university of washington freshman essay

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Writing Your Personal Statement

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Main Content

You are required to complete a Personal Statement as part of your application. This is a critical part of your application, both for admission and scholarship consideration. Content, as well as the form, spelling, grammar, and punctuation will be considered. When you write your personal statement, tell us about the aspects of your life that are not apparent from your academic record.

Personal statement

Freshman applicants will choose one of the following prompts (400-600 words):

1.) Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

2.) Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

3.) An essay topic of your choice. If you have written another admissions essay that captures what you want the UW Tacoma Admissions Committee to know about, feel free to share it with us. Be sure to include the topic or question you answered. 

Transfer applicants are asked to address the following writing prompt:

Describe how personal, professional or educational experiences have shaped your academic, career and/or personal goals. How will UW Tacoma help you attain these goals? (650 words)

Other comments (optional)

If there is anything else you think we should know, you can include that in the "Other Comments" section of the application.

Tips for Success

• Tell us who you are. We encourage you to share those aspects of your life that are not apparent from your transcripts. Be concise, but tell the whole story even if you need a little more space. All of the information you provide in your application and statement will remain confidential.
• Be specific. Personal Statements too often include sentences such as "I've always wanted to be a Husky" or "My whole family attended the UW." Though this may be important to you personally, such statements are not particularly valuable to the Admissions staff. Why? Because they don't tell us anything distinctive about your experiences and ultimate goals.
• You are a college student. Your Personal Statement should reflect the experience and maturity of someone who has already attended college. It should reflect your understanding of the components of an undergraduate education, such as general education and the major. We want to read how your academic and personal experience to date fits into your academic, career and personal goals and how UW Tacoma can help you attain these goals.

Write your statement first in a word processing program (such as Word). Then copy/paste your work into the application text box.

Here are some tips on  how to write a great college essay .

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University of Washington

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Want to see your chances of admission at University of Washington?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of Washington’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Personal statement essay.

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

Diversity Short Response

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the University of Washington.

Additional Info Short Response

Additional information about yourself or your circumstances You are not required to write anything in this section, but feel free to include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if: You have experienced personal hardships in obtaining your education Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations Unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

UW Honors Short Response

We want to understand your desire to learn new things and to push your education outside of the areas of learning that you are most familiar with.

Tell us why this type of learning interests you and which subjects you’re excited to explore in college.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

University of Washington Essay Prompts 2022-2023

University of washington essay prompts quick facts :.

• University of Washington acceptance rate: 53%— U.S. News ranks the University of Washington as a more selective school.
• 1 (~650 word) essay
• 1 (~300 word) short response
• 1 (~200 word) additional information essay (optional)
• University of Washington application: The University of Washington accepts applications via the Common App or ApplyWeb . The University of Washington Common App essay is not considered in the admissions process. Make sure to check all of the University of Washington application requirements. 
• University of Washington essay tip: Every UW application essay is important when it comes to impressing the UW admissions committee. Make sure to give each UW essay prompt your careful attention, no matter the word count. 

What are the University of Washington essay prompts?

You’ve completed the tedious work of finding your top colleges to apply to and now you’re working on your UW essay prompts. Before you start worrying about the college enrollment process, let’s break down each UW essay prompt so you can begin writing your UW application essays! 

There are three UW essay prompts .

Remember that UW admissions doesn’t consider the Common App essay in their writing section. Two of the UW essay prompts are required and one UW essay prompt is optional. While the University of Washington acceptance rate may not seem so intimidating compared to other colleges , your UW essay prompt responses can still make or break your application. 

We have provided all three UW essay prompts for the 2022-2023 University of Washington supplemental essays below. You’ll find a breakdown of how to approach each of the University of Washington essay prompts as well as tips for writing UW application essays that will stand out.

Importantly, the University of Washington does not review your Common App essay. Although the University of Washington Common App essay isn’t considered in the University of Washington admissions process (it won’t factor into your odds against the University of Washington acceptance rate), the Common App personal essay is still important in other universities’ application process. Check out all you need to know about writing a personal essay for the other schools that made your college list . 

University of Washington Essay Prompts #1 ( Required )

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it (650 words)..

Of all the University of Washington essay prompts, this one is the longest and the most open-ended. This UW application essay should focus on some part of your character: the qualities that determine how you move through the world. In this UW application essay, try to highlight who you are, what you value, and who you’d be on UW’s campus.

Identify your values

To begin your brainstorm for the first of the University of Washington essay prompts, write out your values. List any qualities you care about— honesty, compassion, curiosity, etc. For each characteristic, think of a moment that taught you something about this quality and a moment it was tested. For example, if your characteristic was honesty, you might think about a time when you lied and the consequences of your actions. Or, maybe you think of a moment where you had to choose between lying and being honest.

If you’re not sure which characteristic to highlight for this University of Washington essay, start by brainstorming potential stories. Try to think of a time when you were proud of yourself, when you were challenged, or when you learned a lesson.

You can also check out this list of personal achievements and characteristics from the University of Washington admissions page for ideas of what to discuss in this UW application essay.

Focus on action

Whatever story you tell in this UW application essay, make sure your experience involves you making a decision or taking action. A story with a conflict and resolution will make your essay more engaging . Once you have settled on your topic, without second-guessing yourself, write out what happened and, more importantly, what you got out of the situation. 

A great way to make sure you’ve answered this UW essay prompt is to have another person read your essay without reading the prompt. Then, ask what they learned about you from your essay. If they learned something about your character, then chances are you’ve successfully responded to the question. Then, you can move onto the other University of Washington essay prompts.

University of Washington Essay Prompts #2 ( Required )

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the uw (300 words)..

The second of the required University of Washington essay prompts revolves around community and how it creates unique perspectives. Because the UW essay prompts are quite general, brainstorm before you pick a topic. You’re likely part of many intersecting communities, so start by listing all the communities you belong to. Communities can be as big as a globally practiced religion or as small as a friendship group based on Dungeons and Dragons, so don’t leave anything out.

Focus on impact

Once you have your list for the second of the University of Washington essay prompts, think about how these communities impact your life. Remember, diversity is not just based on categories of identity; it also comes from differences in how we view and experience the world. For each community, do two free-writes : one detailing the important characteristics, beliefs, and events shared within that community and one detailing how that community impacts how you move through the world.

The UW essay prompt then asks you to imagine how you might add to the diversity of UW. Maybe you want to join a specific student group. Alternatively, you might even propose to start a new one. Maybe you want to bring your point of view into a field of study where it’s not typically included. For each community on your list, brainstorm how it would impact your time at UW.

Once you’ve done your brainstorm for this UW application essay, string your ideas together. If you’re having trouble organizing your thoughts, stick to the outline provided by the University of Washington essay prompts. Use the questions “what is your world,” “how are you a product of it,” and “how will you add to the diversity of UW” as guiding questions for the beginning, middle, and end of your University of Washington essay.

University of Washington Essay Prompts #3 ( Optional )

Additional information about yourself or your circumstances (200 words)..

This UW essay prompt is optional. The University of Washington application requirements don’t call for a response to this UW essay prompt. However, you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you and you’d like to share that information with the University of Washington admissions. 

Often, prompts listed as “optional” are still essentially required if you want to be a competitive applicant. This is not the case with the final UW essay prompt. If you don’t have any extenuating circumstances, feel free to disregard this University of Washington essay prompt. 

You may want to answer this optional UW application essay if:

• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education.
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations.
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended.

Of all the University of Washington essay prompts, this one lets you fill in potential gaps in your University of Washington application due to various circumstances. If you have had to overcome challenges to get where you are today, the University of Washington admissions committee wants to hear about it.

Although this is the shortest of the University of Washington essay prompts, it is important you still craft a story and directly connect your experiences to your University of Washington application. For example, if you had to start working at a young age to support your family, be sure to include why it is important for the UW admissions team to know. Maybe you didn’t have time for extracurriculars , or maybe you had to make extra efforts to stay on top of your homework. 

Mention how you’ve grown

You should also make sure you include what the experience means to you if responding to this UW application essay. For instance, maybe your hardships taught you to be more responsible, or maybe you learned how to ask for help when you need it. If you choose to respond to this last of the University of Washington essay prompts, make sure your reader knows why you chose to include it. As with your other two University of Washington supplemental essays, remember to be brief, specific, and honest.

How do I write my University of Washington essays?

To make your essays count, remember to consider your audience. Your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts should convey who you are, how you’d succeed at UW, and what you might bring to UW’s campus. Are you a first generation college student? Did you take a meaningful gap year ? This is your opportunity to show what makes you unique. Remember that your responses to each UW essay prompt shouldn’t read like your college resume . Give each UW essay prompt response some personality and passion . 

