The Advising Office (TAO)

Your First Semester

For enrolled first-year and transfer students in your first semester at SMC, please see below for additional information.

Your First Semester

Welcome New Gaels! The first semester is a crucial transition period. It’s when you’ll lay the foundation for academic and personal success, and we’ll support you every step of the way. Go Gaels!

First Year Experience
Community Time
Campus Map

Advising Cohort

First Years:

First semester first year students will take SMC-100: First Year Advising Cohort or SMC-101: HP Advising Cohort, a one unit course during their first semester at SMC. First Year Advising Cohort (FYAC) combines class discussions with co-curricular activities and a variety of workshops to enhance your college experience and support you in achieving your highest potential. Most first year advising cohorts have an assigned peer mentor/peer coach. Peer mentors are current students who are a resource to help you navigate Saint Mary’s. They are available to answer any questions you have about your time at SMC.

Transfer Students:

Transfer students will take SMC-300: Transfer Advising Cohort (TAC), a one unit course during their first semester. This course, specifically designed for new transfer students helps each student navigate their unique transfer pathway and provide timely answers to questions on transfer coursework, the Core Curriculum, campus resources and tools, and career/professional development.

Your Academic Advisor

An Academic Advisor is a faculty member who helps students create an academic plan of study, ensures progress towards graduation, and approves students for registration. They are the individuals who sign-off on adding, dropping, and/or withdrawing from classes and are available to help students explore majors, minors, withdrawing from courses, taking a leave of absence from the college, etc.

First Years:

Your academic advisor for your whole first-year will be your FYAC instructor. After you complete your first-year, you will be assigned an advisor from the academic department/program of your major.

Transfer students:

Your academic advisor for your first semester will be automatically assigned to you based on your intended major/program of study. You will receive an email if your academic advisor changes.

Your Success Coach

In addition to an academic advisor, each student has a designated success coach from the Advising & Academic Success Office or the High Potential Program (HP) or Athletics. The goal of Success Coaching is to support you holistically to build on your strengths, identify resources to develop your skills, and ensure that you achieve developmental milestones throughout college.

You will receive communication from your Success Coach during the first few weeks of the semester.

Learn more about Success Coaching

First Semester Events & Student Engagement

Weekend of Welcome & First Year, First Six

Weekend of Welcome is an annual Saint Mary’s tradition which takes place during the week and weekend leading up to the start of the fall semester. Signature events like Paint the SMC and the Pool Party at the Campus Recreation are designed to help you kick off your Saint Mary’s journey and connect with other new Gaels! Weekend of Welcome website.

First Year | First Six is a signature initiative to help first year students get involved on campus and mingle with other students. First Year | First Six occurs during the first six weeks of the fall semester. Most of the events are open to all new students. First Year | First Six website

Involvement Fair

Each semester students are encouraged to attend the Student Involvement Fair where you will be able to chat with representatives from Saint Mary’s clubs and organizations. The Involvement Fair will typically take place during the first or second week of the semester.

Associated Students Clubs and Orgs

Associated Students registered clubs and organizations are open to all undergraduate students.

Declaring or changing your major/minor

First Year Students:

All first year students do not have a declared major when they enter Saint Mary’s College. This allows students to explore a range of different majors before selecting their major(s) or academic pathway. Through your FYAC course, you will attend workshops and learn about the various majors and minors offered at SMC. We encourage first year students to declare their major in the second semester (ideally by March or April) of their first year. When you are ready to declare, complete an Undergraduate Declaration of Major/Minor form available on the Registrar’s Office website. If you have additional questions about career options and majors, feel free to email us at: tao@stmarys-ca.edu or schedule an appointment with the Career Center.

Transfer Students:

Most transfer students declare their major around the time they submit their Transfer Pre-Enrollment Questionnaire (PEQ) and have their initial advising appointment. Do you want to change your major or add a major/minor/certificate? Submit a new Undergraduate Declaration of Major/Minor form.

Explore Your Interests

Visit the course catalog to discover majors and courses at Saint Mary's College. The course catalog also houses all academic regulations and information. Depending on your start term, that is the course catalog that applies to you. For example, if you began in Fall 2026 or Spring 2027, the 2026-2027 academic catalog would be your catalog year.

Academic Planning for Graduation

First Years:

During your first-year, you will draft a four-year plan with your FYAC Advisor. In order to graduate from Saint Mary's, you must complete a minimum of 124 units, of which 50 need to be Upper Division course units. This means that to graduate in four years you need an average of 14-17 units per full semester . At Saint Mary’s College, full-time undergraduate enrollment requires at least 12 units in the Fall and Spring Terms. Some students (international students, athletes, military and veteran students) may be required to meet alternative minimum course loads to reach full-time enrollment, and should verify their status with advisors and the Office of Financial Aid.

Every term that you register, you should revisit your four-year plan so that you and your advisor can confirm that you are completing all of the core curriculum requirements, those required for your major(s)/minor(s), and are on the path towards graduation.

Transfer Students:

Transfer Students will develop a plan/pathway to graduation spreadsheet in consultation with their advisor before the end of their first semester at SMC. This pathway to graduation will account for transfer credits received and a plan to fulfill your remaining major/minor and SMC Core requirements. Every term that you register, you should revisit your graduation path spreadsheet so that you and your advisor can confirm that you are completing all of the core curriculum requirements, those required for your major(s)/minor(s), and are on the path towards graduation.

Registering for Classes

First Years:

The Pre-Registration team registers first year students for their first semester of classes at SMC. As a first year student [fall start] you will register for classes for the first time in October when you register for Jan Term. You will review how to register for courses in GaelXpress with your FYAC course. You can also reach out to the Advising Office, Registrar’s Office, or peer mentor for assistance. For every semester except for Jan Term and Summer Term, you will need advisor approval in GaelXpress to register.

Transfers:

You will register for classes after meeting with your assigned academic advisor. You will review how-to register for courses during your TAC course. You can also reach out to the Advising Office, Registrar’s Office, or peer mentor for assistance. For every semester except for Jan Term and Summer Term, you will need advisor approval in GaelXpress to register.

Registration resources:

GaelXpress Registration & Support Overview

Add/Drop Process

Waitlist Procedures

How to Register for course via GaelXpress- Google Doc

How to Search for courses that meet Core Curriculum requirements- Google Doc

SMC Signature Academic Programs

Discover the Core Curriculum:

Saint Mary's Core Curriculum is the foundation of student learning at Saint Mary’s College. It is an intentional, developmental, and integrated program of study designed to educate students in four broad intellectual areas: Habits of Mind, Pathways to Knowledge, Theological Understanding, and Engaging the World. The SMC Core is student-centered and focuses on the skills, knowledge, and values that our students will learn in their time at Saint Mary’s.

January Term:

January Term is one of Saint Mary's most unique and appealing programs. During a month-long course held every January, undergraduate students explore a single topic in great depth at an accelerated pace. It features a unique blend of opportunities both on-campus and around the world.

Study Abroad:

Why study abroad? The benefits of studying abroad are endless and will only enrich your experience at Saint Mary's. As an SMC student, you have the opportunity to learn a new language, gain work experience, and/or be immersed in a new country all while earning academic credit. The Center for International Programs offers SMC students semester, academic year, and short terms programs all over the world. Whether you want to spend a month volunteering in the Brazilian Amazon or an academic year interning abroad in Spain, we have the program for you!

Quick Links for First Semester students

Tutoring Services & Academic Support

Center for Writing Across the Curriculum (CWAC)

STEM Center

Tutorial and Academic Skills Center (TASC)

Success Coaching

Student Success Services