First-Year Experience

As one of the newest members of Bruin Nation, you’ve got an exciting year ahead of you. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get answers to your questions, meet new people and make some great memories.

Here are a few things to look forward to:

Your First-Year Advisor is here to help you prepare for a successful start to your college journey. This relationship begins with early advising before you arrive on campus and continues through your Pathways class and into your second semester as you complete your first year.

You’ll meet with your advisor several times throughout the semester to discuss your academic program, ask questions, and explore practical ways to make your first year a success.

Your First-Year Advisor will connect with you a few months before arriving on campus to be sure you have a class schedule. If you have any questions, contact [email protected].

Throughout your first semester you’ll take Pathways. Pathways is a 1 credit course that helps you transition into college and helps you learn about all the resources available to help you succeed. It is customized for each group of students, so it’s a great place for you to ask questions as they come up during the year.

You’ll learn about the people and resources that are available to you and how to reach them. You’ll also pick up some great tips about things like life in the residence hall, involvement in the community, and special events that you won’t want to miss.

All first-year students living on campus will be housed on First-Year Floors.

Students may come in as academic sophomores but are considered first-year students unless they’ve completed 12 hours of college credit in residence (not online) after high school graduation.

The First-Year Floors offer three benefits to students:

Caring leaders — Although it may sound like a floor of just first-year students, there are more student leaders in these residence halls than in others. The first-year floor leaders apply and interview for this leadership position. The Student Life team ensures that these student leaders desire to mentor new students and are examples of thriving as students.

Shared experience — The shared experience of being with students taking the same courses and facing similar struggles builds community and confidence. We’ve found that the shared enthusiasm for college life helps them through some of the lows of the first year.

Intentional programming — The hall meetings and activities are designed to help new students adjust to college life by developing habits and attitudes that make their first year successful. We’ve found that new students need lights-out time to get adequate rest and room jobs that help them learn consideration for others.

New students can make roommate requests beginning June 1 through July 1. Look for an email from Student Life at the end of May with more information.