Academic Peer Advisors

Course Selection Tips from the Academic Peer Advisors

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I’m going to give a brief introduction on the seminal period of your first Pre-Reg and tips on course selection that will hopefully clarify some questions that come to mind. Also, you can always feel free to email me, Quentin (htan03@wesleyan.edu) or the Academic Peer Advisors email where one of us will answer your questions (peeradvisors@wesleyan.edu).

What you are encouraged to do, and will find very helpful, is to read through the Advising Guidelines here (don’t skip this!). A big theme emphasized is balance. It’s going to be your first semester at Wesleyan, meaning you will have many more semesters to take classes you won’t be able to take right now, so don’t feel pressured to take all major requirements or all one-specific type of class. You have several opportunities to solidify your class schedule, extending two weeks after the first day of classes, so don’t stress!

The Process

There are 3 stages of choosing classes that lead to being enrolled in four full credit courses (or maybe 4.25 or 4.50 if you take a lab class, which are half or quarter credit).

  1. Pre-Registration Planning.  This phase begins in July. Freshmen will be ranking seven first-year seminars and seven introductory courses. If you are a transfer, you’ll be ranking seven introductory and/or upper-level courses from WesMaps. First year seminars aren’t mandatory, but highly encouraged! The extensive meetings with professors, emphasis on developing your writing skills, and small classroom setting that first-year seminars provide really helped prepare me for taking a wide range of classes at Wes. Wesvising is a great tool for looking at the different departments at Wesleyan and getting an idea of where you may want to look for classes on Wesmaps.
  2. Pre-Registration Adjustment.  In late August, you’ll see a list of your scheduled courses in your WesPortal. After seeing your schedule, you’ll meet with your faculty advisor during orientation to talk about your current courses and what you want your academic experience at Wesleyan to look like. You will then have an opportunity to change, drop, or add courses before classes start during a period called Pre-Registration Adjustment.
  3. Drop/Add.  Starting on the first of classes for two weeks is the Drop/Add period. You can go to the classes of the courses you are enrolled in, and those for which you aren’t, and continue to modify your schedule. It’s a great opportunity to see the syllabi for classes or drop in for a session or two to decide if they are right for you.

Factors to Consider for Course Selection

General Education Expectations.  Wesleyan doesn’t have any core requirements, true. But the General Education Expectations, commonly called Gen Eds, are an important cluster of classes to pay attention to for fulfilling certain majors and for getting the most out of the breadth of classes offered at Wes. More than that, it is also a fulfillment that aligns with Wesleyan’s ethos of encouraging innovative academic explorations and fostering interdisciplinary understanding! It is good to start thinking about Gen Eds in your freshman year. If you are having trouble thinking about the mix of classes to take, Gen Eds can help with structuring your course selection.

Here are the basics:

    • The Gen Eds are divided into three divisions: Humanities & Arts (HA), Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS), and Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM).
    • While the courses in many departments (such as Biology and Astronomy) all belong to a single division, this is not always the case. For example, the Philosophy department holds the distinction of offering courses that span across all three divisions! Therefore, it is important to keep an eye out on the Gen Ed division the course belongs to on WesMaps rather than just the department itself.
    • There are 2 stages that can be fulfilled in Gen Ed:
      • Stage 1: Two course credits from each of the 3 divisions, all in different departments, by the end of the 4th semester.
      • Stage 2: An additional third course in any department in each division by your graduation
    • Some majors require your Gen Eds fulfilled for the completion of the major or honors. For more information on the specific requirements for each major, please check out this page.

Going Abroad?  It may seem really far off, and especially given how uncertain the world has become in the age of COVID-19, but if you are thinking of studying abroad after the completion of your first academic year, it would be good to consider taking language courses in your freshman year as most of the non-English speaking programs require one or two years of language.

So if you want to go abroad Junior year, you should consider taking the language for the country you want to study in freshman year. You can explore the study abroad programs here and also check their respective language requirements here.

Think About Course Balance.  Here’s the big thing to consider while you select your courses: Balance! Listed below are some factors you’ll want to think about when choosing classes:

    • Class size and lecture vs. discussion.  Some classes are larger lectures while others are smaller discussions. It’s great to have a mix of lectures and discussions that way you can engage in your classes by both listening and taking notes and participating, and have a balance between the two.You can gauge the number of people in a class by looking at the Total Enrollment Limit box on WesMaps.
    • NSM, HA, or SBS.  Don’t just go for the same division in your cornucopia of courses – think about having a mix and spicing it up! If you’re dead set about declaring a NSM major, let’s say, you may want to only take NSM classes. However, this can get overwhelming, and you may find yourself having the same type of class assessments and weekly problem set due dates, which can be tedious overall. This idea holds true for all 3 divisions.While it’s always good to have identified your academic area of focus or interest early on, pigeonholing all your courses into one division. To say nothing of fulfilling your General Education Expectations (covered in the section above!), your freshman year is the best time for daring academic explorations, and the first year seminars are the masts that help you set sail! Try to take one class out of your comfort zone, or that is different in subject area than what you are most comfortable with.
    • Assessments.  On WesMaps, look at the types of assessments used for each class so that you can try to choose classes that will give you the chance to demonstrate your understanding in different ways. For example, some classes will heavily incorporate papers and presentations as a part of their assessment, while others might lean more towards closed-book exams.
    • Grading Mode.  On WesMaps, you can also take a look at the grading mode of the courses and take them into account while charting your classes. Course credits at Wesleyan are recorded in one of two grading modes: Graded (A-F) or Credit/Unsatisfactory (CR/U). Some courses offer students a choice of grading mode.
    • Days of the week.  Aside from the content of the courses, you should also consider the pragmatic aspect of attending them. While seemingly insignificant at first blush, you would find that how your courses are spread out over the week could make the difference between stifling and comfortable as the semester progresses.If you take all four of your full credit classes on Tuesday and Thursday, you’ll probably find yourself very tired these days and possibly wanting some more structure on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. While it may be tempting to have a “reverse schedule” where your “workdays” and “weekends” are flipped, try to space out your classes over the span of the week for some breathing space.Click on the “Planning Calendar” link in the list on the bottom right of your WesMaps planning pages to visualize what your schedule would look like!
    • Time of the Day.  Like the factor above, this one may seem trivial compared to the other factors listed above, but I cannot stress how important it is to take the time of the day of your prospective courses into account! If you are taking classes on campus, try spacing out your classes across the day so that you would have enough time to proceed or prepare for your next class. Trust me, it is no fun immediately running from one building to another after class ends so that you can make it in time for your next class that starts in 10 minutes!If you are generally averse to waking up early, it may be important for you to consider the time of your classes as well. While having to wake up for two 8:20 am classes a week may sound doable on paper, you might find it physically and mentally taxing – to the point of taking a toll on your general well-being – if it does not align well with your sleep schedule!
    • Choosing in the Time of COVID-19: Online or In-Person?  With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world into territories unknown, taking classes in-person is no longer a certainty or something that is a given. As you make your decision on whether to return to campus in the fall, you should pay close attention to how the classes would be conducted by looking at the top bar of the course description on WesMaps. Learn more about the different instruction modes here.

I know there is a lot of info above, but if you have any questions feel free to email me or the other peer advisors (peeradvisors@wesleyan.edu). See you at virtual orientation; we can’t wait to meet you!

Tips for Student Athletes

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Class of 2024 student athletes, it is unfathomable the hardships you have faced with your last high school season getting cut short and now your fall season being cancelled. While there is nothing that can be said to make up for those lost moments, there are ways to use what you have learned as an athlete to prepare you for the academic rigor of Wesleyan.

Even as a student first, “athlete” remains a crucial part of your identity. The two go hand-in-hand in many ways. Below are some tips on how to best prepare for this upcoming semester with or without an official season impeding on your classes.

To start, time management is a big one. From the classroom to lifting back to the library then to practice and then a review session, your days can become very busy. Thus, it is essential that you find a way to best manage your time. Organization is a key factor of time management. It is so important that you implement some form of planner system or google calendar to ensure that your classes do not overlap with practices or games.

From that last point, one of the go to answers when asked by any coach of how to improve in a game is communication. This applies on and off the field. It is imperative that you establish a relationship with your professors early on so that it is easier to communicate for the very minimal times that athletes may interfere with academics. With that, communication with coaches is also part of your academic success and ensuring the prioritization of academics over athletics in special circumstances. Use your coach as a vehicle towards achieving academic as well as athletic success. In succession with the team as a resource, the use of older teammates in helping navigate the cohesion with your sport and classes is a key point of advice. They have experience with the structure of NESCAC athletics and the rigor of the Wesleyan education.

Lastly, success in any aspect of life is contingent upon proper preparation, which includes sufficient fuel and care of the body and mind. The life of a student-athlete is often go go go, which leaves little room for self reflection. It is ok to take a break and give yourself the downtime that you deserve. Ultimately, while you are labeled as a student-athlete on campus, these tips will help you to distinguish between or separate athletics and academics while also establishing a balance with both.