Take time with the University of Washington essay prompts, and give the same amount of consideration to each UW application essay. While one of the University of Washington essay prompts is shorter than the other, that doesn’t mean it will be easier to write. Each UW application essay should be clear, concise, and captivating. It should also completely answer the University of Washington essay prompts. 

Follow the checklist below to be sure that you answer the University of Washington prompts to the best of your ability. 

UW Essay Prompts Checklist:

✔️ brainstorm.

Before you begin writing, create a list of topics related to the University of Washington essay prompts. Use the breakdowns of the University of Washington essay prompts above to help you get started.

Once you’ve chosen a topic for each of the University of Washington essay prompts, it is time to get writing. Don’t worry about making your first draft perfect—it doesn’t need to be! Don’t think about things like the University of Washington acceptance rate; just focus on getting your story down on paper

Ask yourself: does my UW application essay specifically answer the UW essay prompt? Am I telling a story? Is there a clear beginning, middle, and end? Does my essay show who I am? Because each UW essay prompt has a specific word limit, it’s important to make every word count.

✔️ Proofread

Read through each essay for any spelling or grammatical errors. The University of Washington admissions team will review thousands of responses to the University of Washington essay prompts, and we want your University of Washington essays to stand out for the right reasons. Make sure your responses to the UW essay prompts are as clear and easy to read so your personality can shine.

✔️ Get a second opinion

Have someone else—a family member, mentor, even a peer—read your essay. A second pair of eyes will notice how your UW essays read, whether your story flows, and how well you’ve addressed the UW essay prompts.

✔️ Repeat steps 3-4 until you are satisfied with your UW essay prompts

Remember, the writing process is a process. Give yourself enough time ahead of the deadline to think about the UW essay prompts. Draft each UW application essay, take a step away, and come back to them with fresh eyes.

After working through the checklist above, evaluate your progress. Keep reworking your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts until you can confidently say that the following statements are true:

• My UW essays tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end.
• Each of my essays answers the UW essay prompt.
• All of my UW essays emphasize who I am and what is important to me.
• My UW essays have no spelling or grammatical errors.

Does the University of Washington care about essays?

Yes! As the University of Washington acceptance rate tells us, not everyone gets into UW. Figuring out how to get into UW will be difficult without placing importance on the UW essay prompts. The University of Washington application essays are UW Admissions’ way of learning who you are as a person. 

The University of Washington admissions office uses a holistic review process. This means they consider your UW essays and extracurriculars alongside your academics. So, your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts are a vital part of your University of Washington application requirements. 

Specifically, UW breaks down their review into two categories: Preparation & Performance and Personal Achievements & Characteristics. While the first depends on your grades and courses, your University of Washington supplemental essays are the perfect place to emphasize the second. UW looks for students who will both succeed academically and contribute to campus life. Your UW application essays should capture who you are and how you will shine at UW. Each of the University of Washington essay prompts lets you share different aspects of what matters to you.

University of Washington Admissions Top Tips for Supplemental Essays

While Seattle may not be the stereotypical “college town,” the city certainly has a lot to offer. If you’re set on UW, which is a top ranking university globally, then we know you want to do everything you can to make your responses to the UW essay prompts stand out. 

To save you time as you begin working on your UW essays, we’ve provided the top ten tips from the University of Washington admissions for writing the UW essays below. We’ve also included tips on how to apply them to your University of Washington supplemental essays.

“Write to the prompt.”

Your University of Washington essays will only be successful if they completely answer the University of Washington essay prompts. Be sure to use our breakdowns of the University of Washington essay prompts, and keep each UW essay prompt in mind when editing your drafts.

“Avoid overused topics.”

Be thorough as you brainstorm topics for each of the UW essay prompts. If you read the UW essay prompts and choose to write about a common experience, use specific details in your UW application essays that show what makes your experience unique.

“Use language you can manage.”

When in doubt, always lean towards simple and straightforward language in your University of Washington essays. Your University of Washington application essays should be written in your voice. Don’t try to sound more intelligent as you respond to the UW essay prompts. Authenticity is key. 

“Keep it simple and real.”

Often, the little things in life have the biggest impact. As you brainstorm topics for your UW application essays, don’t feel pressured to construct the most complicated story. Remember, the University of Washington admissions office wants to be impressed by you! Just be yourself and show them exactly who you are when responding to the University of Washington essay prompts.

“Use humor, honesty, and humility.”

Respond to the UW essay prompts in your own voice. If you have a humorous voice, let that shine through, but only use humor if it feels natural. No matter your writing style, all of your University of Washington essays should be honest and authentic. If you choose to write about your accomplishments , try to do so without bragging or showing off.

“Make it memorable.”

Your University of Washington supplemental essays will be memorable if you are passionate about the story you are telling. Don’t worry about whether the UW admissions team will find your story interesting—if your UW application essays are honest, specific, and exciting to you, they’ll be exciting to read.

“Find the sweet spot.”

Each of the University of Washington essay prompts has a specific word count. While your UW application essays should not be over the word count, it isn’t a bad thing if they are under. For example, if you can tell your story in 400 words, don’t add fluff to reach the 650-word limit. Just be sure your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts are specific and detailed enough to paint a complete picture for your reader.

“Proofread.”

The last thing you want UW admissions thinking about as they finish reading your UW application essays is a typo. Make sure to double-check your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts for spelling and grammar. Try to complete your University of Washington essays ahead of the deadline so you can give yourself a few days away from each of your UW application essays before your final proofread. 

“Punctuate properly.”

Punctuation can change the entire meaning of a sentence, so it’s important you punctuate your University of Washington essays correctly. Try highlighting all your commas, periods, etc., and reading your responses to the University of Washington essay prompts out loud. If someone is helping you edit your UW essays, ask them to do a read-through specifically looking at punctuation.

“Write a punchy first line.”

While it is important your University of Washington essays have a strong opening, don’t let this tip trap you into trying to be overly funny or clever. Your UW application essays thrive on specificity, so write an opening line suited to your specific story and voice.

UW Essay Prompts: Final Thoughts

Remember, the University of Washington essay prompts are your chance to introduce yourself to UW admissions. While the University of Washington acceptance rate is not the highest, strong essays can make all the difference. 

Although your academic history is an important part of your University of Washington application requirements, your UW application essays let UW see who you are beyond numbers and statistics. If you feel your GPA or test scores don’t reflect the kind of student you are or hope to become, your University of Washington essays are the place to showcase your best self. And with so many universities deciding to go test-optiona l, your essays are of utmost importance when it comes to maximizing your odds against the University of Washington acceptance rate. 

Each essay is an opportunity

Think of each UW application essay as an opportunity to overcome the University of Washington acceptance rate and impress the University of Washington admissions. Write each UW application essay thoughtfully, passionately, and comprehensively. Each UW essay prompt response should be not only moving, but also mechanically impeccable. 

While the University of Washington essay prompts may seem like a challenge, remember you have complete control over your UW essays. The strength of your responses to each UW essay prompt relies entirely on how much time, effort, and care you put into them. Start thinking about the UW essay prompts early so you can make your essays the best they can be.

This University of Washington supplemental essays guide was written by Sarah Kaminski . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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College Essays

The University of Washington is often ranked among public Ivy Leagues —that is, public schools with the academic clout and selectivity to elevate their reputations. So if you want to be a Husky, it's not just about good grades and test scores. You'll also need to prove yourself with a good University of Washington essay, combining your technical skill with your knowledge of the school and your reasons for wanting to attend to attract attention from admissions officers.

But to do that, you need to know how to write great UW essays. The University of Washington uses the Common Application , which can be submitted to multiple schools and includes an essay section with several different prompts. The supplemental UW essay prompts are pretty standard, but we have all the helpful tips you need to make sure your application is set to impress.

Feature Image: Cody Logan/ Wikimedia

What's Included in the University of Washington Essay Section?

There are two required essays you need to write for the University of Washington, along with an optional third essay. These essays are:

• Common App essay (650 words)
• Short response (300 words)
• Additional information (optional, 200 words)

Part of the Common App includes answering an essay prompt in 650 words or less. While there are seven Common App essay prompts, the University of Washington doesn't allow you to choose which prompt to answer; all applicants must answer the same prompt and submit them as part of their Common Application .  

The University of Washington application also includes a required short response question of 300 words and an optional short essay of 200 words.

Additional space is available, but it's recommended that you don't take it unless you absolutely need it. Show restraint when responding to UW essay prompts; it shows that you can be concise and follow directions , and you won't run the risk of volunteering too much information or making yourself memorable for the wrong reasons. That said, we'll cover some exceptions below!

What Is the Common Application Essay Prompt?

Although there are seven Common App essay prompts , the University of Washington requires you to answer a specific prompt; you don't get to choose. The maximum length of this essay is 650 words, but the University of Washington recommends the essay be closer to 300-400 words.

