Your academic advisor is one of the key people you will connect with as you transition to college. You may meet with an advisor during orientation or soon after to help you learn about your major and the courses necessary to fulfill degree requirements. However, understanding degree requirements will take more than just one meeting, and the initial meeting with your advisor will help you identify what classes to register for the upcoming semester. What to Expect Degree Charts Your advisor will begin by asking about your major and the required courses to achieve your degree. If you are still deciding on a major, they will discuss general education requirements (classes all students must complete no matter their major). Depending on the school, they may show you something similar to one of the following charts or lists below to help you comprehend the process and your requirements. These chart(s) will be your guide for registration; keep them handy. You'll refer back to these handouts for registration each semester. Student Portals: Your advisor may introduce you to a degree planning student portal with a live education plan identifying classes you have completed, the courses still needed, and a projected timeline to meet your requirements and receive a degree. Depending on your progress, your education plan may be revised or modified, as well as your timeline. Registration: Some advisors will be available during the first meeting to show you how to register for classes. However, if you still need to, you may return for a second meeting for additional support. The key to registering for classes is not to overcommit. This means registering for too many classes. Learn more about creating a balanced course load and registering for classes.
What Should I Ask? As you meet with your advisor, you may need help with asking questions. Below are a few to help you focus. (Success Tip: Don't hesitate to take notes and write questions down on scratch paper as they come to you. Be proactive.)
Next Steps Contact Information and Protocols: Following up with your advisors is essential to your success during your first year. Make sure you know
Hidden Gem: Many students take too many courses in their first semester, which can result in extreme stress, failing courses, or withdrawals. College courses are more rigorous than high school. In high school, you took six classes as a full-time student. In college, you measure the class workload by the number of units instead of the number of classes. In college, 12-semester units or 15-quarter units are considered full-time status (this may be 3-4 classes). You do NOT need to take more than that in your first semester. For optimal success, acclimate to your new workload and environment before overloading yourself. To learn more about navigating your transition to college, check out The Hidden College Success Guide or subscribe and receive access to our free resources.
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Dear Students, As you head back to campus this semester and feel energized to start fresh with each new course, effectively managing your course load can make all the difference in your outcome. Managing your course load means learning to organize your time, homework, grades, plans, and wellness for optimal success. To understand this better, take a moment to visualize two scenarios for your semester. Scenario 1 In the first scenario, you do not implement course management strategies. In the beginning, your semester goes as planned; however, six weeks later, the pressure builds because you did not pass your first exam, or your homework list has gone from two late assignments to ten. By midterms, you are freaking out and withdrawing from a class (or two). You start to feel like things are out of control and hopeless. In the end, the stress affects your overall well-being, and you may question your higher education path. (If this was your scenario last semester (or something similar), you are well aware of the pressures and stress that encompass you and are ready to begin the semester positively). Scenario 2 Next, visualize a new scenario where you apply course management strategies. You create a balanced schedule, check the professor's syllabus for due dates, apply time-management techniques, create a homework schedule, and more. You receive a passing grade on your first exam one month into the semester. You are up-to-date on the majority of your homework. You feel pressure to keep up with the workload but know that you have everything under control and a positive outlook for the semester's outcome. Ultimately, you feel a sense of accomplishment and realize that the course management strategies you applied kept you afloat each week. APPLYING COURSE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Balancing Your Time Taking the time to plan and stay organized is essential. Aside from homework and classes, your balancing act should include time for self-care, family, work, and even socialization. Referencing how to balance school and work adds great insight into creating symmetry with your time and optimizing your success. Creating a Balanced Course Load Do you have a balanced course schedule? College is already stressful enough with any combination of classes within a semester. Still, when students register for multiple demanding courses in a semester, increased pressure and possible failures begin due to an unmanageable workload. Therefore, create your schedule balancing intense, moderate, and low-stress courses combined. For example, taking two science courses simultaneously during your first year of college is risky. Each science class has an intense workload, and doubling that workload on top of the rest of your courses is an immense amount of work to maintain. Let's keep a quality-over-quantity mindset. Remember, 12 semester units (15 quarter units) equals full-time status, and the goal is to end the semester successfully. You don't have to overdo it (especially in your first year). If you question whether your course load is balanced, check with your counselor or advisor to discuss what is manageable. Manage Your Mindset Managing your courseload also means overseeing your mindset. Your mindset can shift quickly depending on the situation and the challenge. Whether the problem is too much homework, not hearing back from your professor regarding your grade, or not comprehending the course material, these moments of frustration can influence your success. First, process the problem by writing it down on paper. Writing the problem down helps you work through it and see the situation objectively. Also, seeing it in black-and-white makes it tangible, and you can confront the problem face-on. Next, write a solution to the problem - identify what actions you can take to resolve the issue. If you need help determining what steps to take, seek guidance from your counselor or advisor so they can point you in the right direction. Also, remember your peers are on the same path as you; ask around and share ideas to discover options of how to proceed Manage Your Self-Care
Taking time out to implement self-care strategies and reset your brain improves your success when managing your course load. When necessary, take the time to walk away from overwhelming tasks. Distract yourself through breathing exercises, meditation, a change of scenery, walking, or a nap. Then you can return to the project with a fresh perspective. Intentional Moments Creating a to-do list and focusing on one thing at a time helps manage your course load. At the beginning of each week, review your due dates, then list what needs to be accomplished for the week. Making these moments intentional and focused increases your success. However, when creating your list, avoid overcommitting yourself to too many activities. Instead, only commit to what is necessary. Presence Learning to be present is a powerful tool and can relieve a lot of stress. In college, we tend to think about the ten different things we must complete in the future. Unfortunately, thinking about your "future" to-do's only leads to added pressure. Instead, trust the organizational plans you've created and think of one thing you can do during your present moment. Being in your present moment, you have control over your actions and what's needed. This alleviates the stress and worries that build up and helps you manage your course load. Know Your Expectations and Requirements Take time to read and refer to your professors' syllabi. Then, highlight, underline, circle, and annotate each professor's policies on grading, deadlines, and attendance. Being aware of all expectations and requirements increases your success. ~To learn more about navigating your college experience, click here to sign up for ICC's no-cost newsletter on the latest developments in student success. Academic probation is an obstacle in college that creates restrictions, affects a student's graduation timeline, offers suspensions, or even worse, dismissal. Each semester, I work with students placed on academic probation to help them work through the problem.
