Sophomore-Year Checklist
This list is a guide to help you navigate your sophomore year at Saint Louis University. These are suggestions to help you throughout your year, but should not be seen as an all-encompassing list or a required checklist. It is your responsibility use it in a way that fits best into your personal and academic goals. It's your experience. Make the most of it.
Academics
- Identify your major or strengthen your commitment to the major you’ve already chosen.
- Consider enhancing your academic program with a minor.
- Meet with your academic advisor and/or faculty mentor to discuss your core curriculum and develop an academic plan.
- Use Banner Self-Service to run a Degree Evaluation.
- Consider studying abroad; if already have made the decision to study abroad, discuss your plans with your academic adviser.
- Use tutoring and writing resources in the Student Success Center that can assist you with your academic plan.
- Connect with classmates; discuss forming study groups and exchange contact information.
- Begin researching graduate and professional school requirements, as applicable.
- Research scholarship opportunities for graduate or professional school.
- If applicable, renew your FAFSA.
Community and Involvement
- Participate in Fall Welcome — it isn't just for freshmen!
- Participate in on-campus events and activities and show your Billiken pride at SLU athletic events.
- Take time to do something new at SLU. Connect with others who have different interests or backgrounds. Attend an event that you haven’t participated in before.
- Pursue one organization that supports your major or future career and one organization that interests you personally.
- Reflect upon and develop your leadership skills. Consider how to refine your campus involvement in ways that support your interests or goals on a deeper level.
- Consider your service opportunities for the year; be involved as much as your schedule allows.
- Consider participating in a campus ministry retreat or mission trip.
- Develop deeper relationships with faculty and staff members.
- Start preparing for where you will live for your junior year, and arrange roommates.
Career Preparation
- Make an appointment with a career counselor to discuss your planned career and experiential education opportunities.
- Consider ways to learn more about and connect to your prospective career field with activities such as informational interviews, job shadowing, research opportunities, service learning or internships.
- Create or update your résumé and post it to Handshake to have it critiqued by a career counselor.
- Use Handshake to review on-campus employment opportunities, research careers, connect with a career mentor in the mentor database, and view potential internship and on-campus recruiting opportunities.
- Attend the SLU career fairs to begin networking with employers.
- Set up summer internship or summer job.
Personal Growth
- Participate in multicultural dialogues and events. Visit the Cross Cultural Center for Global Citizenship to learn more.
- Reflect on your values and passion. What is your calling and purpose?
- Reflect on who you are and who you want to be. What is your motivation?
- Look into practices and routines that can assist you with balance in your life. What are your priorities?
- Take time to consider who your role models are in your life. Why are they your role models?
- Look ahead to the Junior-Year Experience Checklist to see what you can complete or prepare for over the summer.