Orientation Advising

Congratulations on being admitted to Florida State University! We are excited to have you join our prestigious institution and look forward to helping you navigate your academic journey.

As a newly admitted student, you likely have a lot of questions about your courses, major, and academic support services. The first step in your academic journey will take place during New Student Orientation. Here you will learn more about everything our institution has to offer and also meet with an academic advisor in your selected major to discuss the classes you will register for.

Academic Advisors cannot provide schedules to students that have not satisfied the requirements of the orientation process established by the university.

Below are some common questions that our newly admitted students have that may help get you excited and relieve some of the worries you have about academic advising:

How do I sign up for orientation?

• The New Student & Family Programs (NSFP) office oversees orientation registration and details. Information on registering for orientations, costs, and structure can be found on their website here: https://dsst.fsu.edu/newnole/orientation/about-orientation

What happens during orientation advising?

• Orientation advising varies by academic department, however typically you will meet with an academic advisor in your major in a small group or one on one setting. Your advisor will provide you with general information about the academic majors and minors in your department as well as highlight opportunities for engagement. Then, they will assist you in evaluating any test credit, dual enrollment credit, or transfer credit that you may have and work with you to plan your schedule for your first semester at FSU. Due to the volume of newly admitted students and time constraints, your orientation advising session may be brief. Fortunately, you will have ample time to meet with your advisor during your first semester and plan out courses for future terms and/or follow up with your academic advisor once your orientation session has ended.

How do I prepare for orientation advising?

• Once you have reviewed the New Student & Family Programs (NSFP) office website https://dsst.fsu.edu/newnole/orientation/about-orientation and scheduled your orientation date, it is important that you check your email for updates on advising. Details on advising times, location, and virtual meeting links will be distributed to your my.fsu.edu email account.
• Here are few things you can do until your orientation session:
  1. Visit the academic program guide to learn more about majors and minors at FSU: https://academic-guide.fsu.edu/z-list
  2. Explore engagement opportunities either as a First Time in College Student with Engage 100 or our many services for Transfer Students.
  3. If applicable to your major, take the ALEKS Math placement exam. Details will be provided to you through email.
  4. Students entering FSU with college credit in the form of anticipated or earned test credit, dual enrollment credit, or transfer credit should compile this information in advance of their orientation date to ensure that their academic advisor is able to provide them with accurate information about their remaining requirements.
  5. Ensure that you have submitted all required documents to university admissions.
  6. Check your FSU student email regularly for updates and announcements.

What if I have questions about advising before my orientation session?

• The majority of academic advising questions will be answered throughout the orientation modules and various sessions. All newly admitted students will have time to meet with their academic advisor during their scheduled orientation session. It is vital to your success as a New Nole that you complete the orientation process in its entirety. Academic Advisors cannot provide schedules to students that have not satisfied the requirements established by the university. Questions about remaining orientation requirements should be directed to orientation@fsu.edu Questions about academic advising can be directed to dl-UGS-AdvisingFirst@admin.fsu.edu