First Year Academic Advising and Career Services Road Map
Penn State can be challenging to navigate. The following information can guide you in your first year at Penn State Brandywine. In addition to meeting with our advisers and career counselors, our online resources page can provide information and assistance regarding the road map below. Hint: Bold text pertains to Academic Advising and plain text pertains to Career Services. Please see Upcoming Events for dates, times, and locations of the ACS events.
Fall 2011 Semester
August/September
- Review Penn State majors with your academic adviser.
- Add/Drop deadline is August 31; Late Drop period begins September 1.
- Develop academic/personal goals for the semester.
- Join an academic or career related club.
- Determine your interests, values and skills and how they relate to career choices by making an appointment with a career counselor.
- Plan to attend workshops and/or academic Town Meetings to explore majors or learn more about your area of focus.
October
- Conduct information interviews with Penn State alum by registering with LionLink, our Alumni Mentoring Program, accessible at http://www.alumni.psu.edu/career. For more information e-mail lionlink@psu.edu.
- Review degree audits with your academic adviser and discuss possible courses for the spring and to discuss major requirements and enrollment control information.
- Consider attending the Career Fair to look for part-time work related to your career path. The fall Career Fair is Oct. 13.
November
- Deadline for Late Drop is November 11.
December
- December 9 is the last day to withdraw; classes end.
- Final exams are December 12-16.
- Discuss occupations with relatives and friends over break and conduct informational interviews. Contact a Career Counselor for a list of appropriate questions to ask.
Spring 2012 Semester
January
- Classes begin on January 9.
- See your academic adviser for possible schedule adjustments.
- Add/Drop deadline is January 18; Late Drop period begins January 19.
- Learn about and participate in on campus activities by visiting the Student Affairs website.
- Plan to attend workshops and/or academic Town Meetings to explore majors or learn more about your area of focus.
February
- Explore summer jobs and volunteer activities that are related to your academic interests. Create or update your resume.
- Attend Conversations in Careers program to learn more about careers first hand by talking with Penn State Alumni and Friends.
March
- Spring Break is March 4-10.
- Discuss Fall and Summer schedules and plan your top 3 major interests with your academic adviser.
- Consider attending the Career Fair to look for part-time work related to your career path. The Career Fair is March 1.
April
- Late Drop Deadline is April 6.
- April 27 is the withdrawal deadline; classes end.
April/May
- April 30-May 4 is finals week.
- During summer break, conduct informational interviews, shadow professionals and research occupations of interest to you.