First-year families
The first year at the UW is a year of firsts for your whole family. This page is the lived-year companion to your newly committed welcome: what each quarter actually looks like, how to support without surveilling, and where to go when you’re not sure what to do next.
Where you fit, now that they’re here
The UW operates on the premise that your student is an adult with the right to make their own decisions and own their academic record. FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects their grades, billing, and financial aid information from being shared with you automatically. Your student can grant you access through MyUW. Many do. Some don’t, and that’s also a legitimate choice.
The healthiest version of family involvement isn’t visibility into every grade. It’s a steady relationship where your student knows they can come to you, you trust them to handle what’s theirs to handle, and you both know when to call in help.
The first year, by quarter
What each quarter actually looks like, and what’s worth a check-in conversation along the way.
Autumn · Sept.–Dec. 2026
Find their footing
Move-in, Dawg Daze, the first set of midterms. The energy is high and the homesickness can come in waves. Most first-year students need three to five weeks to find their footing.
Family check-in: after Family Weekend (Nov. 6–7), and before Thanksgiving travel.
Winter · Jan.–March 2027
Settle, struggle, settle again
The Seattle gray hits in January and February. Spring quarter registration happens in February, the first time your student plans their own academic schedule.
Family check-in: late January, when the post-break energy fades.
Spring · March–June 2027
Choosing direction
Sophomore housing decisions. First major declarations for many students. Spring visit weekends. The first year wraps with finals in June and a more confident student than the one you sent in September.
Family check-in: April, around housing renewal and major declarations.
Summer · Looking ahead
A returning Husky
Summer term, internships, study abroad applications, or time at home. Whatever the path, your student is now a returning Husky, no longer a first-year.
Family check-in: late summer, before they head back for year two.
Talk with your Husky
“How are classes?” is the question they’re least likely to answer. Our Talk With Your Husky page offers prompts that lead somewhere: about community, about money, about wellness, about the messy in-between. Use them on long drives, at family dinners, or in the text thread you keep telling yourself you’ll start.
Three to start
- “Who’s the first person you’d call here if you needed something?”
- “What’s something on campus you’ve tried that you wouldn’t have tried at home?”
- “What’s the hardest part right now? You don’t have to fix it on this call.”
When your student needs support
The UW has more support than your student is likely to use. Three places worth knowing about and bookmarking.
Academics
CLUE drop-in tutoring, writing centers, and study skills workshops. Free, all of it. The earlier in the quarter your student asks for help, the better the outcome.
Wellness
Husky Health & Well-Being is the central hub for mental, physical, and emotional support. Counseling, primary care, peer wellness, all on campus.
SafeCampus · 24/7
If you’re worried about your student, you can call SafeCampus yourself. 206-685-7233. Trained staff, anonymous, no need for your student to make the first move.
Common first-year family questions
Questions specific to the first-year experience. For broader topics, visit our Common Questions page.
Keep in touch with PFP
The Parent Insider newsletter publishes seasonal essentials, deadlines, and resources to share with your Husky. We’ve got your back through the whole first year. Questions? uwparent@uw.edu.