This is the Common App essay prompt you must answer:

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

This essay prompt is pretty broad; it allows you to focus on any significant experience in your life. To answer it effectively, you'll want to relate a specific anecdote or event that had a strong impact on you as a person and how you define yourself today.

When answering this prompt, you'll want to choose a particularly significant experience. It doesn't need to be super rare, but the experience should hold deep meaning for you. Ask yourself: what defines you? What do you find important? Can you connect a key part of your personality or a goal you have to a specific event in your life?

You should also focus on only one experience. Don't try to cram in as many stories as possible—concentrate on the one incident that's most important to you, and use this essay as a chance to really delve into the specifics of it. How did the experience make you feel at the time? Why did it have such an impact on you?

If you decide to write about a negative experience, try to put a positive spin on it. You don't need to stick with a happy-go-lucky story—maybe you lost a friend because of a heated argument, or forgot to pick up your little brother from school one day. Regardless of the incident, keep the focus on how this situation ultimately taught you something important about life, such as the value of responsibility or the meaning of maturity.

Tips For Brainstorming Topics for Your University of Washington Essay

If you're struggling to come up with an experience to write about, try these brainstorming ideas:

• A time you helped someone in need, such as a friend, a classmate, or a sibling, and how your assistance revealed to you the value of cooperation or compassion. For example, did you tutor a peer in math? Help your sibling recover from a bullying incident?
• A time you made a mistake or acted against your true character and what this taught you about morality and being true to yourself. Perhaps you lied about a grade you got to your parents or said something out of anger to a friend and later regretted it.
• An incident that emphasizes a particular skill or ability you have. For example, you could write about the time you organized a winter holiday food drive at your high school and how it highlights your leadership skills and passion for social work.
• A time you faced a challenge and how you ultimately overcame it. Maybe you struggled severely with geometry and were about to fail your math class, but because of a great friend who encouraged you to keep trying, you eventually raised your grade from a D- to a B.

When writing this essay, make sure to avoid pretending something is more important or unique than it actually is. Don't tell a story the admissions committee has likely heard hundreds of times. Choose an event that speaks to your life and has had a large impact on how you see yourself. Basically, don't write about what you think the admissions committee wants to read. For example, instead of discussing how you've been in Honor Society since 9th grade, it'll be a lot more interesting if you wrote about somebody you met through Honor Society or why you decided to drop out of it.

Also, don't focus too much on the negative part of the story. While it's OK to write about a time when you made a mistake, did something wrong, or faced a challenge, try to avoid writing only about the bad parts. Your story should overall be optimistic and reveal something positive about yourself.

What Is the Short Answer Prompt?

Once you've finished the Common Application essay, the University of Washington has an additional requirement for you—a short response question with a 300 word limit.

The University of Washington suggests that concise writing is particularly valuable, and recommends that the Common App essay be between 300 and 400 words rather than 650. Though they don't offer word count recommendations for the other prompts, it's best to assume they're looking for short answers. Cutting out 100 words might feel excessive, but do try to leave some breathing room within your essay rather than squeaking in right under the allotted 300 words .

Additionally, the University of Washington states that students tend to answer this essay more informally than the longer essay. However, they expect formal, polished essays for both prompts, so don't slack off on proofreading or editing this essay.

For the UW short response essay, here is the required prompt:

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

UW offers a helpful tip right below the prompt: "Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints." What this means is that UW wants to see students who are going to be right at home in that diverse student body. When answering this question, consider specifically what you might add to the community. What perspective do you bring? What traits make you a good fit?

Some students might struggle with this, because it's easy to assume that UW means they're only looking for students from diverse backgrounds, such as students of color, LGBTQ+ students, or students of other marginalized identities. But the prompt doesn't at all mean that you have no chance if you don't belong to one of those communities. Students who fit into those groups may have an easier time of identifying what diversity they bring to the school, but belonging to a marginalized group doesn't in any way guarantee admission.

The University of Washington is looking for students who foster and embrace diversity, so be sure to think on those terms. Consider, for example, how your rambunctious family Thanksgiving taught you to embrace chaos, and how your ability to stop Great Aunt Kathy from throwing mashed potatoes at your cousin for bringing up a sensitive political issue translates to a college campus. Think about how having several different friend groups in high school—nerds and jocks, for example—taught you to move between spaces while always being your authentic self.

For students who are of marginalized backgrounds, the same advice still applies. You likely have different lived experiences than other students, but UW wants to know exactly what you're going to bring to the student community . You can discuss advocacy work, for example, or how your less advantageous upbringing taught you to work hard for everything you want. Always come back to that request to "Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW."

Embracing diversity isn't just about being a member of a marginalized community; think about how you participate in your social groups and how your experiences before college will help you have and, more importantly, create a good experience for others. Again, it's not about what identity you do or do not have, but rather about how you build communities and support others. UW is a big school, but you'll still be interacting with people from all walks of life on a daily basis—how will you navigate difference and fit into a student body made up of so many different people?

Let UW know exactly how they're going to help you make a slam dunk.

What Should You Add in the Additional Information Section?

The University of Washington essay prompt offers an additional 200 words for you to talk about yourself and your unique circumstances. This section is optional, and UW advises that the following types of students may benefit from taking the opportunity to expand on their application:

• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

Even if you don't fall into one of these groups, it's wise to take advantage of this additional space. Everyone has a goal that's important to them, after all, which is explicitly included in the second bullet point. However, you only have 200 words, so you'll need to make them count .

Again, UW mentions earlier in their guidelines for the writing section that they value brevity. Don't try to hit that 200 word mark just because it's there—use only the space that you need. Be succinct and clear about any obstacles you've overcome, what draws you to your major, and what makes you want to attend UW specifically.

For example, say you, like many prospective UW students, are interested in becoming a doctor. The University of Washington is highly ranked among medical schools , so saying you want to go there because it's a good medical program isn't doing any legwork in setting you apart from other students . Instead, use this space to talk about why your major is important to you, and why placement at UW is going to help you achieve more.

Following the medical school example, maybe your primary care doctor was a UW grad, and the depth of care they gave you convinced you it wasn't just what you know as a doctor that matters, but also how you deploy that knowledge. Because you want to make the same difference in somebody's life, you're applying to UW to have access to the same information and instruction that your doctor did. In essence, use this space to explain something you didn't have space to explain elsewhere, but make it count .

Be careful not to retread the same ground! This is an opportunity to flesh out your application, not to hammer something home. If you haven't had a chance to discuss that your grades slipped sophomore year because of a family illness or that your local library has a special box for you because of all the engineering books you keep checking out, now's the time to mention it. Keep it short, direct, and original—the admissions office is reading this supplemental section in the context of your application, so you don't need to revisit anything.

Careful not to fall into the trap of using more space than you need.

Should You Use the Additional Space? How?

It can be tempting to use UW's provided additional space to squeeze a few more words into your application, but resist it . Those word counts are there for a reason, and you should aim to get under, not exceed them.

That said, there are legitimate reasons to use this additional space. The University of Washington mentions clarifying answers from elsewhere on the application or providing extra information to the admissions office.

If you have special considerations as a student that you want to be sure the office is aware of, but that you didn't discuss in the previous additional information section, you could include that here. You could also include relevant awards or distinguishing recognition you've received. If your high school had an unusual grading system, it might be useful to explain how to interpret your grades.

But don't take the lack of a word requirement to mean that you can talk about whatever you want, or that you should use this space to expand on one of your earlier essays . Use only what you need, no more. Try to keep it under 200 words. Brevity is important!

Tips and Advice for the University of Washington Essays

Specific advice for each prompt will help you craft a better essay, but there are some general things to keep in mind, too !

Proofread Your UW Essays

It's a small space, so there should be fewer mistakes, right? Nope . You still need to proofread . Consider writing your essays by hand and then transcribing the drafts—it feels like more work, but turning written words into typed words is a great way to spot mistakes. Go through multiple drafts, and read your essay out loud before you submit it.

Don't let typos get through; no matter how good the rest of your essay is, a typo will make it look as though you didn't edit it at all, suggesting you didn't take your time. Do everything you can to avoid the perception that you wrote it up without thinking! On the UW admission website they are very specific that you should “write like it matters, not like you’re texting. This is an application for college, not a message to your friend.”

Get Editing Help

Seek feedback from those you trust, not just those who are going to tell you your essays are great . You want your essays to be as good as possible, so let people who are going to be truthful with you make suggestions. They'll help you write a better essay, and a fresh pair of eyes can spot holes in your logic and errors you might miss after repeated revisions.

Think about going to teachers or counselors rather than friends or family. Though they undoubtedly want to help you, they might also be worried about hurting your feelings. Someone who's a little more objective but still wants to see you succeed is the kind of editor you want.

