New Student Registration Information

Set your Westmont College Email/WebAdvisor Password

Instructions for setting up your Westmont username and password were sent by the Office of Admissions to your personal email account. Follow those instructions. If you have questions, need help or are having trouble setting up your password, contact your Admissions Counselor at 800-777-9011 or by email at admissions@westmont.edu.
 

What Language Class Should I take? 

As part of the general education requirements for your degree you are required to complete one college-level foreign language course, however you are not required to register for a foreign language course in your first semester.  

If you plan on continuing the same language you studied in high school then you must take the foreign language placement exam to determine the appropriate level of language to continue your studies. If you want to start a new language, you do not need to take the placement exam and can enroll in the beginning semester (e.g. FR-001, SP-001, GER-001) of the language. 

Take the Language Placement Exam and explore the Frequently Asked Questions about the exam.

The placement exam will take about 15-20 minutes. Do not use any resource books, dictionaries or other materials during the placement exam. 

If you are already fluent in another language please contact the Modern Languages Department when you arrive on campus for alternative ways to establish your fluency.

Academic Advising Questionnaire 

Please complete the Academic Advising Questionnaire, which is a tool we use along with your application to Westmont to assign you a faculty academic advisor in your preferred academic department. By completing the questionnaire, you are not declaring your major, but it will help us assign you to an advisor who can help you start exploring your interests.  

If you have not decided on a major that is fine! Your academic advisor will still be able to offer guidance and suggestions as you use the general education requirements to help you explore possible interest areas. You will be able to change your advisor at any time as you take courses and begin to develop relationships with Westmont faculty. 

Understanding General Education Requirements at Westmont College

Westmont's general education program is organized into 4 main categories: 

• Common Contexts: These courses ground Westmont students in a body of defining material and explicitly invite them into an understanding of the Christian liberal arts.
• Common Inquiries: These courses empower students to explore the knowledge, methodologies, and modes of inquiry within a given discipline. 
• Common Skills: These courses encourage students to develop verbal, quantitative, or physical dexterity. 
• Compassionate Action: These courses give students the opportunity to put their education into action in a variety of ways, many of which may be part of the student's major requirements. This is typically completed in the student's junior or senior year.  

You will find more a detailed description of the general education program and its role in your liberal arts education in the Westmont College Catalog.

Click here to review frequently asked questions about Westmont's general education program. 

The full list of all approved general education courses may help you as you consider what courses to register for each semester. You will find that a number of our general education courses also meet major requirements. This allows you to use the general education program to explore possible major interests. As you begin building a possible list of courses for next semester, start by noting down the course names and numbers of 6-7 possible courses from the General Education Courses Grid below that look interesting to you. Make sure to choose courses in the Common Context, Common Inquiries and Common Skills areas. We will add possible major courses to this list in the next step.     

General Education Courses Grid 

What should I take in my first semester?

First-year students can take lower-division courses (numbered 001-099). 

Many courses in the General Education Courses Grid will satisfy two general education requirements as noted in the "Other GE" column. 

For the first semester, we suggest you select one course from the Common Contexts, one course to explore a potential major, one PE activity, and additional courses from the Common Inquiries and Common Skills areas as desired. 

Students should enroll in at least 12 units and no more than 18 units per term.

Typically, students will have a schedule with a form similar, but not limited to the one below in their first semester.

This tutorial will help you as you navigate the various screens within WebAdvisor so that you can view which courses are offered next semester. Use your initial list of 6-7 possible courses to see if those courses are offered next semester and what times they are offered. You should now have a longer list of possible class sections to choose from. If your list of possible sections is small you may need to go back into the General Education Courses Grid to add in additional class section options before moving to the next step.  

First Year Seminars: 

The First-Year Seminars introduce students to many of the core values of a Westmont education. They provide opportunities to explore ideas and perspectives within a small community of learners. The seminars strive to help students gain confidence in their own inquiries, to develop their own voices, to hone their thinking and writing skills, and to reflect on the purposes of a Christian liberal arts program. Each seminar has its own thematic focus.  

Joining a First-Year Seminar is a perfect opportunity to participate in a small, discussion-oriented course where you can develop a relationship with a faculty member and a small group of peers on a topic of interest. A First-Year Seminar is typically a 1-unit course and is a great addition to a student's schedule.  

These seminars are only offered in the fall semester and will meet for the first seven weeks of the semester. They are open to any new student (first-year or transfer). 

