Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that our FAQs don’t answer? Email us at nso@lclark.edu!
New Student FAQs
To check what your ID number is you can use WebAdvisor. Click [Students] and then under the heading [Academic Profile] click [My Holds and Authorizations]. Your ID number will be listed in the left corner of the screen.
We have recently changed the way in which emails work for the LC community. To login to your email as well as other LC accounts, you will use your username which follows the format: lc20-1234. For gmail login, simply add @lclark.edu. Others will be able to send you emails to either your lc20-1234 formatted email address or your email alias without issue (email alias includes your name, ex: franchescaspann@lclark.edu).
If you are driving, Directions to L&C (pdf) can be found here in this easily printable PDF file. There is also a Map of the Campus that may be helpful upon your arrival.
Check out the What to Bring page. And remember, we have stores out here in Oregon, and some of them are really close to campus. Better to under-pack and buy things here than scare your roommate away with too much stuff. Plus you can save money because there is no sales tax in Oregon!
The best source for finding a job on or off campus is our online job database located at the Student Employment website. Search either the on-campus or off-campus database by clicking on the appropriate link. The database is regularly updated and lists both Federal Work-Study and regular college employment opportunities. There will also be a Student Employment Fair early in the semester. Stay tuned for more information. Departments that are looking to hire students will be present and accepting applications! NOTE: Before you begin working, you will need to complete employment paperwork, including an I-9, W-4, and an Employment Authorization form for work on-campus. In order to complete the I-9, you will need to provide proof that you are eligible to work in the U.S in accordance with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Examples of acceptable documents are your passport; OR a photo I.D. AND either a Social Security card or an original or certified copy of your birth certificate. Please bring these documents to campus with you or you will not be able to work.
Electronic billing (E-bill) statements reflecting the activity on your student account at Lewis & Clark College are made available prior to the beginning of each semester. This statement will reflect the costs for the upcoming semester. Student and Departmental Account Services will continue to send E-bill statements monthly should your account continue to have a balance due. Notice will be sent to your Lewis & Clark College email when your statement is available for viewing. Follow the link provided to access E-bill and review your statement. Please verify all charges/credits on your bill. Refer to your 2019-20 award offer letter and deduct the net amount of those not appearing from the balance due, excluding federal work study. Only balances not covered by fully processed financial aid are required to be paid by the due date. Please visit Student and Departmental Account Services website for details on remitting payment to Lewis & Clark. Should you have additional questions or concerns regarding settling your student account, please do not hesitate to contact your Student Account Specialist. For Financial Aid information, please visit their website. Incoming students can apply for financial aid here.
There is a $180 orientation fee that will appear on your fall bill. For students receiving a Pell Grant, this fee will automatically be waived. Students who are not receiving a Federal Pell Grant but still demonstrate significant financial need should contact the Financial Aid Office at (fao@lclark.edu) to discuss a waiver.
A: Yes. You can learn more about how to send packages to school here.
A: Yes, there is wireless internet on campus.
A: To check what your ID number is you can use WebAdvisor. Click [Students] and then under the heading [Academic Profile] click [My Holds and Authorizations]. Your ID number will be listed in the left corner of the screen.
Lewis & Clark student account activity is made accessible through the Student Account Center. The Student Account Center enables you to retrieve an electronic statement (E-Bill), view live account information, make a payment, select your refund preference, and enroll in the monthly payment plan option.
A: Yes. You can learn more about how to send packages to school here.
Campus Life FAQs
A: Information about your residence hall and roommate assignments will be sent to you in mid-July.
A: No. You cannot move your belongings into your residence hall room prior to the first day of Orientation. And unfortunately, neither can your parents. If you are going on a New Student Trip you will be able to store your belongings securely in College Outdoors storage.
A: All mattresses are extra-long twin. You will want to bring a mattress pad, sheets, pillows, pillow cases and a comforter.
A: Yes, a meal plan is obligatory when you live on campus. Our food service provider, Bon Appetit, has a twenty year history of working cooperatively with students and staff to offer excellent quality, variety and presentation of food service on our campus. They are open to suggestions and eager to meet the needs of Lewis & Clark students. If you have a medically prescribed diet that our food service cannot provide for you, an exemption to the meal plan may be in order. Complete procedure guidelines for exemption are available from the Office of Campus Living. For more information about campus dining, please view this page.
Registration FAQs
Contact your college advisor or see the Academic Advising webpage.
Please email your advisor in the College Advising Center or make an appointment (not sure who your College Advisor is? Check your Lewis & Clark email for messages from them).
As you prepare to register, it is important to have a list of backup courses, so that if a particular course is full when you are ready to register, you will have another course in mind. It is also useful to have backup courses so that you have a few different schedule options in case some of the courses you are interested in are offered at the same time.
We recommend having a list of 4 to 6 backup classes. Your backup list can be comprised of other courses to consider within majors or minors you are interested in exploring, classes that fulfill General Education requirements, or classes that allow you to try out something completely new and different. You also might want to consider registering for one these hidden gems.
Placement exams in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish are offered online during the summer for incoming freshmen and during the fall and spring semesters in a proctored setting on campus. For further information go to Chinese Placement Exam, French Placement Exam, German Placement Exam, Japanese Placement Exam, or Spanish Placement Exam.
Arabic, Classical Greek, Latin, and Russian:
There is not currently an online placement exam for these languages. For placement in Arabic, please send an email to Lina Gomaa at lgomaa@lclark.edu. For placement in Classical Greek and Latin, please contact Professor Gordon Kelly, gkelly@lclark.edu. For placement in Russian, please contact Prof. Maria Hristova, hristova@lclark.edu.
The world language general education requirement is proficiency through the 201 level (third semester) of a language. Starting this requirement in the first semester allows increased flexibility in choosing courses in remaining semesters. If you need to register for the first semester (course number 101) of any language, it is only offered in the fall.
First-year students may register for all 100-level courses and for 200-level courses that have an F in the section number (for example, RHMS 270 F1). In addition, we have reserved seats especially for first-year students in some classes. These appear as a different section with the number of the course plus RES (for example, POLS 102 RES1). To see if a course has a prerequisite, click the “Registration” tab and scroll to step 7 under “Finding Courses with WebAdvisor”. For example, CHEM 120 requires the prerequisite of CHEM 110.
If you are planning on a music major or science major, it is important to start the first semester because these majors are highly structured with one course required before you can take the next and sequences that start only in the fall. Prospective music majors must take the placement exam and register for the music theory course that they place into. For more information about starting out in the sciences, email us at nso@lclark.edu!
Office of Student Accessibility is the office to contact over the summer about any kind of disability—learning, physical, or psychological. You can reach the office by phone at 503-768-7156 or by email at access@lclark.edu.
A full course load is three or four courses of 4 to 5 credits each. You can also take one or two 1-credit physical education/athletics or music performance courses. The maximum number of credits you are allowed to take is 19. You must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits to be considered a full-time student. If you plan to graduate in four years, you need to earn an average of 16 credits per semester to total the required 128 credits. When you arrive on campus, your pre-major advisor can help you determine the best load for you.
A: Yes you can change your class schedule. During NSO, you will meet with your faculty advisor and have the opportunity to review your Fall schedule. Later that evening, we will reopen class registration in case you want to make any changes. Then, when classes begin, the ADD/DROP period offers another opportunity to change your schedule.
email nso@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-7183
fax 503-768-7977
Director of New Student Orientation - Franchesca Spann
NSPM Student Director - Peter Smith
NSPM Student Coordinator - Grace Marchant
New Student Orientation
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road MSC 132
Portland OR 97219