Sophomore Plan

Welcome, sophomores! The Sophomore Plan is a year-long invitation for you to reflect on your progress so far, develop some goals and set some priorities for the rest of your time at Bryn Mawr. 

Basic information is here but the real hub for sophomore planning is in Moodle. You are all enrolled in the Sophomore Plan course. Star the course so you'll see it with your current schedule.  

The Sophomore Dean provides group advising to students as they embark upon their Sophomore Plan. Sophomores may attend group advising sessions with their dean to review progress towards meeting degree requirements, clarify questions, and most importantly think through their priorities. The Sophomore Dean and other staff also host a series of conversations in the Fall Semester on topics related to the Sophomore Plan.

By registration in the Fall semester, students should review their Academic Requirements in BiONiC. Instructions and more information are in Moodle. This will give sophomores the clarity around requirements they need to make good decisions for course registration for Spring and the following year.

Building on the curricular exploration that began as a first-year student, sophomores will decide on and declare a major field of study. Some sophomores may be ready to do this in September, but many more will take longer. For many students, exploring and deciding on a minor is also an important part of the sophomore year.

Sophomore year also marks a natural time to learn about and plan for life beyond Bryn Mawr. Students do this in a few ways. 

  • First, many students will consider Study Abroad. The decision whether, when, and where to study abroad connects with other aspects of the sophomore plan. Specifically, in order to have a complete Study Abroad application, students must have declared their major with a faculty major adviser and have their major adviser submit a Study Abroad evaluation.  
  • Second, many students will be trying to figure out what kind of work they want to do in the world and how their time at Bryn Mawr can help them learn more and gain valuable experience. Students may also be eager to put what they have been learning in the classroom into practice. In order to facilitate the reflection that is a crucial part of this process and to prepare them to apply for internships and other opportunities, sophomores will draft a resume and receive feedback  from the Career and Civic Engagement Center staff.

Deciding and Declaring Your Major

The choice of a major is one of the largest decisions students make about their intellectual lives. For many, the major department becomes a home within a home at Bryn Mawr. 

To Do: There is no simple to-do list that applies to all students.  With over thirty-five majors, over sixty faculty serving as major advisers, and with students themselves having unique paths towards deciding on a major, any attempt to generalize the major selection process is very difficult.  Students should consult the advice and resources listed below as appropriate.  

By the end of April, whatever the particular path, all sophomores should have a declared major in BiONiC and a major work plan (the Online Major Work Plan in BiONiC for Bryn Mawr majors, in accordance with Haverford's procedures if a Haverford major) approved by the appropriate faculty major adviser.  You'll find the Online Major Work Plan in the Sophomore Plan corner of your Student Center in BiONiC, but the instructions for filling out the plan are available on Moodle and can be referenced here.

Resources

Sophomore Plan Moodle Site (for up-to-date info, complete instructions for declaring a major, etc.)
Selecting a Major
Working with a Major Adviser
Completing the Major Work Plan Video Guide
Major Information Sessions
Majoring at Haverford
Double Major
Independent Major
Minors and Concentrations

Study Abroad 

Deciding whether, where, and when to study abroad is a multifaceted process. If you're even considering study abroad during your junior year, you should attend one of the fall Information Sessions. Full information is on the Study Abroad site.  

To Do: Visit the Study Abroad 101 site in Moodle and follow all the instructions there. Keep in mind the following deadlines for submitting an application in BiONiC (in the Sophomore Plan corner) for Bryn Mawr approval.

Remember, as part of the study abroad application, you must have declared your major and have a major adviser study abroad evaluation form submitted by the appropriate study abroad application deadline, as listed above. 

Resume Draft

The Career & Civic Engagement Center is here to support you as you develop your resume – whether you are putting your first draft together or you are updating an existing resume. This component of the Sophomore Plan will help you communicate a summary of your experiences and convey your interests. Plus, you can use your resume to apply for summer internships, research and volunteer opportunities! 

We encourage you to think broadly about the experiences you include on your resume such as volunteering, clubs and activities, jobs and internships, leadership, athletics, etc. As a sophomore, you have probably engaged in more resume-worthy experiences than you think! This is a document you will continue to update as you engage in new experiences. If you are interested in finding new opportunities, check out the Career and Civic Engagement Center website, Handshake Events, and the list of student clubs at Bryn Mawr to get you started. 

You have multiple options for completing this requirement:

  • Schedule a "Sophomore Resume Review" appointment in Handshake to meet with a career counselor or career peer to review your resume.
  • Schedule a "Resumania Appointment" in Handshake, available after fall break, to meet with a career counselors or career peer to review your resume.
  • Upload your resume draft to your "Documents" in Handshake using the naming convention "SophomoreResume_LastName_FirstName" and a Career & Civic Engagement Center staff member will review your resume and return it to you over email with feedback. .

Full instructions, deadlines, and a list of resources are available on the Sophomore Plan Moodle site!

Additional Resources for Planning