peer advisor

On my last post, I explained a little bit about Living and Learning Seminars, 3 specific FYIs in which classmates are housed within the same residential areas. However, I did not get a chance to really explain what First- Year Initiatives are in general.

First-Year Initiatives (FYIs) are seminar-style classes meant for and limited to first-year students. Class sizes are generally kept small (around 19-20 students) which is intended to provide a more conducive atmosphere for class discussion and interaction. These seminars place heavy emphases on writing, analyzing, discussion, and critical thinking–all skills that you’ll need to do well in higher level courses. FYI courses are not mandatory, but since they are offered in a range of departments, taking an FYI is a great opportunity for you to try a class in a department that seems intriguing but which you don’t know much about or don’t expect to pursue later on in your college career.

FYIs are offered both Fall and Spring semester and students are allowed to take more than one if they choose. You can find the complete list of FYIs here on WesMaps.

When choosing your FYI seminars, take the time to browse through all the courses available and make sure you rank the courses according to your preferences! The Registrar’s office takes into account your course selection and tries to place each student in one of his or her choices. Furthermore, your FYI selections are used as one of several criteria (along with your stated academic interests) when you are assigned to a faculty advisor. You will be with this faculty advisor until you declare a major second semester sophomore year. Once you declare, you will receive a new advisor within your major if your current advisor is not within your declared department.

You can complete your FYI preferences in your E-Portfolio.

Good luck picking your FYIs and don’t forget that the deadline for FYI selection is July 8!