Metadata
Title
Advising
Category
undergraduate
UUID
ec298f97636644589689dcbeb5a41817
Source URL
https://college.harvard.edu/academics/advising
Parent URL
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply
Crawl Time
2026-03-09T03:24:51+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Advising

Source: https://college.harvard.edu/academics/advising Parent: https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/apply

Overview

Supported for Success

At Harvard College, we are deeply invested in your success. Many advising resources are available to help navigate your academic experience. Your advisors can help you plan your degree program or take advantage of unique academic opportunities such as study abroad. From move-in day through graduation and beyond, you'll receive the support, guidance, and encouragement you need to achieve your academic goals.

First-Year Advising

Starting in your first year, you'll work closely with a team of dedicated advisors. They will assist you in transitioning to college life and navigating Harvard’s academic curriculum. Advisors in academic departments can also provide guidance as you choose your concentration, which you'll declare in fall of sophomore year.

Your first-year advising team will include:

first-year advising team

Your Pre-Concentration Advisor may be a faculty member, administrator, or graduate student. This person will assist you with many aspects of your academic experience, such as choosing courses, meeting your degree requirements, considering concentration options, or planning for the summer. You will meet with your academic advisor regularly throughout the year, and intermittently as you need them. - #### Resident Dean of First-Year Students

Every first-year dormitory is overseen by one of four Resident Deans of First Year (RDFs). Members of the  Dean of Students Office staff, RDFs take care of the overall well-being of first-year students at Harvard College. They track their students' academic progress, advise first-year students, and supervise Proctors in their affiliated residences. - #### Proctor

A Proctor is an administrator or graduate student who lives in your dormitory and acts as your resource for personal, residential, social, and other issues. Each Proctor oversees an entryway community of approximately 20 to 40 students, and helps plan residence-based social activities. In some cases, your Proctor will also serve as your Pre-Concentration Advisor. - #### Peer Advising Fellow

A Peer Advising Fellow (PAF) is a Harvard sophomore, junior, or senior who has been specially trained to offer assistance throughout your first year. PAFs work with a specific dorm entryway, but don't live in first-year dorms.

As your peers, PAFs have a unique perspective within the advising team. They can give you advice on how to balance your curricular and extracurricular choices, how to face the challenges of transitioning to college life, and how to tap into College resources.

Advising Programs Office

The goal of academic advising at Harvard is to ensure that all students are encouraged and supported in exploring the wide of range of opportunities inherent in a liberal arts education.

Advising Programs Office

Upper-Level Student Advising

You'll declare your concentration during the fall of your sophomore year. After that point, specialized advisors in your field of study will provide your primary advising. There are also many advisors you can turn to outside of your concentration.

From Concentration Selection to Senior Projects

As you progress in your studies, you'll benefit from the guidance of your assigned Pre-Concentration Advisor, advisors in your residence, and specialist advisors in your chosen field.

The Allston Burr Resident Dean (ABRD) or Dudley Community Resident Dean in your Residential Community will be an important resource. You'll also continue to build your own network of advisors, seeking multiple perspectives on how to make the most of your time at Harvard.

In the fall, your primary academic advisor will be the same Pre-Concentration Advisor who served as your advisor in your first-year. Your Pre-Concentration Advisor will support you in your transition into your concentration in the middle of your third term.

Your Pre-Concentration Advisor will help if you need to make changes to your fall course schedule, support you as you choose your concentration, and connect with concentration advisors. Concentration advisors are available to offer sophomores general information about their fields and discuss concentration requirements. - #### Concentration Advising

Concentration advising guides you through your field of study in three phases:

Every concentration takes a different approach to assigning advisors. Once you select a concentration, your department will assign a primary academic according to their approach. Most concentrations take a team approach to advising, encouraging you to seek advice from a variety of sources, such as the Director of Undergraduate Studies or Head Tutor, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies or Assistant Head Tutor, or the Undergraduate Coordinator.

Some concentrations offer Residential Community-based concentration advising, either through Resident Tutors who are graduate students in their fields, or through non-resident graduate students who are affiliated with specific Residential Communities. - #### Residence-Based Advising

Every upper-level Residential Community has its own staff of advisors called resident tutors. Residential Community tutors are hired for their expertise in certain academic or professional areas and provide general advising to students in their entryways.

Every Residential Community also has a Resident Dean (an Allston Burr Resident Dean (ABRD) or Dudley Community Resident Dean), who tracks the academic progress of students in residence. Resident Deans are the senior academic officers in their Residential Community. Students are encouraged to turn to them for any advising guidance.

Writing Center

At the Writing Center, Harvard students can get help with any aspect of their writing. If you need support on a specific assignment or general tips on improving your writing, trained undergraduate tutors are available to help.

Explore services at the Writing Center

Postgraduate Planning

The need for good advising doesn't stop as graduation approaches. As you prepare to graduate, we will help you navigate career planning and graduate or professional school applications.

After Harvard

Harvard College students come from a wide range of backgrounds, and go on to apply their talents to an impressive array of fields. Upon graduation from Harvard College, you will be prepared to pursue many different options. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) will help you to navigate your choices and assist you in finding the path that's right for you. - #### Professional Programs and Graduate Schools

Around 80% of Harvard students go on to earn a graduate or professional degree. Your Harvard College education is an outstanding preparation for success in graduate and professional school. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) can help you to choose the right program, develop applications, and navigate the acceptance process. - #### Preparing for a Career

Harvard College graduates make a mark on the world in every field, from education, entertainment, and medicine to government, media, and technology. The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) can help you explore your options, even if you're still only at the beginning of the process.

The Mignone Center for Career Success offers 300 programs, 20 career fairs, and comprehensive advising services. It's never too early to take advantage of these resources—first-year students are encouraged to visit the MCS early in the year to begin to chart their own path.