College Edge helps incoming UW students start college strong. Through small, discussion-based Discovery Seminars, students earn credit, get to know a faculty member, connect with classmates, and learn about the campus resources that will help them succeed.

College Edge serves incoming first-year students through Discovery Seminars and incoming transfer students through Transfer Discovery Seminars.

The 2027 program runs from Monday, August 23, through Friday, September 17. It opens with orientation on August 23, and classes begin Tuesday, August 24.

All seminars meet in person, Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.

Yes, and it’s an important date to attend. On Monday, August 23, students take part in an orientation and onboarding session where we will go over what to expect during the 4-week program. 

Yes! We host events throughout the program, many of them on Mondays, so students have a chance to connect and explore campus on days without class. Activities include campus tours, networking events, museum visits, and more. All events are optional, but encouraged! Participation allows you to meet more students outside of your seminar. 

Students are not graded on attendance at UW. Students are graded on participation, so if a student happens to get sick, they should get in touch with their professor as early as possible to find out how to get caught up. 

Students admitted to UW Seattle for autumn quarter who have paid their Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD). 

Visit the Registration page to sign up. Be ready with your UW email address, UW student ID number, and preferred course choice(s). 

Students need to register by Friday, August 6. Seminars are small, so spots can fill before the deadline. We recommend registering early if there is a particular class that you’re very interested in.

We recommend parents and students work together to register for the College Edge program. Registration will require students to make decisions about the kind of course they want and they will need to know their UW email and student ID number. 

Yes, space permitting, you can absolutely request to switch courses all the way up until the first day of class. Students can withdraw, but please see our page on important dates, as the timing of withdrawal does impact fees. 

No. College Edge is optional, but it’s a great way to earn credit and feel at home on campus before autumn quarter begins. 

They’re small, discussion-based courses led by UW faculty. Topics span many fields, and each seminar also introduces students to campus resources that help them succeed at UW. Class size is 25 students or less.

Each seminar is worth 5 credits toward a UW degree. We have an optional 1-credit ARTSCI 150 add-on course, focused on your story and identity transformation as a new College students. If you add this to your College Edge plan, you can earn up to 6 credits by the end of the program. 

Yes, all of our Discovery seminars are graded and count towards either an Arts and Humanities requirement, a Social Sciences requirement, a Natural Sciences requirement, or a Writing requirement. Even if you are bringing in significant AP and IB credit, or prior college-level coursework we can work with you to help determine which could will be the most helpful towards your degree plan.  

Yes, discovery seminars are graded and will show up as Autumn quarter coursework. The credits earned in College Edge will count towards your degree completion. 

Yes, College Edge coursework counts towards Autumn quarter, and financial aid can be applied to pay for College Edge. Students who enroll in College Edge can still take a full load in Autmn quarter (12-18 credits is full time), so they could move into Winter quarter with anywhere from 17-24 credits completed.

Students may enroll in one 5-credit Discovery Seminar during College Edge. Each seminar covers the equivalent of a 10-week UW course in just four weeks, creating an engaging and academically rigorous experience.

Students who want to earn additional credit can also enroll in ARTSCI 150, an optional 1-credit online course designed to help students build skills and prepare for their UW experience.

Together, these courses allow students to earn up to six UW credits before Autumn Quarter begins.

Course listings for 2027 will be available for viewing in February 2027. Check the Courses page for updates.