How does advising work?
Dornsife First-Year Advising (FYA) provides academic advising for entering freshman students in most Dornsife majors. All first-time freshmen will start their Dornsife career working directly with someone from the First Year Advising team based on the declared major and will transition to their major department at the completion of their first full year of study at USC. More information about First-Year Advising can be found here.
All incoming transfer students and continuing students, U2 through graduation, are advised in their major department, also known as Departmental Advising. Students are assigned an advisor based on their declared major. More information about Dornsife Advising can be found here.
Follow along with our to-do list to ensure you’ve completed the necessary steps. Detailed information about each step can be found in the Dornsife folder on Brightspace.
☑️Check your USC email. Dornsife Advising and Orientation Programs will send important information to your account. Be sure to check it regularly!
☑️Sign up for your Welcome Trojans registration date with USC Orientation Programs. This date determines your course registration date for your Welcome Trojans experience. For first-year students, this will be in June. For transfer students, this will be in July..
☑️Submit your Pre-Advisement Worksheet on Brightspace. Information from this worksheet as well as from you placement exam results, Transfer Credit Report, and selected major will be used to create a first-semester course plan with. recommended courses.
☑️Take your math and chemistry placement exams, if required. These online exams, accessible on Brightspace, should be taken at least ten (10) business days prior to your course registration date.
☑️Request your foreign language placement. If you plan to continue a language at USC to satisfy your Dornsife Foreign Language requirement, you will need to request placement from the USC Language Center. Some languages will require a placement exam.
☑️Attend the Dornsife Experience webinars. For Freshmen: Attend your live Dornsife Experience: Degree Overview webinar on Monday, June 3, 12:00 PM and your live Dornsife Student Spotlight + Q&A on Monday, June 10, 12:00 PM. For Transfers: Attend your live session Dornsife Experience: Degree Overview webinar on Monday, July 15, 12:00 PM and your live Dornsife Student Spotlight + Q&A on Monday, July 22, 12:00 PM. All times are local Los Angeles time in the Pacific Daylight time zone. Reserve your event in Brightspace under the Dornsife folder.
☑️Attend your group advising session. As part of your Welcome Trojans orientation, you will meet with an academic advisor to discuss course selection and registration This meeting is mandatory and must be completed prior to course registration. This advisor will email you with directions on how to schedule and prepare for this session.
☑️Register for classes! Your registration date is the session you sign up for with USC Orientation Programs. You will register in a virtual group session with your academic advisor and other students in your major.
