Welcome New Titans

First-year students who submit AP test scores from the College Board are considered for AP credit. Please be sure to submit an official score report as soon as it becomes available in order to be awarded credit. A chart with our full AP credit policy is available on the Registrar's page.

You can change your major (or add a second major or a minor) while you are on-campus for your New Titan Day. You can also change your major during the summer by reaching out to the Registrar’s Office at registrar@westminster.edu or 724-946-7138.

If you are bringing a vehicle to campus, visit the New Student Checklist after July 5 to register your vehicle online and to purchase a parking decal for the year. The cost of a parking decal for the 2024-2025 academic year is $125.

You will receive your decal when you arrive in August. Please note that parking decals are not valid until they are affixed on the vehicle for which it is registered.

Beginning May 24, you can upload a photo for your student ID (a.k.a., Titan Card) by visiting the New Student Checklist. The Titan Card is used for unlocking your residence hall, using your meal plan, printing/copying/scanning using campus printers, and checking out resources from the library.

If you are living on campus, you will receive your Titan Card when you move-in. If you are commuting, you will receive it on your scheduled campus arrival date.

As a first-year student, you will be assigned a default meal plan that features a combination of cafeteria meals at Galbreath Dining, commonly called “swipes,” and Dine Dollars, which can be used at either Galbreath or the TUB Food Court. You can change your meal plan during Orientation.

More information about meal plans can be found in the 2024-2025 Student Financial Services Guide.

Note: Most dietary needs can be accommodated. Please visit out our Dietary Options page or email our Office of Disability Resources for more information.

The Fall Semester 2024 book list, which will tell you the textbooks required for your classes, will be available beginning July 19. You will buy your textbooks online through our partner, MBS Direct/BNC. To access the store, go to Campus Store, then select Textbooks from the menu at the top of the page.

Depending on the course and the textbook required, along with availability, students can choose to purchase new or used textbooks, rent them, or purchase digital versions. If you select hard copy books, you will have the option to have the books shipped to your home or shipped directly to the College for pickup. Textbooks are not available for purchase in Westminster’s Campus Store.

Note: You will receive the required textbook for your Inquiry 111 course from your instructor on the first day of class.

Your room comes equipped with a bed, a desk and chair, storage space, curtains, and a wastebasket. You may have thought already about the stuff you want to bring to make your new room yours (bedding, pictures, posters, etc.), but there a few things that are absolutely essential...and a few things you should definitely leave at home.

Visit our What to Bring page for a full list of recommendations and suggestions. For the big things, it is a great idea to coordinate with your new roommate!

You’ll soon realize that your room is so much more than a place to lay your head at the end of the day. It's somewhere you will make memories, create friendships, and be yourself. That’s why our primary focus is on making every minute feel like home from the moment you step foot on campus.

When you receive your room assignment, you can visit our Housing & Residence Life page for the floor plans of your assigned residence hall for the location and placement of your new room.

The mission of the Office of Disability Resources is to ensure that all students at Westminster participate in a usable, equitable, inclusive, and rigorous learning environment. If you would like know more about academic, medical, and/or housing accommodations, we can help you identify the appropriate campus resources and support.

Note: For more information about our services and how to register for accommodations, please visit the Office of Disability Resources page.

Our high speed, secure wireless network supports most devices: laptops, phones, tablets, Smart TVs, streaming devices, and gaming systems. Hard-wired internet connections are not available in the residence halls.

Instructions for connecting your devices to the wireless network are available on my.westminster. Please note the process for connecting gaming devices, Smart TVs, and streaming devices is different from the process for connecting laptops and mobile phones.

We recommend these two laptops, based on their compatibility with frequently-used software applications, durability, processing speed, and size/weight. With any model, we strongly recommend a 3-year warranty.

• Dell Latitude 5440 (Intel core Ultra 7 / 16 GB RAM / 512 SSD)
• MacBook Pro (M3 Pro chip / 16 GB RAM / 512 SSD)

If you already have a laptop, we will do our best to help you with basic troubleshooting and maintenance. However, we have found that Chromebooks do not work well for many of our students because we are not a Google campus.

Note: The software used by some majors works better on a Dell/PC, while other majors use tools that work better on a Mac. If you are unsure about which one will work better for you, reach out to your Admissions counselor, who can connect you with the appropriate faculty member.

Microsoft 365. As a Westminster student, you can download and use the entire Microsoft 365 suite FOR FREE on multiple devices. Even if you are a Mac user, you’ll want to take advantage of this deal because D2L, our online course system, can’t read .pages files. For more information about this perk, contact Information Technology Services at helpdesk@westminster.edu.

Anti-Virus and Malware Protection. To protect yourself against computer viruses and phishing schemes, it is essential your computer has updated anti-virus software and malware protection. If you do not have any anti-malware or anti-virus software currently installed on your personal device/s, go to the Sophos website to download a free version of the Sophos anti-virus and malware software. In order to register, you will need to use your Westminster email.

Note: Visit our Disability Resource page for more information about our services and how to register for accommodations with the Office of Disability Resources.

Transportation to and from the Pittsburgh airport and Greyhound bus station is available at semester starts, ends, and during breaks. Reservations are required and can be made through this online form.

The first day of the fall 2024 semester is Monday, August 26. As in high school, there are scheduled breaks throughout the academic year. The residence halls are closed for fall break, Thanksgiving, winter, spring break, and Easter break—and most students return home during these breaks.

Please consult the 2024-2025 Academic Calendar prior to making travel plans to ensure you aren't missing class. (Make sure you click the 2024-2025 button.)

Note: Westminster holds classes on Labor Day.

You will be assigned a mailbox address that will stay the same all four years—even if you change rooms. Mail from family and friends (and Amazon!) should be addressed in the following format:

• Student Name
• Box #
• Westminster College
• 319 S. Market St.
• New Wilmington, PA 16172

You can find your campus box number on my.westminster by logging in and clicking Housing: Roommate Information.

Families of enrolled students will receive communications from Westminster College throughout the year. In addition to notifications about important events and deadlines, President Richardson’s office sends out a weekly email update to keep Titan families connected to campus news and events. The first Westminster Weekly will hit inboxes the first week of August.

Family Day is Saturday, September 14, 2024. It’s a day perfectly designed for you by our Director of Parent Engagement that will help you get to know your student’s home away from home. Keep an eye out for updated information later this summer!

Note: We strongly encourage families to transfer responsibility for asking questions about their Westminster experience to your student. Once students arrive on campus, their Orientation Leaders will introduce them the offices and the people who can provide answers. However, we also know at there may be times when a parent needs to support their student in finding an answer or seeking help. If this occurs, please contact Student Affairs at (724) 946-7110 during business hours. During breaks or when the college is closed, please contact Public Safety at (724) 946-7777.

For more information about how parents and families can stay connected, please visit the Parent Engagement page.