University of Washington-Seattle Campus Top Questions

Most students at Washington take pride in their academics. It's a very large focus at this school, especially considering the strength of Washington's Computer Science and Medicine programs. Students study all the time and like to show off their good attendance and academic record.

I'm in the science department, and I find the classes are extremely competitive. The classes are curved so that the average is within a .1 range of a 2.7. This is really frustrating because I'm doing above average in all of my classes, but my GPA is only a 3.4 which doesn't sound as impressive as it really is. I didn't realize what a challenge a Biology major would be, and how much studying I would have to do.

The class sizes range drastically on campus, but you know how big they are when you choose them. The higher the level within a department, the smaller the classes get. Smaller classes tend to be more discussion based, but some lecture professors try to encourage discussion as well. I have never felt that a class was taught in the wrong environment, some classes don't need as much discussion and there is nothing wrong with that. I think that students study a fair amount. People are pretty good at balancing their time between school, work, and social activities. Students are very competitive, especially since you have to apply to most majors and a lot of classes are graded on a curve.

For the most part the teaching staff is outstanding and genuinely care about the students. Classes are hard and competative, but keep students thinking and really make them earn their education

University of Washington is a research institution. Many of the professors are researches first, and teachers second. Many classes are taught by graduate students. Graduate student teachers don't have experience, but I have also taken some of my favorite classes with them because they are so excited about sharing their knowledge. If you want to do research, this is a great school, and you can easily find a mentor. The academic requirements are basic, and no science is required. I satisfied all of my "natural world" requirements by taking math. One of my favorite classes at the UW has been Psychobiology of Women. The professor was animated and hilarious- who knew that learning about hormones and the reproductive system could be so much fun? In addition, we had smaller class sections where we discussed controversial topics like genetic engineering and egg donation. We also have some interesting majors, like Comparative History of Ideas, which I hear is very challenging. You can even minor in Disability Studies or another more specific topic. One of the benefits of such a large university is the breadth of course offerings and concentrations. The UW's department quality varies quite a lot. If you want to major in computer science, we have one of the best student bodies and faculties in the country! We also have one of the ONLY Scandinavian Studies departments in the country. In addition, you can take virtually any language you can think of. The school offers Latvian, Norwegian, and Tagalog, just to name a few. There is a language requirement, and you have to take up to level 103 (third quarter, or one year). You can bypass this requirement by taking a test, but why not take the opportunity to learn a new language? I took Norwegian to learn more about my ancestry, and now I've studied in Norway twice and am receiving a degree in Scandinavian Studies. In addition, there are lots of opportunities to study abroad. We have Exploration Seminars, which are 3-4 week long programs abroad that focus on a specific issue. These are great for students who are hesitant to take "time off" from their regular course schedule and want to try something new.

My professors know my name, but that is only because I raise my hand a lot. I have regular classes with over 100 people some with over 400 which means I am one of a crowd. I think that despite their size, the classes are good. I am learning a lot and it is much better than high school because there is very little busy work.

Academics at the University of Washington are top notch. Students are for the most part dedicated to their academics, and many of our programs are nationally ranked. Many of the intro classes can get up to 700 students, and although this is a huge drawback according to some students, I personally think this is not as bad of a situation as people make it out to be. Ultimately, I have only taken a few huge lecture classes, and I always felt that the professor/tas were available whenever I needed help. I think because UW was gaining a reputation as being a large school, they are very sensitive to large class issues.