2019 First Year Seminars

Transfer Students

The full list of all approved general education courses may help you as you consider what courses to register for each semester. You will find is that a number of our general education requirements have been met with your transfer coursework, leaving you more time each semester to focus on courses within your major. As you begin building a possible list of courses for next semester, start by noting down the course names and numbers of 6-7 possible courses from the General Education Courses Grid below that look interesting to you. Make sure to choose courses in the Common Context, Common Inquiries and Common Skills areas that you still have remaining to complete. We will add possible major courses to this list in the next step.     

General Education Courses Grid 

Transfer students are not restricted to lower division courses and may take any course as long as they meet the prerequisites.

Many courses on the above lists will satisfy two general education requirements as noted in the "Other GE" column.

For the first semester, we suggest you select one course from the Common Contexts, one or more courses towards your major, one PE activity, and additional courses from the Common Inquiries and Common Skills areas as desired. 

Transfer students should enroll in at least 12 units and no more than 18 units per term, with a mix of courses as needed to complete major requirements and general education requirements. 

Here is a helpful guide on how transfer work is evaluated and transferred to Westmont College.

This tutorial will help you as you navigate the various screens within WebAdvisor so that you can view which courses are offered next semester. Use your initial list of 6-7 possible courses to see if those courses are offered next semester and what times they are offered. You should now have a longer list of possible class sections to choose from. If your list of possible sections is small you may need to go back into the General Education Courses Grid to add in additional class section options before moving to the next step. 

How can I get started on my major now? 

If you are already developing an interest in a particular discipline you can use the general education program to enroll in a course that will earn you credit towards a general education area and complete a major requirement.

Westmont has provided sample plans below outlining course suggestions for the first-year in each discipline. These sample plans will be useful to you as you can add in possible major courses into the list of possible courses for your first semester. Keep in mind that these are sample plans. Not every student will complete the major in the same way. 

If you are currently unsure of your major, don't worry! The general education requirements are designed to cross disciplines so that you can experience different aspects of Westmont's academic offerings. Focusing first on completing your general education requirements will help you discover what majors might interest you.

Be sure to add in 1-2 classes to your possible list of courses for next semester that will help you explore potential majors. Be sure to use WebAdvisor to check the time offerings for each of the courses as you are building on your list of possible class sections.

Once you have a list of possible general education and major courses, use this Schedule Planner to help you create a preferred schedule with no time conflicts between the the class sections on your list. Use the remaining class sections on your list as back up courses in the event that your preferred sections are already closed.  

• View the major and minor requirements in the Westmont College Catalog
• View the sample plans for each discipline

Preparing to Register for Your First Semester at Westmont

Now that you're familiar with Westmont's general education and major requirements and you have a list of possible courses you are now ready to explore WebAdvisor! In this step you will become familiar with WebAdvisor, Westmont's online academic portal. You can use WebAdvisor at any time to explore class offerings for future semesters, register for classes and to view your overall progress toward completing your degree. 

You need your Westmont username and password to log into WebAdvisor. Use the PREFIX of your email (without the @westmont.edu) as your username when you log in.  

• Test your log in to WebAdvisor
• Navigate to the Student Menu
• From the main screen select My Registration Time and Advisor Clearance
• Make a note of your registration day and time on your personal calendar. This is the first moment a student is able to register for classes. They can register any time on or after that day and time. 

Discovering your Program Evaluation in WebAdvisor

Every student is unique. Use this tutorial to help you navigate through your Program Evaluation, which shows how you are completing your degree requirements.

• Until you officially declare your major, the Program Evaluation will show you only the general education coursework needed. Once you officially declare your major you will also see the major requirements added to your Program Evaluation. 
• Any transfer coursework or Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits will be added to a student's record as they are received. Students can view these credits on their Program Evaluation (to see if general education requirements are completed) and their Unofficial Transcript in WebAdvisor.
• Many students have not yet completed their transfer coursework, Advanced Placement exams or International Baccalaureate exams. When those credits are received, the Student Records office will evaluate the class schedule for each impacted student and work with those students to adjust their schedule as needed. 
• The Student Records Office evaluates transfer coursework as it applies to elective credits or to meet general education requirements. If you would like a course to count towards your major requirements, you may need to complete a Re-Evaluation of Transfer Credit Form. Please consult with your academic advisor once you arrive on campus.
• If you have transfer coursework, please feel free to visit the Student Records Office located in Kerrwood Hall once you are on campus. A staff member will review your accepted transfer work and answer any questions.
• Please let the Student Records Office staff know if you are missing any transfer coursework or test scores on your Program Evaluation or Unofficial Transcript.

