Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Welcome to Weinberg College! Explore the academic-related information you need to know and tasks you need to complete before you arrive on campus in September.
Summer Academic Advising
Starting in mid-June, Weinberg College advisers are available for phone or video meetings to discuss your academic plans. Please call the advising office at 847-491-8916 or email wcas-adviser@northwestern.edu to schedule a meeting or ask any questions you may have about the transfer credit articulation process. You are required to meet with an adviser before you register for fall courses in August. Please have your final college transcript—complete with the grades from your last term—to refer to during your initial Weinberg College advising appointment.
While you wait to meet with a Weinberg College adviser this summer, use the Weinberg College First-Year and Transfer Student website if you are seeking to dive deeper into degree requirements, departments, and other Weinberg information. Please note transfer students do not complete the Student Dossier listed on the Weinberg website.
In early September you'll be assigned to a permanent Weinberg College adviser who will continue to work with you until you graduate. You can choose to meet with your adviser to review your fall schedule and discuss any questions.
Fall Quarter Course Registration
Incoming transfer students register for fall quarter courses via CAESAR starting August 10. As referenced above, your meeting with a Weinberg College adviser will prepare you for fall quarter course registration.
CAESAR 101 for Transfers: date TBA
While your academic adviser provides guidance with course selection, CAESAR 101 provides an opportunity to learn about the mechanics of CAESAR, your student account management system, from current students as they walk through what to know when searching for classes, viewing classes, and adding/dropping classes. A link to join this Zoom session will be included in a Purple Prep email and a recording will become available on Purple Prep's Systems & Apps page after the event.
AP/IB and Transfer Credits
If you plan to use AP/IB scores toward course credit or placement, see AP Credits and Course Suggestions to find out how much credit you may be awarded and which fall courses correspond to your placement level in specific subjects. Questions about the application of AP/IB credits will be answered when you meet with a Weinberg College adviser this summer.
The transfer credit evaluation you receive from the University registrar will show how your previous coursework applies to Weinberg College degree requirements. Most credit evaluation questions should be addressed within your Slate portal. If that is not the case, please consult the Office of the Registrar's website. Weinberg's transfer student webpages also include tips for deciphering the credit evaluation form. You will have an opportunity to discuss your credit evaluation when you meet with a Weinberg College adviser in the summer, but if you have urgent credit-related advising questions before your meeting, email them to wcas-adviser@northwestern.edu.
If you've already completed coursework in the field of your intended major, you may wish to discuss your placement in specific courses with a departmental adviser; go to the Explore Majors and Minors webpage to find contact details for departmental advisers. To determine your course level, advisers often ask to see syllabi and reading lists from previous coursework, so please have this documentation ready.
Placement Exams & Assessments
Review the Placement Exams and Assessments webpage to determine which placement exams or assessments are relevant to you, if any. The deadline for most exams is July 31.
Language Placement Exam
All Weinberg students must meet the Language Proficiency Requirement by demonstrating their proficiency in a language other than English at a level that is equivalent to two years of college-level language instruction. If you have previously studied a language other than English, review the language placement exam information on the Language Placement Portal and complete the applicable exam by the deadline.