On the "Transfer Discussion" megathread on Ed, introduce yourself to the class and be sure to address the following -

• Name, where are you transferring from?
• Name, where are you transferring from?
• What are 1-3 things you'd like the class to know about you?
• What are your goals for your time at the Allen School? Ex: Industry, academia, research, etc. It's okay if you have no idea.
• What do you hope to get from 390T?
• What is your dream job and why?

After sharing, please leave a comment on another person's introduction post.

You will get credit for this assignment if:

• You post your introduction by the deadline
• You answer all of the questions
• Comment on another person's introduction post

An important part of your UW career is participating in an internship and/or preparing a CV for graduate school. For internships, students will typically begin the application process during the summer and fall prior to the summer they would like to intern (i.e.: apply for summer 2025 internships during summer and fall 2024).

To help you prepare, we will have a resume workshop on DATE. We would like you to submit a draft of your resume by DATE by 1:00 pm before class. During the resume workshop, Allen School Peer Advisers, your TAs, and instructors will be reviewing your resume and providing feedback to consider. During this review session, we will be in small groups and will discuss feedback collectively.

To help you craft your resume, use Allen School alumni Kim Nguyen's 17-page guide. Additionally, the UW Career Center has a Resume Writing Guide. We also have a Resume Template Drive if you do not have a resume yet. The Peer Advisers have created a best practices guide for technical resumes you can check out as well.

In addition to your resume, all students are strongly encouraged to set up a LinkedIn and Handshake .

You will receive credit if:

• Important resume information is included:
• Your name and contact information is listed. Since this will be shared with your peers, you're welcome to redact information as needed, please include a placeholder for this info so we know you didn't forget it.
• You have an "Education" and "Experience" section with an attempted list of relevant experiences and skills. Worried you don't have enough CS-related experience? You're not alone, we invite you to include any experience that may showcase transferrable skillsets. Examples may include food service or retail employment, volunteer work at a community organization, personal projects you've worked on, class projects that used CS skills, etc. The Allen School Peer Advisers created a great resource document on Ways to get Technical Experience that we strongly encourage you to review.

Remember, this is a draft of your resume. We will provide feedback and advice during the workshop but we want you to have something written before class. It's alright if it's not perfect, we're going to learn how to craft a stronger resume together.

After our resume workshop, all students are encouraged to get additional resume review using the UW Career Center's Online Resume Review service or by attending a Resume Lab with the Allen School Peer Advising Team.

You are halfway done with your first quarter at UW! For your midterm reflection paper, we would like you to reflect on your experience at UW and the Allen School thus far. We welcome any feedback you would like to share so the 390T teaching team can identify strategies to better support you during your first quarter.

Prompt: Reflect on the following — answer each section thoroughly in paragraph / paper format.

The Transition to UW

1. What have you enjoyed the most about transferring to UW and the Allen School?
2. Was there anything that surprised you about transferring?
3. Are you experiencing any difficulties (academic or personal) that you could use some support with?
4. How are your classes going?
5. How have your expectations of UW and the Allen School compared to your experience so far?

390T Course: How can we help you continue to adjust to this quarter? Think about...

• Are there any topics you would like us to cover in CSE 390T that have not been addressed yet?
• Is there anything you wish you had the opportunity to do, but haven't completed yet?
• Do you have any questions about resources and/or processes at UW and the Allen School?

Community is important to us!

• How do you feel about your UW community thus far?
• Do you feel connected to the transfers in our class? If not, how can we better connect you?
• Additional comments/thoughts/information you would like us to know

Grading & Submission Requirements:

Grading notes:

• Respond thoroughly to each question — points will be deducted for missing responses.
• Write in complete sentences and paragraphs. You must answer these questions in paper format — do not submit bullet-point-only responses (points will be deducted).
• Turn in a 1–2 page paper, minimum 250 words. Papers under 250 words will receive 0 points.

Formatting guidelines (follow typical paper formatting)

• Double-spaced
• One-inch margins
• Times New Roman
• Font size 12

Tip: If you are writing in Google Docs or MS Word, check word count and set line spacing to Double and font to Times New Roman, 12pt before exporting or submitting.

Submission

Submit your paper on Gradescope (upload a PDF or a shared Google Drive link). Make sure sharing settings allow the instructors to view the file if you use a hosted link.

If you need accommodations or additional support to complete the assignment, please contact the course staff.

This is a team presentation. With your team, create and present a 10–15 minute presentation about your assigned computing topic. Presentations should provide an overview of the topic, include advice from an expert, and outline recommended courses for students interested in the topic. Presentations will take place between 5/23 – 5/30.

Required sections (include all of these):

1. Introduction — topic and presenters
2. Overview of the topic — what it is and why it matters
3. Examples of research/practice — current work, projects, or real-world applications
4. Expert insight — include a reference to the expert you contacted and summarize their advice
5. How to get involved — research groups, labs, student clubs, internships, volunteering
6. Suggested classes — courses you recommend for students interested in this topic

How to find and contact an expert

• Start with the Allen School research pages and faculty/lab pages — these list faculty and graduate students active in each area.
• Plan ahead — schedule your expert meeting early (≈30 minutes is sufficient).
• Contact options: Zoom, phone, in-person, or email. Briefly explain the project, the course, and the meeting length.
• If the expert has questions, they can contact Austin at austinbr@cs.washington.edu.

Submission instructions

• All presentations must be submitted by midnight on Friday, May 23.
• If your presentation is a file (PPT, PDF, etc.), upload the file. If hosted (Google Drive, etc.), submit a shared link.

Team & grading expectations

Your team will receive credit if you:

• Turn in the assignment by 11:59pm on Wednesday, May 23
• Put clear time and effort into the presentation materials (well-organized, no typos)
• Design slides to be accessible (large fonts, readable font choices, high contrast)
• Ensure all members present and split speaking roughly equally
• Cover: overview of the computing area, expert advice, and recommended courses

Timing

Your presentation must be between 10 and 15 minutes. Presentations will be timed; you will be asked to stop if you exceed the limit. Practice beforehand — points will be deducted for presentations that go over time.

Presentation tips

• Structure slides with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• Use large, high-contrast text (aim for at least ~24px on slide body text) and readable fonts.
• Include speaker notes so each presenter knows their part and timing.
• Cite the expert you interviewed (name, title, affiliation, and date of contact).
• Provide links/resources for further learning (courses, labs, research pages, student clubs).

Accessibility reminder: provide alt text for images if you share slides as files and avoid low-contrast color combinations.

Quick checklist before submission

• Introduction: topic & presenters
• Clear overview of the topic
• Examples of research/practice
• Expert insight with citation
• How to get involved
• Suggested classes
• Accessible slide design
• All team members assigned speaking parts
• Final submission uploaded/shared by the deadline

More details coming soon...