Academic Timeline

• Have a discussion with their pre-major advisor during New Student Orientation and again during Advance Registration for the spring, to discuss course selections for the upcoming semester. Freshmen will be on registration hold, which keeps them from being able to advance register, until they meet with their advisor.
• Let their pre-major advisor know of any problems they are having that are affecting their academic work.
• If interested, begin to investigate academic research. See the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) and the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring program (PERM) specifically designed for first-year students interested in a substantial research experience.

• See their pre-major advisor before Advance Registration in March to discuss courses for the fall semester. Freshmen are on registration hold until they have an advising discussion with their advisor.
• Investigate majors of interest. Start talking to faculty and students in their prospective majors. Attend one or more of the College’s Majors Dinners and More events to learn about programs of interest. Attend classes in the major and get the student’s perspective through the Major Advising Program (MAP).
• On-campus recruiting for internships begins early in the semester. Contact Career Services for more information.
• If interested, begin to investigate a dual degree program with Engineering, Nursing or Wharton. Students are eligible to apply at the end of the freshman year or in the middle or end of the sophomore year. Make an appointment with an Assistant Dean in The College Office to discuss.
• If interested, begin to investigate study abroad programs by by browsing program descriptions on the Penn Abroad site.
• If interested in taking courses at another university during the summer, begin the process of getting the credits pre-approved (see Credit Away).

Students should:

• Meet with their pre-major advisor to discuss progress toward selecting a major and meeting the degree requirements. This meeting is also an opportunity to explore options such as minors, research and study abroad. Sophomores will be on registration hold, which keeps them from being able to advance register, until they meet with their advisor.
• Become completely familiar with the rules and requirements for their major. These are available on the department websites.
• Look into summer study abroad programs available through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. If interested in study abroad for junior year, begin investigating the application process.
• If interested, apply for the dual degree program with Nursing, Engineering or Wharton. This may be done in the fall or at the end of the sophomore year.
• If interested in research, review the listings in the CURF research directory and make an appointment to speak with a CURF advisor.
• Visit the CURF website for guidance about available scholarships, fellowships and grants, and the application process.

Students should:

• Meet with their pre-major advisor before declaring a major to discuss their plans. The pre-major advisor will update the student’s academic planning worksheet and make it official. This must be done before the student goes to the major department to declare.
• Go to the major department to declare. Departments have different process for declaration. Check the departmental website for more information. The major department will lift the registration hold during this semester. Students should plan well in advance to make appropriate appointments with pre-major and major advising before the end of Advanced Registration.
• If interested in taking courses at another university during the summer, begin the process of getting the credits pre-approved (see Credit Away).
• Investigate submatriculation options.
• If interested, start planning for an internship. Watch for Career Services’ Internship Week. On-campus recruiting starts at the beginning of the semester.
• Meet with a member of the Career Services staff. They will be an invaluable resource when applying for internships or starting to think about graduate schools. Before applying for any position, students should ask a Career Services advisor to review their cover letter and resume.
• If interested, attend Career Services pre-law or pre-med workshops no later than the spring of their junior year. Students should also be familiar with all requirements and deadlines. 
• Become a peer advisor and help a freshman entering Penn.

Students should:

• Review your academic planning worksheet to check that all requirements are fulfilled and appropriate progress is being made toward graduation, including the necessary number of College and overall credits.
• Check with an assistant dean for advising in the College Office for answers to any questions.
• Check with Career Servicesfor information about internships, since many competitive internships have fall deadlines. These internships usually target juniors.
• Visit the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships website if considering research, graduate study or independent study in the major.
• Consider sharing their major with underclassmen by becoming Major Advising Program (MAP) advisors.

Students should:

• Meet with their major advisor to discuss progress and future plans.
• Review your academic planning worksheet to check that all requirements are fulfilled and appropriate progress is being made toward graduation, including the necessary number of College and overall credits.
• Check with an assistant dean for advising in the College Office for answers to any questions.
• If interested in taking courses at another university during the summer, begin the process of getting the credits pre-approved (see Credit Away).
• Plan for an internship early in the spring. Watch for Career Services’ Internship Week. On-campus recruiting for internships begins second semester.
• Sign up to become a peer advisor for the following year.

Students should:

• Meet with their major advisor to make sure that they will complete the major and to discuss their plans for the future.
• Make sure to submit their Application for Graduation by the appointed deadline. The Application is on the web; a link to it is emailed to seniors early in the spring semester.
• Before the end of the Course Selection Period, confirm that they have the courses they need to graduate.
• Participate in the College Graduation Ceremony.