Academic advising is a developmental process founded upon an exchange of knowledge and ideas between the student and advisor. An Academic Advisor can assist students with clarifying academic/career goals and developing educational plans for the realization of these goals. In other words, we’re here to serve as your academic guide, mentor, and cheerleader! You do the work and we’ll peep over your shoulder from time to time! Where is the Office of Academic Advising located?
We are located on the third floor in Garland Hall. If you take the elevator up, we are in the suite immediately to your right. Who is my academic advisor and how can I get in contact with him/her?
Incoming freshmen are assigned to advisors by your last name. You may find information on your academic advisor at http://web.jhu.edu/freshman_advising/advisors
Most entering JHU students don’t have firm plans about majors and careers. Your first year at JHU will give you the opportunity to explore and begin to make plans. We have many resources to assist you. For starters, read through The Freshman Advising To Do List, paying special attention to Step #3. Don’t stress—you can add or drop courses that aren’t a good fit during the first two weeks of each semester. You can always call or email us this summer for assistance.
I know what I would like to major in. How can I find out what classes I will need to take?
Check out the Majors/Minors section of the advising website. It will provide you an example of first semester courses. The JHU Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising is dedicated to encouraging students interested in pursuing careers in the health and legal professions to make conscious and thoughtful decisions about their future paths. For more information, please visit their website at http://web.jhu.edu/prepro/index.html I may want to apply to medical school after college graduation. How do I find out what courses to take?
To learn more about what courses are required for medical school admission, read the Pre-Professional Advising section of the Hopkins Freshman Planner. You may also want to look two or three different medical school’s admissions website.
There is detailed information on our homepage to help you select the right courses in math and foreign language, including instructions for taking online placement exams in these areas. Click on the link for “Math, Music and Foreign Language Placement.”
Each freshman student will earn a letter grade in every first-semester course. When the instructor reports this grade to the Registrar, the letter grade is paired with an “S” for Satisfactory (if the original letter grade was above a C-) or a “U” for Unsatisfactory (if the original letter grade was a D+ or lower). It is important that you understand both the philosophy behind the policy of “covered grades” and the details of how it works. Read the Freshman Planner to find this information.
We know that you may not have received your AP score report when JHU registration begins. So, make your best guess as to possible scores and go ahead and register at the beginning of the registration period beginning July 1st. You can make changes to your schedule online later in the summer once you have received your score report.
AP tests were created to give high school students the opportunity to challenge themselves. Therefore, earning a high score demonstrates your mastery of introductory-level college material in this field. This usually means that you are qualified to move into a higher-level course in the field. It may be appropriate for you to take this course as a freshman, it may be better to take it as an upperclassman. Having AP credits may allow you space in your first-semester schedule to take a course that others would take later. Read through the information we’ve provided in the Hopkins Freshman Planner and on our website. If you still have questions, contact an advisor by email or phone.
I took a course from another college, can I get credit for it?
You may be able to receive transfer credit from another institution. The course would have to be taught on the college campus by a college professor with other college students. If this is the case, you may download the course information form to be filled out from your high school guidance counselor verifying that the course was not used to count towards high school graduation. The form is available at: http://web.jhu.edu/freshman_advising/images/TransferCredit.pdf. You also need to email the official course description to your academic advisor. There are many issues to consider when selecting your courses. You need to consider both the course content as well as the days and times that courses meet. Try to create a mix of courses that allow you to break for lunch daily, accommodate athletic practices, and spread out your class attendance over the five days of the week. Many Hopkins courses meet on Monday/Wednesday/Friday—this is especially true of courses popular with freshmen. Try to balance this with other courses, sections, or labs that meet on Tuesday–Thursday. For now, select another class and register for that. Although classes will not have a waitlist this summer, the course may become available at a later time. We recommend periodically checking in online to see if the course has opened up. When you arrive on campus for Orientation, we will explain strategies for getting into full classes once the semester begins.
You will need Internet access at two times this summer. First thing in the month of June, you will need to log on to complete the Advising Profile, take any needed placement tests, and use the web to get information to help you select your fall classes. During July 1st through the summer, you will need to register online. If access is problematic during these months, complete what you are able to and try to have your parents finish the process. If none of these scenarios meet your needs, contact your advisor as soon as possible and he/she will help you find a solution.
We have many resources and opportunities for musicians—everything from ensembles to taking lessons at Peabody or completing a music minor. If you are interested in taking private lessons in the fall, please read the information in the Freshman Planner and on our website here. Bring your instrument to campus if you wish to have the option of lessons, but be certain that it is insured. If music has been a large part of your life, you may enjoy performing in a group at Hopkins or just having the option to occasionally pick up your instrument to bring balance to your campus life. Piano students may arrange to use pianos on campus—bring your sheet music from home.
You may visit the Johns Hopkins bookstore online. | 
