Undergraduate Programs

Freshmen Orientation

Pamplin College of Business Freshmen
(for students entering Virginia Tech directly from high school)

All freshmen and sophomores are advised in the Pamplin Undergraduate Programs Office by professional academic advisors. When students reach junior standing at Virginia Tech (60 credit hours), they are advised in their major field of study.

First year students typically take 12 to 15 hours of classes in the fall semester. Students will automatically be enrolled in the following courses:

  • ACIS 1504 - Intro to Business Information Systems
  • BIOL 1005 - General Biology, GEOS 1004 - Physical Geology, GEOS 1014 - The Earth and Life Through Time, or GEOS 1024 - Resources Geology
  • MATH 1525 - Elementary Calculus with Matrices
  • SOC 1004 - Introductory Sociology or PSYC 2004 - Introductory Psychology
  • In addition, students will be placed in ENGL 1105, 1106, or 1204.

English placement is based on high school performance and SAT scores. Students placed in English 1105 must complete two semesters of Freshman English. Students placed in ENGL 1106 will take this class spring semester. Students placed in 1204 (honors) will need only one semester of English. The placement for English will NOT be available until orientation in July.

During orientation, students will have the opportunity to adjust their schedule, depending on various factors such as AP, IB, or transfer credits, honors or residential programs.

Vital Information for Freshmen

  1. Make sure that you have requested your final high school transcript be sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. If you have taken classes at another college or university, even through Dual Enrollment, you must have an official transcript from that school sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. College level credit can't be awarded from a high school transcript.
  2. Make sure that you have all AP scores sent from the College Board to the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Virginia Tech. If you took AP exams in the junior year, you must have them sent this year even if they were sent last year.
  3. If you can't attend orientation, you must schedule an appointment to speak with an advisor before June 20, 2009. To schedule the appointment, call 540.231.6602 and one of the front office staff will assist you.
  4. Bring a copy of any AP, IB or dual credits that you have received.

Dual Enrollment (Transfer Credits), AP or IB Exams

Students who are anticipating receiving credits from Dual Enrollment (Transfer Credits), AP or IB Exams, should notify our office via email before June 12, 2009. In the email include your name, student ID number, if the credits are from Dual Enrollment, AP or IB, and the subjects. If you are dual enrolled, we would also like to know where you were dual enrolled (name of college or university). Scores from IB scores and AP exams taken in May this year will not be received at Virginia Tech until late June or early July. The advisors will give you information on your scores during your orientation college session. Students who are not sure if their AP, IB, or CLEP credits will transfer, should contact the University Registrar.

All Pamplin college sessions at orientation are group sessions and professional academic advisors will be available in the Computer Labs to assist students with questions and adjusting their schedules. If you have questions about courses, we encourage you to speak to an advisor before coming to orientation in July. You may schedule an in-person or telephone appointment by calling 540.231.6602. Please note that during orientation, advisors are unavailable for individual meetings.

NOTE: Faculty advisors and Department Heads will not be available during orientation.