New Student Registration Information

Registration Profile Survey

An important step of the registration process is the completion of the Registration Profile Survey. We will use the survey to get to know you and to assign you to a faculty academic advisor in your preferred academic department. By completing the survey you are not declaring your major, but it will help us assign you to an advisor who can help you start exploring your interests. 

If you have not decided on a major that is fine! Your academic advisor will still be able to offer guidance and suggestions as you use the general education requirements to explore possible interest areas. You will be able to change your advisor at any time as you take courses and begin to develop relationships with the Westmont faculty. 

Registration Profile Survey 

What Foreign Language Class Should I take? 

As part of the General Education requirements for your degree, you will need to complete one semester of a college-level foreign language course, however, you are not required to register for a foreign language course in your first semester.   

If you plan on continuing the same foreign language you studied prior to Westmont you will need to take the foreign language placement exam to determine the appropriate level of language to continue your studies. If you want to start a new foreign language you do not need to take the placement exam and may enroll in the beginning semester of the new language. 

Language Placement Assessment 

Frequently Asked Questions

The password is the same password as your email password. 

The placement exam will take about 15-20 minutes. Do not use any resource books, dictionaries or other materials during the placement exam. 

If you are already fluent in another language please contact the Modern Language Department when you arrive on campus for alternative ways to establish your fluency and meet the General Education requirement. 

What Classes Should I Take in my First Semester?  

For the first semester, we suggest one course from the Common Contexts or Common Inquiries area of the General Education program, one course to explore a potential major, one PE activity, and an additional course from the Common Inquiries or Common Skills areas of the General Educational program.

Students should enroll in at least 12 units and no more than 18 units per term.

First-year students can take lower-division courses (numbered 001-099). 

A first-semester student will typically have a schedule similar to the one below.  

Transfer Students: 

Transfer students are not restricted to lower-division courses and may take any course as long as they meet the prerequisites.

Here is a helpful guide on how transfer work is evaluated and transferred to Westmont College.

How can I get started on my major now? 

Westmont has provided the sample plans below to outline course suggestions for the first year in each discipline. These sample plans help by providing potential major courses to your list of first-semester courses. Keep in mind that these are sample plans. Not every student will complete the major in the same way. 

If you are currently unsure of your major, don't worry! The General Education requirements are designed to cross academic departments so that you can experience different aspects of Westmont's academic majors. Focusing first on completing your General Education requirements will help you discover what majors might interest you.

• View the first-year sample plans for each discipline below.

Resources to Help Map Out Your Semester 

• Waypoint (you will learn more about Waypoint in step 4)
• Schedule Planner
• Sample Major Plans (Step 3)
• Westmont College Catalog to view major and minor requirements. 
• General Education Course Grid:

General Education Courses Grid 

You will find that a number of our General Education courses also meet major requirements.

Many courses in the General Education Courses Grid will satisfy two General Education requirements as noted in the "Other GE" column. 

The links below will help you plan for how any Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate credits are applied to a student's record. 

• Click here to review how accepted AP test scores will benefit you at Westmont College. 
• Click here to review how accepted IB test scores will benefit you at Westmont College. 
• Check your Westmont Unofficial Transcript, Transfer Summary, and Test Summary to view accepted scores in Waypoint. Credit will be posted as it is received by the Student Records Office.

Using Waypoint to Select classes

Follow these steps to register for your classes: 

Log into Waypoint. Waypoint is Westmont's academic portal.  

Step A: Update User Profile and Emergency Contact Information 

• On the Main Page of Waypoint, click on the User Option on the left-hand side menu bar. 
• Proceed to the User Profile to review the personal information we have on file for you
• Proceed to the Emergency Information. Enter in the information or confirm.

Click here for Tutorial 

Step B: Viewing your Appointed Day and Day to Register

• On your appointed registration day and time, you can register for your classes
  • In the meantime, you can pre-select your classes to have them ready on your appointed registration day and time.  
• On the Main Page in Waypoint, click Student Planning
• Click on Go to Plan and Schedule
• Click on the arrows to select the semester you are registering for
• Your appointed day and time when you can register for your classes will be listed.

Step C: Plan out Potential Classes

• On the main menu
  • Click Course Catalog
  • Click on the term and Course and Sections or Course Type to narrow down your search
  • The Search Results page will display the courses that fit your selections.
  • Click on the Blue Add button that corresponds to the classes you would like to take to add them in your potential class list

Click here for Tutorial 

Step D: View Classes for a Specific Major (this is another way to plan out your potential classes)

• On the main menu
  • Click Student Planning
  • Click Go to My Progress
  • On the right-hand side of the page, click on View a New Program to review the requirements of a specific major

Click here for Tutorial

• You can add classes to your plan by clicking on the Search button listed for each required class.

Introduction to Waypoint Video  

How to Register for Classes on Waypoint Video

Some notes on registration: 

• If the course title includes "w/lab" you must also register for the lab section associated with the course. For example, the lecture section of the General Chemistry w/lab course is CHM-005-1 and the lab section of the course is General Chemistry, CHM-005L.
• Be flexible with the time offerings for courses. Be prepared by selecting backup courses in case your first choices have closed by the time you register.  

Registering for Classes 

In this step, you will register or add classes to the waitlist. 

Step A: Reviewing your Class Selections

• On the Main Page in Waypoint, click Student Planning
• Click on Go to Plan and Schedule
• Click on the arrows to select the fall semester
• You will be able to see the classes you pre-selected on the left-hand side. 
  

 Step B: Register for classes

• Register or add the class to the waitlist by using the blue button under each class listing
  • As you register for your classes, the class will turn green in the schedule on the right
• Note: The classes listed in yellow are the planned classes. The classes in red are the classes with a schedule conflict or waitlisted. The classes in green are the registered classes.

Step C: You can also view your classes on the Timeline

• On the main page of Waypoint, click on Student Planning
• Click on Go to Plan and Schedule
• Click on Timeline
• Classes with a checkmark are registered classes

I'm on a Waitlist.  Now what?  

Managing Waitlists

When a class has reached its capacity its status is changed to "Closed". When a student adds themselves to the waitlist, the course is still closed, but the status of the course is changed to "Waitlisted." A student on the waitlist will not automatically be moved into the course from the waitlist, even if a space becomes available. 

If you are waitlisted for a course, you are responsible for moving yourself from the waitlist into the closed course by obtaining instructor approval.

Adding &  Dropping Classes 

After you register for your initial classes, you still have the opportunity to make changes to your schedule via Waypoint until the day before the first day of classes each semester.

However, starting on the first day of classes for the semester, you will no longer be able to use Waypoint to make changes to your schedule. You will need to either get an Add/Drop form from the Student Records Office or have the instructor add or drop you from their course.  

To make schedule changes using an Add/Drop form:

• Pick up the form in the Student Records Office, or print it off from the Student Records Office webpage.
• Fill in the course information for the Department, Number, and Section as it appears in Waypoint.
• Have the instructor sign the form next to their course. 
• Bring the Add/Drop form back to the Student Records Office to finalize the schedule change(s) before the Add/Drop Deadline.  

Student Success Coaches and members of the Student Records Office are here to support you in your transition to Westmont! 

The Student Success Coaches and Student Records Office staff are knowledgeable about schedule options, navigating Waypoint, and other tools for new students. Please reach out to them as needed during the registration process. 

Transfer students and First-year students can make an appointment by clicking here to meet with a Student Success Coach. The meeting will be via Zoom. 

The Student Records Office can be reached at 805-565-6060 or by email at registrar@westmont.edu.