University of Washington-Seattle Campus Top Questions

Many of the "important" classes (ie chem labs and math classes) are large and difficult. They are believed to be weed-out classes and you should expect only an average grade, if that. Don't be disappointed, no one expects you to have a 4.0 in college. In fact, the median grade by the Economics department is set between a 2.8 and 3.2. That being said, there are some wonderful BA classes in the English and Drama departments. You should definitely take the time to take a wide array of classes your freshman year here, teachers vary, and sometimes they might not even speak English. My freshman year I took a Biological Anthropology class. It ended up having nothing to do with my major but to this day is still one of the most interesting, informative classes I've ever taken and I just feel like a better person having only the vaguest of understanding of where human beings came from. No matter your field of interest, there is someone who is willing to talk to you and teach you, if you're willing to seek them out.

General education courses at the UW are truly a wake-up for an incoming freshman. Large lectures can draw up to 700 students on untraditional topics, like the Sociology of Sexuality, or Anthropology of Rock and Roll. These classes are always worth taking at the beginning of your college career - they are huge, really display the size of the UW on an academic level, and can be fun and interesting. Yet there is definitely a place for the serious student at the UW as well. As you age and chose a major, classes get significantly smaller, more serious, and the level of expectation rises considerably. All departments are different, of course, but as a general rule, academics are taken seriously at this large, public school. Students are generally hard-working, want to succeed, and want to get the most for their money. The sciences are strong, due to the fact that the UW is an R-1 (tier 1) research school, but that high level of research extends to other, less quantitive departments as well. Any student can attend office hours of their professor - teachers here are almost always reminding students to come to them. Professors will know your name if you put in the effort. Asking a professor for a research position is an easy way to get more involved and integrated into your area of study. I was an English student, and liked and respected the majority of my professors. What I enjoyed most was the sense of community that developed within the Creative Writing majors. When I had found these outspoken, more creative students, everything seemed to click for me. Before that occasion, however, I did have moments where my classmates seemed sullen or quiet, unwilling to speak up in class, or participated rarely. Like any big school, however, you will find the super stars at UW who get as much out of each class as possible. Be one of these people, and you'll find that most everyone will meet you halfway!

In my second year here at the University of Washington, I have yet to take any higher level courses. So far, the majority of the classes I have taken have been in large lecture halls with little personalization. All entry level math, science etc are formatted this way. In a way, this is very difficult. Professors offer office hours and lots of help, but the majority of the work one does is outside of class and without the instructors help. I know that as classes reach higher levels, they become smaller. Particularly within departments. For instance, I have met many people in my intended major, Chemical Engineering, who are a year or two ahead of me and they laud the personalization and tight-knit community that has developed in the department. I look forward to this as my college career continues.

It really depends on the professors. Most of the professors are great. Some... not so much. Surprisingly, even though my classes are from 300-700 students, professors make the effort to remember your name. My biology teacher knows who I am despite the fact that the class is about 700 kids! Even though lectures are large, the quiz section makes up for it. The quiz section ranges from 15-25 students and usually one teacher's assistant (TA). All my TA's were great! They go over the material efficiently and clearly, and always has a smile on their face when they teach.

Classes can get pretty large where the professor won't know your name unless you make an effort to go to his or her office hours. But they are all very friendly and approachable. Other classes are smaller where the professor will know your name and you'll have more intellectual conversations. Students are pretty competitive because the UW is a prestigious school and everyone wants to do the best they can but there is also a sense of community among groups of students and everyone encourages everyone. There is the largest and most unique range of classes a student can dream of. You can study math, science, and English, but you can also study, dinosaurs, geology, Shakespeare, religion, European history, painting, jazz, world languages, and the list goes on and on. This is a great school if you know or don't know what career you want to have in the future because there is so much to explore in every topic.

Since we have some of the top rated graduate schools in the country, such as nursing, medical, and dental schools - the undergraduate experience is very competitive. The class sizes are LARGE for the first couple years and it's hard to get to know your professors unless you put in the effort yourself to go to office hours, introduce yourseld, etc. The psychology department, my area of focus, is also one of the best in the country. Again, anyone who is more scientifically oriented would love UW.

