first-year advising team

• First-Year Advisor

  Your First-Year Advisor may be a faculty member, administrator, or graduate student. This person will assist you with many aspects of your academic experience, such as choosing courses, meeting your degree requirements, considering concentration options, or planning for the summer. You will meet with your academic advisor regularly throughout the year, and intermittently as  you need them.

• Resident Dean of First-Year Students

  Every first-year dormitory is overseen by one of four Resident Deans of First Year (RDFs). Members of the  Dean of Students Office staff, RDFs take care of the overall well-being of first-year students at Harvard College. They track their students' academic progress, advise first-year students, and supervise Proctors in their affiliated residences.

• Proctor

  A Proctor is an administrator or graduate student who lives in your dormitory and acts as your resource for personal, residential, social, and other issues. Each Proctor oversees an entryway community of approximately 20 to 40 students, and helps plan residence-based social activities. In some cases, your Proctor will also serve as your First-Year Advisor.

• Peer Advising Fellow

  A Peer Advising Fellow (PAF) is a Harvard sophomore, junior, or senior who has been specially trained to offer assistance throughout your first year. PAFs work with a specific dorm entryway, but don't live in first-year dorms.

  As your peers, PAFs have a unique perspective within the advising team. They can give you advice on how to balance your curricular and extracurricular choices, how to face the challenges of transitioning to college life, and how to tap into College resources.

• Sophomore Advising

  In the fall, your primary advisor will be a Residential Community Tutor who will serve as your Sophomore Advisor. This advisor will support you through two important transitions: into your Residential Community at the beginning of your third term and into your concentration near the end of your third term.

  Your Sophomore Advisor will help you select courses, choose your concentration, and connect with concentration advisors. Concentration advisors are available to offer sophomores general information about their fields and discuss concentration requirements.

  Your Sophomore Advisor will continue to provide guidance and support throughout the year, even after you declare your concentration. They will help you plan for academic opportunities such as research or study abroad and point you to the resources you need.

• Concentration Advising

  Concentration advising guides you through your field of study in three phases:

  • Introductory courses
  • Advanced work
  • When applicable, a final project or thesis in your senior year

  Every concentration takes a different approach to assigning advisors. Once you select a concentration, your department will assign a primary academic according to their approach. Most concentrations take a team approach to advising, encouraging you to seek advice from a variety of sources, such as the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Head Tutor, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies or Assistant Head Tutor, or the Undergraduate Coordinator.

  Some concentrations offer Residential Community-based concentration advising, either through Resident Tutors who are graduate students in their fields, or through non-resident graduate students who are affiliated with specific Residential Communities.

• Residence-Based Advising

  Every upper-level Residential Community has its own staff of advisors called resident tutors. Residential Community tutors are hired for their expertise in certain academic or professional areas and provide general advising to students in their entryways. Every Residential Community Tutor also serves as the Sophomore Advisor for a small group of students in their Residential Community.

  Every Residential Community also has an Allston Burr Resident Dean (ABRD), who tracks the academic progress of students in residence. ABRDs are the senior academic officers in their Residential Community. Students are encouraged to turn to them for any advising guidance.

After Harvard

• After Harvard

  Harvard College students come from a wide range of backgrounds, and go on to apply their talents to an impressive array of fields. Upon graduation from Harvard College, you will be prepared to pursue many different options. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) will help you to navigate your choices and assist you in finding the path that's right for you.

• Professional Programs and Graduate Schools

  Around 80% of Harvard students go on to earn a graduate or professional degree. Your Harvard College education is an outstanding preparation for success in graduate and professional school. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) can help you to choose the right program, develop applications, and navigate the acceptance process. 

• Preparing for a Career

  Harvard College graduates make a mark on the world in every field, from education, entertainment, and medicine to government, media, and technology. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) can help you explore your options, even if you're still only at the beginning of the process.

  The Mignone Center for Career Success offers 300 programs, 20 career fairs, and comprehensive advising services. It's never too early to take advantage of these resources—first-year students are encouraged to visit the MCS early in the year to begin to chart their own path.