Check list:

  • Time management
  • Organization (planner)
  • Communication (on and off the field)
  • Relationships with professors
  • Plan ahead
  • Use teammates as resources
  • Coaches as resources
  • Separate/find balance with athletics and academics
  • Take care of body and mind (fuel)
  • Give yourself a break and down time

What Do Academic Peer Advisors Do?

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This post serves to introduce you to Wesleyan’s Academic Peer Advisors, students who work under the umbrella of the Office of Student Academic Resources to enhance students’ access to academic resources and promote their academic success.

Especially in such tumultuous times, APAs are here to serve as a resource to all Wesleyan students. Although life at Wesleyan will look quite different than it has in past years due to the pandemic, APAs are available to address any concerns you may have, ranging from queries about course selection to questions about getting involved on campus! Over the summer, we are available to answer your questions via email (peeradvisors@wesleyan.edu). Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

During NSO, which will be taking place mostly virtually before arriving on campus, APAs will focus on helping students plan and schedule their fall semester courses. We are part of a large network of academic support that you will be able to access once on campus, which includes pre-major advisors and deans. Before classes begin,  you — and every other first-year student — will meet with an APA to discuss course selection for your first semester, as well as any other questions you might have. Throughout the entire academic year, we will continue meeting with students individually as well as hosting group workshops. We are as available as students want us to be, whether you’d like to meet once a week, once a semester, or once a year! Also, we are always extra available during the Pre-Registration and Drop/Add periods of each semester, and you will see us work in conjunction with other offices on campus.

In our one-on-one meetings with students, we help with various academic skills like time management, organization, study strategies, and reading or note-taking, as well as with course registration, major planning, and a variety of other academics-related skills and topics! In our workshops — which can be with different Residence Halls, class deans, athletic teams, or other liaison groups, campus groups, and communities — we also help students become familiar with the various academic processes and skills that were mentioned above, but in a group setting instead of an individual one. We also serve as liaisons to other campus resources, both general and specific, helping to connect students with any and all resources they might need, from peer tutors, math and writing workshops, and the library, to the Resource Center, CAPS, and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life — plus everything in between. Basically, we are here not only to help you but also to help you help yourself!

This year, more so than many others, will be a challenge for the Wesleyan community as a whole. The APAs are here to enhance your access to academic resources and help you reach your academic goals at Wesleyan, despite the extraneous circumstances that make this year especially difficult. But how do you get connected with the peer advisors? All of our bios are posted on the website (with our emails), so if you read through them and think that you would connect well with a certain peer advisor, feel free to reach out to them directly. Otherwise, as we said before, we are available over email at peeradvisors@wesleyan.edu to answer any and all of your questions that you might have — please do not hesitate to reach out! While this was just a quick overview of our roles on campus, we are happy to help with whatever we can. We look forward to working with you, and welcome to Wesleyan!

All You Need to Know about Pre-Reg from the Academic Peer Advisors

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Via Zoom, Thursday, July 23, from 12:00 noon-1:00pm EDT

In this session, join the Academic Peer Advisors and Dean Phillips to learn how to navigate the Pre-Reg system. Topics covered include the whats and hows of Pre-Reg, navigating WesMaps, and factors to consider in choosing courses. There will also be a Q&A at the end of the session where your pre-submitted and on-the-spot questions will be answered, so be sure to tune in!

If you would like to participate in this panel, please sign up though this link (Wesleyan login required).

Meet the Academic Peer Advisors

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Hi everyone! My name is Darshana Banka and I am a rising junior at Wesleyan. I attended high school in Mumbai, India. I am a Neuroscience & Behavior and Psychology double major. I am on the pre-medicine track. I have taken courses in Economics as well and I am interested in pursuing public health policy down the road. Outside of peer advising, I am a Research Assistant in a Molecular Biology and Biochemistry lab doing yeast genetics and the Wesleyan Media Project doing health media research. I am also a Peer Tutor through the Dean’s Peer Tutoring Program. Apart from these ventures, I am the Secretary of Shakti (South Asian Student Coalition), Project Coordinator of the Wesleyan Therapy Dogs, Clinic Escort at the Hartford GYN Center, Project Co-Director of AskWes, and Co-Founder of WeSanskriti (South Asian Classical Dance Team). Outside of campus life, I love to go hiking with my friends, travel, play the guitar, and cook. I am really excited to meet all of you in the fall either virtually or in person. If you have any questions about transition to college as an international student, academics, or simply just want to chat about life at Wesleyan, please feel free to reach out to me at dbanka@wesleyan.edu.

