Information for Transfer Students (students who earned 18 or more college credits after graduating from high school).
Information for First-Year Students (students who earned fewer than 18 credits after graduating from high school).
Transfer Students
If you earned 18 or more college credits after graduating from high school, you are considered a Transfer Student. If you earned fewer than 18 credits after graduation, you are considered a first-year student and should review the information in the First-Year section below.
Transfer students SHOULD NOT schedule an appointment using the links on this page. Please email aldus@psu.edu for directions on how to schedule your advising appointment.
First-Year Students
If you have earned fewer than 18 college credits after graduation from high school, you are considered a first-year student.
Prepare for your advising meeting
This initial advising meeting is your dedicated time to talk one-on-one with an academic adviser about your academic interests and goals and to outline your initial steps to reach them.
The more prepared you are, the more the advising appointment can focus on you and your individual goals.
- Complete the steps in your NSO Tasklist, including the educational planning survey, ALEKS math placement, transfer credit survey, and course planning guide.
- Build a tentative first-semester schedule in your LionPATH Enrollment Shopping Cart prior to your advising appointment.
What to expect during the advising meeting
During the academic advising meeting, you should expect to discuss your academic goals and interests, including how they relate to your academic journey at Penn State in general and your first-semester schedule in particular. This meeting is your final step to enroll in first-semester courses. You can reach out to your orientation adviser with additional questions before classes begin.
Schedule Your Appointment
During your advising appointment you will be scheduling your classes. The sooner you schedule your classes, the more options you will have. Reach out for help if you have trouble finding a time that works.
International and Distance students: appointments will be visible in Starfish on the dates and times listed below.
| If your orientation date is: | then appointments are visible in Starfish on: | and virtual appointments are available beginning: |
|---|---|---|
| June 20 | June 23 at 8:00 a.m. | June 25 |
| July 30 | July 30 at 5:00 p.m. | July 31 |
Which link should you use?
Please schedule an orientation advising appointment in the Academic Program (College) of your admission.
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Find your current Academic Program (College) from your Admission materials, OR use LionPATH by taking the following steps:
- Click on the “Academic Records” tab on the right side of your LionPATH page
- Under “Academic Background” and “Program Details” you will see “Acad Program (College)”. It will say something like Agriculture, Arts and Architecture, Bellisario Communications, Division of Undergraduate Studies, etc. That is your current Academic College.
- Choose the corresponding scheduling link from the table below to ensure that you schedule a meeting with an appropriate Orientation adviser.
It is VERY important to schedule an advising meeting with an adviser in your Academic College of admission even if you have changed your academic goals.
That person is best to help you plan your course schedule and advise your next steps.
Appointments scheduled with advisers outside your current college of admission may be rescheduled.
Please only schedule your appointment based on your current college of admission. For example, if you were admitted to the Division of Undergraduate Studies but intend to complete a Smeal Business major, you still schedule with a DUS adviser.
| Academic College | Scheduling Link |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences majors (also Altoona Environmental Studies majors) | Schedule |
| Arts & Architecture majors (also Altoona Visual Arts majors) | Schedule |
| Smeal Business majors (also Altoona Accounting and 2 yr. & 4 yr. Business majors) | Schedule |
| Bellisario Communications majors (also Altoona Communications majors) | Schedule |
| Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS): students exploring or deciding upon a major, or students who need time to complete entrance requirements for their desired major (also Atoona 2 yr. Multidisciplinary Studies majors) | Schedule |
| Earth & Mineral Sciences majors | Schedule |
| Education majors (also Altoona Early Childhood & Elementary Education majors) | Schedule |
| Engineering majors (also Altoona Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and Rail Transportation Engineering majors) | Schedule |
| Health & Human Development majors (also Altoona Kinesiology and 2 yr. & 4 yr. Human Development & Family Studies majors) | Schedule |
| Information Sciences & Technology majors (also Altoona Security & Risk Analysis, Information Technology, and Cybersecurity majors) | Schedule |
| Liberal Arts majors (also Altoona 4 yr. Multidisciplinary Studies majors) | Schedule |
| Nursing Altoona BSN | Schedule |
| Eberly Science majors (also Altoona Biology majors) | Schedule |
If you have trouble scheduling an advising appointment following your virtual NSO event, please email aldus@psu.edu or call (814) 949-5084.
How You’ll Get Your Zoom Link
Your appointment confirmation is sent to your Penn State email.
The email will include:
- The date and time of your meeting
- The Zoom link for joining
Pro Tip: Accept the .ical attachment in the email to add the appointment directly to your calendar!
About Your Appointment Time!
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Appointments are scheduled in Eastern Time (UTC-4).
For example: If your appointment is from 9:15 a.m.–9:45 a.m., join by 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time. -
Check your Penn State email regularly for updates—especially right before your meeting!
If any changes are made, we’ll notify you via email.