Hello! I have attended the University of Washington for two years now and am going into my third year. I am a Comprehensive Physics and Astronomy major, so I carry some knowledge of how the STEM programs and courses work at UW. I also frequent the IMA (the campus gym) as well as explore campus and its resources. I also enjoy hiking near UW and at Mt. Rainier. I would love to pass on the information I have to prospective attendees of UW.

Hometown

Eatonville, WA

Major(s)

Comprehensive Physics, Astronomy

Minor(s)

Applied Mathematics

Clubs, organizations & involvement

UW Sexual-Orientation and Gender Minorities, UW Undergraduate Physics Mentoring Program, UW Physicists on Underrepresented Genders.

Describe your college experience

I did Running Start in high school, so I came into UW with an associate degree in science. Yet, the course load at UW is a beast. I reached out to many academic resources and peers to get my footing and its been incredible. There are so many networking opportunities that lead to great projects​/​positions. I have also vastly broadened the diversity of people I talk to, coming from a small town I was not used to that. Overall, I have built an amazing group of friends and peers at UW.

Tip for future students

Look into clubs before you come! As well as big project​/​networking fairs so you can come in with some sense of where to go. There are hundreds of clubs at UW, so you can get a bit lost before finding which ones suit you best. I would also peek at your departments courses so you can build your degree plan early. It is almost guaranteed to change, but starting early and knowing how to get your degree is very helpful! I did that, some majors require it to apply, and it was very helpful in understanding what courses I needed to do and when. Check in with an advisor every quarter as well, sometimes things change and just a quick check is also very helpful.

Favorite class

ASTR 480: Introduction to Observational Astronomy. This class was a great way to get a feel for what I might be doing in my field. We did direct observations with a telescope, processed the data, then wrote a final paper. I also quite liked Math 209 (Partial Differential Equations) as it was very applicable to my physics classes.

Career goals

I hope to continue on to graduate school and get a PhD in astrophysics with a concentration in high energy astrophysics.

Ideal way to spend a free night

Grab a sandwich from Cheba Hut, catch a local UW band at a house show, then hang out with friends on Denny Field to wrap up the night.

High school or secondary school

Eatonville High School in Eatonville, WA, USA

Previous college

Pierce College, Fort Steilacoom, WA, USA. I have an associate science degree from this institution and I did it through Running Start in high school. This was a fantastic opportunity and prepared me well for transitioning to university courses. I had already experienced the quarter system and what the courses would look like.