Be Specific

Always remember that you're applying to the University of Washington. Don't just write an essay that could impress any college (that's what the Common Application essay is for!); write one that ties into UW's core values . Their vision includes an emphasis on discovery, research, community, optimism, and even celebrating the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. All of these are angles ripe for exploration in your essays . If one of your answers is lacking, try folding a little of this vision into it by finding parts of your essay that match the mission and making them stand out more.

Read Essays That Got Students Into UW

It can be tricky finding essays that got applicants into UW, but it can also be a great indicator of what the school values in an application. Take these essays by Issa Rice . Though written for a different set of prompts, it's not hard to see why Rice was accepted.

Notice how his essays could only come from him; they're so tied to personal experience that it's unlikely anyone else would have the same essay. That's the kind of personalization you want to strive for. Your essay should speak about your own unique experience and leave the admissions office with a clearer picture of who you are as a person, not just as a collection of grades and test scores.

What's Next?

Crafting a perfect essay is just one part of the admissions process to the University of Washington. Because UW is a moderately selective school, you need to be aware of all admissions requirements before applying to be sure that your application is up to snuff .

As you're writing and rewriting your UW essay, be sure that it meets all the guidelines of a good college essay in addition to the UW requirements. A little extra polish will go a long way to cementing your application in the admission office's memory!

If you're struggling to understand why UW uses the Coalition App and what that means, never fear! We have all the information on what distinguishes one application system from another , helping you plan your college applications with less stress.

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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University of Washington Information School

Informatics.

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Application Materials

Application.

In order to apply to the program, applicants who are current UW students or transfer students must complete an application and provide the information and materials listed below.

The Informatics program has two admissions cycles per year, spring and autumn.

• The application to start the program in Winter 2025 will open in September 2024, with a deadline in early October 2024.
• The application to start the program in Autumn 2024 will open in March 2025, with a deadline in early April 2025.
• Transfer students should also complete a UW transfer application for the quarter they wish to enter the program.

What you will need:

• Schools and Transcripts
• Prerequisites courses
• Why Informatics
• Collaboration Skills
• Experience with IDEAS
• Goals after Graduation
• Informatics AI usage
• Application Limit
• What we Look for

Schools and transcripts

Applicants are required to provide information about all schools where they have earned academic credit and are required to provide an unofficial transcript for each. Please include all schools even if the courses appear on your UW transcript. If you have taken any UW Seattle courses, you also need to list and attach an unofficial transcript for the UW.

Prerequisite courses

Applicants will provide information about the prerequisite courses they took. They will be asked at which school they took the course, what term it was taken, and the course number. If they have taken more than one course that meets any prerequisite course requirement, it is recommended that they enter the course that has the highest grade.

• Current UW student prerequisites
• Transfer applicant prerequisites

Application essay

Essay prompts for the academic year Autumn 2024 applications are below. Essay prompts change every year; be sure to address the correct year's prompts in your application! Major essay updates are coming for Winter 2025, and the updates will be posted by mid-September 2024. Use the prompts below to start your essay and check back in September for the final updates.

In addition to providing information about prerequisite grades and academic history, applicants must submit an application essay of less than 700 words that responds to the following prompts. The essay is evaluated based on the 4 prompts below as well as the overall writing; all prompts are weighted equally.

Writing and Formatting Requirements:

We expect students to already be capable of writing clearly and coherently in English. Your response helps us evaluate that.

What we’re looking for: Clear communication is central to thriving in our courses, as most involve writing. Be sure to check your spelling. Do your best to avoid grammar errors, but note that we will not penalize you for them unless they significantly interfere with our ability to comprehend your writing.

You may include anything you want in your application essay, as long as it satisfies the following requirements: 

• The structure of your essay is up to you as long as you address all 4 prompts.
• 700-word limit total for all prompts combined.
• Applicants will copy/paste their submission as plain text into a text box in the application. Be sure to test this before the deadline. This means that bold, italic, etc formatting will not be included.
• Do not include links to external information or websites. Additional information can not be considered, so such links will just use up the word count.

Prompt: Why Informatics?

Why Informatics? Why are you choosing to pursue an Informatics degree? 

Consider: What brought you to this major? How have you engaged with the study, design, and development of information? Classes you have taken, activities you have participated in, work you have done, etc.

What we’re looking for: We’re looking for students who have demonstrated that they will be interested, engaged, and active in our program and what we teach.

Prompt: Collaboration Skills

What skills and experiences illustrate your ability to foster meaningful collaboration with your peers and contribute to the enrichment of this major and community? Describe specific instance(s) where your actions have demonstrated active engagement and a commitment to creating a collaborative learning environment either in or out of the classroom.

What we’re looking for: In the iSchool we strongly value collaboration and community. All our classes involve group work and collaborative efforts, which are integral to learning. Informatics students will thrive in this collaborative environment, and help empower others to thrive as well.  

Prompt: Experiences with IDEAS

What experiences do you have with inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and/or sovereignty in relation to information? These might be the same experience with information you described above, or different ones. These experiences might include learning, volunteering, activism, community organizing, mentoring, teaching, or personal experiences with exclusion or oppression. We are especially interested in experiences in which you took action to address issues of fairness, bias, or exclusion, whether advocacy or self-advocacy, social or technical. You may want to consider the iSchool diversity statement when composing your response.

What we’re looking for: It’s important that Informatics majors are attentive to ways that people can be excluded and oppressed by information and information technology and in general. We’re seeking students who are committed to making information technology more just, equitable, and inclusive

Prompt: Goals after Graduation

How will pursuing an Informatics major impact your life, community, and/or world after graduation? How will the Informatics degree specifically support those intended impacts? Clearly state your goals and be specific about the features or aspects of the Informatics programs that will support your goals. 

What we’re looking for: It is important that Informatics is actually well-positioned to support your goals, whatever they are. Informatics doesn’t support every goal.

Informatics AI usage — ChatGPT or generative AI usage

ChatGPT and similar tools can be valuable in making your writing better and your thinking richer. But it cannot be used to replace writing and thinking. 

During the application process, you will be asked "Did you use ChatGPT and/or similar tools in writing this essay? If so, please indicate how you used the tool(s)."

Not acceptable:

Enter prompt and/or some notes into ChatGPT; submit some version of what comes out, even with some modifications. This will be considered plagiarism.

Acceptable:

• Use ChatGPT to find a better word (as you would a thesaurus)
• Use ChatGPT to assure your grammar is correct
• Use ChatGPT to find a better way to phrase an idea, a sentence or two

Note: two-application limit

Applicants will be allowed to apply to the Informatics major a maximum of two times. For this reason, applicants are encouraged to be selective and apply only when they have fulfilled all the criteria and feel that they can present a strong application.

First-year direct-to-major admission applications do not count toward the two-application limit. 

Only applications that are complete and considered for admission are counted in the two attempts. Starting an application or submitting without all prerequisite courses completed will not count toward your two attempts. 

What We Look for

As you write your statement, keep in mind that the admissions committee seeks a diverse range of students. We value various perspectives and backgrounds because they enrich our learning environment. Whether you’re passionate about people, technology, or information, we want to understand what makes you unique.

When reviewing your statement, the admissions committee will consider the four essay prompts. Therefore, as you share your story, aim for clarity and coherence. You can structure your statement around the provided prompts, but feel free to explore other creative ways of organizing your responses. Sometimes a single experience can address multiple criteria. Remember to link your personal experiences to the Informatics Major. Show us how your journey aligns with our program and why you’re a great fit for our community.

The Informatics admissions committee believes all students interested in information deserve to major in Informatics. However, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission is capacity-constrained because we have limited teaching capacity and space; thus, we can only admit a portion of the students who apply. 

Applications are evaluated based on the written essay (80% of the overall score) and a calculated average of grades in the prerequisite courses (20% of the overall score). An essay score is calculated with equal weight to the criteria outlined in our rubric . We use statistical methods such as z-scoring to calculate the ranking of applications reviewed. All applicants are reviewed by at least two people on our admissions committee. We review the prerequisite course scores where students use AP, credit/no credit, or satisfactory/not satisfactory grades to ensure this is not disadvantaging a student's final rank.

If you have any questions while working on the application, please contact the Admission team at [email protected]  Do not wait until the due date to reach out to us if you do have questions!

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Academic Support Programs

• Academic writing

Effective communication is a significant part of every job, discipline, and career! To help you develop this skill, you may take a UW Composition course from the  Expository Writing Program  (EWP) as well as other courses with a Writing credit. The EWP courses are typically centered around in-class discussions, short assignments, and major papers, and the bulk of the final grade comes from a final portfolio, which includes revised assignments. 

With every assignment, start by focusing on the prompt and its scope, which will give you more direction about the writing task: are you supposed to craft an argument, tell a story, or connect two different texts?

Try this: If you're struggling to come up with a response to the prompt, set a 20 minute timer and start brainstorming ideas or topics that you could explore, and feel free to look back at your class notes for this! If you're still stuck, make an appointment with your professor or discuss your ideas with peers in class.

