First Year Advising Center

First Year Advising Center - Photo of students near trees in the fall

ABOUT THE FYAC

Committed to student success, the Academic Advisors in the First Year Advising Center are full-time professionals who support students as they establish and realize their personal, academic, and career goals. Through the relationships created by this caring team, students are empowered to take personal responsibility and ownership of their educational endeavors.

REACH PROGRAM

The Reach Program was established in 1969. It is an alternative admission program designed for students who fall just outside the ‘regular admission’ standards. The Reach Program is committed to offering students the opportunity to participate in higher education.

Students are selected based on Academic GPA in their “core classes,” ACT/SAT scores, Letters of Recommendation and Student Goal Statements.

Experienced Advisors serve as mentors and advocates who offer students: encouragement, advice, class registration guidance, and join with them in celebrating their many successes. Advisors partner with students to guide, support and impact their experience as they navigate their first year of college. There is no separate application for the Reach Program. Please see details at the Office of Admission website.

UNIVERSITY ADVISING (Undeclared)

At Western, we have developed the University Advising (U/A) Program for students that have not decided on a major yet. The U/A Program gives students a home and a supportive team with resources to help them at any stage of the major exploration process- whether you are an incoming freshman, a transfer student or a current student.

The University Advising Program is a campus-wide resource housed within the First Year Advising Center in Memorial Hall. Students that join the U/A program are assigned to a U/A Academic Advisor that has a broad knowledge of all the different majors on campus. Students are encouraged to to meet with their U/A Academic Advisor multiple times in a semester to help them take active steps along the exploration journey.

U/A Advisors help students:

- Explore majors
- Advise on major exploration courses students can take as well as finding general education classes that overlap with the majors a student is exploring
- Assist students in navigating the different resources available
- Connect students with major advisors and faculty within the majors they are exploring

HIGH SCHOOL DUAL ENROLLMENT ADVISING

Get a jump start on college credit toward a WIU degree or credit that can be transferred to other universities. High school students may have the opportunity to take courses online, live-streamed, on our Macomb or Quad Cities campuses, and at select high schools.

NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION

The FYAC assists new incoming students in completing the New Student Registration Prep process. Students will review and submit critical information needed in order to be able to meet with their Academic Advisor and register for their 1st semester of classes.