Charting your academic course
You’ve sent in your enrollment deposit and you’re excited about coming to Calvin this fall, but you may still be wondering how to register for classes and meet with your academic advisor. The videos below will help you navigate the academic planning process and get you ready to begin your first semester at Calvin.
Related pages
Orientation
Information about new student orientation schedules and academic advising appointments.
Summer Advising Videos
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1. Welcome to Summer Advising
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2. Pathway to Graduation
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3. Welcome to the Calvin Core
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4. Foundations and Skills
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5. Diversity and Difference
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6. Environmental Sustainability
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7. Global Regions and Cultures
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8. How to Prepare for College
Planning Tools
Core curriculum requirements
See Calvin’s general core curriculum requirements.
Program requirements
See course requirements for each major, minor and program.
Academic catalog
Browse the Calvin University Catalog.
How to prepare for your academic life at Calvin
If you’re a checklist sort of person, follow these steps to prepare for your academic life at Calvin.
First-Year Academic Planning Checklist
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JUNE 1
- Complete the required checklist items on your New Student Portal to ensure that Calvin has all the information needed for proper course selection.
- Activate your Calvin email account, if you have a smartphone, download the Microsoft Outlook app
- Watch your personal and Calvin email accounts for an invitation from you academic advisor to set up an appointment.
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BEFORE YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENT
- Review Calvin’s catalog to check out core requirements and look for interesting classes to take.
- Know your major? Use your program’s website to explore course requirements and other important information.
- Check your Calvin New Student Portal for links to online placement tests for Spanish, French and German.
- Ensure that your AP test scores and any transfer credits are sent to Calvin.
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IN YOUR ADVISING APPOINTMENT
- Let your advisor know if you’re interested in a program such as teacher education, engineering or pre-med so you can get into the right courses.
- Planning on being involved in music or athletics? Make sure your advisor knows this so your classes don’t get scheduled during practice times.
- Want to study abroad? Let your advisor know—some core requirements are met by off-campus programs.
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IN YOUR FIRST SEMESTER
- Learn where resources like academic support (tutoring/coaching, course schedule changes), The Rhetoric Center (paper-writing help), Career Center and the Center for Counseling and Wellness are located.
- Make an appointment at the Career Center.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers about planning your academic life at Calvin. If you don’t see an answer to your question here, email successcenter@calvin.edu or call (616) 526-6155.