Writing in college can be different from writing in high school, so here are some tips to keep in mind when structuring academic essays and ensuring that you are keeping audience, conventions of the genre, and use of relevant evidence in mind:

Every paper needs a title, which shouldn't be the name of the assignment. Typically, it should indicate something specific about your argument.

If you're struggling writing a title, it can sometimes be beneficial to leave that step until you're done writing. Look at the themes you've developed in your paper and brainstorm ideas from those.

Two-fold titles are very common, i.e., “Something catchy/interesting/metaphoric: Something that ties to the argument.”

Try out an exercise to help brainstorm ideas for writing a title. 

Most of the writing process will be spent devising your thesis statement, so focus on creating a thesis that is specific, supportable with evidence, and matters to the reader.

Introduction

An introduction will act as the bridge between your readers' lives and your analysis, and it should be a primer for the argument or topic you will explore in subsequent paragraphs.

You can think of the introduction as a "funnel" for your ideas. In other words, the ideas in your introduction will go from being broad (i.e. bilingualism in America) to specifically describing the argument of your paper (As evidenced by the research of XYZ sources, being bilingual is a strength of perspective that empowers students to empathetically understand the needs of their peers).

When writing an introduction, it's recommended to include:

• A brief explanation of general concepts (often course concepts/themes that the essay will deal with)
• An introduction to your sources or the type of evidence you will use.
• A s trong thesis statement that outlines your argument
• A roadmap that outlines the different sections of your argument
• The stakes of your argument - this should answer the question, "why does this argument or topic matter to the reader?"

Beware of Hooks 

Hooks are common in high school writing and often take the form of anecdotes or quotes from famous people, or rhetorical questions. If you've ever read a paper that starts with "According to Webster's Dictionary, culture is defined as.." you know exactly what we're talking about. Try to avoid ledes like this in college writing as they will lead you away from your argument and set the tone of your essay as noticeably conversational. 

Try this: Think about how you can introduce an interesting question or fact that's related to your topic. Is there a common dilemma or discussion related to your topic or the field?

"Argument” vs. “Claim” vs. “Thesis”

There is different terminology for every discipline, class, and instructor: argument, focus, claim, thesis, thesis statement, focus sentence, claim with stakes. However, they all mean same thing —  an academic claim with meaningful repercussions .

Many of the UW Composition/English classes require students to write a complex claim, which should 1) be arguable/nuanced, 2) take a specific stance, 3) be substantiated with evidence, and 4) have stakes and answer the question, "why does it matter?” 

Topic Sentences

In college writing, the main goal of a topic sentence is to communicate what the paragraph will prove/argue/explore, rather than introduce its general focus. Instructors will often call topic sentences “sub-claims” because they support the thesis and introduce different aspects of the assignment's thesis. 

With each topic sentence, focus on building your argument. In other words, each paragraph should support the claim of your thesis and build on the evidence from previous paragraphs.

Evidence, Quotations & Analysis

When picking quotes, use the essential portion of a quote and give it context i.e. “According to So-and-so, XYZ is a common theory.” Quotes must be incorporated grammatically and can be adjusted using brackets to clarify phrases, for example: "[In the case of the Amazon river] water flows uphill" (Miller 14). 

After including a quote, be sure to add an in-text citation, which will look differently depending on the required citation style , and provide specific analysis that connects your quote or evidence with the paper's overall argument. 

Use of Personal Experience

Unless your instructor asks for personal experience, use it sparingly and only to reiterate a point found in other evidence. Personal experience is certainly appropriate for an outcome reflection or writer's memo, but it is typically not included in academic essays. Focus on providing examples and evidence through reputable articles, peer-reviewed sources, or journals - the UW Library Databases are a great place to start looking.

Conclusions

This is the final section of your paper, and it has two main tasks: 

• Give the reader a “take-home message” of the paper that you want them to remember (the point of the paper's analysis, rather than a restatement of the topic sentence) 
• Connect the body of your paper and your overall argument. Instead of just summarizing each paragraph, show how your argument and examples fit together.
• Avoid introducing new information and analysis in your conclusion, but focus on why your reader should care about your topic

If you're struggling to come up with a conclusion, ask yourself, "Why should the reader care?" and see if you start to answer this question in your conclusion. Read more tips for writing a conclusion through this handout on the UNC's Writing Center page .

Topic sentence = what will be proven Concluding sentence = why that matters

Citations are required  and the use of someone else’s work without giving permission is considered plagiarism. Use both in-text citations when using quotes or referencing information that's on your own, and include a Works Cited/Bibliography page at the end of the entire document.

• Check with your professor about what citation style you’re expected to use. Common styles include MLA (humanities, APA, Chicago, and IEEE). Conventions for each of these disciplines can be found on Purdue Owl .
• For each source, start by pulling all the information you can find about the author, title, publisher, etc. You can use a citation machine to put other citations for the Works Cited page, but be wary of citation generators that are out of date!
• Once you pick a citations style, be consistent throughout your paper.
• If you have found the resource you are citing through the UW Library database search, you can use the database citation tool to create a citation for you in many of the most common citation styles.  Simply select “citation” from the “Send to” menu on the resource page on the database search.

Proofreading your paper to ensure that your assignments are free of errors is part of turning in a polished draft. Here are some common grammar mistakes to look for as you work through your paper, as adopted from Harvard's Tips for Grammar, Punctuation, and Style :

• Spell out acronyms the first time you use them , and use the acronym for each reference after e.g. "In 1924, the American Heart Association (AHA) in response to concern about the lack of heart disease information. The AHA continues to expand its education and outreach activities."
• Avoid passive voice:  This will make your writing more concise and ensure that the subject and verb are close together. It's usually better to say "Einstein's theory" than "the theory that was formulated by Einstein."
• Be sure all of your sentences have parallel construction.  This sentence doesn't have it: "Re- reading my first draft, I notice it's trite, repetitive, and with no thesis." This sentence does: Re-reading my first draft, I notice it's trite, repetitive, and lacking in a thesis.
• Make sure your references are clear.  When you say "This theory" or "that point" or, simply, "it," is it clear which theory or point you're referring to? When you use "he" or "she" or "these critics," will your reader have to reread part of your essay to figure out who you are referring to?

Best Practices for Academic Writing

Here are some notes to keep in mind when working on academic writing:

Paragraph Content/Length

2-3 sources of evidence is a good goal for most paragraphs. There is no literal limit on length, but paragraphs exceeding one page usually wander. To avoid this, make sure every paragraph contributes a new piece of analysis.

Audience/Tone

Unless otherwise noted, your audience is an average educated reader. Thus, you should explain jargon/course terms, provide context for examples/evidence, and make explicit connections between your quotes/evidence and the argument of your paper.

Try to maintain a tone that is professional, clear, objective, and makes a clear argument via a logical progression of thought.

When it comes to writing for a specific audience, think about their expectations or familiarity with the topic, and write with that in mind.

Academic papers, especially when referring to literature, are typically written in present tense. This gets confusing in papers that deal with social/cultural phenomena, history, or anything that has literally already “happened.”  In these instances, you can present anything from your sources in present tense, and anything from general knowledge in present perfect, past perfect, or present perfect continuous, i.e. “this has happened,” “this had happened,” or “this has been happening.”

First Person

For most academic essays where you're not presenting your own words or argument, avoid using “I,” “my,” “we,” and “our.” This topic is somewhat debatable; check with your instructor for more information.

Controversial Topics/Ideas

These can be acknowledged, but typically should never contribute to sub-claims or the main claim. It can be helpful to chat with your professor or TA about your claim if it seems controversial, which can be hard to navigate in an academic paper. In general, claims should only speak on controversial topics in terms of what can objectively be proven, as the academic community will not respond to anything else.

Rhetorical Questions 

A rhetorical question is asked in order to make a point, or produce an effect, not provide an answer. These are typically avoided in college-level writing because you as the writer are typically answering a question or forming an argument in the assignment. More importantly, rhetorical questions take for granted that the reader understands your implied answers to the question. As a responsible writer, you should assume that unless made explicit, your points will not be comprehensible to the reader.

On-Campus Writing Resources

The University of Washington’s writing centers are staffed by knowledgeable tutors who can help you workshop your assignments at any point of the process:

• The Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment has a Writing Center with writing tutors available from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on school nights! They can help with every stage of the writing process to brainstorming and drafting to polishing the final draft!
• The Odegaard Writing and Research Center (OWRC) offers 45 minute appointments on any writing assignment ranging from an academic essay to personal statements.You can also schedule an appointment with a research librarian here!

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First-Year Admission

Applying as a first-year to the Honors Program

The application for first-year admission to Interdisciplinary Honors is integrated into the  UW First-year Application , with additional required essays and a separate evaluation process. You must complete and submit all of the regular UW Admissions and all of the Honors application materials to be considered for Interdisciplinary Honors admission.

