From the moment you arrive on campus at the University of Chicago, you're plugged into a network of support.
Academic and career advisers
From day one, each student is assigned a College Adviser to help them navigate academic opportunities throughout their time in the College. College Advisers are full-time staff with small enough case loads that they can give each of their advisees personal attention. Your College Adviser will help you select courses, pick a major, choose from options for completing the Core requirements, plan a study abroad experience, consider graduating a quarter early, add a minor, or answer any other questions you have relating to your education.
Once you declare a major, you'll also work with a faculty adviser who's an expert in your field of study and can offer more specialized academic guidance. Your faculty adviser, as well as a graduate student preceptor, may guide you through the process of completing a significant research project for your BA thesis paper.
We believe planning and preparation for your career should build over the full course of your education, not take place just in the months leading up to graduation. From the start, each incoming student is also assigned a Career Adviser who helps them make best use of the extensive resources offered through UChicago Career Advancement.
Community and mentoring
First-year students live in House communities with a built-in ecosystem of support. Second-, third-, and fourth-years living in the House give advice on everything from which classes to take, to how to tackle a tricky math problem set, to the best place to get sushi in Hyde Park. Student Resident Assistants serve as peer mentors in each House, while staff or graduate student Resident Heads provide guidance and encouragement. Resident Deans, professors who live in each residence hall, forge ties between students and faculty.
Faculty, alumni, students, and staff serve as mentors to students in the College, through both formal mentor-mentee matching programs and informal relationships. Designated mentoring programs include the LGBTQ Mentoring Program, the First-Generation Alumni Mentoring Program, and impact from the Office of International Affairs. Students can also build relationships with alumni through the Office of Career Advancement, the Alumni Career Network, and networking events throughout the year.
Academic support
Academic support for students is available through the free Core Tutoring Program, the Student Health and Counseling Services, and the student’s adviser and housing staff. The Academic Skills Assessment Program helps students address concerns that can interfere with effective learning. Student Disability Services works to provide resources and accommodations that allow every student to participate fully in the life of the University.