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First-Year Students

Welcome to the College of Arts & Science!

You’re about to embark on a journey of exploration and discovery that will prepare you to tackle society’s biggest challenges, find success in our rapidly changing economy, and make a positive impact on our world. In the College of Arts & Science, you will discover your passions, dive deep into your interests, forge unexpected connections across disciplines, and learn skills and capacities that will serve you for life.

We’re so glad you’ve decided to join us in A&S. We are excited to be on this journey with you.

students walking on campus

Advising

All A&S students are assigned a pre-major adviser before they arrive at Vanderbilt. Your adviser will contact you during the summer prior to your first year and will work with you until you declare your major in your sophomore year. Your pre-major adviser will help you identify your academic interests and career goals, choose an appropriate major to fit them, and choose and register for classes.

College Core Curriculum

All A&S students entering in Fall 2025 or later will take the College Core, an innovative, flexible new curriculum that helps students develop skills that will serve them for life—as successful professionals and engaged citizens. The College Core was intentionally designed to expose students to a range of ideas, approaches, and perspectives across the arts and sciences. Students have flexibility to design the curriculum to meet their individual interests and career paths.

Timeline

Please take note of these important dates for the summer before you arrive and the beginning of your first semester. Note that there will be an advising hold on your account that prevents you from registering for fall classes until you complete all advising requirements.

May 2025
  • Once you receive an email from the University Registrar, activate your VUnetID and Vanderbilt email address, set up multi-factor authentication, and familiarize yourself with important software, particularly Brightspace, YES, and Zoom (more details).
  • Your pre-major adviser will email you to introduce themselves, explain the advising process, provide instructions on completing the required Brightspace module, and provide your assigned registration window. (Please note that this window cannot be changed.)
  • Complete the assigned Brightspace module that your pre-major adviser provides to you.
  • Meet with your adviser 1:1 remotely. This is highly recommended. If your schedule does not permit you to schedule a meeting with your adviser, contact them to receive an electronic advising form that you can complete to get your prospective class selection reviewed and your advising hold removed.
  • Check your YES landing page for any holds on your account and contact the appropriate office to have them removed. You will be unable to register for classes if there are any holds on your account.
  • Review the YES User Guides to prepare for the technical aspects of registration.
June 2025
  • June 2-20: Fall registration windows
July 2025
  • Order any test scores (AP/IB or SAT/ACT) you would like to be included in your record (more details).
  • Complete the transfer process for any pre-freshman credit completed prior to matriculation (more details).
  • July 16 – August 29: Open Enrollment. During this time, you can make adjustments to your schedule, including any changes you need to make following verification of AP/IB test scores.
August 2025
  • August 11, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.: A&S Academic Overview webinar for first-year students and families
  • August 12, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.: A&S Academic Overview webinar for transfer students and families
  • August 12, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.: A&S Academic Overview webinar for first-year students and families (repeat of the August 11 webinar; need only attend one)
  • August 18, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.: A&S Academic Monday (orientation, pre-major advising, program fair)
  • August 18, 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.: Academic Night (in your Commons House)
  • August 20: Fall term classes begin
  • August 21: Pre-major advising drop-in pizza party (time and location TBD)
  • August 29: Open Enrollment closes. Be sure to finalize your course schedule before this date.

Academic Resources

As you begin your journey in the College of Arts and Science, there are many academic resources available to help you succeed:

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your pre-major adviser.

AP / IB Credit

Students in the College of Arts and Science are limited to a total of 18 credit hours earned by any combination of advanced placement, international baccalaureate credit, advanced international credit, and credit by departmental examination, counting toward the minimum number of hours required toward the degree. For students in the College of Arts and Science, no form of advanced placement credit can be used to fulfill the College Core requirements.

At the determination of individual departments, Advanced Placement Examination grades with a score of 4 or 5 may be accepted for credit. The amount of credit that may be awarded corresponds to the course work waived. Advanced placement credit does not affect the Vanderbilt grade point average. See the AP and IB test scores accepted for advanced credit by the various departments at Vanderbilt.

Pre-Matriculation Credit

Entering first-year students who have taken college work in high school through dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment programs, or during summers prior to their offer of admission to Vanderbilt, must indicate such work on the undergraduate admission application. An official transcript showing any prior college work must be provided. Once all required documentation has been received, the coursework will be reviewed to determine whether it is eligible for credit at Vanderbilt.

Students should submit all required documentation for review before the first day of classes of their freshman year.

Credit will be awarded only if:

  • A course is regularly offered by an accredited two-year or four-year college or university. For domestic schools, the school must be regionally accredited; for international schools, the school must have country-specific accreditation. Courses taught at a high school or taken at a college strictly for high school students do not satisfy this requirement.
  • The teacher was a regular faculty member of that college or university. High school teachers who are hired as affiliate faculty to teach college courses on a high school campus do not meet this requirement.
  • The majority of students in the course were duly matriculated college students seeking either an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree.

Please note: In general, dual enrollment programs offered through a student’s high school do not meet the policy requirements for pre-freshman credit.

The College of Arts and Science usually does not award credit for work at other colleges in the summer immediately preceding the student’s first semester at Vanderbilt. Summer work elsewhere will be accepted for credit only if an unusual educational opportunity can be demonstrated and if the courses sought are as rigorous as courses offered at Vanderbilt. Approval for work to be taken elsewhere must be obtained in advance from the appropriate dean.

In no case may credits completed elsewhere after the student has been offered admission by the College of Arts and Science satisfy College Core requirements.

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