Undergraduate
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First-Year Students
First-Year Advising

The McCormick first-year advisers’ aim is for you, as a first-year engineering student, to experience a socially-emotionally supportive environment; be academically engaged; and develop self-advocacy by recognizing your needs, seeking help, and planning ahead. We accomplish this through required one-on-one advising meetings, timely outreach, and a peer advising curriculum and community that supports you in addressing shared needs.

Throughout your first year, your adviser is available to discuss any issues that may arise. Please contact your adviser to make an appointment.

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Visit the Advising Center
Advising Process
McCormick Advising System
Meet Our Advisers

Visit the Advising Center

Ford Center 2.200
2133 Sheridan Road
Evanston, Illinois
mcc-advising@northwestern.edu

Walk-in hours are Monday - Friday. Check with your adviser for the hours each quarter.

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Advising Process

This process begins in the summer, when students complete placement exams and share interests and concerns through Dossier, and culminates in Wildcat Welcome and registration for fall classes. During fall quarter, in addition to meeting with your first-year adviser, you’ll attend a peer-led first-year seminar with topics supporting your college transition, academic strategies, and community-building and de-stressing. Winter quarter, you’ll determine your engineering major, begin to plan for summer (research, classes, internships, study abroad), and draft a four-year plan. As a first-year engineering student, you’ll declare your intended engineering major by the second week of spring quarter and then transition to departmental advising.

Your McCormick First-Year Academic Adviser will work with you during your first year to:

Select courses
Choose which degree to pursue
Discuss academic opportunities outside of your major (minors, certificates, special programs)
Work on study skills
Identify and use other campus resources

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McCormick Advising System

Throughout your first year, you'll log into the McCormick Advising System to get important information about your academic career.

McCormick Advising System

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Meet Our Advisers

The McCormick First-Year Advising team consists of six full-time faculty advisers, who both advise incoming students and teach Design Thinking and Communication I and II, as well as a variety of courses across engineering departments. Advisers work with the Undergraduate Advising Office and serve on the Academic Advisers Working Group, International Student Working Group, and other core committees. Each adviser brings a unique skill set and focus to the team, synergistically developing, maintaining, and supporting our students.

You’ll hear from us directly throughout the summer via email. However, if you have additional questions or concerns, please email the First Year Advisers in the Undergraduate Engineering Office at mcc-advising@northwestern.edu.

Zachary Berent
Ford 2.205

Email Prof. Berent