New Student Advising
As an incoming student, you will connect with your academic advisor(s) ahead of your arrival to campus. Review the information below to learn when you can expect to hear from your advisor and how to prepare for your advising discussions.
| Date | Item |
|---|---|
| Monday, November 20, 2023 | Academic advising begins Your academic advisor(s) will reach out to you at your Rochester email address within approximately 15 business days of your official enrollment (once you've made your enrollment deposit). |
| Date of Enrollment through Wednesday, January 5, 2024 | Complete your writing self-placement survey after you submit your enrollment deposit This placement exam is required for all incoming students and will help you discern which writing course best suits your experience. You should complete the placement survey two weeks before course registration, but no later than January 5. View instructions on the new student checklist. |
| Friday, December 29, 2023 | Deadline: Connect with your academic advisor(s) Depending on who your academic advisor(s) are, they may request that you set up a virtual face-to-face meeting, or they may communicate with you back and forth through email. You must connect with them by this date for them to approve your first-semester courses and lift the Advising Hold on your registration account (see below). You will be able to register as soon as the Advising Hold is lifted. |
| Before registering for your class | Create your saved schedule in UR Student Creating a saved schedule will save you time and allow you to organize the courses you would like to register for in a course schedule format. Then, you can simply enroll in those courses from your saved schedule when registration opens. View instructions for creating a saved schedule in this PDF or video tutorial. |
| Spring Course Registration: Registration will take place in UR Student, the University’s student information system. Incoming students are permitted to register after they’ve met with a College Advisor, had their first-semester schedule approved, and had their Advising Hold removed. | |
| Sunday, January 14, 2024 | Deadline: Submit your final transcript View instructions on how to submit your final transcript on the new student checklist. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Advising
Possibly! All new incoming students are assigned a College advisor. Yours will help you navigate your academic career from your first semester until commencement.
If you are intending to pursue a major in the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, you will also be assigned a faculty advisor and undergraduate coordinator in the department in which you are planning to major as additional academic advisors.
If you are intending to pursue a major in the School of Arts & Sciences, you will be assigned a faculty advisor after formally declaring your major.
Courses and Curriculum
1. Complete your primary writing requirement (PWR).
No matter what you choose to study, being able to effectively communicate will be instrumental in your success after college. The most common way to fulfill this requirement is to take WRTG 105, which is offered on variety of topics. Use the button below to learn more about the PWR.
2. Complete one program (major, minor, or cluster) in each academic division: humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
At a minimum, you must complete one major and two clusters. However, you can substitute a minor or another major for one or both clusters. If you are in certain programs in the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, you may only be required to complete one major and one cluster. If you are an incoming transfer student, please double-check your requirements with your College advisor.
Clusters are typically three-course sequences within an academic division (humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences) or department. You have the opportunity to choose from hundreds of faculty-designed clusters (use the button below to search) or to modify an existing cluster.
Before meeting with your academic advisor(s), you can begin exploring spring semester courses on the either Course Description Course Schedule website or in UR Student (requires Active Directory login). Visit the Course Search page for instructions on how to use the tool to search for courses.
You can take 19 credits maximum during your first semester. Most courses in the College are four credits, but you can check the Course Description Course Schedules website or in UR Student. (View instructions for navigating both tools.)
However, first-semester transfer students may submit a petition to be considered for a course overload in their first semester. If you are interested in submitting a petition, you can ask your advisor(s) during your discussions.
The only required placement exam for incoming new students is the writing self-placement survey (available in the Rochester Ready: Spring 2024 organization on Blackboard).
However, if you would like to register for an advanced course in certain subjects, you may need to take a University-administered placement exam or contact a staff member in the department. Be sure to ask your advisor(s) during your discussions.
Registration
At the University of Rochester, course registration is done in UR Student, the University's student information system.
Below are some tips and tutorials to help you navigate the system and get ready for registration.
Registration Tips
- Create a saved schedule before you register. This will greatly simplify and streamline your registration process.
- Create multiple saved schedules with different sections of the same courses so you have additional options if you don't get into your preferred section of each course.
- Some courses have multiple components, such as a lab or recitation, in addition to the lecture component. Make sure to thoroughly review the course description on the Course Descriptions Course Schedule (CDCS) website or in UR Student to ensure you're registering for all of the required components.
- Some courses are offered multiple days and/or times, and these are differentiated with section numbers (e.g. in the course number WRTG 105-4, the section is 4). When creating your saved schedule, be sure to add the course section that fits best with your other classes.
- Be flexible. Create a list of courses you wouldn't mind taking and have it on hand in case you don't get into all of your first-choice courses.
Helpful UR Student Tutorials
How to register from your saved schedule:
How to register for a course:
As an incoming student, you will have two holds on your UR Student account that will need to be lifted for you to register:
- Advisor Hold: This hold will be lifted once you have discussed your academic plans with your College advisor. If this hold is not lifted when you go to register, email your College advisor or call the College Center for Advising Services at (585) 275-2354.
- Registration Hold: This hold will be lifted after meeting with your College Advisor and your proposed schedule is approved.
If you see any other holds on your UR Student account, please contact the Registrar at registrar@rochester.edu. Learn how to find holds on your account through this PDF or video tutorial.