Before applying to Honors, we recommend you explore the following:

Who are Honors students?

The honors curriculum, tips for applying, honors student leaders, scholarships, admissions faq.

Interested in applying for admissions for autumn 2024? Register for an information session!

RSVP HERE FOR AUTUMN 2023 SESSIONS

NOTE: We are unable to offer individual admissions appointments for prospective first-year applicants. Please attend an information, review our presentation slides,browse our website, and reach out to our Honors Student Leaders if you still have questions. Thank you for your understanding!

Important Dates

Application process.

To access and submit the Honors application questions:

• Follow the University of Washington Office of Admissions’ instructions on how to apply ;
• If you no longer wish to apply to Honors at any point, you must change your selection to “No.”
• Complete the UW application AND the Honors section of the UW application .
• You will receive separate confirmation emails from UW and the Honors Program.
• Check your email. UW Honors uses the email address in your UW application as our primary method of contact, including our decision letters and scholarship offers. If you set up an “@uw.edu” address, it will take priority. If you have not received any confirmation emails, please check your spam/trash folders first, then contact us at uwhonors@uw.edu .

Honors Essay

The heart of the Honors application is the Honors Essay. This essay, separate from the UW Writing section, requires an essay specific to Interdisciplinary Honors. Your response will be evaluated on content as well as form (spelling, grammar, and punctuation).

Your essay should be original, thoughtful, and concise. Do not copy previous essays from your UW application or materials found on the UW Honors Program web site. Draw on your best qualities as a writer and thinker; academic risk-taking is a core value of the Honors Program, so take some risks and be honest. Tell us who you are and why you want an interdisciplinary undergraduate education. Work on the essays early. Have someone proofread your writing but don’t let a proofreader erase your unique voice.

Essay Prompt for Autumn 2024

Respond to the essay prompt using no more than 450 words.

We want to understand your desire to learn new things and to push your education outside of the areas of learning that you are most familiar with. 

Tell us why this type of learning interests you and which subjects you’re excited to explore in college.

• Be yourself and be specific! This is your opportunity to introduce yourself to us. Demonstrate why you are interested in our curriculum and what qualities you would contribute to the Interdisciplinary Honors Program.
• Remember your audience. The UW is a large and diverse public institution. The people evaluating your application may not have the same beliefs or perspective you do. Diverse viewpoints are desired in the academic world. Consider this as you frame your essays.
• Proofread! Have someone who knows you proofread your responses, but don’t let your voice and perspective be erased.
• Do not send transcripts or supplemental materials (recommendations, news articles, resumes, digital media, etc.). These will be discarded upon receipt.

Read our Tips for Applying for more detailed advice.

The Honors Holistic Review & Test Scores

The University of Washington’s Office of Admissions has moved to a test optional policy for Autumn 2021 and beyond. Accordingly, the University Honors Program admissions evaluators will not consider test scores, which have historically been a small factor in our evaluation process. The Honors Program admissions evaluation focuses on many factors, including :

• Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in our specific interdisciplinary curriculum and values;
• Demonstrated cultural awareness or unique perspectives or experiences;
• Demonstrated academic preparation; and 
• Demonstrated commitment to community engagement.

To be considered for admission to the University Honors Program first-year applicants must first be admitted to the University of Washington. Please refer to the University of Washington’s Office of Admissions to further understand their review process.

Read our admissions FAQs

FROM THE DIRECTOR

As we enter a new freshman admissions season, the Director of Honors invites students and the communities around them to learn more about the UW Honors curriculum.

Connect with UW Honors:

Mary Gates Hall 211, Box 352800 Seattle, WA 98195-2800 Contact Us Office Hours: Mon-Thur, 10am-4pm, Friday by Online Appointment Only. For details click here .

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Application essays

Your application essays give you the opportunity to introduce yourself, your interests, and sometimes your project ideas, to a selection committee. A great personal statement will give the committee members a sense of who you are, your motivations and interests, and how the scholarship, program or opportunity aligns with your past experiences and future goals.

Writing these essays takes time. You may work through multiple drafts before feeling confident in your work. In addition to giving yourself time to brainstorm, draft, and redraft, be sure to give yourself time to proofread and edit. Seek feedback from your professors, advisors, writing centers and other mentors.

Advisors in our office are available to read and give feedback on essay drafts for scholarship, graduate school and other applications you might be working on. Contact us to request an appointment for help with your personal statement.

Do your homework on the scholarship you are applying for.

Keep in mind the characteristics, requirements, expectations, and/or mission of the specific scholarship to which you are applying.

Reflect on your purpose for applying, your past experiences and your future interests.

A personal statement is not just a listing of your achievements. It is a narration that describes how your interests/plans/perspectives have developed and those experiences that have been critical to that development – why your goals are what they are and how that relates to the scholarship.

Know your audience and how to address them appropriately.

Learn all you can about the nature of particular selection committees through both research and communication with scholarship foundations, past scholarship recipients, graduate students, interns, faculty, etc.  Scholarship websites and application materials often reveal the kinds of selectors involved, and such information can be used to shape material and decide on the level of technical detail and explanation needed. For graduate school, thoroughly research program websites and faculty members (read their CVs).

Important Note: You should not write your personal statement based on what you think the selection committee wants to hear. It should be an honest depiction of who you are, what you want, and how you plan to get there.

Begin drafting with the expectation that you will write multiple drafts.

Most people writing personal statements end up with a first draft that is fairly general, containing mostly vague statements and ideas that could have been written by just about anyone. This is why personal statement writing has to be a process you work through. Multiple drafts are necessary to get past that initial draft, taking those general ideas and distilling them down to the essence of the information you’re trying to convey, fleshing them out with specifics from your experiences.

While working on your first several drafts, do not limit yourself to a certain number of pages or words. Write out all of your ideas first, taking as many pages as necessary, then make choices about what is most important, and edit down. If you limit yourself from the beginning, you are more likely to leave important information out of the final draft.

Revise, Revise & Revise Again.

It can take many drafts to distill your writing down to a final product that directly, concisely and persuasively presents your points. Continued editing and revising is absolutely critical to eradicate words, sentences, even whole paragraphs, that don’t actually contain any real information.

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How to Write the University of Washington Application Essays 2018-2019

Located in Seattle, the University of Washington is a large research university that offers 180 majors and operates on the quarter system, giving students an opportunity to experience a large variety of fast-paced courses. UW is ranked as the #20 public school in the United States, according to US News & World Report 2019 Top Public Colleges and Universities.

With 30,933 undergraduates, UW creates a diverse community with representation from 46 states and 56 countries. 94% of freshmen return for their sophomore year, a sign of student satisfaction at the University of Washington.

The University of Washington has seen an increase in competitive applications. The middle 50% of students had a GPA of 3.7-3.95, SAT composite of 1180-1370, and ACT composite of 27-32. If you want to stand out in this competitive applicant pool, read on for advice to tackle your essays.

University of Washington Essay Prompts

All applicants to the University of Washington must answer the following essay questions. We will break down each of these prompts to help you optimize your answers. Here are UW’s instructions: 

Main Essay (500 words): At the University of Washington, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. Some of the best statements are written as personal stories. In general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300 to 400 words in length. The UW will accept any of the five Coalition prompts.

Short Response (300 words): Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds.  Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the University of Washington.

Tip: Keep in mind that the University of Washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints.

Additional Information About Yourself or Your Circumstances (200 words): You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

You are hoping to be placed in a specific major soon

A personal or professional goal is particularly important to you, you have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education, your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations, you have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended.

Additional Space (Optional): You may use this space if you need to further explain or clarify answers you have given elsewhere in this application, or if you wish to share information that may assist the Office of Admissions. If appropriate, include the application question number to which your comment(s) refer.

Main Essay (500 words)

At the university of washington, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. some of the best statements are written as personal stories. in general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300 to 400 words in length. the uw will accept any of the five coalition prompts. .

The main essay shares the same prompts as the Coalition prompts. For help on these prompts, check out our blog post How to Write the Coalition Application Essays 2018-2019.

Short Response (300 words)

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds.  community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the university of washington. (300 words), when answering this prompt, be sure to address the following in addition to the main prompt:, what kind of environment are you from, who and what do you interact with most commonly and most memorably.

This question serves two purposes: it gives UW an opportunity to learn more about how you developed your values, and it allows them to consider, from what you describe as your past experience, how you might interact with UW students. It is easy to get mired in focusing on describing your community, but remember, UW wants to learn about you through seeing how your community impacted you. Use a description of your community to frame your essay, but always remind yourself to connect the story back to how it changed you.

UW is fundamentally an institution of learning, and diverse perspectives enrich the learning experience of all students. Once you have framed the essay with a description of who you have become as a result of your community’s impact, be sure to extend this thread to your potential future influence on UW.

