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Frequently Asked Questions

Current UW Students Most FAQ's

Q: Where can students go to get advice about classes, departments, and other academic matters?

A: Pre-engineering advising is available in 301 Loew Hall (206-543-1770) or by email at engradv@engr.washington.edu. Additional advising is also available through the Undergraduate Advising Office in the Gateway Center -- Room 171 Mary Gates Hall (206-543-2550) or by email at advice@u.washington.edu. Each engineering department also has an academic adviser and resources for undergraduates.

Q: What are the various Engineering Programs and Services available to me?

A: Engineering Advising and Diversity Center is comprised of the following student programs: Engineering Advising, Engineering Co-op Program, Minority Scholars Engineering Program, and Women in Science and Engineering. For additional student programs, visit the following website.

Q: Are there any student societies I can get involved with as a pre-engineering student?

A: There are a number of departmental student societies as well as College of Engineering student societies. Visit the Student Society List on the web and contact the individual(s) listed under the society of interest.

Q: How do I change my academic status from "Pre-Major" to "Pre-Engineering"?

A: Stop by the Engineering Advising & Student Center at Loew 301 to have your status changed from pre-major to pre-engineering. Your status can also be changed at the Undergraduate Advising Office in the Gateway Center at Mary Gates Hall 171.

Having your status changed to pre-engineering will give you the opportunity to take certain pre-engineering courses that you would not be able to take if you did not have pre-engineering status.

Q: What scholarship opportunities are available to me as a pre-engineering student?

A: The College of Engineering offers a limited number of scholarships for pre-engineering students. The applications are made available in January of each year and the deadline to apply is April 1 of that year for the upcoming academic year. To obtain an application, call 206/543-1770 or stop by 301 Loew Hall. Additional information can be found on the engineering scholarship website.

The UW Undergraduate Scholarship Office also has scholarship opportunities for undergraduate students. They can be reached by phone at 206/685-2483 or via email at scholarq@u.washington.edu.

Q: How do I discover what engineering major is right for me?

A: The Engineering Advising & Student Center conducts regularly scheduled information sessions about engineering as well as "What do engineers do?" workshops. Check out the Upcoming Workshop Schedule.

Q: Are there tutoring centers available for students?

A: Yes. There are a number of tutoring centers: See the following website for details.

If the above tutoring centers do not fit your needs, check out the Workshops/Study Centers link or check with your instructor, teaching assistant, department, or an adviser to find out what other options are available to you.

Q: What type of computer should an engineering student have?

A: Both Macs and PCs are popular and useful to engineering students. No operating system or computer brand is officially recommended. However, a good rule is to get the most memory in the fastest computer you can afford, along with a printer. Also look for Internet and WWW capability -- more and more classes at the UW feature websites with homework and reading assignments, downloadable data sets, and more.

Q: What type of calculator should an engineering student have?

A: It is recommended that students wait until they start classes at the UW and assess what type of calculators are being used by other students and what is needed for your particular class. Most students prefer some form of a graphing calculator.

Q: Are pre-engineering classes very big?

A: Some of the introductory math and science classes can have as many as 250 students enrolled. However, these classes also feature weekly discussion sections of 20-30 students meeting with a teaching assistant to discuss homework, labs, tests, and class readings and lectures. After the first year, pre-engineering classes rarely have more than 50 students.

Q: What courses do pre-engineering students take?

A: Every pre-engineering student should take three quarters of calculus, at least one quarter of chemistry, at least two quarters of physics, and an English composition. The Diamond Sheet contains more detailed departmental requirements. Students with AP or community college credit may be ahead of these requirements.

Q: Are there any additional courses that could be recommended to a pre-engineering student?

A: In addition to the required math, chemistry, physics, and engineering fundamental courses needed to apply to an engineering department, the following courses may be of interest and worth checking out:

Q: When do students have to decide which engineering department they are interested in applying to?

A: Since almost all of the departments require the same classes for first year students, students interested in upper-division admissions (see below) typically do not need to narrow their focus until their second year. Early admissions (see below) candidates must focus more quickly in most cases.

