University Advisement Center
First-Time Students
Welcome to Western! To help you get off to a great start, all first-year students work directly with the University Advisement Center for their first two semesters.
You’ll be paired with a dedicated advisor who understands your specific major and is here to serve as your first-year navigator. Your advisor will be your primary point of contact, assisting you in building your class schedules and providing support until you transition to a Faculty Advisor within your major for your sophomore year and beyond.
In your advising sessions, we’ll dive into:
Navigating your major: We’ll help you understand exactly what you need to stay on track for graduation.
Exploring General Education: Together, we’ll find the right classes and competencies that match your interests.
Goal Setting: We’ll help you set personal and academic milestones to ensure you feel confident and supported throughout your first year.
Your First-Year Schedule
Your first college schedule is crafted with care! We work closely with faculty in every major to build an individual plan just for you. Your classes will include a mix of foundational courses, major requirements, and General Education Exploration courses—designed to introduce you to exciting new subjects you might never have discovered otherwise.
You’ll get your first look at your Fall semester schedule during New Student Orientation.
Pro-Tip: If you’re expecting credits from AP exams or other college courses, please let us know before Orientation so we can make sure your schedule is as accurate as possible!
Making Changes
We know it’s tempting to hit the “edit” button right away, but we encourage you to resist the urge to make adjustments on your own. If you feel like something needs to change, don’t worry—we’re here to help! We can assist you with any necessary tweaks during the first week of classes, also known as the Add/Drop period. You can book an appointment with us anytime through the end of Add/Drop to ensure your changes keep you on the right track for graduation.
Still Exploring? You're in the Right Place!
Not sure what you want to major in yet? That’s perfectly okay! Choosing a major is a big decision, and we want you to feel confident and excited when you’re ready to declare. At Western, being “Exploratory” isn’t just a placeholder—it’s an active, supported journey.
We have dedicated advisors who specialize in working with Exploratory students. Your advisor will be your partner in discovery, helping you:
Discover Your Interests: We’ll help you select “Exploration” courses that expose you to different fields of study you might love.
Stay on Track: We ensure the classes you take fulfill University requirements, so you’re still making progress toward graduation while you explore.
Decide with Confidence: Through one-on-one conversations, we’ll help you narrow down your options until you find the perfect fit.
You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. We’re here to help you find your path!
What's Next?
Sign up for Orientation
Orientation is a great opportunity to start making Western your home away from home! Your Orientation Leaders will not only show you around campus, but they will help you feel more comfortable in our community and answer any questions you might want answered by one of your peers. You’ll also be meeting with University Advisement during orientation to review your schedule and overall degree requirements.
Access your WCSU Student Accounts
All incoming & current students should access WolvesNet, Degree Works, Blackboard, and student email accounts often to ensure you’re getting important information and announcements from your professors, advisors, and other university staff.
After you received your acceptance letter, you received an email from mim@wcsu.edu with instructions on how to activate your WCSU student account.
Contact the IT HelpDesk at (203)-837-8467 if you need help with your account information!
Consider Sending your SAT and/or ACT Scores
Your SAT/ACT scores won’t affect your admissions status but they can be used to determine the most appropriate placement for your Writing and Math courses. If you haven’t already done so, send your official scores to admissions@wcsu.edu. Visit the College Board website to request your scores to be sent to Western.
If you did not take the SAT or ACT, we will use other factors to determine the appropriate Writing and Math courses.
If you took AP or college-level classes while in high school, send your scores and/or transcripts
Depending on your AP class scores and possible transfer credits, you might already have credits that apply toward your degree! For AP credits, visit the College Board website to request your score(s) to be sent to Western.
Click here to review Western’s AP credit policy.
If you participated in a dual-enrollment program in high school (you took college classes while in high school), you will need to request a transcript be sent from the institution in which you earned the college credit. The transcript from your high school will not be enough to give you credit for those courses.
Additionally, if you opt to take classes at any college the summer prior to attending Western, you will need to submit the official transcript from that school so we can evaluate for transfer credit/course equivalency.
Submit your official transcript(s) to admissions@wcsu.edu as soon as possible. Please also let your advisor know about anticipated credits for consideration in your schedule creation.