Questions?

For answers to frequently asked questions, visit New Student FAQs, or contact the Dean of First-Year Students.

May

In mid-May, the Office of Admission emailed instructions for activating your Vassar account. You will need your login credentials to complete many of the tasks listed below.

• Claim Your Vassar Email: Log into the status portal to set up your Vassar email. Your Vassar username and activation code, as well as instructions on activating your Vassar account, are available in your status portal. (Note: Students who deferred their entry from last year will not have access to the status portal. Your Vassar username, activation code, and instructions for activating your account are being emailed to you.)
  
  Once activation is complete, your Vassar email account can be accessed at mail.google.com or from any Google login prompt; log in with your full email address and password. Your email address will be your username followed by @vassar.edu (i.e, [email protected]).
  
  For more information, please visit the Computing, IDs & Phones FAQ. If you have questions or require assistance, you may contact the CIS Service Desk or call (845) 437-7224 during normal business hours.
• Get Your Physical: Schedule an appointment with your physician for a physical examination.

June

• Complete the New Student Information Form: Starting May 15, you will be able to begin the New Student Information form. Important note: You must complete this form using your Vassar credentials so if you have not claimed your account as outlined above, please do so before proceeding.

  In this form you will be able to:

  • Provide information that will help us to make a housing assignment
  • Request disability accommodations
  • Share information about other special interests such as Religious and Spiritual Life, Technology, Campus Life and Diversity and more
  • Deadline: June 30
• Look for Pre-Reg Communication: The Office of the Dean of First-Year Students will provide information about the pre-registration process, pre-major advisors, etc. Information about tuition payments and student finances will also be communicated in June.
• Submit your ID Card Photo:
  Important note: You must submit your ID photo using your Vassar credentials so if you have not claimed your account as outlined above, please do so before proceeding.
  • To upload your photo, log in to eAccounts from a computer (not a mobile device) with your Vassar username and password.
  • Once you’ve registered on the website, you may upload your photo there or download the eAccounts mobile app and login to add your photo.
    • Download eAccounts for iOS
    • Download eAccounts for Android
  • Learn more about online photo submission.
  • Deadline: July 1
• Complete your Statement of Academic Interests. Your thoughtful answers to these questions will help the dean place you with a pre-major academic advisor with expertise in your areas of interest.
  Deadline: July 1
• Submit Final High School Transcripts: must be sent directly from the high school to the Office of Admission. You can email us your transcript, submit it via the Common Application website, or fill out and mail the Final Academic Transcript form. You must confirm with your high school that the guidance office/registrar’s office has forwarded your final transcript to us. You will need it on file at Vassar to finalize registration for first-semester courses.
  Deadline: July 1
• Submit Medical Information: Complete your entry medical requirements as soon as possible by registering and logging into the Vassar College Health Service Patient Portal. If you are unable to access the portal, please contact Health Services at [email protected].
  Note: You will not be able to access the Health Service portal until you have your Vassar email address.
  Deadline: July 1, 2025
• Pre-register for classes: (July 1 to August 1). You will receive more information soon regarding this process.

July

• Take Required Training: At Vassar, we are committed to creating a campus where everyone feels safe, supported, and included. As part of this commitment, all incoming students must complete two online courses through Catharsis to help you navigate important topics as you start college.

  • The first course, You Got This! includes three short modules (15–20 minutes each) covering consent, healthy relationships, bystander intervention, community building, and looking out for yourself and others when it comes to sexual assault, harassment, stalking, and alcohol use.
  • The second course, Binge Thinking (45 minutes), explores the social and academic pressures that can lead to alcohol abuse. It examines alcohol’s impact on decision-making, relationships, and well-being while encouraging critical thinking and healthier choices.
  • You’ll receive an email at your Vassar address with instructions on how to access the courses. The deadline to complete both courses is August 25 at 5:00 p.m. They will be available starting in July, giving you plenty of time to complete them before arriving on campus.

  This training is an important step in preparing for life at Vassar, and we appreciate your participation in making our community safe and welcoming for everyone.

• First Year Housing Assignments: Made by July 31. You will receive a notification through your Vassar email address with detailed information about house, room, and if applicable, your roommates information.
• Deposit funds to your VCash Account.

August

• Submit Common Reading Response: Post your response, along with comments on two other student responses on the First-Year Common Reading Assignment (details provided in June).
• Campus Arrival: Arrive on campus August 25, 2025. Begin New Student Orientation on August 25, 2025.

Before arriving at Vassar, you will begin to plan your course of study by exploring the Vassar College Catalogue, reading the Academic Information section of the First-Year Handbook, pre-registering for the fall semester, and filling out and returning your Statement of Academic Interests (due July 1).

Statement of Academic Interests

Once you declare your major (usually at the end of sophomore year), you will choose an advisor from the program or department in which you are majoring. Until that time, you will be assigned a pre-major advisor by the dean of first-year students. The only tool the dean has to match you with an appropriate advisor is your Statement of Academic Interests (due July 1). During New Student Orientation, you will meet with your pre-major advisor to finalize your fall schedule.

Pre-registration

Preregistration will begin on July 1 and end on August 1. You will be able to access the registration program beginning July 1 using your Vassar One account login.