Listening to my students, I have learned of several types of scenarios that led them to their current position. Some students talk about difficulties with family, living situations, stress, health, or continuing complications from the pandemic; others may note concerns with study habits, time management, learning, or motivation. A recent study by Md. Solaiman Jony at Khulna University notes additional problems with goal setting, course choices, lack of communication with professors, and "too many social commitments." Overall, each factor is a concern that needs addressing before students can resolve their probation status. Digging Deep If you're a student currently on academic probation, you must first identify the problem. For some of you, this will be easy; for others, you may need to dig deep to find the answer(s). A good place to start is reviewing your transcript and questioning the grades or withdrawals that created your status. As you identify each mark, write down why you failed or withdrew from the class. For example, complete the following sentences: "I received an F/D (or C) for History 101 because…" or "I dropped Microbiology because…." After you answer each mark, acknowledge the common patterns or theme(s) that led to your probation. For example, are you struggling with time management? Is it challenging to balance homework with jobs or family responsibilities? Is your social life taking precedence? Could it be attendance, course load, lack of interest in your major? Is the coursework too difficult? Answering yes to any of these questions will help you identify why you're on academic probation so you can then work through the problem. Time Management & Study Habits Ultimately, the key to time management is applying good strategies. If you Google' tips for time management,' you'll find an endless number of resources. As you decide which habits work best for you, the goal is to implement them into your life to become your best self in your academic and personal settings. Some of you might feel that you don't have time to plan your day. However, taking the time to organize your life will make a difference in your academic standing. Think of it as a well-crafted essay. The more time you spend organizing it initially, the easier it is to write about the subject and achieve successful work. Social Life As you entered college, you embarked on a new sense of freedom where you have to organize and take responsibility for your life for the first time. If you're the student who's "over-committing" yourself to social events, academic probation could be a good wake-up call for you to reset your priorities. Yes, there is fun to be had at college, but remember that your goal is to receive a degree that will open doors for your future. Attendance, Interest, Motivation, Goals If attendance is what got you on academic probation, you have to be honest with yourself about why you're not attending the classes? Are you interested in the course? Subject? College? Are you in the right-fit major? Are you excited about your major, or are you just going through the motions? Do you know what you want? One reason you're not attending classes could be your lack of interest. If you're not engaged with the topic, you probably need to move on to a major that interests you. At the same time, it could also be a direct correlation or a different problem altogether. Ultimately, meet with your advisor or counselor for an in-depth discussion on your concerns to get on the right path. Course Load Sometimes less is more. Looking at your transcript, review your success rate with 12-semester units (15-quarter units). Often, students on academic probation are restricted from registering for full-time status. The restriction is to help them acquire a higher success rate with fewer courses. It's all about gaining momentum. Will this take longer to receive your degree? Yes, however, fortunately, the length of time to receive a degree doesn't usually matter to an employer. What matters is that you received it. Also, keep in mind your workload for each semester. Balance your schedule so you're not taking too many challenging classes at once. Work with your advisor to create this balance. Learning Shift Learning in college is a lot different than learning in high school. You may need to restructure your learning habits. To do so, work with your professor and tutor(s). At the same time, start identifying new ways to study. What notetaking or learning strategies work best for you? When you look through your transcript and find the classes you were successful with, identify what techniques you used and how you can apply them for overall success. Talk to friends and peers about strategies they use as well. Health Concerns Since the pandemic, health concerns have widened. If health concerns (physical or mental) detoured you to academic probation, adjustments might be necessary for your education plan or course load (if the problem is lingering). Work with your advisors and professors to work through this problem and get your academic standing back on track. Also, if you're not already, please seek help from a medical professional to address your concern. Tips for Success Now that you've identified the problem and how to address them, you can move on to the tips that will help you take control of your future.