Q: What are the application deadlines to apply to the various engineering departments?

A: The deadline for submitting applications to departments for Autumn Quarter admissions is July 1. For Spring Quarter admissions, the deadline for submitting applications is February 1. If you are interested in applying to Paper Science & Engineering during Winter Quarter, see an advisor.

NOTE: ALL departments admit students Autumn Quarter. The following departments DO NOT admit students Spring Quarter: Aeronautics and Astronautics, Civil & Environmental, Chemical, and Mechanical Engineering. No departments admit Summer Quarter.

Q: What is the difference between early admissions and upper-division admissions?

A: There are two admissions cycles for students who begin at the UW, early admissions and upper-division admissions. For early admissions, students complete a limited set of prerequisite classes (generally during their freshman year) and apply for a department the next Autumn Quarter. For upper-division admissions, students complete the full set of prerequisite courses (usually takes two years), and then apply to departments. While upper-division admission happens twice a year, for Autumn and Spring quarters, early admissions only takes place Autumn quarter.

Please note, you do not have to be a Freshmen to apply for early admissions, you simply have to complete the early admissions requirements. Civil and Environmental Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering do not offer early admission.

Q:What criteria do departments use for admissions?

A: Departments consider a variety of factors in the admissions process, including prerequisite grade point average (GPA), cumulative GPA, work experience, activities, and life experiences. Students also submit a personal statement that is considered in the admissions process. The prerequisite GPA is calculated from the specific prerequisite courses for each department (see prerequisite requirements). Admission is competitive for every department in the College of Engineering. For additional information regarding engineering admissions criteria and competitiveness, click here.

Q: What kind of grades does a student need to have to get into engineering?

A: While departments vary in levels of competitiveness, most are looking for students with GPA's of 2.8 (B-) and above. Some departments are considerably more competitive. Students with GPA's below 2.5 are much less likely to gain admission to an engineering department. Please see an adviser to discuss GPA competitiveness. For additional information regarding engineering admissions criteria and competitiveness, click here.

Q: How much does overall GPA affect students' chances relative to grades in pre-requisites?

A: Grades in the pre-requisite courses tend to weigh more heavily in the decision making process than cumulative grades. The main reason is that the pre-requisite classes tend to be more similar to departmental courses, and thus can give a better indication of how the student may perform once admitted into a department.

Q: When I am ready to apply to engineering, is it okay to apply to more than one department?

A: Most definitely. It will not hurt you in any way to apply to more than one department at a time. However, if you are accepted to more than one department, you will have to decide if you would like to major in one engineering department only or if you have chosen to double major or receive a minor in engineering. Materials Science is the only department that has a minor degree in engineering. If you have any questions regarding double majoring or obtaining a minor in engineering, see an adviser.

Q: What if I am not admitted into the department I want?

A: Students are encouraged to talk with an adviser regarding options if not admitted to an engineering department. Students can strengthen an application by taking additional pre-engineering classes and reapply for the next admissions cycle. Sometimes another engineering department will offer them admission. Other UW majors, such as Mathematics, Physics, Building Construction, and Chemistry may also be possibilities. Finally, there are other schools in Washington which offer accredited engineering programs, including Washington State University, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University and Gonzaga University.

Q: Once admitted to an engineering department, what courses will I take?

A: Once admitted to a department, the first year of an engineering departmental program consists largely of the core courses for the engineering program to which you have been accepted. The core courses are required of all students in the program. They cover the fundamental topics of the engineering discipline.

During your final year of an engineering departmental program, you will have the opportunity to take technical electives within your program. The technical electives allow you to take more advanced courses in subject areas of your interest. During your last two years of the program, you will also complete any remaining requirements in areas such as math, writing, Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts and Individuals & Societies.

Q: How do the different undergraduate (not graduate) programs rank?

A: In general, the College of Engineering has typically ranked in the top 20 of the US News rankings.

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