Advising Resources for Students
All newly admitted First Year Students are required to attend an Advising and Registration Day. Transfer students are invited, but not required, to attend an Advising Day designed specifically for transfer students.
Advising and Registration Day
Scheduling an Appointment
Students are wise to schedule an appointment with an advisor well in advance of the opening of their registration window. Appointments in the Advising Center can be scheduled by phone or in person. It is a good idea to check with other advisors and/or centers about the best method for scheduling an appointment.
Advisors will...
- Help you clarify your educational goals
- Understand the General Education Curriculum
- Discuss Major and/or Minor options
- Provide assistance in course selection
- Explain university academic policies and graduation requirements
- Encourage you to be responsible for your own academic progress
- Provide referrals to additional campus resources
- Take time to listen…
Students / Advisees will…
- Schedule and attend advising appointments at least once per semester
- Be courteous (schedule appointments early and cancel or reschedule if necessary)
- Come prepared with questions and/or topics to discuss
- Take primary responsibility for course selection
Questions to Ask your Advisor
- Are there any courses I could double count in my major and general education?
- Are there any pre-requisite courses required for my major?
- What requirements must I complete in order to be eligible to apply for my major?
- Do I need a minor? Are there specific minors you would recommend?
- What is the GPA requirement for my major? Are there any other GPA requirements I need to be aware of?
- If I try to register for a course within my major and it is full, are there any particular strategies you would recommend?
- When should I meet with you to discuss my academic plan for next semester and receive my access code?
If a Course you want is Full
- Remain diligent in checking the on-line registration system for open seats. Students can make changes to their schedules through several days into the semester, so an opening could occur at any time during that period.
- Check with the department that offers the course to see if they keep a waiting list of students wanting to register for a particular course. Some departments place a “Course requires special permission” hold on certain courses so that when a student drops out of the course, not just anyone searching online for openings will be able to register for the course. The department is then able to take someone from the waiting list and give that person the special permission override needed to register for the course. Keep in mind that not all departments utilize waiting lists, so you will need to inquire at each department office to find out their policy.
- Try to contact the professor in person, by stopping by his or her office, by phone, or by e-mail to politely inquire whether he or she anticipates being able to allow any additional students into the class. In many cases this will not be possible, but the professor may be able to offer other suggestions.
- You can go to the first class meeting to see if any of the registered students do not attend, and then ask the professor about the possibility of getting into the class. The instructor reserves the right to ask any students who are not registered for the course to leave.
Data privacy
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly referred to as FERPA, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. This federal law prohibits the university from sharing student records, including grades, with anyone but the student. If you have any questions about data privacy you can ask your advisor.
