First-year (Freshmen) Student Advising

Congratulations on beginning your college journey—your next step starts here!

To get ready for your first semester, you’ll schedule a virtual orientation academic advising appointment. This appointment will provide one-on-one time with an advisor who will give you personalized guidance and help you register for classes.

You will still need to attend New Student Orientation on your selected date.

How to Schedule

To schedule your orientation advising appointment:

Log in to your Next Steps Student Portal.
Select Orientation Advising.
Browse available dates and times and choose the slot that works best for you.

What to Expect

Your orientation advising appointment will last about 45 minutes and will take place virtually on Microsoft Teams. During your appointment, you will:

Understand your degree requirements
Discuss placement results and prior credits and how they affect course selection
Explore your academic interests and goals
Register for first-semester classes with guidance
Get answers to your questions before the semester begins

You’ll feel confident, informed and on track for success as you begin your first year.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

Before your appointment, ensure you’ve completed these steps:

Complete needed NIU placement exams for your major. Email testing@niu.edu with any questions.
Submit all final, official transcripts and send all college credit earned prior to NIU, including AP, CLEP, IB and dual credit. Email admissions@niu.edu with any questions.
Download Microsoft Teams, the platform on which your appointment will take place.

We also recommend that you:

Complete the orientation advising section in the first-year pre-orientation program.
Review the four-year degree path for your major to understand course requirements and sequencing. If you’re undecided, explore our majors.

What You’ll Need for Your Appointment

Have the following ready the day of your orientation advising appointment:

A device with a camera and stable internet (laptop/desktop highly preferred)
A quiet, distraction-free space
Pen and paper for notes
A list of AP, IB, dual credit or college-level classes
Your MyNIU login credentials (ZID and password)

Late Policy and Rescheduling

If you do not join the appointment within 10 minutes of the start time, you will have to reschedule.

Any advising appointments after orientation will be scheduled through Navigate, not the Next Steps portal.

If you have any questions about your advising appointment, contact the Academic Advising Center at 815-753-2573 or aac@niu.edu.

Your Advising Journey

Here’s an overview of how advising works at NIU:

As a first-year student (under 24 credits), you’ll continue to receive guidance from a first-year advisor focusing on foundational courses.
Once you’ve earned 24 credits and declared your major, you’ll transition to your college’s advising office for major-specific support.
Near graduation, you’ll receive advising from faculty or departmental advisors.

Advising Topics

Contact Us

Academic Advising Center
Peters Campus Life Building, room 260
815-753-2573
815-753-2902 (fax)
aac@niu.edu

Hours

Monday - Friday
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, email us at aac@niu.edu.