Whether it’s your first semester at Simmons, or you’re getting ready to walk across the stage at graduation, it’s expected that you will have questions about your academics throughout your entire time at Simmons. In order to help ease some of these stresses, the Office of Undergraduate Advising came up with a few tips to help make sure you know all the ins & outs of Advising at Simmons.
1. Review your Academic Planning Worksheets
Did you know that there are worksheets for every single major and almost every minor at Simmons? These are extremely helpful for planning out your four years and outlining the requirements for any majors you are considering. Print one out and visit your Advisor — they will be impressed!
2. Meet with your Advisor at least once every semester
Every first-year student is assigned to a PLAN Advisor. After your first year, you will be assigned to a Major Advisor, a faculty member in your area of interest.
Not sure who your Advisor is? Yikes! No, it’s okay, but you should definitely log into your Starfish Account and click on “My Success Network”. This way, you’ll be able to see who your Advisor is. We strongly encourage you to meet with your Advisor at least once every semester to let them know how things are going, plan your future semesters, and to talk through any questions you may have.
3. Keep track of academic deadlines
Did you know that you have two weeks into the semester to add a class? Did you know that there is a deadline to drop a class on your Workday account? And there's even a deadline to change a course to the pass/fail grading option. These deadlines are a lot to keep track of, so be sure to stay up-to-date every semester by bookmarking the Simmons Academic Calendar. Be proactive and chat with your Advisor in advance if you are considering these deadlines!
4. Check out your Degree Audit
Workday has some pretty fancy tools, including a way to view all of the requirements you still need to complete. Log in to your Workday account and scroll over to the Student Menu tab, click on the “Degree Audit” option, select your major or intended major, and then click submit. A list of all of the requirements needed to complete that major will come up! Pretty cool, right? You can use this as a tool to help you determine which majors you are on track for. If something looks a little funky to you on your Degree Audit, contact Undergraduate Advising! We will help you figure it out.
5. Have fun with your KCAs!
There are many awesome classes that count towards your Key Content Areas. Check out this complete list of KCAs at Simmons. Every semester, you can look ahead and search for the KCAs on Workday by scrolling to the bottom of the “Search for Sections” page and selecting the KCA that you would like to take.
Also, did you know that classes through the Colleges of the Fenway can count towards your KCAs? Use your KCAs as an opportunity to take classes that sound like fun!
6. Cross register through the Colleges of the Fenway
After your first semester at Simmons, you are eligible to cross-register for up to two classes per semester at a different COF school. This is a great opportunity to head off campus, meet new friends, and step out of your comfort zone. In order to cross-register, visit the COF website.
7. Meet with a Simmons Academic Mentor
The SAMs are an amazing peer resource for all students. In addition to the events that they host every semester (they always have yummy snacks), they are also available to meet with you 1:1. They're here to chat about their majors, their involvement, campus life, the transition to college, or to talk through any questions you may have. You can schedule an appointment with any SAM — they would love to meet you!
8. Access your Starfish Account
Not sure where to go or what to do? Starfish is a great resource that allows you to raise your hand and review the different resources at Simmons, such as the Career Education Center, Student Financial Services, and Student Life. You can also click on “My Success Network” to view the contact information and office hours of your Professors. Starfish also allows you to track your academic progress.
We hope you find these tips helpful! You can always schedule a meeting with an Advisor on Starfish if you want a second opinion, you’re considering changing your major, or you just need someone friendly to talk to! Be sure to stay up-to-date on events, deadlines, and also to enter fun contests by following Simmons Advising on Instagram. We hope to meet you soon!