How Can an Adviser Help Me?
The Undergraduate Advisers Can:
- Help students interpret academic planning support materials, including degree audits, recommended academic plans, the Penn State Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin, departmental check-sheets, and websites.
- Assist students in course planning and long-range degree planning.
- Explain college and university requirements, policies, and processes.
- Help students explore and connect to co-curricular experiences.
- Assist students in exploring study abroad, internship, and post-baccalaureate opportunities.
- Support students in defining success for themselves and making meaning of their experiences.
- Connect students to additional support and university resources.
Scheduling an Appointment Versus Dropping-In
Drop-in advising is a great option if you have questions that can be answered in a short amount of time. Appointments are meant for issues that you know will take longer than ten to fifteen minutes.
Examples of topics that should be covered in an appointment include:
Scheduled Appointment | Drop-In |
|---|---|
Change of major or concurrent major paperwork | Degree audit/course schedule review
|
Long-range planning | Graduation check
|
Education abroad plans | Entrance to major questions
|
Major/career exploration | Course substitutions/late drop
|
Class schedules for the upcoming semester | |
Withdrawing from a semester/re-enrollment | |
Faculty Senate petitions |
You Can Help Yourself Get The Best Advising By
- Reviewing your audit and listing your questions
- Keeping your long-range plan up-to-date
- Bringing in a draft schedule
- Thinking about career possibilities you can explore together with an adviser
- Visiting the advising offices several times a semester
Meet Our Advisers
- 535 Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building, University Park, PA 16802
- 534 Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building, University Park, PA 16802
Advising Hours
Drop-In Hours
Spring 2025
Special Pre-Spring Semester Drop-in Advising (Friday, January 10)
- Friday, January 10 |
10:00 a.m.–noon- Virtual Only,
https://tinyurl.com/WelchLAAdvising
- Virtual Only,
Spring 2025 Drop/Add Week Drop-In Advising
(no appointments the first week of classes)
(no appointments the first week of classes)
Monday, January 13–Friday, January 17, First week of classes
- Mornings | 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
- Virtual Only,
https://tinyurl.com/WelchLAAdvising
- Virtual Only,
- Afternoons | 1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
- In-Person Only
- 5th Floor (534a Waiting Area)
Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building - Scan the QR code to sign-in upon arrival
Regular Spring 2025 Drop-In Advising (AFTER Drop/Add Week)
Spring 2025 Drop-In Times (beginning Tuesday, January 21)
- Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays | 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
- Virtual Only,
https://tinyurl.com/WelchLAAdvising
- Virtual Only,
- Wednesdays | 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
- In-Person Only
- 5th Floor (534a Waiting Area)
Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building - Scan the QR code to sign-in upon arrival
Appointments are available in Starfish AFTER Drop/Add Week (beginning Tuesday, January 21)
Go to Starfish (starfish.psu.edu) to schedule an advising appointment with your assigned adviser. If there are no appointments available, please reach out to your assigned adviser directly via email to request an advising appointment.
If you do not have a Criminology or Sociology Adviser assigned, please schedule with any adviser.
Drop-ins are in-person, no appointment needed, and you may see any advisor.
Tuesday | 10:00-11:30 a.m.
- Virtual Only, Kiosk Link: https://tinyurl.com/CrimSocAdvising
Wednesday | 1:30-3:30 p.m.
- Third Floor Oswald Tower
Drop-ins are both in-person and virtual, and you may see any adviser.
- Tuesdays | 2:30-4:00 p.m. (Hybrid: In-Person and Virtual)
- Sign in at dropins.la.psu.edu.
- Thursdays | 1:30-4:00 p.m. (In-Person Only)
- Third Floor of Oswald Tower.
All Other Hours by Appointment
Located in Oswald Tower offices: 303, 304, and 305
- Appointments are made in ½ hour blocks.
- If you are assigned a specific adviser, you must schedule an appointment with that adviser.
Summer Advising Hours
Drop-ins are unavailable during the summer. If you wish to schedule an advising appointment, all summer appointments must be scheduled via email. Advising will continue to be virtual.