academic advising & selecting courses

Academic Advising Academic Advising & Selecting & Selecting

CoursesCourses

By Tara Davis 2009By Tara Davis 2009

For use with the Academic Advising & Selecting Courses Lesson Adapted from ORT “Academic

Advising” Powerpoint

Table of ContentsTable of Contents• Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising – What it is and is not. – What it is and is not.

• Reading the College CatalogReading the College Catalog – Your Requirements – Your Requirements & Options& Options

• Selecting Courses Part ISelecting Courses Part I – Planning Your Academic – Planning Your Academic FutureFuture

• Selecting Courses Part IISelecting Courses Part II – Your Schedule for Next – Your Schedule for Next SemesterSemester

• Related MaterialsRelated Materials – Lesson and Handouts List – Lesson and Handouts ListClick arrows to jump to a section. Click to return here.

Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising

What it is and is NotWhat it is and is Not


• ADVISE (ad-vize)

from Webster’s Dictionary 1. to give advice to.2. to recommend an action, policy, etc. 3. to give information or notice to. 4. to give advice.5. to take counsel.


• Developing meaningful educational plans that fit into life goals.

• The ultimate responsibility for making decisions about educational plans and life goals rests with the student.

ultimate responsibility


IS…IS…

• Going to an Going to an appointment appointment prepared to:prepared to:

share informationshare informationask questionsask questions

IS NOT…IS NOT…

• Going to an Going to an appointment appointment expecting the expecting the advisor to:advisor to:

create your create your scheduleschedule

make decisions for make decisions for youyou

Advising: How ORT Advising: How ORT Prepares YouPrepares You

• You have learned You have learned and practiced:and practiced:

Organization and Organization and Time ManagementTime Management

PlanningPlanningSelf knowledge Self knowledge

through Self-through Self-AssessmentAssessment

Career ResearchCareer Research

• You will now learn You will now learn and practice how to:and practice how to:

Read the college Read the college catalogcatalog

Understand academic Understand academic major requirementsmajor requirements

Plan for the future Plan for the future through selecting through selecting coursescourses

Use short term options Use short term options to reach long term to reach long term goalsgoals

Advising: Student Advising: Student ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

• Know who your advisor is and if they are in Know who your advisor is and if they are in the advising office or the health careers the advising office or the health careers officeoffice

Look on the Q under “student biography” ORLook on the Q under “student biography” OR Read the letter that is mailed mid-semesterRead the letter that is mailed mid-semester

• Contact your Advisor or the Advising Contact your Advisor or the Advising Center Center EARLYEARLY for an appointment. for an appointment.

Be persistent, use e-mail, phone, or leave a note.Be persistent, use e-mail, phone, or leave a note. The advising center gets very busy; don’t wait until the The advising center gets very busy; don’t wait until the

last minute!last minute!


• Complete ORT 110 assignmentsComplete ORT 110 assignments

CAPS PlanCAPS PlanSemester Planning Chart (2 Options)Semester Planning Chart (2 Options)Course Schedules (2 - 3 Options)Course Schedules (2 - 3 Options)Print outs of:Print outs of:

• Your placement exam scoresYour placement exam scores• Your student biographyYour student biography• Your current/past course schedulesYour current/past course schedules


• What to bring to your appointment:What to bring to your appointment:

Placement test scoresPlacement test scoresSemester Planning Chart and Course Semester Planning Chart and Course

SchedulesSchedulesBooklet of course offerings for next semesterBooklet of course offerings for next semesterThe college catalog or a copy of the page(s) of The college catalog or a copy of the page(s) of

your academic major requirementsyour academic major requirements• include the major you are waiting to be accepted include the major you are waiting to be accepted

intointo

Questions!!Questions!!

Reading the Reading the College CatalogCollege Catalog

Your Requirements and Your Requirements and OptionsOptions

Reading the College Reading the College CatalogCatalog

• First, you will learn how to read the First, you will learn how to read the college catalog:college catalog:

The Table of ContentsThe Table of ContentsThe Program of Study PageThe Program of Study Page

• Find the Table of Contents nowFind the Table of Contents nowIt is at the beginning of the catalogIt is at the beginning of the catalog

The catalog is also available online.


• Everything you Everything you need is listed need is listed in the Table of in the Table of Contents.Contents.

• Programs of Programs of StudyStudy: Lists : Lists all programs all programs with page with page numbersnumbers

• Course Course descriptionsdescriptions: : Describes all Describes all of the courses of the courses offered.offered.

• Browse the Browse the rest of the rest of the pages later!pages later!


