The goal of introductory advising is to help you become active in exploring your academic and professional interests—to become the architect of your own college experience.

Student Initiative

Good advising requires initiative from you.  

Faculty members at Middlebury are excellent teachers and take their advising responsibilities seriously. They are informed about general college requirements, and they have the wisdom and life experience to discuss important academic decisions. But we ask them not to make decisions for you, or to do research for you about particular majors and fields of study. When you meet with your advisor, you should be prepared—knowledgeable about the courses, prerequisites, departments, and programs in which you have an interest.

In addition to all the information available on the College website, during Orientation you will have the opportunity to speak directly to faculty from various departments and programs at a scheduled Academic Forum. There will also be pre-advising conversations available to you. Try to take advantage of these opportunities in order to make the most of your first consultation with your Pre-major advisor.

Pre-Arrival Preparation 

Use the materials below to learn about the exciting courses our faculty offer and to understand how you will select and register for courses.

Read Choosing Courses for tips on arranging a balanced and appropriate schedule.

Refer to the First Year Registration Booklet and Letter, a copy of which you received before registering for your First Year Seminar.  This will continue to be an important resource for you throughout your first year, featuring information about course selection and the curriculum, and listing courses that departments and programs recommend for first year students.

To enroll in some Fall courses, or to determine the proper course to take in a particular subject, you may need to take a placement examination.  You can take some placement examinations online, before your arrival on campus. Consult Placement Examination Information to find out what departments or programs have such an examination, and under what circumstances it is required or advisable, as well as when and where to take it and learn the results.

Important Links

Use the links in this box to begin selecting courses and planning your schedule:

Banner 9 Schedule Builder 

To use the Banner 9 Tool, see the instructions on the Registrar’s webpage, complete with videos. 

Course Catalog

In the Course Catalog, courses are listed and described by department, and you can find general departmental policies (requirements for major, AP credit, etc). Use this version of the catalog to browse.

Course Schedule

The course schedule for the current semester is by department, with times and locations indicated, but without descriptions.  However, you can access the descriptions by selecting the CRNs on the left side of the schedule. On these pages, you can also see the number of seats open in in any course.

Course Hub

In the Course Hub, you can find links to course websites or syllabi.