Guided by the principles of Ignatian discernment, the Academic Advising Center supports students throughout their Boston College academic journey. We help ensure students meet all Core Curriculum requirements while guiding them to academic programs aligned with their interests and talents.
Academic Planning Week
November 4-8, 2024
What is Academic Planning Week?
Academic Planning Week is a week of events designed primarily for first-year and sophomore MCAS students, but open to all students. Academic Planning Week programs provide opportunities for students to engage in conversations, explore their academic interests, and connect to resources, services, tools, and personnel around campus. This week is designed to help students learn to navigate their academic life at Boston College.
Schedule of Events
Tips, Tricks, and Trivia Table
Monday, November 4 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Stokes South Entrance (Near Chocolate Bar)
Visit the Advising Fellows' table on your way to/from classes to answer some trivia questions, win prizes, and be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a Boston College gift basket filled with tons of BC gear!
Discerning Your Major
Monday, November 4 | 5:00 - 6:00 PM *RSVP Required
McGuinn 121
How do you figure out what you want to major in? Join us for an event on discerning, navigating, and reflecting on your academic and major interests. We will be hearing from guest speaker Burt Howell, Executive Director of Intersections at Boston College, followed by a student panel of seniors as they share about their own major exploration journey! Dinner will be served.
Bridging Disciplines: Applying for Interdisciplinary Majors
Tuesday, November 5 | 5:30 - 6:30 PM *RSVP Required
Gasson 305 Auditorium
Interested in applying for International Studies, Environmental Studies, or Global Public Health and the Common Good majors? Or are you exploring other interdisciplinary majors/minors? Join us for an informational presentation followed by a panel of students who are currently pursuing interdisciplinary majors. The student panel will share about their experiences and why they have chosen their area of study.
Let’s Navigate College: Defining Success at BC
Wednesday, November 6 | 4:30 - 5:30 PM *RSVP Required
Gasson 305 Auditorium
Hear from a panel of upperclass students as they share about their experience navigating academics, friendships, and their well-being -- and how they’ve defined success at BC. Light refreshments will be provided, and Center for Student Wellness, Career Center, Pine Minor Institute for Student Success, and Connors Family Learning Center resources will be available at the event.
Majors & Minors Fair
Thursday, November 7 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Stokes South First Floor
There will be representatives from undergraduate schools (MCAS, CSOM, LSEHD, CSON, etc), academic departments, and on-campus resources all around the first floor hallways of Stokes South. Come visit a table or two, especially if you have any questions about a specific major, minor, study abroad, career exploration, etc. If you need help finding a table/department or need a map, there will be an AAC table at the Stokes South entrance near the Chocolate Bar.
A full list of participating departments will be updated as we receive confirmation so keep checking to see if the departments/offices you wish to speak to will be there!
Academic Departments
- African & African Diaspora Studies
- Biology & Biochemistry
- Classics
- Communication
- Computer Science
- Core Curriculum
- Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Engineering
- English
- Global Public Health and the Common Good
- Interdisciplinary Minors
- International Studies
- Irish Studies
- Islamic Civilizations and Societies
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Medical Humanities Health & Culture
- Physics
- Psychology & Neuroscience
- PULSE
- Romance Languages and Literatures
- Slavic and Eastern Languages
- Theology
Campus Resources
- Career Center
- Connors Family Learning Center
- Office of Global Education (OGE) - Study Abroad
- Pre-Health (Pre-Med/Pre-Dental/Pre-Vet)
Undergraduate Schools
- Carroll School of Management (CSOM)
APW Drop-In Hours
Friday, November 8 | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Stokes South 139
Do you have any questions as you prepare for course registration? Do you need some help looking for courses on EagleApps? The Advising Fellows will be hosting drop-in hours so come by with your questions. Drop-ins are on a first-come, first-served basis and no appointments are needed.
Registration Master Class: Finding Classes Like a Pro!
Friday, November 8 | 3:30 - 4:30 PM *RSVP Required
Gasson 305 Auditorium
Come hear a presentation given by the Advising Fellows, in collaboration with the Core Office, on how to best approach course registration! Topics include how to prepare for course registration, some EagleApps tips and tricks, advice from upperclass students, and an overview of the Spring 2025 Complex Problems and Enduring Questions courses!
Course Registration for Spring 2025
Advising for course registration for the Spring 2025 semester will begin on Wednesday, October 16th. All MCAS students will need to schedule a meeting with their assigned academic advisor to discuss academic plans and to receive clearance for registration. Spring 2025 course listings will be available in Course Information and Schedule beginning October 10th.
Each class year's registration dates are as follows:
- Thu, November 14th - Class of 2025 (Seniors)
- Fri, November 15th - Class of 2026 (Juniors)
- Mon, November 18th - Class of 2027 (Sophomores)
- Tue, November 19th - Class of 2028 (First-Years)
If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior and recently made a major change, you will be assigned a new advisor from your new major department no later than October 15th. You can view your academic advisor's information in your Agora Portal (see Academic Advisor).
Course Withdrawals
The deadline to withdraw from a course for the Fall 2024 semester is Monday, December 2, 2024. If you withdraw from a course, you will have a W grade permanently recorded in your academic record. A grade of W has no effect on your GPA, but you may incur credit deficiencies.
Please carefully review the "Course Withdrawals: What You Need to Know" document before making a decision to withdraw from a course.
*First-Year Students Only: All first-year students (Class of 2028) are required to meet with an AAC staff member to discuss their course withdrawal request before their request is approved and processed.
First-year students who have already met with their advisor and have more in-depth questions may make an advising appointment with their Academic Administrator.