There is a noticeable increase in challenge as you go from freshman to senior year. This might seem obvious, but it's something you should keep in mind. Your general education classes are mostly very straight forward. Go to class, stay awake, and don't sleep through your exams. No problem. Upper division classes are quite different, and involve a lot of drive to get through. Since they are applicable to your major, motivation is easier to come by. Just really put in the effort. There is a strong correlation between the difficulty of the class and the competitiveness of the students. Students frequently skip 100-level classes, but when it comes to a 400-level, attendance is pretty consistent. You'll have your share of lecture classes, and chances are, you won't really get to know your professor. However, UW has quiz sections taught by TA's. These are useful, as you will get to know your TA. Most people are too shy to ask questions in front of 500 people, so quiz sections are great for getting answers. TA's are mostly eager to help you out, so don't be afraid to ask questions. Once you are in your major, the class sizes are much smaller. You will have a chance to get to know your professor, and vice versa. Some professors will cold-call you, so make sure you are awake and prepared for class. I've had some grad students teach my upper-division classes, but on the flip side, I've had some very knowledgeable professors who are willing to spend time with you so that you fully understand the material.

Academics are extremely important to the University of Washington. It is one of the main things that the UW prides itself in. Our worldwide ranking has continued to grow and that is something that is of immense importance to us. Academics are extremely important to everyone who attends. This means that people study a lot. People are studying on weekdays and weekends. The professors at UW are some of the top research professors in the world. It's amazing to see what they have accomplished. Because UW is such a large school, classes are also large. That being said, some classes that are over 50 people large make it hard for professors to get to know student's names. It really takes the imitative of the student to get to know the professor in large classes. If you are intent on attending office hours and participating in class, professors will definitely remember who you are. There are so many classes offered at UW that it is easy to find ones of interest for any student. I am a Political Science and International Studies double-major. Because I am extremely interested in law school, a lot of the classes that I've taken are geared towards that. Some cool classes that I've taken are: Europe Today, Cultural Interactions, Criminology, and US Congress. In my US Congress class, we actually simulated congress and ran every class like a meeting! We got to be representatives from different states and wrote our own bills. It was so cool. As long as you are on top of your studies and you take initiative of all the programs and help being offered, then you will get so much out of all the programs offered. UW is mainly focused on academics and they want you to succeed. Since it's such a large school, it has so many opportunities to get internships and jobs, but also graduate schools and working towards getting a PhD.

Academics are extremely important to the University of Washington. It is one of the main things that the UW prides itself in. Our worldwide ranking has continued to grow and that is something that is of immense importance to us. Academics are extremely important to everyone who attends. This means that people study a lot. People are studying on weekdays and weekends. The professors at UW are some of the top research professors in the world. It's amazing to see what they have accomplished. Because UW is such a large school, classes are also large. That being said, some classes that are over 50 people large make it hard for professors to get to know student's names. It really takes the imitative of the student to get to know the professor in large classes. If you are intent on attending office hours and participating in class, professors will definitely remember who you are. There are so many classes offered at UW that it is easy to find ones of interest for any student. I am a Political Science and International Studies double-major. Because I am extremely interested in law school, a lot of the classes that I've taken are geared towards that. Some cool classes that I've taken are: Europe Today, Cultural Interactions, Criminology, and US Congress. In my US Congress class, we actually simulated congress and ran every class like a meeting! We got to be representatives from different states and wrote our own bills. It was so cool. As long as you are on top of your studies and you take initiative of all the programs and help being offered, then you will get so much out of all the programs offered. UW is mainly focused on academics and they want you to succeed. Since it's such a large school, it has so many opportunities to get internships and jobs, but also graduate schools and working towards getting a PhD.

Biz school classes aren't all that hard, it's just there are so many group projects that all stack up. You do eventually bond with business school people and it becomes more fun. I'm very very glad I studied business, I had to get through a lot of dull classes but it really gives you a good way to approach life, projects, and future work. Psych classes are generally just regurgitation based. Some professors are cool, some not, many TAs are uninterested and disengaged, but some aren't...