Resources and Support for Academic Success

Transitioning to a university setting can be both thrilling and challenging. We offer resources and support to make it as smooth as possible.

Walk through these topics at your own pace. This will help you understand how to fill out your Course Registration Form and prepare for your first semester at Calvin.

You can also cover these topics and any related questions with your Summer Navigator.

Credits and Courseload

Four things to complete before graduating:

At least 124 semester hours (some programs require more)
All core requirements
Major requirements with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (some programs require a higher overall average)
Maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 (some programs require a higher overall average)

Recommended course load

To graduate in four years (8 semesters), you'll need to average 15.5 credits per semester. Most students take 14–16. To be considered a full-time student, you can take between 12–18 credits.

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What is the Calvin Core?

The Calvin Core is the set of required courses outside of your major to give you a base of knowledge in a range of fields. Some schools call this general education.

When you graduate, you’ll be ready for your career with both broad knowledge and practical skills that employers value.

Learn more about the Calvin Core

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Workday

Workday is the system you'll use to:

View your schedule and progress
View your program requirements
Plot your 4-year plan
Plan and register for courses
View your grades

Workday is also used for things like paying tuition bills and tracking hours for on-campus jobs.

Go to Workday

Learn more about Workday

What is Academic Advising?

Your advisor is a professor in your academic program who helps you choose the right courses, balance your schedule, and stay on track to graduate.

For your first semester, the registrar's office will register you for classes. After that, there are two days set aside each semester for academic advising.

During this advising time, you'll make an appointment with your advisor to talk about your plans for the next semester. After meeting with your advisor, you can register for your classes at your designated registration time.

Learn more about academic advising

How will I meet my advisor?

During the summer, your Summer Navigator will be available to meet with you as needed. Once you arrive for Welcome Week, you'll have the opportunity to meet with your specific faculty advisor in your program.

What if I’m undecided about my major and/or career?

If you're undecided, you'll be assigned an advisor from Student Success.

Don’t be discouraged—many first- and second-year students haven’t decided on a major. You’ll have plenty of opportunities through core courses, academic clubs, and activities and internships to explore different fields.

It's a good idea to take core courses in a few areas that interest you. These courses will help you decide if a specific field is for you. Talk with your professors about potential career options related to their fields. Calvin’s Career Center is another excellent resource that is open to all students. Career counselors there can help you talk through options, connect you to internships and administer strengths tests.

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What is a Summer Navigator?

As an admitted student, you can meet with your Summer Navigator to ask your pressing questions about academic life at Calvin—or if you have general questions anytime over summer. We'll focus especially on preparing for your first semester.

We help you transition smoothly into the academic community at Calvin.
You'll start receiving emails from your assigned navigator in late May.
From their emails, you'll learn about majors, elective classes, the core curriculum, technology and software information, etc.
You can schedule a meeting with them as needed, either online or in-person.

Watch this video to learn more about how your Summer Navigator can support you.

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