Navigate pre-major academic decisions and formulate your academic plans with faculty advisers who serve as intellectual mentors.

Faculty advisers are often the first faculty members you encounter as a first-year student. At Princeton, pre-major advising happens through your residential college, where faculty advisers are selected from across departments. Active members of their college communities, faculty advisers join students for meals as well as more formal advising meetings each semester. You will be assigned a dedicated faculty adviser who can provide individual guidance. 

How it Works

Your faculty adviser meets with you before course selection to help you think through your course choices, while developing a strategy for meeting your short- and long-term academic goals. Faculty advisers are generalists, equipped to advise you no matter your academic interests. B.S.E. candidates are advised by faculty from the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS); A.B. candidates are advised by faculty from across the A.B. departments and programs. Contact your faculty adviser for:

  • Advice on course selection and adding/dropping courses
  • Routine questions about fulfilling prerequisites 
  • General academic advice

Every faculty adviser is trained in the University’s core requirements. They know the prerequisites for majors and can help you think broadly about how to make the most of your liberal arts education. Since no faculty member can know everything about Princeton, they may refer you to your assistant dean for studies and to specialized advisers for additional guidance. 

Elements of a Successful Partnership

Connect with Your Adviser