Fall 2025 Advising Syllabus

Advising Syllabus: Fall 2025–Spring 2026

Office Location: 5 Henderson Building
Phone: 814-865-2156
Hours: Check your Success Network in Starfish Links to an external site. for Advising Appointments and Drop-in Advising times.
Website: Center for Student Advising and Engagement Links to an external site.

Mission of Advising in HHD

Our mission is to provide safe spaces for students to explore academic strengths and goals. This mission includes guiding students to develop practices for achieving academic success, teaching students to utilize the full range of university resources, and encouraging students to engage in academic and co-curricular communities. By collaborating with students to build relationships honoring students' unique stories, advisers empower students to take ownership of their educational experience and to embrace civic responsibility.

Advisers Can Help You: You Are Expected To:
Set and Meet Goals
Create your individualized academic plan.		 Connect
Meet with your adviser at least once a semester. Come prepared and follow up on referrals and recommendations
Access Your Plans
Use resources, suggest options and alternatives.		 Act
Read emails from your faculty, adviser and other Penn State offices. Use resources and take advantage of offerings.
Understand the University
Identify relevant policies and program requirements.		 Know
Find the information and understand the expectations required to be successful at Penn State.
Find Opportunities
Explore majors, minors, courses, activities and more.		 Engage
Make informed decisions and get involved. Take charge—it’s your education, your future.

 

The Advising Relationship—Student and Adviser Expectations
Expectations of Adviser Expectations of Student
Advocate for your success and development by serving as a liaison with campus resources, faculty, and staff. Adhere to the Penn State Student Code of Conduct, University policies and procedures.
Empower you to create a plan that will help you explore and determine your academic goals. Take ownership of your academic plan and performance.
Respond within two working days upon receipt of an email from your Penn State account. Communicate with your adviser and adhere to deadlines.
Maintain a courteous, respectful, and supportive advising environment. Utilize campus resources (including your adviser), systems and planning tools.
Collaborate with you to generate solutions to challenges. Be prepared to collaborate with your adviser to set goals.
Participate in professional development to keep informed and current. Check your Penn State email account regularly, manage your inbox and respond to actionable items.
Adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Allow for open and honest communication with HHD faculty and staff.
  Accept responsibility for your decisions and actions (or inactions) that affect your educational progress and goals.

 

Do I need to schedule an Advising Appointment, or will Drop-in advising or an email meet my needs?
Advising Appointment* Drop-in Advising Email**

More involved questions and detailed discussions, such as:

  • Academic difficulty
  • Change of major
  • Classes for next semester
  • Exploring academic plans and goals
  • What-If Report (Degree Audit)
  • Transfer options
  • Study abroad
  • Late course drop
  • Leave of absence
  • University withdrawal
 Common Examples:
  • Form signatures
  • Policy clarification
  • Check-in meeting
  • Follow-up meeting
  • Class concerns
  • Registration question
  • Clarification if you are unsure an appointment is necessary
  • Clarification or follow-up from a previous advising appointment
  • Clarification if course taken at another institution will transfer to Penn State.

* Schedule online through Starfish Links to an external site.; do not email your adviser to schedule an appointment. Find your assigned adviser in your Success Network.
**For security and privacy, always use your Penn State email account when communicating with staff and faculty at the university. Because you are required to authenticate to login to your Penn State email, it’s the only way we really know who we are communicating with and that our communications are confidential.

 

Advising Appointment Tips
Before During After
  • Determine what kind of advising appointment you need
  • Familiarize yourself with the Academic Calendar and be aware of all university deadlines
  • Come prepared with questions written out
  • Show up on time
  • Sign in on the Starfish kiosk
  • Silence cell phone
  • Be open with your adviser with how things are going at school and in your classes.
  • Be willing to share things about yourself so we can better understand your goals and interests.
  • Keep a record of information you learned in your advising appointment.
  • Complete any necessary follow-up steps (paperwork, appointments, etc.)
  • Send follow-up questions via email.

 

When should I talk to my adviser about…?
Topic Ideal Timeline
Taking a Leave of Absence Links to an external site. or Withdrawing from the university Links to an external site.. As soon as possible.
Academic difficulties or late course drops Links to an external site.. As soon as possible.
Exploring majors Links to an external site. or change of major interest, minor interests. Before scheduling for a future semester.
Courses to schedule for a future semester. Early-Mid-semester before your enrollment date.
Internship, job shadowing, field experience, study abroad. By the end of your first semester or beginning of your second semester.

 

Advising Agenda: Fall Semester 2025
Week Activity Deadline*
1 For questions on last-minute course adjustments, come into the advising center in 5 Henderson Building or meet with your adviser to make sure your courses are fulfilling degree requirements. August 30 (11:59 pm), Regular Drop Deadline
August 31 (11:59 pm), Regular Add Deadline
2–12 Make an appointment, through Starfish Links to an external site., with your adviser to discuss academic goals, explore majors and courses for spring semester. Schedule early, appointment times fill close to enrollment. Run a What-If Report Links to an external site. to view your Degree Audit Links to an external site. in LionPATH and look at Suggested Academic Plan on the Undergraduate Bulletin Links to an external site.. Come to the meeting with some suggestions of courses you want to take. Typically, early November, find enrollment date for fall semester on your LionPATH Links to an external site. home page.
6–8 Review your final exam schedule in LionPATH to determine final exam dates and times. If you have more than two exams scheduled for the same date, go to LionPATH and complete an Overload Conflict Exam Request Form Links to an external site.. September 29–October 26, Final Exam Conflict Filing Period
12 Meet with an adviser before dropping a course to make sure you are not falling below full-time status and that you are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Links to an external site. for financial aid. After the Late Drop Deadline, you will not be able to drop a course. November 14 (11:59 pm), Late Drop Deadline
16 Meet with an adviser before withdrawing from all your courses for the semester. December 12 (5:00 pm), Withdrawal Deadline

 

Advising Agenda: Spring Semester 2026
Week Activity Deadline*
1 For questions on last minute course adjustments, come into the advising center in 5 Henderson Building or meet with your adviser to make sure your courses are fulfilling degree requirements. January 17 (11:59 pm) Regular Drop Deadline,
January 18 (11:59 pm) Regular Add Deadline
2–4 and beyond Make an appointment, through Starfish Links to an external site., with your adviser to discuss summer courses, internships or jobs that further your academic goals. Summer enrollment opens the first week of February for everyone. See your LionPATH Links to an external site. home page for date.
2–12 Make an appointment with your adviser to discuss academic goals, explore majors and courses for fall semester. Schedule early, appointment times fill close to enrollment. Run a What-If Report Links to an external site. to view your Degree Audit Links to an external site. in LionPATH and look at Suggested Academic Plan on the Undergraduate Bulletin Links to an external site.. Come to the meeting with some suggestions of courses you want to take. Typically mid-April, find enrollment dates for each semester on your LionPATH home page.
6–8 Review your final exam schedule in LionPATH to determine final exam dates and times. If you have more than two exams scheduled for the same date, go to LionPATH and complete an Overload Conflict Exam Request Form Links to an external site.. February 16–March 8, Final Exam Conflict Filing Period
13 Meet with an adviser before dropping a course to make sure you are not falling below full-time status and that you are meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress Links to an external site. for financial aid. After the Late Drop Deadline, you will not be able to drop a course. April 10 (11:59 pm), Late Drop Deadline
16 Meet with an adviser before withdrawing from all your courses for the semester. May 1 (5:00 pm), Withdrawal Deadline

*Keep track of deadlines with the university’s Academic Calendar Links to an external site.