First Year

Getting Started

Orientation and Welcome Week 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 Seminar

All first-year students earning BA or BS degrees are required to take a seminar, which will introduce you to the Purchase academic and cultural experience. Through readings, discussions, and classroom activities, you’ll learn about the educational and co-curricular opportunities available to you.

Living and Learning

As a first-year student, you may choose to live in one of Purchase’s Learning Communities (LCs). These theme-based communities are led by faculty-in-residence and are made up of students from BA or BS degree programs who connect socially and academically around topics like climate change, leadership, or activism.

Support When You Need It

Whether in two weeks or three years, there will come a time when you need support. Faculty advisors help students in a wide variety of ways, from clarifying academic requirements to planning a course of study in your major. 

The Advising Center is available for course selection, major exploration, and can help with broader questions like planning a pathway to your career. For immediate needs—assistance with a paper or coursework— the Learning Center’s tutoring program is ready to help.

Purchase offers 8-semester plans to keep you on track to graduate in four years. 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. 

Get Out There

There are so many ways to get involved. Find a niche in a student club. Organize a show at the Stood. Find a group of like-minded students and collaborate on something new; your college experience will be better for it.