Academic Advising is Important

As you prepare for your upcoming year at Stony Brook, Academic and Transfer Advising Services is here to assist you in exploring more focused possibilities and achieving your academic goals. All students in the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business, School of Journalism, and School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences are strongly encouraged to utilize Academic and Transfer Advising Services.

Tips for Transfer Students

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Welcome to Stony Brook! Academic and Transfer Advising Services offer these “Transfer Tips” to help you get off to a great start this semester:

Just because that’s the way it was done at your former institution doesn’t mean it works the same way at Stony Brook. Take time to read the academic policies in the Undergraduate Bulletin.
The University has deadlines for adding and dropping classes, changing course grading options, etc. Always plan ahead so you won’t get caught trying to make changes when it’s too late. You can access the academic calendar under the “Calendars” link on the Registrar’s Office homepage.
New transfer students are often accepted to Stony Brook while still completing their final semester at another institution. As a result, we won’t receive your final semester’s grades unless you request your former institution to send us a copy of your final official transcript. Transcripts should be sent to:

       Academic and Transfer Advising Services
       Stony Brook University
Suite 105, Stony Brook Union
       Stony Brook, NY 11794-3217
Send electronic transcripts to: transfer_office@stonybrook.edu

Stop in if you have questions about your transcript status.
General Academic advisors from Academic and Transfer Advising Services can help you decide on a major, read and understand your degree audit or degree works report, help you keep track of general education requirements, interpret academic policy, and refer you to other needed campus resources.

Major Department advisors can help keep you on track with major and minor requirements as well as keep you informed about special learning and research opportunities offered through the department.

Pre-Professional advisors work with students interested in the health and law professions.

Meeting regularly with advisors can help you stay on track for graduation. Check this website for a full list of advising contacts.
Ever wonder what made your professors decide to work in academia? How did they choose their field of study? What exciting research are they doing? Have questions about the course material? All you have to do is ask. Go to your instructors’ office hours for major-related advising, to ask questions about a class, or just to get to know your professors better.
You’re new, so nobody expects you to know everything, but we do expect you to make the effort to find out. The University has a full complement of student services to help answer your questions and support your comprehensive learning experience. A great list of where to get help on-campus is available under the “Where to Get Help” link on the “For Students” webpage.
Research tells us that involved students are happier and do better academically. Even if you commute and work and don’t have a lot of time to spend on campus extracurricular activities, we’re sure that there is at least one club, one organization, one volunteer experience, one guest lecture, concert or special event that you’d be interested in that you could make time for.
Keeping yourself organized is one of the keys to academic success. Whether you keep your calendar/planner on your computer, your cell phone, your tablet, or on good old fashioned paper, you must keep one. Failure to do so may result in missed assignments and forgotten quizzes.
We’re sure you’ve heard that cramming for exams does more harm than good. At Stony Brook, if you fail to put forth a consistent daily effort in all of your courses, it’s easy to fall behind. Prioritize your assignments, budget appropriate amounts of time for study, and consider forming study groups. For every hour you spend in the classroom, you’ll need 1-3 hours of outside of the classroom time for reading and homework assignments. Earning good grades requires a considerable time commitment.
Be wary of where you get your information. If you take JRN 101, you’ll learn that many news sources have a “slant” or bias to them. The same holds true for the chatter you hear about courses, professors, and policies on campus. Students like to share their opinions with other students, but consider the source when digesting this information. You and your friend may take the same course with the same professor but form very different opinions about the experience. Do your research, consult the appropriate authorities, and form your own opinions.

Again welcome to the University and we hope you’ll do your part to make Stony Brook your new home. Best wishes for a happy and successful first semester (and beyond)!