Consider UW’s tip: “Keep in mind that the University of Washington strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints.” Diversity is not limited to cultural diversity, but also includes life experiences, viewpoints, opinions, and academic, social, or economic ideas.

Recall the experiences your have undergone, events you have witnessed, or articles that you have read that shaped your perspective and values. For example, you could write about how competing in robotics taught you the importance of teamwork and communication, or about how working in a local coffee shop inspired your desire to understand people from all walks of life, and bring a smile to their faces.

There are several ways to interpret community. You could interpret it in the literal sense by explaining how your hometown and family have guided your ambitions. For example, maybe the agricultural focus of your town inspired an appreciation for hard work or the technological atmosphere in the Silicon Valley led you to a love for innovation. Using the overall environment as a springboard, invoke a specific and detailed anecdote that illustrates the atmosphere in your community that you wish to capture.

This prompt also encompasses the people you surround yourself with. You can also write about how your friends from different backgrounds remind you of the importance of understanding or how your family inspires you to work harder.

Additional Information About Yourself or Your Circumstances (200 words)

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. for example, you may use this space if:, opportunity to give extra context as to where you came from.

Although this question is not required, it may be in your best benefit to answer this prompt, especially if you hope to be directly admitted into a specific major at UW. Some majors, like Computer Science, are difficult to get into after freshman year as most students were directly admitted. If you are hoping to get directly admitted to a major, this would be your opportunity to elaborate on your interest in the program. Talk about why you want to major in the subject as well as how you would use the opportunities at UW to pursue your interest.

You can also use this space even if you aren’t applying to any direct-to-major programs. This can be your opportunity to talk about anything else you didn’t have space for in the main body of your application. If you experienced any extenuating circumstances that hindered your academic or extracurricular performance in high school, this would be the place to explain them.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Student Awards and Achievements

PhD student Furkan Kir 's research article “English-medium instruction (EMI) as the great (un)equaliser: experiences of former EMI students in Turkey” has been published in the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. Kir’s article explores the experiences of students who dropped out of an English-medium university in Turkey and postulates that strict English proficiency requirements at some Turkish universities pose a problem for many students.  Fine work Furkan.

Molly Porter 's article “’Damn the Empire!’: Imperial Excess, National Nostalgia, and Metaphysical Modernism in the Poetics of Parade’s End” has appeared in the special issue "Ford Madox Ford's War Writing" in the April 2024 publication of Humanities. Congratulations, Molly!

The Kennedy Center recently named graduate student Jack Wolfram 's play, Paradise Untapped , as a regional semi-finalist for the 2024 John Cauble Award for Outstanding Short Play. A portion of Wolfram’s play was staged alongside three other rising playwrights' works at the Region VII Festival in Spokane, WA. Paradise Untapped’s premise is proper clever:

Paradise Untapped , a one-act play rooted in critical fabulation, tells the story of Deborah Milton and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. The two entered our world a lifetime apart in England to different world-renown intellectuals, tethered across time by a shared fiery intellect and creative compulsion. Both yearn to make a name for themselves and do right by their gifts, tell stories that will be remembered, but doing so proves diametrically opposed to their respective circumstances.

Congratulations Jack!

MFA student Simon Graham is one of the 2024 Association of Writers and Writing Programs' Intro Journals Project Winners, in the fiction category.

Jennie Baker, Abygail Gutierrez, and Jack Wolfram have each earned highly competitive Disability Travel Awards from the Conference on College Composition and Communication (4Cs), the largest conference in the field of writing studies. These awards recognize "scholarship dedicated to improving knowledge about the intersections of disability with composition and rhetoric, the value of disability as a source of diversity, inclusive practices and the promotion of access, and the value of disability as a critical lens" and provide funding to help cover the costs of attending the 2024 CCCC conference being held in Spokane.  Congratulations!

Also in the 4Cs category, PhD student Anselma Prihandita has been awarded a 2024 Scholars for the Dream Award from the Conference on College Composition and Communication. This prestigious award funds travel to the convention and confers an opportunity to connect with important mentors outside of our home institution.  Nice work Anselma!

Ph.D. student, Andreas Bassett was recently selected as the Bibliographical Society of America's Katharine F. Pantzer New Scholar and has been invited to speak at the upcoming 2024 Bibliographical Society of America annual meeting.  Quite the honor – good going Andreas!

Remember Rasheena Fountain , from about a page up, publishing award winning poetry? As a current Ph.D. student in English and MFA graduate (‘21), Rasheena will be a featured artist at the new Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts (PRAx) on Oregon State’s campus in Fall 2024. Fountain’s “Dropped Down Blues” Black speculative and blues audio-visual project, set in Pipers Creek during salmon migration, will be featured in the exhibition How to Carry Water: Memory in Three Questions. The exhibition brings together contemporary visual artists and humanities scholars in shared observations and questions about watersheds. So interesting Rasheena, congrats!

And Tenzin Sangpo , a second year MFA student, was declared a “Dalai Lama Graduate Scholar – 2023" by the Ganden Phodrang Foundations of the Dalai Lama.  What an honor Tenzin!

E. J. Koh has been named a finalist for the 2024 Young Lions Fiction Award by The New York Public Library and Young Lions for her novel The Liberators.

Julia Park and undergraduate student Emily Tang have been selected to the Husky 100. Each year, the Husky 100 recognizes 100 undergraduate and graduate students from the UW Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at the University of Washington.

English Department Awards and Prizes

Graduate Fellowships

Padelford Endowed Fellowship: Jacob Oliver , Alex Romero

Creative Writing Prizes

Derek Hwang--Joan Grayston Prize Sanjana Ramesh (G)    Eugene Van Buren

Undergraduate Scholarships

Adam Ramer--Eilert Anderson Scholarship Frederick Lu--Edward Cox Scholarship Maizy Green--Argentina Daley Endowed Fund Lena "Ruby" Storey--Robert Heilman Scholarship Maizy Green--Roger Sale Scholarship Glika Mitro--Tia Vall-Spinosa Sullivan Scholarship Samuel Abraham--Lucky Budd Waller Scholarship Riley Hull--Peter Thorpe Scholarship Gabe Cortina--Gamma Phi Beta Scholarship Emmalee Heins--Kollar Scholarship Keira Murphy--Charles H. Krysieniel Jaime Stout--Dave and Joan Empfield Endowed Scholarship* Tristyn Struve--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Adam Ramer--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Frederick Lu--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Mitro Glika--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Samuel Abraham--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Riley Hull--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Gabe Cortina--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Emmalee Heins--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Keira Murphy--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship Lena "Ruby" Story--John Kimball Woolley Scholarship

Undergraduate Prizes    Riley Hull--Hilen Essay Prize Ari Snyder--Honors Thesis Prize

Creative Writing Prizes and Awards Sara Cline--Academy of American Poets Prize Binh Tang-- Bentley Prize (Prose)  Anne Duncan--Bentley Prize (Poetry)  Sydney Hwang--Joan Grayston Prize Simon Graham--David Guterson Prize Wen Eckelberg--Arthur Oberg Prize Justine Huggins--Charlotte Paul Reese Award Kathie Wu--Eugene Van Buren Award     Creative Writing Scholarships Nicole Pannucci--Edith K. Draham Scholarship Emma Reiss--Stephanie Dassel Barden Endowed Scholarship

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Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) Judicial Committee – Special Meeting

Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 3:30pm in Husky Union Building (HUB) Room 303 & Zoom

• Call to Order
• Land Acknowledgement
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes
• Announcements
• SAO Advisor
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• Adjournment

Streamlined Workday Support Starts May 1

We're excited to share that on May 1, the ISC website will transition to "Employee Workday Help” with a new name and look.

University of Washington Human Resources

Labor relations, tentative agreement reached with uaw ases.

UW has reached agreement with UAW Local 4121 ASEs on a successor agreement. Members of UAW Local 4121 ASEs still need to vote in favor of ratifying the contract. In accordance with the law the union will endorse the tentative agreement for ratification and will move to ratify the agreement. Additionally, the Union has agreed to suspend the strike pending the outcome of the ratification vote.

A full summary chart detailing all the tentative agreements will follow in the coming days.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

Six GWU students among 33 arrested at campus protest encampment

Six George Washington University students were among the 33 demonstrators arrested early Wednesday at a campus protest encampment.

Six of the 33 people arrested early Wednesday at a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University are current students at the school, according to a GWU spokesman.

College protests over Gaza war

All of those arrested — 29 on charges of unlawful entry and four on charges of assaulting police — were given criminal citations and released, according to authorities. They will have to appear in court at a later date, and they did not go through a formal booking process. The charges are misdemeanors.

Police said 25 of the people arrested are female, including a 17-year-old from Silver Spring, Md. Most of the adults are ages 19 to 23. According to social media posts, six of the people arrested attend Georgetown University, about a mile and a half from GWU. A spokeswoman for Georgetown could not immediately confirm that number.

