Academic divisions
We encourage you to connect with your academic division for specific questions regarding your academic experience.
Fall Welcome
While you may have attended orientation at a previous institution, you’ll still need to attend an orientation program here at WashU. Fall Welcome will help you learn to navigate campus and meet other students at the university. Transfer WUSAs (T-Rex Bears) will be ready to help with anything and everything to make you feel welcome.
Course registration
Registration procedures vary depending on which academic division you are entering. You will be contacted by your academic advisor over the summer to register for the courses you’ll be taking in the fall.
No matter which academic division you are entering, be sure to retain syllabi and course information from your previous institution. This information will be important for the evaluation of transfer credit awarded by WashU. If you have any academic questions, don’t hesitate to contact your school, department or academic advisor.
Academic tips
You can develop the skills for academic success here at WashU. To help you out, we’ve included a few tips that current students want to pass on to you.
Enroll in Bearprints for Success.
Bearprints is a one-credit, seven-week seminar designed to help you make a successful academic and personal transition to WashU. The course will introduce you to valuable academic success and learning resources, as well as support staff who are dedicated to enhancing your university experience.
Adjusting to a new system takes time.
The courses are not really harder, but for many, adjusting to a new system takes time. There is consistent homework to do and turn in—in addition to many quizzes, projects and exams. There are strict guidelines on academic integrity at WashU. Make sure you consult the syllabus and check with the professor about their policy on group work before working on assignments with others.
Take advantage of help.
Your advisor and professors will be your greatest sources of academic support. Reach out to them when you are struggling in a class or need guidance on how to study certain material.
Visit the Learning Center.
The hub of academic support at WashU, The Learning Center, offers peer mentoring for key courses like calculus and chemistry.
Waitlists are worth the wait.
A lot of students over-register or “shop” for classes in the first week and end up dropping a course or two. If you are on a waitlist, show up to class on the first day and talk to the professor about joining the course. Be sure to have some backup courses you’d be happy to stay in, just in case.
Register with Disability Resources.
Connect with Disability Resources if you are seeking academic support or accommodations related to disabilities.
Take a small class.
If possible, take a small class during your first semester. Whether you’re transferring to WashU from a large state university or a small liberal arts college, taking a small class is a great way to meet other students, get to know a professor well and become really engaged in an interesting topic.