Pathways in detail Admission process
Pathways for Inclusive Excellence (PIE) was created to support talented Washington state students who need additional STEM support and college preparation before they begin their engineering or computer science careers.
At the College of Engineering, we believe that building a workforce with diverse perspectives promotes engineering excellence and innovation for our common good. Our students have highly sought-after skills such as multilingualism, multicultural perspectives, and unique experience yet have limited access to STEM education or need additional college preparation.
PIE is for students who might benefit from additional time and resources to ensure a strong STEM foundation. All students who apply to the College of Engineering or the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering are automatically considered for PIE.
Students who are admitted to PIE will be notified in their university admission offer letter. Individuals selected for PIE are admitted into either the Allen School or the College of Engineering on the condition that they join their PIE program.
PIE provides holistic support through a cohort model which includes a community of peers, workshops, networking opportunities, individualized advising and a summer preparation program. PIE programs are one to two years starting the summer after high school.
PIE students are required to participate in cohort-based curriculum and additional foundational classes. Students who complete the program are guaranteed placement into an engineering or computer science major. Most students are placed in their major by the end of their first or second year at the UW.
Pathways
PIE is made up of three different pathways, Engineering Dean’s Scholars, Allen School Scholars Program and STARS.
Allen School Scholars Program
A one-year program aimed at providing students with a strong first-year foundation in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering (Allen School) and the UW. For students who select computer science or computer engineering as their first choice major on their UW freshman application.
Engineering Dean’s Scholars
A one-year program aimed at providing students with a strong first-year foundation in the College of Engineering and the UW. For students who select an engineering major (not including computer engineering) as their first choice on their UW freshman application.
STARS
A two-year program designed to holistically support students to strengthen academic preparation and develop professional skills while they work through their STEM pre-requisite courses. For students who select engineering or computer science as their first choice major on their UW freshman application.
Learn more: Pathways in detail
All of the PIE programs provide students with a supportive environment that is committed to their success, but they differ slightly in the support offered and time commitment expected of each student.
| Allen School Scholars Program | Engineering Dean's Scholars | STARS | |
|---|---|---|---|
Cohort size | ~60 | ~50 | ~30 |
Majors | Computer Engineering, Computer Science | Engineering (not computer engineering) | Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science |
School*PIE students will be offered admission into either the College of Engineering or the Allen School. After accepting an offer of admission, students are not able to switch between the College of Engineering and the Allen School. While members of the STARS program belong to both the Allen School and the College of Engineering, they are obligated to the same admission rules and are not able to switch schools. | Allen School | College of Engineering | College of Engineering and Allen School |
Advising | All programs require quarterly advising appointments with a specialist, holistic adviser dedicated to the program. | ||
Community building | PIE offers events and programming to create and foster community at both the PIE and individual program level. | ||
Housing | All PIE students are strongly encouraged to live on campus for the first year. | ||
Mentorship | Peer Mentoring | Peer Mentoring | Peer Mentoring Faculty Mentoring |
Required curriculum | All PIE programs have cohort-based curriculum. For the duration of their program, students will take a mix of UW courses selected and required by the programs, some courses specific to PIE programs, and other courses from the UW catalog selected by individual students to pursue their own interests and graduation requirements. | ||
Summer component | All PIE programs have programming in the summer before the start of Freshman year. Some elements may be online and some are in person. All admitted students will be given full details of summer requirements upon receiving their offer into a PIE program. | ||
Standard amount of time to graduate **This number represents the standard amount of time for the average student. However, each student will have a personalized plan based on their individual needs and assessment. | 4 years | 4 years | 5 years |
Contact information | Christina Huynh, Interim Program Manager, Allen Scholars chuynh@cs.washington.edu or allenscholars@cs.washington.edu | Kaytie Ohashi, Interim EDS Adviser Or Carrie Mills, Manager, Pathways for Inclusive Excellence, pie-coe@uw.edu | Ali Cho, STARS Director, alicho21@uw.edu |
* PIE students will be offered admission into either the College of Engineering or the Allen School. After accepting an offer of admission, students are not able to switch between the College of Engineering and the Allen School. While members of the STARS program belong to both the Allen School and the College of Engineering, they are obligated to the same admission rules and are not able to switch schools.
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**This number represents the standard amount of time for the average student. However, each student will have a personalized plan based on their individual needs and assessment. Back to content
Admission process
Early March
COHORT SELECTION
The UW Office of Admissions makes admission offers to PIE students.
Early March
INFO SESSIONS
Information sessions for admits. A Zoom link will be sent in an email.
Early to Mid March
INTAKE FORM
Deadline for PIE cohort admitted students to complete intake form.
Mid April
MATCHING
Students are matched with one of the two options for their admission type: a) PIE-E admits: Engineering Dean’s Scholars or STARS b) PIE-A admits: Allen School Scholars Program or STARS
June 1
DECISION DAY
The college decision day deadline has been extended from May 1 to June 1 at the UW. Confirm your enrollment by this date and accept a program match.
Note: Any student not wishing to participate in the PIE program can still attend UW as a pre-major.
Additional information
General inquiries: pie-coe@uw.edu
- First-year engineering experience
- Direct to college admission FAQs
- Pathways for Inclusive Excellence
- Running Start students