What is going on?!

<p>People are posting about registering for classes, financial aid, advisers, summer sessions, summer reading...</p>

<p>When did they hear about all this stuff? Have I been asleep the past few weeks? Could someone fill me in as to what's going on for people going to Columbia this SeptembeR?</p>

<p>You probably should have gotten a packet in early June about things to expect over the summer and how to get a head start. One of these would be an academic packet, which outlines class registration, advisers, and summer sessions. First-year Columbia College students should read the first six books (about 110 pages or so) of "The Iliad of Homer" before your first Lit Hum section (you'll find out about it in your academic packet). Columbia traditionally (and by that I mean always) uses the Richmond Lattimore translation for The Iliad. </p>

<p>Your financial aid should already be either covered or underway since you received your package in conjunction with your acceptance letter. Don't worry about registering for classes; you don't do that until orientation week. I suppose the reason people are posting about this is that they're really anxious about taking their first classes at Columbia (I know I was). Refer to the "Academic Planning Guide for New Students" if you want to know what you'll receive in your academic packet:
<a href="http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/fysaac/guide/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/fysaac/guide/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Also, you can consult the bulletin if you're curious about the courses you'll be thinking about registering for in the Fall of 2005:
<a href="http://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.college.columbia.edu/bulletin&lt;/a> or if you're in SEAS,
<a href="http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/bulletin%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.engineering.columbia.edu/bulletin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>But again, you don't really have to be concerned with that until you get there. There'll be tons of meetings in the week of your arrival that'll guide you to some academic decisions.</p>