Advising

Each school has their own advising office with a network of academic advisors available to assist students. The structure of the advising varies by school; you can find the links to your school’s advising office below.

School of Arts and Sciences

College students need to choose courses, declare a major and define career goals. They will need to examine their performance in different courses, identify their skills and those they wish to develop, and decide what really matters to them. Much of this assessment they will do themselves, but faculty members, academic advisors, career counselors and peers can help.

Students in the College have a strong network of academic advisors available to assist them throughout their undergraduate careers.

• Pre-major advisors help first- and second-year students navigate their entrance into academic and intellectual life in the College beginning with the issues of incoming freshmen and continuing through the student's exploration of a potential major.
• Peer advisors work with the pre-major advisor and are one of the first points of contact for incoming College students. They provide the perspective of an upperclass student in the College and assist first-year students in making the transition from high school to Penn by sharing their strategies for academic success and knowledge of campus resources.
• After declaring a major, students are assigned an academic advisor affiliated with the major department or program.
• All students are welcome and encouraged to speak with assistant deans for advising in the College Office. These advisors can help students explore the many options and opportunities available to College students, and are available by appointment or on a walk-in basis throughout the year.

For more information, visit the College website.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor with whom they are required to meet at least twice per year. No student is permitted to register for classes in any semester without first meeting with an advisor. The only exception is the fall semester of a student's first year. Students who take the time to prepare for these meetings generally find them beneficial and informative. Faculty advisors are the best source of information about electives within the major, research opportunities, and options for graduate study.

For more information, visit: https://ugrad.seas.upenn.edu/student-handbook/advising/.

School of Nursing

Penn Nursing students benefit from a dual advising structure. All students are assigned a faculty advisor and have access to the professional staff advisors in the Office of Academic Affairs.

For more information, visit: http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/student-services/advising/accelerated/.

The Wharton School

The goal of the Wharton Undergraduate Division academic advising team is to help students make informed decisions about their educational plans and professional/life goals that are consistent with their interests, abilities, and values.

Advising by appointment, walk-in advising, and specialized advising are services available in 1400 Steinberg-Hall Dietrich Hall to current Wharton undergraduate students.

Professional advisors, concentration advisors, and peer advisors are available to assist students.

For more information, visit: https://undergrad-inside.wharton.upenn.edu/advising-services/.