Frequently Asked Questions

When is New Student Advising and Course Registration?

Virtual Academic Advising and Course Registration for newly admitted Pamplin students will begin in June.  Students will receive more information from the Pamplin academic advising team about how to complete the course registration process and schedule an academic advising session via their vt.edu email address.

How is Advising and Registration different than New Student Virtual Orientation?

New Student Virtual Orientation is facilitated by New Student and Family Programs and will introduce you to the campus community as well as provide important information and resources to help you succeed as a new student at VT.

Transfer Credit Questions

Does Virginia Tech accept AP or IB credits?

For information about Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits, please refer to the university’s webpage on transferable credit.  If you had your scores sent to Virginia Tech, you will be able to view the credits in HokieSpa.  If you did not have your scores sent to Virginia Tech, please contact the College Board or the IB soon as possible.  You will learn more about transfer credits (AP/IB/DE) through the new student advising and registration process.

I took dual enrollment courses while in high school.  I would like to know if the courses will transfer to Virginia Tech. 

Virginia Tech accepts many credits from the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) as well as other two and four-year institutions.  Please refer to the university’s Transfer Guide for information on transferring credits and course equivalency. 

Should I send my previous institution, high school, or dual enrollment transcripts to the Pamplin College of Business?

No. Please have a copy of your official transcript(s) sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
925 Prices Fork Rd
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Class Schedule/Major Questions

When can I schedule my first semester classes?

During your academic advising appointment, your academic advisor will assist you in choosing classes for your schedule. You will be able to review important information about schedule requirements and registration tools in the Pamplin New Student Canvas Site and on the Course Registration System tutorials website.

What courses will I take in my first semester?

First semester students typically take five classes (15-16 credit hours). Your first semester schedule will most likely be a mix of required courses for your major and Pathways to General Education courses. However, the courses you take will also depend on any credit (transfer/AP/IB/DE) you transfer to Virginia Tech.

Example first semester schedule for most first-year Pamplin students:

• BUS 1004: Foundations of Business Problem Solving
• ENGL 1105: First-Year Writing or COMM 1015: Communication Skills
• Major-Required MATH course
• Pathways to General Education course
• Pathways to General Education course

Schedules for transfer students will vary based on selected major and transfer credits from previous institutions.              

Do I need to take any placement exams?

Most Pamplin students are not required to take any placement exams.

Students pursuing the FinTech and Big Data Analytics major may need to take the ALEKS placement test to qualify for MATH 1225. Additional information is available on the Mathematics Department website.

I’ve been accepted as a first-year student.  Will it be possible for me to finish two majors and a minor in four years?

Specific questions about double majors and minors cannot be addressed during new student advising and registration. However, you should plan to meet with your academic advisor in the fall semester to start developing a four-year plan that incorporates additional majors, minors, study abroad experiences, etc. 

Can I declare a double major in the first semester?

No.  A new student is not eligible to change, declare, or add a major until the change major period following their first semester of enrollment. 

Other Questions

I can’t access my HokieSpa account because of 2-Factor authentication.  What is this? 

2-Factor authentication is a high-security login process.  Virginia Tech uses Duo Security to ask individuals for a secondary confirmation of their identity at log-in.  Please enroll in 2-Factor authentication prior to attending new student advising and registration. 

What is FERPA?

FERPA stands for the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.”  FERPA was designed to protect the privacy of a student’s educational records. Virginia Tech staff do not disclose personal information on a student’s records to anyone, including family members, without the student’s documented consent via a FERPA passcode. For more information, please visit the University Registrar website. 

What are the computer requirements/specifications for incoming students?

Please review the  Pamplin Office of Information Technology website  Computer Requirements website for more information on the minimum specifications. 

Where can I find information on textbooks?

Once students have finalized their fall schedule, they can find textbook information for each course on the University Bookstore website.  Students are not required to buy books from the University Bookstore but they can use the ISBN number to look for books at other retailers.