To ensure that first-year students have the guidance they need to make informed choices, the University assigns each student two advising partners–an exploratory advisor, who is a Brown faculty member or administrator, and a Meiklejohn peer advisor.

Exploratory advisors provide a broad perspective on educational pathways, a sounding board for options and opportunities, and a connection to resources when challenges arise.  Peer advisors offer a student perspective on course registration, prerequisites and the like, and are also well versed in Brown resources and opportunities.

Meiklejohn Peer Advisors

Meiklejohn peer advisors provide first-year students with an informed student perspective on Brown's curricular options and student life in general. Meiklejohns are paired with exploratory advisors and meet with a small group of assigned advisees throughout the year. The program embodies Brown's belief that student perspectives on educational opportunities are a necessary complement to faculty perspectives on learning.

1stYear@Brown

The College offers an online workshop to introduce incoming students to Brown's advising culture and to prepare them to more effectively navigate the Open Curriculum. 1stYear@Brown (1stY@B) teaches students essential skills and advising concepts to help them construct their academic pathways during their first year and beyond, including how to:

• build an advising network;
• develop successful learning strategies;
• engage in self-reflection during their transition to college, and
• consider what it means to join a diverse learning community.

Our hope is that this online workshop will give new students a shared language and additional tools to engage in conversations with their first-year advisor, Meiklejohn, and others in their advising network at Brown.

Most sophomores continue with their first-year exploratory advisor to benefit from a two-year advising relationship.  In the rare instance where an advisor is no longer available, deans in the College can assist the student in connecting with a new advisor, and can provide supplemental support during academic advising hours.

The Matched Advising Program for Sophomores (MAPS)

MAPS pairs second-year students with junior and senior mentors for one-on-one and group-advising support related to concentration declaration, research opportunities, internships and general academic counseling. In addition to one-on-one peer advising, MAPS organizes group events and panel presentations geared toward all sophomores, as well as focus groups that provide a forum for MAPS participants to discuss the opportunities and challenges unique to the sophomore year at Brown.

Learn More about MAPS

Questions?  Email mapsatbrown@gmail.com.

Having reached the  halfway point of their Brown experience, juniors begin to build deeper academic relationships and begin to determine how to make the most of their  remaining time at Brown. Juniors should consider the following tips.

• Reflect on your values, identities, and experiences

  Taking a moment to step back and reflect upon your college experience so far can be helpful in developing a plan for the next part of your education. The Reflection Guide for Juniors and Seniors is a targeted way to decide how to use the open curriculum and co-curricular experiences in a way that is authentic to who you are and who you want to become.

  Meet with your concentration advisor

  Now that they have declared a concentration, juniors have a concentration advisor instead of an exploratory advisor. This advisor, a faculty member in their chosen discipline, will track their progress toward the degree. Students can log in to ASK to find their advisor's name. Juniors are encouraged to  reach out as soon as the semester starts to connect with their advisor. They may wish to ask about a thesis or capstone; it's not too soon.

• Complete Writing Requirement Part II

  All Brown students are expected to work on their writing across their four years. Students are asked to demonstrate that effort at least once before the end of their sophomore year and again by the end of their 7th semester. We encourage students not to wait and to consider taking a WRIT course outside their concentration.

• Cultivate a mentor

  It's important for students to connect with faculty besides their advisor. Finding a mentor, either in their concentration or beyond, can be vital both now and in life after Brown. Students might think about the professors who have inspired them. They might consider going to office hours in the fall to ask them about their current projects  or explore what academic or professional interests they have in common. The effort students put into developing these relationships will have positive benefits in the future as they apply for jobs or internships.

• Visit Center for Career Exploration and the Curricular Resource Center

  Students might be thinking about job opportunities and should stop by the Center for Career Exploration to meet with an advisor. Junior year is a good time to re-evaluate goals for life after Brown. The Curricular Resource Center also has a wonderful fellowship, internship and research advising initiative (FIRe) that is well worth exploring.

• Study Abroad

  Brown offers a number of different ways to study abroad and over 500 Brown students study outside of the U.S. each year. In addition to semester abroad programs, students can participate in faculty-led travel courses over the summer and winter breaks as well as Brown’s international and domestic semester internship programs. Application dates for spring semester abroad and winter travel courses are quickly approaching.

• Join a DUG

  Finally, as a junior, students can take on an important leadership role by joining a Departmental Undergraduate Group (DUG).This is a great way to develop relationships with faculty and connect with alumni by inviting them back to Brown to share their experience navigating the professoriate.  For more information about DUGs, visit the Curricular Resource Center.

Seniors often report that their final year flies by, so we encourage students to be intentional about what they want to accomplish as they wind down their undergraduate career and look toward life after Brown (a plug for Center for Career Exploration and the resources they provide). We also encourage students to use the Reflection Guide for Juniors and Seniors to take a moment to pause and reflect upon how they want to spend their last year by crafting the academic, co-curricular, and professional experiences of their choosing.

Apply for a Fellowship

Brown supports nationally competitive fellowships that fund domestic and international independent research and travel, teaching, and post-baccalaureate work or study. We currently support 21 different awards, including the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Schwarzman, and Gaither Junior Fellows Program for seniors. Many of these opportunities involve an internal campus process by which students are nominated for the respective national competitions.

Finish Degree Requirements

Most importantly, students should make  sure that they are on track to graduate. Students should check their  course plan in ASK and connect with their concentration advisor to make any necessary updates and talk about rounding out their academic experience with that course they’ve always wanted to take.

Graduation Requirements       Degree Completion Worksheet

Review your internal record and concentration declaration in ASK:

• Earn 30 course credits (of which at least 15 must be completed in residence at Brown)
• Earn 32 enrollment units
• Complete the requirements for a concentration
• Complete part one and two of the writing requirement

Frequently Asked Questions