Hi everyone! My name is Belle Brown and I’m part of the class of 2022, majoring in Government and Environmental Studies, with a minor in African American Studies. My hometown is Arlington, Virginia and I transferred to Wes as a sophomore from Emory University, so I’m here for you if you have any transfer related questions. Besides being a Peer Advisor, I’m also on the track team, work at Long Lane Farm, perform stand-up comedy with Awkward Silence, and am a member of WesACLU. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors and cooking for my friends. I am so excited to work with you all this fall! Please don’t hesitate to reach out at bbrown03@wesleyan.edu with any questions or concerns you might have (again, especially about transferring!) or just to chat. Looking forward to getting to know you. Go Wes!

Hi! My name is Haley Brumberger, and I am an Earth & Environmental Science (E&ES) BA/MA student, so I’m in my fifth (and final) year at Wes working towards my Master’s degree. I finished my undergrad at Wes in May 2020 with an English and E&ES double major and a minor in the IDEAS (Integrated Design, Engineering, and Applied Science) program. I am from a suburb outside of Philadelphia, PA, and am a huge Flyers fan (and a huge hockey fan in general). I am also-in addition to being an Academic Peer Advisor and the intern in the office of Student Academic Resources-a Brother of the Co-Ed fraternity on campus (Psi Upsilon), a co-captain of the Wesleyan Club Ice Hockey Team, a member of the Wesleyan Ski and Snowboard team, and a student researcher in the Varekamp Volcanology lab (in the E&ES department). Before coming to Wesleyan, I took a gap year, which was incredible (please feel free to ask me about it)! When I arrived at Wesleyan after my gap year, I was pretty committed to pursuing Physics as a major. However, Wesleyan’s flexible curriculum allowed me to explore all the different areas of study that I am interested in-Studio Art, English, History, Environmental Science, and Math, to name a few-leading me to realize that I am more excited and passionate about other subjects. I would love to answer any questions, address any concerns, and provide advice on or insight into any problems you may have, so please do not hesitate to reach out to me at hbrumberger@wesleyan.edu. I look forward to meeting you, and welcome to Wes!

Hi! My name is Ariel Deutsch, and I am a senior from NYC double-majoring in the College of Social Studies and Italian Studies. Since my freshman year, I have served on the Wesleyan Student Assembly fighting to improve academic life on campus with initiatives like the Textbook Exchange Program. I also sat on the 2019-20 Educational Policy Committee. I am a student worker in Student Academic Resources where I help manage the Deans’ Peer Tutoring Program for which I am also a Peer Tutor. Last year, I had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Bologna in Italy. In the CSS, I am the 2020-21 Government Preceptor and am currently writing a senior thesis! During my free time, I enjoy baking, hiking, and playing tennis. If you have any questions related to academics, or just want to chat over a coffee, email me at adeutsch@wesleyan.edu. Thanks, and I look forward to working with you!

Hi! My name is Anya Kisicki (she/her) and I’m a rising junior at Wesleyan. I hail from Phoenix, Arizona and I am double majoring in Government and in the College of Letters, a three-year multidisciplinary program that merges the studies of history, literature, and philosophy. I am also pursuing a minor in Film Studies. Outside of Peer Advising, I work at Wesleyan’s Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development to help plan student events on campus. You can also find me taking orders at the on-campus restaurant, WesWings, on Pocotopaug Lake with the Sailing Team, or in the 92 Theatre designing the lights for student-run theatre productions. Additionally, I am currently working to build a new campus group that focuses on creating space for non-cis males (womxn) interested in Film to network and hold campus-wide events. I am here as a resource for you, so if you have any questions at all about adjusting to life at Wesleyan, don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing me at akisicki@wesleyan.edu! I look forward to meeting you in the fall!

Hi! My name is Chaiyeon Lee and I am a rising junior at Wesleyan University. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, but I was raised in Queens, NYC. I am currently majoring in the College of Social Studies, an interdisciplinary major that encompasses topics like social theory, government, economics, and history. I am also pursuing an International Relation Certificate and a minor in the College of East Asian Studies. Outside of classes I am also involved in a variety of extracurricular activities and on campus jobs. I am currently on the board for identity groups on campus such as Wesleyan’s Asian American Student Collective and the Korean Student Association. I am also a part of the Wesleyan Student Assembly as a senator serving on the Student Life Committee. I also work various jobs on campus some of which include being a barista at pi cafe, a science library front desk worker, and a language partner and peer tutor for Korean. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or interest in any of the things I mentioned above or matters beyond that of course! Feel free to reach out to me at clee03@wesleyan.edu

Hi! My name is Jack Leger. I am a member of the Class of 2021 here at Wesleyan. I am an Economics and Government double major and am pursuing a certificate in International Relations. I hail from Rye, New Hampshire, a small beach town on the East coast. On campus, I am a sports and opinion editor for the campus publication the Wesleyan Argus. Outside of school, I’m an avid hiker and plan on finishing all 48-4,000-foot peaks in New Hampshire, and I run in any local road race I can find. I also love soccer and support the Arsenal Gunners and play intra-mural soccer and basketball at Wes. Finally, I’ve taken a number of Spanish courses at Wes and studied in Madrid last spring. I come from a public high school and low-income background and found the culture at Wes to very different from what I was used to, so if you have any questions about adjusting please reach out to me at jleger@wesleyan.edu!

