What to Expect in Your First Year

Welcome to your first year at PSU! Whether a first-year or transfer student, you will want to review the New Student Checklist to be sure you have taken the necessary steps to get off to a successful start. You can also use myNextSteps, an interactive to-do list that helps you keep track of tasks and deadlines so you can spend more time being a student.

First Step: New Student Orientation

All new undergraduate students are required to participate in a New Student Orientation session in order to register for their first term. During Orientation, you will:

Be introduced to student advising expectations and how to meet with an advisor
Review academic curriculum and graduation requirements
Learn about campus resources available to you

In-person and virtual options are available. Either way, your access to registration will open after you attend the Orientation. If you attend an in-person Orientation session, you may meet with an academic advisor during Orientation, or you may wish to set up a separate advising appointment. If you participate in a virtual session, we highly recommend that you set up an advising appointment to assure you are taking the right courses.

Please review the Prepare for Your First Term information beforehand so that you will be ready to roll!

Sign up for Orientation

Expectations for Your First Year at PSU

Within your first two terms at PSU, you will be required to meet with an advisor from your intended major or Pathway for a First-Year Advising Appointment. During this appointment, you will:

Learn about university, degree, and major requirements
Work with your advisor to establish an academic plan that will put you on the right path for your degree

After that appointment, it is up to you how often to meet with your advisor, but you should meet with them at least once a year until graduation.

Note: Wait times for appointments can be several weeks when registration is open, so plan ahead!

Find Your Advisor

Declare Your Major Before You Are a Junior

If you are unsure of your major, enter the university as "exploratory" and select a Pathway based on your interests. Your assigned advisor can help you choose courses that will help you decide. You must declare your major by 90 credits (or within your first term if transferring with 90 or more credits). Your advisor can help you explore your options.

Declare your major

How to Choose Your Classes

You will learn about PSU's requirements during your New Student Orientation, but there is a lot of information to absorb. We encourage students to review information on our website to be prepared ahead of time, and to have some idea of what courses they will take. The information below may help you have a basic understanding of where to start. You can also review information in our PSU Degree Overview in Canvas:

VIEW OUR PSU DEGREE OVERVIEW COURSE IN CANVAS

First-Year Students

As a first-year student, one of your most important choices for your first year will be which general education track to follow: University Studies or University Honors. The first-year classes in each program are small, yearlong sequences, allowing you to get to know your professor and classmates, and build community.

In addition, you will likely take 2-3 additional classes, most likely at least one class from your major (or an exploratory course, if you are undecided), and one towards your Bachelor's Degree requirements. Refer to the Degree Planner on the Academic Program page for the major(s) you are considering for suggestions.

First-year students often worry about taking "the wrong classes." Our curriculum is built in a way to allow you to explore your interests while fulfilling your requirements, and most students have room for elective credits. Work with your advisor to develop a plan during your first-year advising appointment.

Be aware that your workload will be very different from high school. In fact, if you have never taken college courses, you might be surprised to learn that a weekly schedule for a full-time student will only be three to four classes, meeting for a total of 12-18 hours a week. However, plan to study two to three hours each week for every hour of class. So, if you register for a full-time schedule of 12-15 credits, you can expect to study 24-30 hours per week in addition to the time you spend in the classroom. That's why it's called "full-time!"

If you find yourself unsure where to turn with questions, you can always reach out to your academic advisor.

Transfer Students

Graduation requirements and institutional policies and procedures differ at every college and university. While you are coming in with college experience, you should pay close attention to deadlines and seek out services and resources that you used at your previous college.

Requirements at different colleges also don't look the same. As a transfer student, you will still be expected to complete general education at Portland State, even if you had completed those requirements at your previous college. You may also need additional classes to complete your Bachelor's Degree requirements in addition to the requirements for your major.

Run a degree audit (DARS) to see what requirements you need to fulfill before and after you register for classes. If you do not see all of your credits reflected on there, you may need to order an updated transcript. If you have questions or concerns about how your classes are applying towards your degree, talk to your academic advisor. They can offer suggestions and options.

Unlike first-year students, transfer students may not have as much room for elective credits, so choose your classes wisely. Work with your advisor to develop a course plan during your first-year advising appointment.

If you find yourself unsure where to turn with questions, you can always reach out to your academic advisor.