You can still register for Five College classes!

Did you know as a UMass student you are eligible to take courses at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges for UMass credit?

As long as you're at least a second semester freshman in good academic standing you can submit a Five College Enrollment Request.  Don't miss your chance to take advantage of this opportunity!

Think you're interested? Browse the five college course catalog to check out course offerings. The registration procedure for five college courses is very different from your regular UMass enrollment process, so once you find the course(s) you want, make sure to read through these DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS carefully.  If you have questions, feel free to stop by the Five College Interchange Office in 613 Goodell, Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30.

TWO NEW Faculty First Year Seminars!

If you're an incoming freshman and you're interested in taking a Faculty First Year Seminar, you have two NEW choices to consider: "Sleep on it!" or the "History of American Medicine."  You can simply add a seminar to your schedule, through SPIRE or if you want to switch from a seminar you're already in, remember to use the SWAP function!  (Note: students should not be enrolled in more than one faculty first year seminars.)

"Sleep on it!" UNIVRSTY 197PSY1 (Class # 39451), Mondays--9:05-9:55 am, with Rebecca Spencer. In this course, we will use the book "Counting Sheep," to learn how sleep can benefit your college career (more than all nighters!). Conversations also will provide a simple foundation in psychology and biology and a platform on which to discuss the basic introduction to college life.

"History of American Medicine"  UNIVRSTY 197PUBH1 - 01 (Class #39455), We 11:15 am - 12:05 pm with Michael Begay. Examination of the development and history of American Medicine. This history has influenced the direction of health care policy in the U.S. and why it took so long to pass health care reform.

Faculty First Year Seminars (FFYSs) are small classes (20 student maximum), 1-credit and pass/fail, where you'll be reading, writing, and discussing a topic of interest you share with a faculty member and a cohort of peers.  It's a great way to get a small class experience right from the start of your college career.  Check SPIRE (search with 'begins with' UNIV 197) to see other FFYS options, and to check for availability.

Words to Remember . . .

For many incoming freshmen, NSO was a bit of a blur of meeting new people, moving from activity to activity, and being introduced to a HUGE amount of new information.

What should you remember? 

Undergraduate Advising believes that if you remember two words,
BE PROACTIVE, you'll be on the right track.  Remember to:

• take initiative,
• be responsible (starting NOW),
• get connected with people who can assist you,
• get involved (in a balanced way), and
• know when and where to ask for help. 

Here's how one student responded to that advice from the Dean:

"Being Proactive" is something that I will definitely remember from the Dean. It will help to display character, not only to my advisor, but also my professors and anyone who is associated with my activities here at UMass.

New Student Orientations Wrapping Up

With one final freshman orientation and three transfer orientations to go, the incoming UMass Amherst students will soon have had their opportunity to set their schedules for fall. 

Within a week or two after the end of orientation sessions, any seats that have been held for new students should be released.  If you had your eye on a course you couldn't get into, keep watching SPIRE (many students, when hoping to get into a full course, discipline themselves to check SPIRE for the class every time they check Facebook!).  Grab a seat, if you can, and only DROP a course if you're positive you won't want/need it.  If you don't have space in your schedule to simply add the class and consult with an advisor about what you should drop, use the SWAP function, to make sure you don't lose both the hoped-for course and the one you had secured.

SPIRE Refresher Tutorial

Now that registration has ended, and most of you are enjoying what's left of summer break, keep in mind that if you need to make changes to your Fall 2011 schedules that you watch the SPIRE Refresher Tutorial for tips and advice on how to make appropriate changes -and- Remember, when in doubt contact your academic advisor or college advising center. If you need help figuring out who to contact please call the Undergraduate Advising Office at (413)545-2191 and we will provide you with contact information.

See You Back In The Fall...

Closed for the 4th

In honor of Independence Day, the Undergraduate Advising Office - and UMass Amherst -
will be closed on Monday, July 4th. 

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Summer Cookouts . . . Time to NETWORK!

Going to a barbeque on the 4th? 
       Spending time with friends and family?

Don't miss out on an opportunity to NETWORK!  Why is networking important?  "Approximately 70-75% of jobs are found through networking."  Click here for some tips on career networking for college students.

Look at every conversation as a possible contact or lead for a summer job, internship, a new field or major/minor to explore, or even a permanent job after graduation . . . you never know when you will meet someone who could help you out.

Ask questions about what kind of work people do, and tell them about what you're interested in doing - academically, and in terms of possible work. Find out about how people landed in their current job/career, and explore any opportunities to learn more about a job, a company, or a field. If you're interested, try to set up an Informational Interview; check out this page for help on how to go about it and how to prepare, as well as ideas for questions and do's and don'ts.

So when you're asking for another ear of corn, take a moment to find out a bit more about the person passing it!

Feedback from the NSO Experience

Academic advising is one small segment of the incoming freshmen's New Student Orientation experience, basically boiling down to a brief meeting with their academic dean, and time with an advisor to choose their schedule for the fall. 

In Undergraduate Advising, we get feedback from incoming students about their NSO experiences.  Here's what we're hearing, from the class of 2015:

In response to the Dean's Talk:

• "He was very welcoming and excited about our arrival. The most important thing he said was that as students we need to be proactive. I am used to having people around me encouraging me to do new and different activities. Now that I am a college student, I need to start motivating myself."

Regarding the BEST thing about their advising appointment:

• "My advisor and peer mentor were both really helpful and helped me to decide what classes to take to help me explore different subjects that I might be interested in." 
• "getting an awesome schedule" 
• "That I felt comfortable talking about what classes I wanted to take, and what do I want to do."

And regarding what DIDN'T work about their advising appointment:

• "I still feel a bit overwhelmed by the intricacies of the course selection process."  (note: this is why you should keep consulting an academic advisor about these decisions!) 
• "some of the time slots i chose were not my first choice"
• "i wasn't really prepared when i walked in. it took me some extra time" 

In response to what EXCITES them most about coming to UMass in the fall? 

• "The people here and the support that is clearly given to each student. I understand that in order to make relationships with the staff and faculty around me I need to be proactive. If I can do that, I can tell these relationships will benefit me." 
• "The entirely different atmosphere excites me. Now I will be able to take courses that interest me, as well as meet new people and experience brand new events." 
• "Everything!"

Thanks for the feedback, new students - we're looking forward to working with you all.


   

The New Students Are Coming, The New Students Are Coming!

Welcome, Class of 2015!

New Student Orientation (NSO) for freshmen has started, and will run through mid-July.  If you're an incoming student and you haven't yet signed up for an orientation session, click here for more details.  

Advisors from Undergraduate Advising and each of UMass' schools and colleges will be working with students to set up their class schedules for fall, and incoming students will also be participating in a jam-packed schedule of activities designed to ease their transition into the UMass community in the fall.

If you're on campus, say hello to students wearing nametags on a lanyard around their neck.  If you're trying to get in touch with an academic advisor, know that we're focused on new students for much of the coming weeks. Feel free to email us or call for an appointment - just know that you may not connect with your advisor immediately.

Academic Appeal Deadline: June 14th, by NOON!

If you are facing academic discipline (suspension or dismissal), you have a deadline coming up in less than one week!

Make sure you CAREFULLY read ALL communications regarding your status,

and follow directions CLOSELY. 

You may want to refer back to several earlier posts on the Undergraduate Advising Blog, which provide information and also contain links to still more details.