New Student Academic Advising

For first-year students, we built your fall schedule using the information you provided in your Academic Interests Survey, along with your major requirements and the requirements of Ithaca College's Integrative Core Curriculum.

Our goal was to create a schedule that helps you make progress toward graduation while also reflecting your academic interests. Most students will see a combination of courses related to their major (or a potential major), core curriculum requirements, and opportunities to explore new areas of interest.

Every course on your schedule was selected with your long-term success in mind—not just your first semester.

For transfer students, we requested that you meet with a member of the Academic Support Center team to review your incoming credits and build your fall semester schedule together. 

Your fall schedule is now available in HomerConnect. Instructions for viewing your schedule are available on the Access Your Class Schedule page.

Your schedule was carefully built using your major requirements, Ithaca College curriculum requirements, your math, language, or keyboarding placement score (if applicable), and the information you shared in your Academic Interests Survey.

During Orientation, you'll also have opportunities to connect with advising experts if you have questions or want to discuss possible adjustments to your schedule

This varies by school and by major, but first-year students will have: 

• At least one course in your major or a potential major
• An Ithaca Seminar (ICSM)
• One or more courses that satisfy core curriculum requirements
• In some cases, an elective course related to a personal interest*

• A total of 13–17 credits

  Although tuition covers up to 18 credits, we recommend that you not exceed the number of credits included in your fall schedule. We want your first semester to be challenging, engaging, and manageable.

One thing that makes a college schedule different from a high school schedule is that you may have extended time periods when you are not scheduled to meet in class at all! In high school, most classes may meet every day. By contrast, depending on the courses you are registered in, your courses may meet anywhere from one to four days a week.

Your college courses require you to spend about two+ hours outside of class studying, reading, preparing assignments, or working on projects for every hour you spend in class. Those open spaces in your schedule help make that possible while also giving you time to get involved on campus, work, exercise, relax, and explore all that IC has to offer.

Every new Ithaca College student takes an Ithaca Seminar (ICSM) during their first semester. In addition to exploring an engaging academic topic, this four-credit course also includes resources to help you successfully transition to college. You'll build connections with classmates, learn strategies for academic success, and explore a topic that interests you.

All Ithaca Seminars include one class meeting at noon on either Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, in addition to seminar meetings two or three times a week. This provides you with multiple opportunities to connect with faculty and fellow students. 

Check out the topic descriptions on our Ithaca Seminar webpage.

Maintaining at least 12 credits is important because dropping below that threshold can affect financial aid, housing, athletic eligibility, and international student visa requirements.

Most students take between 14 and 16 credits each semester. To earn the 120 credits required for graduation in four years, students need to average about 15 credits per semester

Technically, yes. Twelve credits is considered full-time enrollment.

However, if you consistently take only 12 credits during fall and spring semesters, you will likely need more than four years to complete the credits required for graduation.

Some students choose a lighter first-semester schedule because they are bringing in AP, IB, dual-enrollment, or transfer credit. Others do so because of an approved accommodation or other individual circumstances. Others decide to take a lighter first-semester to acclimate to college, but then take a winter or summer course (at additional cost), or take more credits in a future fall/spring semester, to stay on track for the 120 credits needed for graduation. 

If you're considering dropping below the number of credits currently on your schedule, we strongly recommend talking with an advisor first so you understand the potential impact on your academic plan and financial aid eligibility. 

First things first: don't panic if your schedule includes a class you weren't expecting. 

There are several reasons you might see a course that wasn't at the top of your wish list. For example:

• The course may be an important requirement for your major.
• Some of your major requirements may have conflicted with courses in your areas of interest, and we prioritized classes that keep you on track toward graduation.
• A math, language, keyboarding, or other placement-based course may have been affected by your placement score or by a scheduling conflict with required classes.
• You may already have AP, IB, dual-enrollment, or transfer credit in an area you identified as an interest, so we focused on helping you make progress in other areas.
• The classes available in your selected interest areas may not have fit with the rest of your schedule.
• Time restrictions related to athletics, approved accommodations, or other circumstances may have limited the options available.

Remember, your schedule was carefully built to balance major requirements, core curriculum requirements, your academic interests, and your path toward graduation. Every course was selected with your success in mind.

Before making any changes, we encourage you to talk with an advisor. During Orientation, academic advising experts will be available to review your schedule, answer questions, and help you determine whether adjustments make sense based on your goals.

You do not need to make any immediate decisions. Many students find it helpful to attend their classes first before deciding whether they want to make a change. You'll be able to add or drop courses through the add/drop deadline (August 30, 2026 ), and all add/drop deadlines are available on the college's academic calendar.

If you decide you'd like to adjust your schedule, the Registrar's guides and video tutorials can walk you through the process. You can also stop by the Academic Support Center during the first week of classes (located in the Textor tunnel in Muller Faculty Center), and we'll be happy to help.

Typically, faculty advisor assignments are made in August, prior to the start of orientation. You can find information about your advisor in HomerConnect or DegreeWorks. However, anytime you need support - this summer through graduation - you can always reach out to the Academic Support Center for help. To schedule a meeting and connect with us, visit: https://www.ithaca.edu/academic-support-center/connect-us 

Once you have registered with the Office of Student Accessibility Services, contact the Academic Support Center and they will work with you to ensure that your courses align with your documented accommodations. Visit this site to start a request for a new accommodation.

Please reach out to the Academic Support Center to talk to an expert in academic planning, advising and success about this. To schedule a meeting and connect with us, visit: https://www.ithaca.edu/academic-support-center/connect-us

You can review your student information at degreeworks.ithaca.edu to see if your transfer credit is reflected there. Check out the Registrar’s helpful guides and video tutorials to learn more about Degree Works.

If your college/transfer credit is not reflected, contact the institution where you took classes or College Board for Advanced Placement Exams and have an official transcript or official score report sent to us as soon as possible. Please visit the Registrar Services - Transfer Credit web page for instructions. 

Note: your high school transcript does not confer college credit. Ithaca College must receive official transcripts and score reports directly from the College Board or the college from which you earned your credits.

Computer recommendations vary by major and school. For example, some specialized programs in the Park School of Communications and Music, Theatre, & Dance recommend Apple products. In general, however, Ithaca College does not require a specific computer brand. Students should plan to have a reliable laptop—either a Mac or a PC—that meets their program’s needs.

School-specific guidance:

• Park School of Communications: Recommendations vary by major. Visit the Park School’s Equipment Needs Webpage for details.
• School of Business: Macintosh or PC is acceptable (PCs are most common).
• School of Health Sciences and Human Performance (HSHP): Macintosh or PC is acceptable.
• School of Humanities and Sciences: Macintosh or PC is acceptable.
• School of Music, Theatre, and Dance: Macintosh computers are most common. The Center for Music’s computer lab and computer classroom use Macintosh computers exclusively. Additionally, most faculty, staff, and administrative offices use Macintosh computers. While compatibility may be advantageous for students, it is not necessary for students to adopt a Macintosh platform in order to complete required assignments and other activities. Students in the Composition degree program however are advised to consult their faculty members regarding compatibility with the composition workroom computers. Lab and classroom computers in the School are fully equipped with software for word processing, spreadsheets, database, and music notation (Finale and Sibelius).

The Ithaca College bookstore has an online site where you can explore, purchase, and rent required texts for your Ithaca College classes.