The Washington Post reached three of the people arrested, and they declined to comment. University officials have asserted that outsiders co-opted the nearly two-week campus demonstration protesting the Israel-Gaza war and demanding that the school sever ties with the Jewish state. Police said that many people left when dispersal warnings were given before the arrests, so a precise breakdown of participants could not be determined.

Meanwhile, the university moved ahead with final exams and preparations for its May 19 commencement, although life has changed in recent weeks for the university’s 26,000 graduate and undergraduate students from more than 130 countries. Buildings are locked; University Yard, where the tent encampment had been set up, is barricaded with a security fence; and the private university is restricting on-campus activities , including ones centered on speech.

In addition, several buildings remained locked Wednesday, even for people with campus identification cards. The school posted on its website: “GW is open and operating with enhanced safety measures,” noting that building access is in “safety mode,” meaning doors are locked and can be opened only by cardholders who would normally have access.

D.C. police have reopened H Street NW near 20th Street. Officials said a heightened police presence will remain on campus at least through graduation day.

Officers swept through the encampment and tents erected on an adjacent public street before dawn Wednesday, ending the demonstration in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood.

University officials had pressed D.C. police to clear out the encampment far earlier. Officials said police resisted , saying the demonstration had remained largely peaceful until late last week. Police made the arrests hours before the city’s mayor and police chief were to appear at a congressional hearing to explain why they had not broken up the encampment, as police in many other cities with universities have done.

Police and the university president said the encampment had grown dangerous and unstable. Police asserted that makeshift weapons were found and that they uncovered a plan to take over a university building. Police said two assaults were reported, including one on a university police officer. GWU’s president said participants had used hateful, antisemitic language.

Protest leaders and other supporters disputed those assertions, saying the protest was peaceful and welcomed people from different backgrounds.

A statement from the university said that the school is “open and operating normally” and that final exams are going ahead as scheduled. The statement said that D.C. police, campus police and additional security officers will be stationed at University Yard and locations nearby. A police spokesman could not provide a timetable but referred to previous statements saying D.C. police are supporting campus officials.

The university also said that Kogan Plaza is closed, adding that “all activities, including activities of free expression on campus, will require reservation through the Division for Student Affairs.”

Arielle Geismar, the university’s student government president, said GWU’s stance has been disappointing.

“I don’t think anything about this is fair,” Geismar said. She struggled to find the words to describe the campus’s transformation — from a place she said was “full of life and community” to one enclosed by tall black gates.

“There’s a really big loss of a sense of community and togetherness at GW right now,” she said. “I think between students there are fractures. I think the biggest one, and the one I feel is nearing irreparable, is the one between students and administration.”

In a letter to the university Wednesday evening, GWU President Ellen M. Granberg acknowledged that the demonstrations “and their underlying causes have created deep fissures in our community that will take time to heal.” She wrote that officials “are also doing everything we can to ensure our graduating students and their families have the Commencement experience they deserve.”

But Granberg also continued to warn of sanctions for protesters who illegally trespassed and occupied parts of the campus. Several students had earlier been suspended.

“It is unfortunate that the behavior and actions of many protesters ultimately required significant police intervention, and GW will continue to pursue accountability for those involved,” Granberg wrote.

Also Thursday, some faculty members at the University of Virginia continued to question the use of police force to clear an encampment on the Charlottesville campus, leading to the arrests of more than 25 people. At a town hall this week, U-Va. administrators defended the actions, saying that the demonstration seemed to have the potential to become dangerous.

In a second town hall Thursday, faculty members showed a video of police trying to negotiate an agreement to take tents down Friday, and of protesters waving open umbrellas at officers Saturday before the school eventually called in the Virginia State Police. The faculty members said the encampment was peaceful before law enforcement showed up.

“The fact that what happened at the University of Virginia looks similar to things that have happened across the commonwealth, that are happening across the nation, makes me very suspicious of the idea that there was a specific local condition that led to this response. It rather seems like this is kind of a playbook,” said Laura Goldblatt, an assistant professor of English and global studies at U-Va. who witnessed Saturday’s arrests.

Karina Elwood and Jordan Tovin contributed to this report.

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Parasitic worm likely playing role in decline of moose populations

PULLMAN, Wash. — A parasitic worm that can infest the brains of moose appears to be playing a role in the decline of the iconic animal in some regions of North America.

Moose populations have been dwindling for years across the country due to many contributing factors, but new research at Washington State University has found the impact of Eleaophora schneideri, also known as the arterial worm, has likely been underestimated.

Researchers examined recently deceased Shiras moose in Idaho between March 2020 and July 2022. While the parasitic roundworm E. schneideri was not detected in any of the animals found in north Idaho, it was present in 10 of the 20 adult moose studied in the southeastern portion of the state. Nine of the infected not only had adult worms in their major arteries but their brains were littered with microfilariae, the microscopic early life stage of the worm.

“The microfilaria are just scattered throughout their brains, and even though the damage from each is miniscule, they’re basically shot-gunning the whole brain,” said Kyle Taylor, a pathologist at WSU’s Washington Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory. “We hypothesize the cumulative effects of large numbers of microfilariae in the brain may be associated with increased morbidity or chance of mortality, with mortality more likely in cases with larger numbers of worms.”

The research, published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases , is part of a three-year collaborative project on moose mortality with the Idaho Fish and Game and Dr. Janet Rachlow of the University of Idaho, College of Natural Resources.

E. schneideri is primarily transmitted by tabanid flies like horse and deer flies. Mature worms can measure as long as 4.5 inches and are most commonly found in the carotid arteries in the area of the head and neck, where they will mate and release microfilariae into the bloodstream.

Infection can lead to a condition known as elaeophorosis in which the host’s circulation system is disrupted. It can advance to blindness, abnormal behavior, damage to the ears and muzzle, and death. Infections have been reported in a variety of species, including deer, domestic and wild sheep, and elk. Unlike moose, mule deer and black-tail deer are considered to be natural hosts and typically show minimal to no signs of infection.

There are currently no tests available to determine whether a live moose is infected with the parasite.

Taylor’s team examined 61 recently deceased moose in Idaho. No evidence of infection was found in northern Idaho moose or juveniles, but 10, or half, of the adult moose studied in southeastern Idaho were infected. Of those 10, three had damage to the tips of their ears, a condition attributed to E. schneideri infection. Four exhibited abnormal behavior prior to their deaths, possibly due to neuropathology associated with the parasite.

Based on their findings and that of other research, Taylor suspects the subtle but widespread damage to the brain caused by the worms may be leading to reduced fitness of the moose, which could increase risk of predation, and, sometimes, cause death. 

“We really need to have an understanding of all the issues related to moose population decline, and this parasite appears to be a factor,” Taylor said.

The study also explored the geographic spread of E. schneideri in Idaho. The parasite was found to be widespread in southeastern Idaho, aligning with its prevalence in neighboring regions of Montana and Wyoming. The distribution coincides with populations of mule deer.

Christine Haake, a pathology resident at WADDL and graduate student in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, helped to lead the study. Field sampling was performed and directed by Dr. Logan Weyand, who was a graduate student at the University of Idaho during the project. WADDL pathologist Chrissy Eckstrand and parasitologist Laura Williams assisted with the research.

Media Contacts

• Kyle Taylor , WSU College of Veterinary Medicine , [email protected]
• Devin Rokyta , WSU College of Veterinary Medicine communications , 509-335-1911 , [email protected]

Classified staff receiving 3% general salary increase effective July 1

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Summer schedule for WSU Insider

• Faculty & Staff

Students admitted to the UW now have until June 1 to commit, a result of FAFSA delays. We anticipate that financial aid offers will be sent in late April or early May.

Dates and deadlines

Freshman deadlines, transfer deadlines, postbaccalaureate deadlines.

September 1: Application opens

November 15 : application deadline for summer and autumn quarters 

December 31 : test score deadline for summer and autumn quarters

February 28 : UW FAFSA + WASFA priority date

March 1-15 : admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter

May 1 :  National College Decision Day, the date by which most freshman students will need to confirm the intent to enroll in a college for summer or autumn quarter. Consult your offer letter for the date by which you must confirm your intent to enroll at the UW and pay your New Student Enrollment & Orientation Fee (NSEOF).

October 1 : FAFSA + WASFA opens

December 15 : application opens for summer and autumn quarters

February 15 : application deadline for summer and autumn quarters 

May 1 – June 30 : admission decision notification period for summer and autumn quarter

Decision deadline : consult your offer letter for the date by which you must confirm your intent to enroll at the UW and pay your New Student Enrollment & Orientation Fee (NSEOF)

Departmental deadline : some majors require a separate application. Check the MyMajor tool and with the department for details.