First-year advising guide
As a first-year student, you will be presented with many new challenges and opportunities at the UW. Sometimes, the infinite number of paths you can take can feel overwhelming. Your first year will be spent developing the skills and knowledge that will serve as the foundation for your undergraduate education. This advising guide can help you start to explore your interests, get involved, and set goals for a meaningful first year.
Summer
Summer Activities:
- Meet your adviser at A&O
- Attend A&O and learn how to register and build a balanced schedule
- Learn how to identify major prerequisite coursework
- Learn about General Education and why it is important
- Consider College Edge – a program designed to launch incoming first-year students on a strong academic footing before Autumn Quarter
- Practice using course registration and planning tools such as MyUW, MyPlan, and DARS
Questions to ask yourself:
- How can I be intentional and flexible about my course choices?
- How can I use my first quarter courses to explore my interests both inside and outside the classroom?
- What are my strategies for getting adjusted to college academic life?
- What new co-curricular experiences am I excited to try in my first quarter of college?
- What did I enjoy in high school that I hope to continue in college?
Questions to ask your adviser:
- Given my academic interests are there any courses that are important for me to take my first quarter?
Haven't talked to your adviser yet? Schedule an appointment or email
Autumn
Autumn Activities:
- Attend Dawg Daze programs and events
- Attend the RSO fair and learn about Registered Student Organizations
- Sign up for a Handshake account
- Explore Interest and/or Identity/Affiliation Communities
- Attend class and learn how to adjust your study habits to the college setting
- Talk to your adviser about your academic interests and major exploration process
- Learn how prior credits from AP/IB or Running Start may influence your registration for future quarters
- Explore Identity Based Communities
- Understand the difference between general and departmental advisers
- Begin to attend major information sessions and explore departmental websites
- Visit the Career and Internship Center to talk with a career coach about general interests, pre-health, or pre-law pathways
Questions to ask yourself:
- What am I learning about myself and my interests during this time of transition?
- How might I use what I have learned this quarter inside and outside the classroom to choose my next quarter classes?
- What is something new that I'm excited to try and that will push me out of my comfort zone?
- Where will I find familiarity in a time of transition?
- How am I planning to form a community at UW?
Questions to ask your adviser:
- How do I strategically plan my courses even if I don’t know my major?
- How should I begin in the major exploration/preparation process?
- How can I feel comfortable with the ambiguity inherent in the major exploration and preparation process?
- When is it good to see a departmental adviser? What questions do I ask them?
- How do I know where to start when looking for activities to be involved in outside the classroom?
- I'm worried I may not have time to balance my academic and co-curricular responsibilities? Are there resources for managing my time?
Haven't talked to your adviser yet? Schedule an appointment or email
Winter
Winter Activities:
- Use what you learned fall quarter to adjust study and time management approaches
- Identify two to three potential majors, and sketch out a possible two year course plan for those options
- Get involved in community-engaged learning
- Talk with an Academic Success Coach to reflect on autumn quarter study habits and prepare for winter
- Find a mentor
- Browse the scholarship database and visit in the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards
- Learn more about support offered at the Counseling Center and Livewell
- Sign up for a general education course that explores a new interest or is something you have never learned about
Questions to ask yourself:
- What adjustments do I need to make in my study strategies?
- What majors/disciplines am I finding myself curious about? What activities can I participate in to explore those interests more?
- How is my transition to college going? Am I taking care of my mental and physical health? What activities in my life are contributing to my wellness?
- If I wasn't involved in co-curricular activities in the fall, what held me back?
- Am I feeling connected to my peers and others on campus? If not, what would I like to have in common with new friends? How might I meet these people?
- Am I able to balance my academic and co-curricular responsibilities? How would I know if it becomes too much to manage?
Questions to ask your adviser:
- How do I strategically plan for multiple major options?
- What resources are there on campus that can help me reduce my stress and anxiety and contribute positively to my mental health?
- What other offices do I need to be in touch with? What questions do I need to ask those offices?
- I'm not finding community like I thought I would, what are ways to meet people on campus?
Haven't talked to your adviser yet? Schedule an appointment or email
Spring
Spring Activities:
- Begin to solidify plans for summer
- Research activities that you want to get involved in your sophomore year
- Revise your academic plan according to what you have learned about yourself and your academic interests.
- Narrow down major choices to two or three
- Attend the Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or meet with an adviser in the Office of Undergraduate Research
- Use Handshake and apply for on campus jobs for the next academic year
- Search Handshake for on and off campus summer job and internship opportunities and visit the Career & Internship Center to get your resume and cover letter reviewed
Questions to ask yourself:
- How do my potential major choices fit with my goals and interests?
- What have I learned this year about myself and my academic interests?
- What have I enjoyed over the last two quarters? What didn't I enjoy? Why?
- Reflect on the general education classes you have taken. What have I learned from taking a variety of courses?
- What are my co-curricular goals for the rest of my first year of college? How will I hold myself accountable?
- What am I hoping to be involved with next academic year? Are there things I need to apply for this quarter?
- What will I do with my time over the summer? What skills or experiences am I hoping to gain?
Questions to ask your adviser:
- Are my major plans realistic? What can I do to continue to refine my plan?
- What academic activities can I get involved in outside the classroom that will enrich my education?
- Can you help me talk through the factors that might lead me to choose one major over another?
- What factors should I consider when planning my summer activities?
- I'm interested in experience tied to my academic interest area. How would I go about finding these?
Haven't talked to your adviser yet? Schedule an appointment or email