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Parents & Families

Sophomores/Juniors

Welcome back to the UW!

As your student’s college journey continues, more and more opportunities will become available to them. We’re excited to take these next steps with you and your family.

The second and third years at the UW are times of persistence, resilience and transition. Students will go from exploring areas of study to selecting a major, form lasting new friendships, and continue building their community in and out of the classroom.

Your involvement in your student’s life is as important as ever. Below, we’ve compiled a list of resources and information to help you navigate what’s next, together.

Opportunities outside the classroom

As your student settles into life at the UW, we encourage them to seek out opportunities to connect and engage with the university community outside the classroom. Joining a student club is one way to build friendships, develop leadership skills and discover new interests. Students may also pursue an undergraduate research position, study abroad or explore a service-learning position through the Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center.

Support is here

The Office of the Manager for Student Success is dedicated to the support of individual students, no matter the challenges they face. From help navigating the financial aid process to assistance with developing study habits, it’s a holistic program that’s here to help all UW students achieve their academic goals.

Common sophomore and junior questions

Common sophomore and junior questions

Each student’s UW experience starts with general advising. General advisers help students plan course schedules and clarify academic and personal goals. As students research specific majors, they may consult advisers in those programs. Once they’re admitted to a degree program(s), they’ll continue to work with department advisers until they graduate. Specialized advising is also available through the UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity. Note: Academic advising is different from success coaching, but both are great ways for your student to reach their academic goals.

Some UW majors are open admission — meaning students in good academic standing are admitted at any time — while other majors have capacity limits and a separate application process.Entering a top-choice major can be challenging. The good news: With more than 180 majors at the UW, alternatives are available. To figure out a plan B, some students like to meet with an adviser, while others prefer self-exploration of majors and looking into common alternatives. (The major alternatives tool was designed for transfer students but is a great resource for all undergraduates.)

UW students have the choice to live either on campus in university-owned residence halls, apartments, or family housing, or off campus in a property not owned by the University. (Fraternity and sorority houses are considered off-campus housing.)

The UW Career & Internship Center has a variety of services to help students build their network and start exploring careers, including resume workshops, career fairs and drop-in coaching. Several online resources are also available. PathwayU is a tool to help students discover their purpose and connect it to college and careers. Handshake is the jobs and internships platform for UW students and alumni.

When we asked fourth-year students what they thought juniors should know about the senior year, we heard phrases such as, “It goes by in an instant,” “It’s been the fastest year of college,” and “Get ready, it goes by quickly.” Read up and experience our UW traditions and start forming your own Husky Bucket List. And don’t miss UW Family Weekend with your UWFam!

Did you know?

Freshmen may apply to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program for second-year admission after winter quarter of their first year at UW. Applicants should demonstrate an alignment with the goals of Interdisciplinary Honors and academic excellence during their first two quarters at the university.