First-Year Students

As a student, you are responsible for choosing your own program of study. Your academic advisor will guide you in designing your plan of study and selecting the appropriate courses based on your interests and career goals but will not insist you follow a particular course of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the WPI curriculum like?

You can read more about the undergraduate curriculum on the Admissions Web site.

What can I major in?

See the Admissions Web site for a complete list of majors and concentrations available at WPI.

What academic services are available?

Who is my academic advisor?

You can view your academic adisor's name and e-mail on your unofficial transcript in bannerweb.

How is my academic advisor assigned?

All first-year students participate in a first-year advising program called "Insight." This program is a college transition program and more -- it offers you the opportunity to develop close relationships with your fellow students, upperclassmen, and faculty through shared learning and social experiences. All first-year students join an "Insight" team who will live in the same residence hall (or are all commuting students), share the same upper-class Community Advisor and Resident Advisor, and have the same faculty academic advisor for the first semester. There are regular meetings with your academic advisor and there are many opportunities to participate in various social events and "community builders." with your Community Advisor and Resident Advisor. At the end of November, you will be asked to declare your major officially and you will be reassigned to an advisor in your major when you return from Holiday break.

How do I get Advanced Placement Credit?

WPI awards credit for AP scores of 4 or 5 only. Score reports must be sent to office of Academic Advising in order to receive Advanced Placement credit.

1/3 credit is earned and posted to WPI transcript by the Registrar's office for each of the following examinations with the appropriate grade. This AP credit is listed as L on the transcript.

AP courseCredit

US History

American History

HI 1000 (elective)

HI 1110 (elective)

History of Art

HU 1100 (elective)

English Language and Composition

English Literature and Composition

EN 1000(elective)

EN 1100 (elective)

World History

HU 1100 (elective)

European History

HI 1100 (elective)

French Language

HU 1100 (elective)

French Literature

HU 1100 (elective)

German Language

GN 1511

German Literature

GN 1100 (elective)

Latin: Vergil

HU 1100 (elective)

Latin: Horace

HU 1100 (elective)

Music

MU 1100 (elective)

Music Theory

MU 1110 (elective)

Spanish Language

SP 1523

Spanish Literature

SP 1000 (elective)

Government and Politics

GOV 1000 (elective)

Psychology

PSY 1400

Geography

GEO 1000 (elective)

Micro Economics

ECON 1110

Macro Economics

ECON 1120

Environmental Science

EVS 1000 (elective)

Biology

BB 1000 (elective)

Chemistry

CH 1010 (1/3 credit)

Physics B

PH 1000 (elective)

Physics C: Mechanics

PH 1110/PH 1111 (1/3 credit)

Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

PH 1120/PH 1121 (1/3 credit)

Computer Science A

CS 1000 (elective)

Computer Science AB

2/3 CS 1000 (elective)

Statistics

MA 2611

Calculus AB

MA 1021, MA 1022

Calculus BC

MA 1021, MA 1022, MA 1023

Chemistry and Biochemistry Policy on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit

Students who score 4/5 on the Advanced Placement Examination or 6/7 on the International Baccalaureate Exam, High Level (HL), are automatically awarded 1/3 unit of credit for CH1010.

In addition these students are eligible to earn credit for the other general chemistry courses, CH1020-1040, by achieving scores of 70 or better on course-specific examinations offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Exams must be taken in the order in which the courses are offered, and a student may not take any exam past the first failed exam. For example, a student who passes the CH1020 exam but fails the CH1030 exam is not eligible to take the CH1040 exam. This student will receive additional credit for CH1020 only.

Students who did not take the AP or IB examinations but who took one of the following exams may seek consideration to earn credit from the department under this policy:

How do I get Transfer Credit for courses taken at another college?

Incoming first-year students who have earned college credit while in high school need to provide the Undergrad Admissions department with a copy of their college transcript. College level courses taken at accredited institutions only are evaluated by the WPI department offering the comparable course. College credit is generally awarded for grades of C or better. Specific grade requirements for transfer credit are determined by the individual departments. Social Science courses require a course syllabus for approval of credit. The approved credit will be posted on your WPI transcript by the Registrar's office. Transfer credit does not calculate into your WPI GPA.

How do I get Language Credit for Spanish or German taken in high school?

Students who have completed three or more years of a foreign language while in high school, but who have not taken the Advanced Placement exam, may receive 1/3-unit credit for their high school language course. In order to receive this 1/3 credit students must satisfactorily complete two WPI courses in the same language on the second intermediate level or above.

What placement testing is available?

Placement testing is available for Spanish and German. Placement exams are given during New Student Orientation.

How do I make course selections?

We have created the Designs website to guide you through the course selection process.

Maintained by webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: May 10, 2011 14:57:43