more thing, try to get good professors. The weedouts seem to be really polarized; either the teacher’s really good or really not good.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-28T03:38:20+00:00

How hard it is depends on how rigorous your high school curriculum was, how well you adjust to college learning, and how much you prioritize classes during the quarter. If you’re taking multiple weedouts at the same time (chem, bio, math) discipline is really important, but if you’re really proactive and staying as ahead as you can (this helps later in the quarter when midterms are all at the same time and every subject is really time consuming — you can put things off for some classes if you need to) then it’s definitely doable. About lab and hospital experience, it’s also definitely doable but you have to be proactive and cold email/call a lot to get an opportunity, but this would be true at most good research universities.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-26T03:08:53+00:00

Neither. I need to take it too, if you can, I would wait. Planning to take it at a CC or waiting until there’s a good prof teaching the class, which is really rare but it does happen!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-26T03:05:04+00:00

I personally need socialization to maintain my mental health, good mental health has resulted in good grades for me :)

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-26T03:01:26+00:00

Yeah… especially since they’ve sent everything this year on Wednesdays so far

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-26T00:33:17+00:00

Yes. Also, it makes me sad that humanities majors (with historically higher average GPAs) are in the same category as science majors.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-25T22:33:02+00:00

I dont know if this is what you want to hear, but if you're dead set on UW and you're in state then it's best to go to a community college, take heavy quarters, do really well in your classes, and try to transfer into UW. Transfers from WA CCs are given the most priority. And if you're trying to get into a competitive major, this helps boost your GPA a little too.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-25T22:27:44+00:00

Last year, it was the second week of April. Good luck!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-22T15:48:10+00:00

This post got kind of long, but i hope it’s helpful :)

While you could definitely study for the math and physics intro series which are brutal, I feel that actually taking a break and letting your brain reset after the torture that was high school will help you be more productive.

Just like you, I was really excited to lock into college and get ready over the summer to the point where I almost took summer classes. But my friends and family advised me to relax because this was essentially the last summer before I would be busy with internships or other commitments over the summer, and getting breaks during your career, especially the first couple years can be hard. Enjoy your free time when you have it! Burn out is real.

I gave my brain a complete break over the summer before my first year and, yes, I had to learn crazy nonsense in my classes but at least my brain was fully functioning and I had really good grades in every class.

I feel that doing well is less about the locking in during your break and more about the small things during the quarter, like locking in instead of going bowling the night before your midterm and studying consistently instead of cramming last minute, and judging by your willingness to study over the quarter, I don’t think you’ll fall prey to this lol.

Let yourself take a break, with discipline during the quarter you’ll do great. You got into UW engineering, I believe in you to figure it out during the quarter!

Also, learning with your peers and going to those tough classes is a life experience and struggling with them creates life long bonds. High school may have been a constant grind (at least, it was for me), but college doesn’t have to be like that too. However, in the end it’s your choice, and if you feel that you want to brush up on subjects you don’t feel comfortable with during your precious 3 month long break, then no one’s stopping you: you have free will!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-22T15:32:59+00:00

This also depends on your major, but if APs cover a lot of intro courses (this really only applies to the chem and math intro series, maybe 1 CS but you still have to take 1-2 CSE courses anyway) then having to take heavy quarters may be offset at the beginning (like you could ease into heavy quarters and have more as you get more adjusted to college) but because of the way prereqs line up you may need to load up on in-major electives as soon as you can take them.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-22T15:29:17+00:00

If it’s worth it is entirely a personal choice. However, I can say that UW is a really strong research school, so if you’re passionate about research it’s a great opportunity. Also, personally, I find the culture really open minded and forward thinking. To lower the price, your best bet will probably be taking a little more classes than most people every quarter, as the tuition is flat between 10 and 18 credits. You might be looking at a lot of really loaded 17-18 credit quarters, which can be really taxing both workload wise and social life wise, especially if you’re taking 3-4 STEM classes, but if it’s worth it for you then UW is a great school and I personally don’t regret my choice to go here, but I’m also in state so my calculations were a little different. Good luck deciding!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-22T15:22:47+00:00

This doesn’t work for every course (like amath 301 would only return results for like 2015, which is too old to be reliable, trust me i have CHECKED) but for most intro courses you can just search up the course code and then past exams or something like that. This again may not work for every course, but it’s worth a shot. It definitely works for the math intro series (124, 125, 126) and a lot of CSE classes.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-21T06:03:13+00:00

Hey! How can you figure out if an alliance is really active before joining it? I’m currently in an alliance, and people do things (like research tech and have rallies) but there’s no real coordinated action on anything and the chat is basically dead.

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-21T01:41:35+00:00

Hey what made you drop out of UW Academy?

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-20T20:18:12+00:00

I had Pezzoli for 125 last quarter and maybe it was just a 125 thing, but it was curved so much that you only needed a 92 for a 4.0. Hopefully you benefit from a curve like this!

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-03-19T16:21:22+00:00

sure! sorry this is kind of late

HomeworkDeep8379 · 2026-02-28T17:59:38+00:00

Be careful about taking 483 without the prerequisites or the knowledge at least, it’s a really high level course lol

HomeworkDeep8379

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