Coming into college as an English major felt right. My entire life, I knew my plan was to major in English and then figured out exactly what I wanted to do from there. My mom majored in English and is a 7th-grade teacher. Growing up, I always appreciated our conversations about books, so it just seemed natural for me to continue in her footsteps.
While I enjoyed my first year of college as an English major and felt that I was growing as a writer, I was still somewhat unsure of my career plans. I never felt like I had any reason to change what I was doing- this was always the plan. However, I began to have some doubts about English over the summer, but I had felt mostly content and enjoyed writing essays and analyzing literature. However, on the first day of my second year, I began reading an ancient literature text to prepare for class and was caught entirely off guard. Facing an assignment that I frankly didn’t enjoy and struggled with made me reconsider if this was the right path for me. My entire life, I felt that English was my strong suit. One hardship didn’t completely make my decision; other things started coming into play. I was worried I would not like future classes because I was never a fan of Shakespeare or poetry like many of my fellow English majors. At the same time, I realized the courses were more geared towards becoming a teacher, which was not something I wanted to do. I wasn’t sure where to go from there. Interestingly, the summer before my second year, I had an internship with Orange County United Way as a digital marketing volunteer. Here I worked with analytics, social media, audience engagement, and more and was very interested in these topics. I realized that this was considerably closer to journalism and could be an excellent option for my major. I decided to take a leap of faith, drop my English courses, and enroll in three Journalism ones in the first week of the quarter. I was in Introduction to Journalism, Public Relations, and Social Media classes. These classes were different from my English ones, and I was doing real work like writing articles instead of just reading literature. These skills felt more applicable to future careers. We had a guest speaker come into my Social Media class. She described her work with Public Relations and Communications within the California Department of Transportation. I found myself interested in the intriguing work she does. I also learned a lot in my Public Relations class by writing an extensive press release where I planned a major event and figured out every detail. This assignment seemed like something I could be very interested in doing in the future. I finally filled out the change of major form that I had pondered over and met with the Journalism Department Chair. He validated my desire to switch and made me feel confident about my decision. Knowing it was not too late or too spontaneous to decide to change my major was helpful. Thankfully, I have been able to work with my counselors to develop my four-year plan to complete all my classes in a timely manner. Switching my major was a scary leap of faith but has made me feel much more confident in my career path. Because of the important work I have done so far in my classes, I feel that for the first time, I have realistic and attainable goals for my future and that I have the means to get there. I am now in the process of declaring a Communications minor and am incredibly excited to see where the rest of my college career goes. I plan to do more internships relating to Public Relations and Journalism and am so happy that I feel so passionate about my future path. Kailyn McMullen Sophomore On a daily basis, advisors work with college students to develop their education goals and plan out courses they need to obtain their degrees. However, as advisors take students through choosing appropriate requirements, students often seem quite lost in understanding this essential information to complete their degree requirements. Little do they realize; all the answers are located within their college catalog (also referred to as a bulletin). To help you navigate your major and the requirements involved in achieving your degree, here are a few basics about your catalog and why it's an essential tool to your college success.
What's a college catalog? A college catalog is a foreign object for many students that they've never heard of, yet it's an essential tool to navigating graduation requirements. The college catalog (also known as a university catalog or bulletin) is the book that outlines all student rights, regulations, graduation requirements, and procedures for each institution. In fact, take notice of the book your advisors use (either print or online) to create your education plan or flowchart – this is your catalog. Why do I need to know it? Each year the catalog publication updates its degree requirements (graduation requirements) and policies for the incoming students. Often, there are only a few changes made to the book; however, these changes may affect your timeline for graduation. As a college student, you must follow the policies and requirements according to the year you enter. For example, if you entered college in fall 2021, your graduation requirements will be based on the 2021-2022 catalog, and you must adhere to all regulations and policies from that catalog. This adherence means your transcript will be evaluated based on your entrance catalog when applying for graduation. Therefore, your entrance catalog dictates all policies and regulations that apply to you and your college career. Why don't I know more about this? As you entered college, the institution informed you about the book (usually during orientation); however, not many people on campus take the time to help you understand it. Now is the time to change that and take control of your college career. Your catalog is located in your bookstore (print version) and online (search "college catalog" on your school's website). What can I do to understand it? The best way to learn how to use the book is by working closely with your academic advisor or counselor. It's pretty easy to understand once they show you what it is, how to find it, and where information pertains to you and your degree. Below are some questions to ask to help the conversation:
What should I look for inside the catalog? 1. Begin by identifying your degree requirements. To get your grounding, find any degree within the publication and look at the following for the degree:
The Bottom Line Learning how to navigate your college catalog will help you maintain your requirements towards achieving your degree. Additionally, when you're stressing over a question that you wish your advisor could answer quickly, go to your college catalog. It has all the answers. |
Author(s)
Valecia Rotell is a college counselor and consultant who helps students work through the challenges and hurdles in college, leading them towards a successful, happy and authentic journey. Read more...
Isabel Serrano is a first-generation Mexican-American college graduate from Southern California. She graduated from La Sierra University in 2021 (Magna Cum Laude) with a Bachelor of Arts in Music as well as a minor in business studies and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Classical Flute at Manhattan School of Music in NYC. Read more...
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