About U.Connect academic plan advising advising location calendar campus resources Career Center communication with professors Disability Resource Center due dates getting help from professors Health and Counseling International Student Services Library Multicultural and Diversity Services office hours organizing work picking classes planning professor's expectations registration scheduling strategies for success Support programs support services syllabus time management Tutoring when to register you are not the only one

Starting Out Right

The PSU campus has a large footprint, which can sometimes make it challenging to find where you need to go. Successful students agree that having a "home base" really helps when you're trying to make sense of a large campus like PSU. Where should you make your home base? It should be someplace you can always get back to no matter where you are on campus. By now you’re probably familiar with Neuberger Hall since that’s where registration and admissions is located, so that might be a logical place. If you haven’t done so already, we recommend you take a campus tour. Taking a campus tour may seem like an insignificant step, however, the tours are lead by students who already know how to navigate campus. Tour leaders can help you learn how to get from point A to point B quickly and efficiently. Be sure to take the tour early on because you’ll have less time to familiarize yourself with the academic and social opportunities on campus as your workload increases. Trust us, week one is a better time to get connected than week seven!

Even though orientation introduced you to many of the resources available on campus, students who take the initiative to explore these programs on their own report better academic success. Why? PSU offers a wide variety of academic and social support programs, which can't all be covered during orientation. So check things out on your own. Start with advising and the skills enhancement and tutoring center (SETC). A quick trip to explore the major student support programs will help you get connected to resources and the professional staff who are on campus to assist you in your career. Networking is an essential aspect of professional life, and there's no better place to start than here at PSU.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff members manage PSU’s academic support programs, and they're committed to investing in your success. They've been hired to serve you—so please ask them questions and take advantage of their expertise. Here are some of the support staff your peers have found most knowledgeable: Library, Disability Resource Center, Health and Counseling, International Student Services, Multicultural and Diversity Services, Career Center.  

Strategies Your Peers Recommend 

• Choose two campus services you feel are essential to your success, and visit both of them during the first week of classes. For example, if math is intimidating to you, then checking out the free tutoring services may be a priority. Alternatively, if you just moved to Portland from out of state or from another country, creating a social support system may be at the top of your agenda. Visiting a few of the student groups on campus, volunteering, or attending an event will remind you that you’re not alone.

• Visit one campus service each week during your first term. Even if you were ambitious and toured many of the academic services that are available to you, it would be challenging to visit each of them during the first few weeks of the term. To stay motivated, schedule visits throughout the term. Write down a date and time in your calendar and stick to the appointment. Even a 10-minute visit can provide you with important information and connect you to supportive staff members.

• Link to campus services online. You might work or have familial responsibilities that make it difficult for you to spend additional time on campus. No worries! Every academic support program and student group has a website you can access whenever you need to. Thus, even if you can’t go in person you can contact support staff, view event calendars, and make appointments with counselors at times that fit your busy schedule.

• Talk with your peers about services they’ve found useful. We know a lot about success on campus, but your peers know even more. They’re the ones who are taking classes while juggling work and relationships. By their third year at PSU, many of your colleagues have mastered essential academic skills. However, even the most motivated student needs support, so talk to students you find inspiring, and ask them what services have helped them get ahead.

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