Academics & Advising FAQ

You’ll have plenty of time and support to get set with classes before your first semester begins. Here’s what to expect with advising, placement tests and transfer credits—and what you can do now to be ready when orientation arrives.

What is the Academic Advising Survey and where can I find it?

After you have activated your Whitman account, you’ll need to log into your account to complete the Academic Advising Survey. This form helps us get to know you better and assign you to an academic advisor who is best suited to your interests. Please plan to complete this by July 1.

When do I register for classes?

All new students—first-year and transfer students—will register for classes during New Student Orientation. On Thursday, Aug. 27, you will have a 30-minute appointment with your pre-major advisor and register for classes on Friday, Aug. 28.

More on what new students can expect during advising and registration. 

Do I need to take placement tests?

If you’re interested in taking Math, Computer Science, Chemistry or Foreign Language courses, consider taking placement tests to ensure you enroll in the best course for you—some courses may require a placement test.

If you are an incoming student for the Fall of 2026, you’ll be encouraged to take any placement tests by Aug. 15, before you arrive on campus to register for your classes. If you aren’t able to do this over the summer, you’ll still have time before registration to take a test. Learn more about placement tests.

I have college credits, AP or IB credits. How do I transfer them?

You can find a link to the Transfer Credit Form on your my.whitman To-do List. Use it to transfer credits from another college/university—for both high school and college credits. That includes: Running Start or other dual enrollment courses, as well as AP, IB or A-Level exams. You will also need to request that the College Board and International Baccalaureate send your records to Whitman, and order your official transcript from any colleges you have earned credit through to be sent to Whitman. 

Note: All new students must complete the Transfer Credit Form, even if they don’t have credits to transfer. In that case, you’ll answer "no" on the form. 

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is also available to help students who need academic support through peer-tutoring and other academic resources to help all students be successful at Whitman. Learn more about our Academic Resource Center.

What do I need to know about textbooks?

Students can purchase books from the Whitman Bookstore using cash, check, debit/credit or their student ID card. All students’ ID cards have been granted a $1,500 line of credit to charge Bookstore items to their Student Account, should they wish to pay for their purchases that way. If they have a credit balance (overpayment) on their Student Account, the charges will reduce that credit accordingly. If the charges create an amount due, students will receive an email from stuacct@whitman.edu to pay the balance by the end of the following month. 

Used books and textbook rentals are also available. The bookstore website provides the ability to search for textbooks for your classes. More information about textbooks.