PAF Application
**The PAF Application for the 2024-2025 academic year has closed. Please email advising@fas.harvard.edu with any questions.**
Responsibilities
Each Peer Advising Fellow will have a group of approximately 6-11 advisees. PAFs offer individual advisee meetings at least every few weeks, and work collaboratively with their co-PAF and Proctor team to build inclusive communities through study breaks and other entryway activities.
Throughout the academic year, PAFs are expected to:
- Meet individually with PAFees approximately every four weeks
- Proactively inform PAFees about relevant resources, deadlines, and opportunities
- Draw from their own academic experiences to share relevant aspects with PAFees as appropriate
- Maintain knowledge about general academic requirements to assist first-years
- Help PAFees navigate the course registration process each term
- Participate in all entryway community events such as study breaks and organize events and activities
- Communicate with other members of the advising network, including proctors
- Be knowledgeable about campus resources and make informed referrals as appropriate
- Take part in ongoing training through the PAF program, including monthly Yard Meetings and training around the start of the spring term
- Work collaboratively with the Advising Programs Office
Time Commitment
New PAFs must participate in training near the end of the spring term and in the late summer prior to first-year move-in.
PAFs must arrive on campus for training in August, earlier than regular upperlevel student move-in. PAFs are expected to be on campus during the week of First-Year Orientation, and to help with First-Year Move-In.
PAFs should expect to meet individually with PAFees approximately every four weeks throughout the academic year. In total, PAFs spend approximately 80 hours each semester on their responsibilities, with the heaviest load around course registration and in the first few weeks of each term.
Support and Resources
Throughout the year, PAFs receive support from:
- Eagle PAFs (student leaders of the program)
- Their co-PAF and Proctor entryway team
- The Advising Programs Office and other College staff from the Office of Undergraduate Education and the Dean of Students Office
PAFs participate in small group Yard Meetings every three or four weeks and receive newsletters of important information approximately every two weeks.
Compensation
PAFs receive a stipend of $1,000 for an academic year of service in the role. Because of the paid nature of the position, Peer Advising Fellows may be required to provide a Social Security Number or complete a Foreign National Information Form as part of the letter of appointment.
How to Apply
Eligibility: Only returning students who plan to be enrolled at Harvard College the entire 2024-2025 academic year are eligible to serve as PAFs. PAFs are expected to remain in good standing with the College during their term of service. Failure to be in good standing will result in termination of the PAF appointment. Applications from students on leave the spring 2024 term are welcome.
Successful candidates demonstrate the following qualities:
- Empathy and compassion
- Dedication and reliability
- Resourcefulness
- Commitment to fostering inclusive communities
- Capacity for self-reflection
- Enthusiasm and open-mindedness about engaging first-year students in all aspects of their Harvard experiences
References: All applicants will be asked to provide the names and contact information for two references. Both people must be affiliated with Harvard. Taken together, references should provide a balanced and multifaceted perspective on your candidacy for the PAF role. Current undergraduates may not serve as references. We recommend that you confirm with your references ahead of time that you may list them.
Applications must be completed and submitted by Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET.
Interested in learning more about the PAF role from current PAFs?
Check out this 20 minute information session hosted by Julia García Galindo ’25, Ariana Vlad ’24, and Helen Scarborough ’25.