First Year
Anxious about your first year as a college student? Completely psyched? Both? We have plenty of ways to help you navigate your first year.
The Summer Before
Even before the fall semester begins, you’ll begin to learn what life is like as a student at Purchase College.
Orientation
Orientation and Welcome Weeks both help smooth your transition to college life. You’ll learn to navigate campus, meet your neighbors, and hear all about what Purchase offers to keep you healthy, safe, and on track.
First-Year Experiences
We provide a solid footing at the starting line for all.
The First-Year Learning Community Seminars are required for BA students in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and BA students in Theatre and Performance.
Students in the arts earning BFAs and MusBs and BA/BS Biology majors have first-year programs built into their curriculum. Global Scholars and EOP students participate in specially designated seminars.
1. First-Year Learning Communities
First-Year Learning Community seminars (FYLC) are small innovative classes promoting critical thinking and community. These are led by faculty-in-residence, with discussions reflecting their intellectual interest. (4 credits)
2. College Writing
Taken either in your first or second semester, you’ll gather in small seminar groups, and through reading and discussion, you’ll think critically, communicate effectively, and produce work at the college level.
Health, Wellness, and Safety
Academic success is only possible when bodies and minds are healthy. We got you.
Support Services
Whether in two weeks or three years, there may come a time when you need help. Your faculty advisor assists in a variety of ways, from clarifying academic requirements to planning a course of study in your major. There’s more.
The Advising Center
The Advising Center is available for course selection, major exploration, and broader issues like planning a pathway to your career.
The Learning Center
For immediate needs—assistance with a paper or coursework—the Learning Center’s tutoring program is ready to help.
Cornerstone Connect
This fee-based coaching program goes beyond our standard options to provide a little extra support transitioning to college life—such as starting and planning tasks, focusing, getting organized, managing emotions, and staying on track.
It’s open to any full-time student who would benefit from resources, strategies, and individualized coaching to enhance their learning experience.
Put Yourself Out There
There are so many ways to get involved. Find a niche in a student club. Spend a day with Purchase in the City. Find some collaborators and create something new. Your college experience will be better for it.
Stay on Track
Purchase offers 8-semester plans to keep you on track to graduate in four years. Discover when to study abroad or do an internship. And they show your path to the culmination of a Purchase education—the senior project.
And it’s never too early to use the Career Development Center to plan for internships and get a jump start on future job options.
