Advising

You can discuss your educational progress at any time with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. However, you should obtain an advisor (at the Undergraduate Office) who can follow your progress more closely. You must have and use a psychology advisor if you are a first major. An advisor is your only source for your PIN. You can obtain an advisor by application at the Undergraduate Psychology Office. You may change your advisor at any time; however, remember that it is beneficial to get to know a few faculty rather well, either advisors or instructors in small classes or independent studies. Advising can be either a waste of time for both parties involved, or a meaningful and beneficial interaction. Do not expect to settle your curriculum in a brief and cursory manner!

There are a few simple points that will facilitate a useful advising session. First, come prepared! Have a plan about what you want to accomplish in the session. Have a list of the courses for which you want to register; perhaps the most wasteful sessions are those in which the students really do not know what they want to do, and they expect the advisor to decide this for them. In general, the advisor cannot do this and will not appreciate the time inefficiently expended; the student will probably not like to waste this time either. So, check the general requirements in the Bulletin and the Psychology major requirements and have a plan in mind.

Don't wait until the last few days of the advising period to schedule an appointment. Your advisor will be booked up or without additional free time. The DUS may help then, but don't expect such hurried advice to come up to your expectations. Courses that require the instructor's permission fill up rapidly. Start getting the instructor's permission early in order to get in the class of your choice.

Seniors get first choice of courses. Often sophomores, or even juniors, don't get into certain courses. Even seniors sometimes get cut out of popular courses with limited enrollment especially if they delay their registration. We regret this, but our resources are not always equal to student demand. Anticipate this; provide yourself with alternate courses of action. Consider the possibility of other small classes, or a Practicum (PSY 103) which can lead to independent studies with your favorite professor (see below). Register early with professors for "permission only" courses.