APRIL 2026

Congratulations! Your first year at USC Dornsife is almost complete. Here's a look at what's ahead as you prepare for sophomore year! 

In May, you’ll transition from First-Year Advising to Cluster Advising, and you'll have a team of Cluster Advisors to support you from sophomore year to graduation. 

Check out our Transition Experience Checklist to know what to expect between now and the end of the term.

To prepare you for this transition, check out our upcoming events!

CLUSTER ADVISING ORIENTATIONS

Attend your virtual Cluster Advising Orientation session to learn what to expect from Cluster Advising and connect with your future advisors!

Natural Sciences & Humanities Clusters 
Tuesday, April 21 - 4:00-5:15 PM - Zoom

Social Sciences Cluster
Wednesday, April 22 - 4:00-5:15 PM - Zoom

ONEDORNSIFE FEST:
ADVISE. CONNECT. CELEBRATE.

Connect with fellow freshmen and enjoy In-n-Out, Dornsife Advising swag, and a chance at raffle prizes! Attend OneDornsife Fest to meet your new Cluster Advisors in person, connect with campus partners, meet alumni, and more.

OneDornsife Fest
Thursday, April 23 - 3:30-5:30 PM - McCarthy Quad

Haven’t scheduled your mandatory pre-registration advising appointment yet? It’s not too late! Meet with your advisor to discuss how this semester is going and plan for fall classes.

Section numbers with “R” require R-clearance or room in the class to register.

Section numbers with “D” require D-clearance from the department to register.

Prerequisite courses or their equivalent must be done before advancing to the next course in a sequence. Check out these tips:

Read course descriptions. Review descriptions to identify prerequisites. Details are available in the Schedule of Classes, Web Registration, and USC Catalogue.

Request prerequisite waivers, if eligible. Satisfied prerequisites with an equivalent exam or course? Consult your First-Year Advisor about waiver eligibility.

Take placement exams. Some courses require qualifying scores on an USC Placement Exam. See Chemistry and Math and Foreign Language exam dates here.

USC is committed to sustainability and promoting a campus environment that supports current and future Trojans. Want to get involved? Check out a few of the upcoming Earth Month activities below!

We are proud to spotlight senior Tyse Whittaker, celebrating her leadership, professional excellence, and unwavering commitment to service.

As a senior majoring in Health & Human Sciences, Tyse leads with purpose, compassion, and impact. From supporting her peers in the Dornsife Advising Office, to serving as Co-President of the USC Business Cosmetics Club, she creates spaces that empower others and foster meaningful connections across campus.

Her dedication to community shines through her mentorship with Women and Youth Supporting Each Other (WYSE) in South Central Los Angeles and her service with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she contributes to initiatives that uplift underserved communities throughout Los Angeles.

Professionally, Tyse is building a strong foundation in healthcare and innovation. Through her work with Grady Health System, the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Omnicure, she continues to explore how data, analytics, and technology can improve healthcare systems and patient outcomes.

We are incredibly proud of Tyse’s commitment to leadership, service, and advancing health equity as she prepares for what’s next. Fight On, Tyse! ❤️💛 

“Live in the moment. Mistakes and obstacles are part of the journey—don’t dwell on what went wrong. Every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow.”

— Tyse Whittaker

Have a positive experience in First-Year Advising? Did you enjoy exploring a topic or finding the support you needed?

Send your First-Year Advisor a shoutout by sharing your feedback. We'd love to hear from you!

FRIDAY, APRIL 3
Kortschak Center for Learning & Creativity | Time Management Workshop (Zoom)

WEDENSDAY, APRIL 8
Career Center | On-Campus Student Job Fair (RSVP)

TUESDAY, APRIL 14
Career Center | Internships 101 (RSVP)

TUESDAY, APRIL  28
Kortschak Center for Learning & Creativity | Online Study Strategies Workshop (Zoom)

FRIDAY, APRIL 10
Last day to drop a class with an official transcript "W"

MAY 2-5
Study days

MAY 6-13
Final examinations

MAY 13
Spring semester ends

Need a helping hand? Want to stay in the loop? Connect with us at @uscdornsifeadv, Advise USC, or fya@dornsife.usc.edu.

DORNSIFE FIRST-YEAR ADVISING (FYA) provides academic advising for entering freshman students in most Dornsife majors.

EMAIL fya@dornsife.usc.edu | PHONE (213) 740-2534 | OFFICE GFS 320 | WEB dornsife.usc.edu/advising/first-year-advising2