Undergraduate Physics and ChemPhys Advising

This page contains useful advising links for the Physics and Chem/Phys concentrations. All of the information here is relevant to both students and faculty. The format and goal of the Physics and Chem/Phys advising system is below.

Links to Advising Resources

Undergraduate Advising Network Portal (Harvard Key required, extremely useful!)
Information for potential concentrators 
Discussion topics for advisor/advisee meetings
Frequently asked questions
Sample programs
Physics and Chemistry and Physics concentration requirements
The Advising Programs Office webpages contains many useful links on the left-hand side of the page, including:

Other links

Registrar home page
Undergraduate student photo directory (pin requred)
Campus map
Calendar
Searchable course catalog (all Harvard Schools)
Information about math courses (and concentrations)
Higher Degrees in Physics
First Year Dean's Office
Cross registration

The most important of the above links is the first one, the Advising Network Portal. Advisors will find a list of all of their advisees, complete with pictures, contact info, academic record, a list of the students' various other advisors, and many other features and helpful bits of information. Students will find much of the same information.

Advising Goals/Procedure

All Physics and Chem/Phys students automatically have Prof. Georgi, Director of Graduate Studies, office hours) and Dr. David Morin (Co-Director of Graduate Studies, office hours) as advisors. Students are encouraged to talk with them about anything at any time, ranging from course selection, to future plans, to lab work, to concentration requirements, to problems with courses, etc. 

In addition, all students are given an individual faculty advisor (who may be Prof. Georgi). The purpose of this faculty advisor is to act as a mentor and to help the student down the Physics or Chem/Phys path. However, concerning concentration requirements, Prof. Georgi and David Morin have seen all the ins and outs and variations on these, so students are encouraged to save such questions for them. In short, in the student-advisor meetings, both parties can (to a reasonable approximation) pretend that there are no course numbers or requirements to worry about. The goal is simply to pass on some real physics advice about what subjects are good to know, what lab experience is good to have, etc. The Advising Network Portal (pin required) allows advisors to view their advisees, and vice versa.

Advisors and advisees should meet twice each semester, the first time during the first week of classes (or before if convenient), to discuss classes and future plans and such. To set up a meeting time, advisors should email their advisees, and students should email their advisors.Both parties should take the initiative to make sure the meetings happen, so that even if one person forgets, the meetings will still occur. In addition to providing advice, the advisor will also provide the necessary signature on the student's study card (perhaps during a very brief meeting on study-card day, if a longer meeting has already taken place). A second meeting should occur roughly halfway through the semester, to keep the advisor updated on the student's progress.

Note: Prof. Georgi and Dr. David Morin very much enjoy meeting with students at the beginning of the semester. However, past experience has led to the new rule:
To encourage students to meet with their individual advisors, Prof. Georgi and Dr. David Morin will sign study cards only if the student has already met with his/her individual advisor. So students should stop by their offices (either to discuss things or to just get a signature) in addition to seeing the individual advisor.