Hi! My name is Quentin Tan and I am a rising junior from Penang, Malaysia. I am currently the only College of Letters and College and East Asian Studies double major student at Wesleyan – and quite possibly the first Cardinal to do so – so I am no stranger to unorthodox but all the more rewarding academic explorations! I studied abroad my sophomore spring in Osaka, Japan and stumbled upon the outbreak of COVID-19 – making what is already a challenging academic experience in itself even more so! On campus, I am a Writing Mentor for the Writing Workshop (an amazing resource for students which I could not possibly recommend more highly) and a copy editor for the Wesleyan Argus. Occasionally, you may also find me grooving as a pianist in a number of Second Stage musical productions. I am a great fan of reading books from all around the world – Camus’ The Plague being one of my recent favorites – and Japanese literature, especially, is my ice cream at 3 a.m., so I would love to have tea and talk about recent reads with you! Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at htan03@wesleyan.edu, and I look forward to working with you in the fall!

Hi! My name is Jack Wang 2021 and I am a rising senior at Wesleyan. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China and I came to the States to study on my own at age 15. I have pursued a variety of academic interests at Wesleyan because I honestly had no idea what I wanted to major in. I have taken interesting courses from many disciplines including Sociology, Computer Science, Government, Psychology, Philosophy, Math, Spanish, Economics and Data Analysis. I eventually decided to major in Economics because it would allow me to pursue a combination of reading, writing and quantitative analysis. I truly love and appreciate my study abroad experience in Copenhagen, Denmark, despite the semester being cut short due to the pandemic. Now I would like to take a step further and help more students with diverse backgrounds and interests to optimize their academic experiences and maximize their potential. I organized a panel discussion to have a few of our peers share their advice, insights and wisdom on how to navigate summer experiences for international students. I have been a peer tutor for Math and Economics classes as well as a Chinese language partner. I’m a member of the Wesleyan Consulting Pathways Club, the Wesleyan Road to Finance Club and the Wesleyan Investment Group. I have also been involved in Wesleying and the Wesleyan Argus to create original content for the community. My biggest passion outside of school is to travel and I am fortunate enough to have visited over 25 countries across the globe. Please feel free to contact me about anything at cwang01@wesleyan.edu.

Hi! My name is Andi Wiley and I am from Alameda, CA. I am a rising junior here at Wesleyan, class of 2022, double majoring in Economics and Psychology with a Writing Certificate. Initially, I was not sure what I wanted to study, so I explored many subjects taking full advantage of the wide variety of classes that Wes has to offer. In addition to peer advising, I am also a peer tutor on campus as well as a volunteer tutor for Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education, which is a program that extends the Wesleyan community and resources to offer incarcerated individuals the opportunity to receive college credit. I am also passionate and actively involved with WesBuds, a student group partnership with the Middlesex Transition Academy (MTA), a school for students 18-22 with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Beyond academics, I am on the Wesleyan Women’s Soccer team, which has challenged my time management and organizational skills. Further, as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, I understand the importance in balancing busy athletic schedules and rigorous academics. I am more than happy to answer questions, concerns, or to simply get to know you, so please reach out to me at anwiley@wesleyan.edu. Very much looking forward to the fall and meeting you all!

Hi! My name is Betsy Zaubler and I am a member of the class of 2021. I am from Montclair, NJ and I’m double majoring in American Studies and Theater and minoring in African American Studies. Outside of my majors, I have loved taking classes across many other disciplines at Wes, including in Sociology, Psychology, and Education Studies. On campus, I am involved in student theater and have directed two shows through Second Stage, as well as worked as a stage manager and assistant stage manager. Additionally, I am a member of the Alpha Delta Phi Society, a co-ed Greek literary society, and have volunteered as a mentor in Eye to Eye, a club where students with learning differences mentor local middle school students who also have learning differences. In my free time, I love to read, bake, and play with my dogs. I’m really excited to be working as an Academic Peer Advisor, and I am here for any questions or concerns you may have about academics or life at Wesleyan more generally. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at ezaubler@wesleyan.edu!