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Fourth-year Student Guide

The resources listed below are those that have been identified as being most relevant for fourth-year students. This is not an exhaustive list. For a complete list of advising resources please consult the Academic Advising Links page.

Staying On Top of Deadlines, News and Events

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Graduation

As a fourth-year student you are no doubt thinking about graduation. A packet of information will be mailed to your local address in early October which will include all deadline dates and pertinent information. Be sure to verify your local address in ISIS in September to be sure that you receive this mailing. Consult the graduation web page which should have answers to many of your questions.

If you are planning to graduate in January, the deadline for filing is the last weekday in September (see the College's online calendar for the specific date). You will not receive a packet in the mail like the May graduates. You only have to have a VISTAA report signed by your major/minor advisers and fill out the Diploma Card for that graduation. We do send a reminder letter to about 800 students each fall to remind them that if they intend to graduate in January they need to fill out the paperwork by our deadline (ads are also placed in the paper).

If you are planning to graduate in August, the deadline for filing is the last weekday in June. You must have an adviser sign a VISTAA report and fill out a diploma card. You will not receive a packet like the May graduates or a reminder like the January graduates. The registrar depends on students to apply for August graduation, since they do not have any way of knowing who could graduate after the two separate sessions of summer school. Since you are probably fulfilling your last courses to graduate, you know who you are.

Advising

Association Deans

For the purposes of academic advising, every student is placed in an "Association". The Association in which you are placed is determined by your first-year housing assignment. Your Association Dean's primary responsibility is to advise you on academic matters, to help you establish an academic plan, and to refer you to the various agencies and offices the University has established to assist you. Do not hesitate to call on your Dean. Each of the Association Deans has scheduled office hours in Garrett Hall, and the receptionists or the Dean's secretary will be happy to arrange an appointment for you. You will remain with the same dean as long as you are a student in the College.

Students should let their parents know the name and phone number of their Association Dean. The secretaries know how to contact a Dean quickly in the event of an emergency. A “Dean of the Day” is also on duty Monday through Friday afternoon in Garrett Hall from 2:00-3:30 P.M. (no appointment is necessary). Associate Dean Gordon M. Stewart is responsible for the administration of rules and procedures.

Faculty Advisors

Every student should have a faculty advisor. Check ISIS Online to verify the name of your advisor. Although it is hoped that students will remain with the same advisor until they declare a major, this is not always possible. The College will assign a new advisor if circumstances arise which prevent a students current advisor from continuing to perform their duties.

Students who want to change their advisor should select another faculty member who will then notify us by way of a note you deliver or by e-mail (to Sharon French: ).

Students often ask why they were not assigned an advisor in their area of academic interest. Experience has shown that students benefit greatly from an advisor whose academic interests vary from their own. Additionally, first- and second-year students often have multiple areas of interest, and most first- and second-year students change their academic focus before settling on a major at the end of their second year. The breadth of academic interests students exhibit and the rich diversity of academic disciplines at U.Va. make it impossible to assemble a group of advisors who share specific academic interests with each student.

At the end of the second year, all College students will need to declare a major and will then be assigned an advisor in the major department they choose.

All Faculty Advisors are trained to be general academic advisors, and are prepared to help you or refer you to the appropriate person, whatever your interests. Although your advisor will provide you with valuable help, at U.Va. you are expected to make your own decisions and to accept responsibility for those decisions.

Your Advisor CAN:

  • Give you sound academic advice.
  • Refer you to other academic support services.
  • Serve as a sounding board.
  • Help you choose suitable courses.
  • Help you select a major and clarify your long-range plans.

Your Advisor CANNOT:

  • Serve all your advising needs.
  • Tell you what to do.
  • Tell you what courses and professors to take.
  • Be your only source of advice as you choose a major.

Career Services, Internships and Externships

Visit this office as early as possible to learn about opportunities for careers after graduation, internships and externships. The UCS Web site posts weekly updates on events such as job fairs, job search strategies, pre-professional information, etc.

The goal of UCS is to help students make rational decisions about educational and career options. The UCS staff is well prepared to work with students to identify and develop skills and strategies that will be useful in the ever-changing world of employment. They have several trained counselors on their staff who assist College students with any career and job search concerns.

The office, located in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium, is open 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. Inquiries for information or appointments can be made by calling (434) 924-8900. The Career Library, containing extensive written and audio-visual resources, is open during normal office hours.

Many of UCS’s services are designed to help students use their academic experiences to guide themselves toward specific occupational goals. A class which is especially valuable for second- and third-year students is PLSK 101A/102A , Career Planning, a two-credit seminar that teaches a systematic approach to setting goals and making decisions.

Through UCS’s EXTERN program, upper-class students can investigate career areas during semester break, spring break, late May, or during the summer months by visiting and observing the workplace of a sponsor, often a University graduate. Through the Alumni Association’s UCAN software programs, students can obtain career advice from alumni nationwide and at the Arts and Sciences Career Forum on Grounds in February. Minority Career Day allows University students to meet directly with recruiters from major companies and organizations. Through FOCUS, a computerized career guidance program, students can discover specific career fields for further exploration.

Stop by UCS in your first year to get acquainted and learn more about making the most of their workshops, print resources and electronic tools. Check the web site for information on choosing majors, career planing and more. As you consider majors, seek summer opportunities, ponder specific courses and their value in the world outside the academy, you should think of UCS as a valuable resource.

Using Your Major

By now you are in a major and may have questions about graduate or professional programs. Contact University Career Services for pre-professional information. Gather the information necessary for taking the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and/or NTE. If you are considering graduate school, be in regular contact with your major advisor. Be sure you know several faculty members well and, if you have a 3.4 GPA, consider participating in the Distinguished Majors Program.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Undergrad Research

The mission of this office is threefold:

  1. to promote intellectual community within the College by encouraging academic achievement, research and excellence;
  2. to provide resources and support for all students as they explore research and fellowship opportunities and compete effectively for awards; and
  3. to celebrate the success of those who challenge themselves academically.

The goal is provide intensive advising experiences relevant for all four years of your academic career, and to help you to reflect carefully on your curriculum as it progresses. This office is therefor a place for any student to come to discuss scholarship, research, service, and academic excellence. To this end, we offer a variety of programs throughout the academic year. Consult the web page for a list of scholarships available to rising third-year students.

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