Student Life

Getting Started

New Students

During the summer before you arrive on campus, we will ask you to complete a variety of talks related to housing, healthcare, advising and academics. Completing these talks will set you up for a smooth transition to Haverford.

Customs

Customs is Haverford College's First-Year Experience program, which includes a five-day orientation immediately preceding the fall semester.

Advising Questionnaire

Your premajor advisor will be chosen to best provide you with the support and advice needed to be successful at Haverford. Completing the questionnaire linked here will enable the College to match you with your premajor advisor.

Placement Exams

When choosing your courses for the first semester, you will need information about the level at which you should enter a particular field of study. This process is known as "Placement." In areas where you are particularly well prepared, you may be placed into intermediate rather than beginning level courses. Where no placement exam is given, an interview with the department chair can determine your status.

Advisor Meeting Prep

All first-year students are asked to view the following modules as a basic introduction to the curriculum, advising, and registration.

Course Selection

Curriculum Overview

Designing your course schedule for your first semester at Haverford begins with your summer Academic Advisor. The resources listed here will introduce you to Haverford's curriculum, your academic advising team and some of the programs with which you will be involved as a first year student.

Academics and Advising

In order to best prepare for the fall semester, view the following four tutorials and complete your advising questionnaire, and placement exams by the deadlines indicated. All students must complete the chemistry, math, music, and writing placements; please read through the placement section thoroughly to determine what other exams you need to take.

Reading a Course Description

You can find Course Descriptions in Bionic, in the Tri-Co Course Guide, and for Haverford courses, in a PDF for the coming semester. The order and amount of information varies slightly across the platforms, but the foundational information should be the same; this example comes from the Tri-Co Course Guide:

Academic Standing

Haverford College is committed to ensuring that students are in good academic standing and making adequate progress towards graduation by satisfying a series of requirements.

Writing Program

The Writing Program encourages students to become rigorous thinkers and writers who can construct arguments that matter, craft prose that resonates with their intended audience, and write effectively within the fields of academic discourse.

Chesick Scholars

The Chesick Scholars Program provides a welcoming community and a suite of workshops, seminars and experiences that have been especially designed for first-generation college students and/or students who come from low-income (FLI) backgrounds.

International Students

The Office of International Student Support provides resources that support Haverford College’s international student population.

Access & Disability Services

Haverford College is committed to ensuring equal and meaningful access to all campus programs, activities and services for all students. Access and Disability Services (ADS) supports this by providing ADA accommodations and resources for students with disabilities.