Using WebAdvisor to Select and Register for Classes

Now that you're familiar with Westmont's general education and major requirements and you have a list of possible courses you are now ready to load those classes into WebAdvisor in preparation to register for classes! You should have 8-10 potential course sections chosen prior to your registration day and time so that you have plenty of backup options in the event that your first choice courses are closed. 

This registration tutorial will help you create your preferred sections list in WebAdvisor. 

On your registration day and time you can use this Register and Drop Sections tutorial to walk you through the final steps of registration.  

Some notes on registration:

• If the course title includes "w/lab" (with lab) you must also register for the lab section associated with the course. For example, the lecture section of the General Chemistry w/lab course is CHM-005-1 and the lab section of the course is General Chemistry Lab, CHM-005L-1 .  
• Be flexible with the time offerings for courses and be prepared by selecting backup courses in case your first choices have closed by the time you register.
• To ensure that you not be barred from registering for specific courses due to a prerequisite requirement, you may attempt to register for courses in your preferred sections list before your appointed time. You will not be allowed to register before your appointed time, but any issues that might prohibit you from registering will appear as a warning. Be sure to clear up these issues prior to your registration time. 
• Double check My Class Schedule on the WebAdvisor main menu once you've registered to make sure that your class registration was successful.  

The links below will help you plan for how any Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate credits are applied to a students record. 

• Click here to review how accepted AP test scores will benefit you at Westmont College
• Click here to review how accepted IB test scores will benefit you at Westmont College 
• Check your Westmont Unofficial Transcript and Program Evaluation to view your accepted scores in WebAdvisor. Credit will be posted as it is received by the Student Records Office. 

I'm on a Waitlist.  Now what?  

Managing Waitlists

When a class has reached its capacity its status is changed to "Closed". When a student adds themselves to the waitlist, the course is still closed, but the status of the course is changed to "Waitlisted." A student on the waitlist will not automatically be bumped into the course from the waitlist, even if a space becomes available. 

If you are waitlisted for a course, you are responsible for moving yourself from the waitlist into the closed course by getting instructor approval. An instructor can give you approval in two ways:

• Let the instructor know that you are waitlisted in their course and that you would like to be added (Instructor information is included with the course information on WebAdvisor). Give them your ID number so that your instructor can register you in the closed class in WebAdvisor if they decide to do so.   

OR

• Bring an Add/Drop form to your instructor for their signature to add or drop a course from your schedule. Bring the signed Add/Drop form to the Student Records Office in Kerrwood Hall to be officially added to the course.  

Please note: If you are waitlisted for a class, there is no guarantee that the instructor will give you permission to add the course to your schedule. Please wait to purchase textbooks until you've been officially added to the course. 

Adding &  Dropping Classes 

After you register, you still have the opportunity to add and drop via WebAdvisor until the day before the first day of classes.

On the first day of class, however, you will not be able to use WebAdvisor to make changes to your schedule. You will need to either get an Add/Drop form from the Student Records Office or have the instructor add or drop you from their course on WebAdvisor.  

To make schedule changes using an Add/Drop form:

• Fill in the course information for the Department, Number and Section as it appears in WebAdvisor in either the Add Courses or Drop Courses sections depending on the schedule change(s) you wish to make.
• Have the instructor sign the form next to their course. 
• Bring the Add/Drop form back to the Student Records Office to finalize the schedule change(s) before the Add/Drop Deadline.  

The Student Records Office staff members are here to support you in your transition to Westmont! 

The Student Records Office staff are knowledgeable about schedule options, navigating WebAdvisor, and other tools for new students. Please reach out to them as needed during the registration process.  

Before you call, please be sure to review all of the information in the Registration Checklist tabs and have a list of questions prepared. Friends and family are welcome to assist the students in the registration process, but it's important to know that federal laws protect the students' academic privacy. Without the students' consent, there are some questions we may not be able to discuss over the phone unless the student is present and active in the conversation.  

Contacting the Student Records Office staff members is a great opportunity for students to be "in the driver's seat" on their first-semester schedule.  

If students have any questions or concerns about the registration process you can contact the Students Records Office at 805-565-7260 or by email at registrar@westmont.edu. 

Textbook Information

Purchase or rent your textbooks from the Westmont College Store between August 1-August 15. Your textbooks will be ready to pick up when you arrive! You may retrieve them from the Westmont Mail Center. 

Questions? Visit the College Store FAQ site.