Clusters are suggested sequences to take courses.

You may take some of them in any order you want as long as you have met the requirements.

Course title and number are both important, so always write them together!

Courses are not always offered every semester!

Most classes are 3 credits, courses with labs have 4.

Prerequisites & Corequisites are courses you MUST take before you can enroll in the listed course.

Some courses in this column have pre-requisites also. ENG 101 requires that you have taken or tested into ENG 100.

The column on the right tells you which degree the program earns, admission requirements, next steps, the program coordinator and their e-mail address, and other footnotes.

Numbers, letters, or other symbols next to course titles tells you that there is an important footnote to read either at the bottom of the page or in the right hand column.

A course may be an elective, an elective in a specific area such as “social science”, or a footnote says it must be a certain level such as 200 and above.

You can take any course that fulfills it.

Read the electives handout.

Find your own program of study page in the catalog. If you are general studies and waiting for enrollment in another major find both pages.

Selecting Courses Selecting Courses Part IPart I

Planning Your Academic Planning Your Academic FutureFuture

Selecting Courses: Selecting Courses: PreparingPreparing

• Before beginning you must have your:Before beginning you must have your:placement test exam scoresplacement test exam scorescurrent/past course schedulecurrent/past course schedulecollege catalogcollege catalogtwo copies of the “semester planning two copies of the “semester planning

chart”chart”copy of the handout “courses sequences, copy of the handout “courses sequences,

electives, and courses with no pre-electives, and courses with no pre-requisites”requisites”

Use pencil or an erasable pen!

Selecting Courses: Selecting Courses: PlanningPlanning

• The planning The planning chart is used chart is used to plan to plan severalseveral semesters.semesters.

• No matter No matter what college what college you attend you attend you are you are expectedexpected to to know what to know what to take and take and when.when.


• Fill in the areas Fill in the areas for:for:Selecting semester Selecting semester

typetypeCourse TitleCourse TitleCourse letter and Course letter and

number number identificationidentification

Course availabilityCourse availabilityTaken/Plan to takeTaken/Plan to takeGrade and CreditsGrade and CreditsPre/Co-RequisitesPre/Co-Requisites

Strategies for College & Career

X 2009ORT 110

F/S None

3Introductory Algebra Mat 099 F/S/su 3 Mat 095 or CPTIntermediate Writing Skills ENG 096 F/S/su 3 ENG 095 or CPT

Selecting Courses: Selecting Courses: ChoosingChoosing

• Now that you know how to fill out the Now that you know how to fill out the semester planning chart, make your choices.semester planning chart, make your choices.Remember to use the “course descriptions” page in Remember to use the “course descriptions” page in

the catalog to check for pre-requisites.the catalog to check for pre-requisites.

• Begin filling out the “Semester Planning Begin filling out the “Semester Planning Chart” with courses you have already taken!Chart” with courses you have already taken!You don’t know where you are going unless you You don’t know where you are going unless you

know where you’ve been.know where you’ve been.

• Next, look at your “Programs of Study” page(s)Next, look at your “Programs of Study” page(s)What comes next for you? Focus on basic courses What comes next for you? Focus on basic courses

first!first!Plan several semesters ahead (approximately four).Plan several semesters ahead (approximately four).

Selecting Courses Selecting Courses Part IIPart II

Your Schedule for Next Your Schedule for Next SemesterSemester


• You should be finished planning your academic You should be finished planning your academic goals several semesters ahead using the goals several semesters ahead using the “Semester Planning Chart”.“Semester Planning Chart”.

• Now you will select which days and times you Now you will select which days and times you want to take courses next semester using the want to take courses next semester using the “Course Schedule Booklet” and a schedule “Course Schedule Booklet” and a schedule worksheet.worksheet.

• If you are intending to take a winter intersession If you are intending to take a winter intersession or summer course, understand that they are or summer course, understand that they are very fast and do the same amount of work in less very fast and do the same amount of work in less time. Plan wisely!time. Plan wisely!


• Before beginning you will need:Before beginning you will need:

Your “Semester Planning Chart”; focus Your “Semester Planning Chart”; focus on next semester only.on next semester only.

Your copy of the “Course Schedule Your copy of the “Course Schedule Booklet”Booklet”

A “Course Schedule Worksheet” of your A “Course Schedule Worksheet” of your choosing.choosing.

The Course Schedule Booklet also has the Final Exam Schedule for next semeseter!


• Every semester the college puts out a “Course Every semester the college puts out a “Course Schedule Booklet” which lists:Schedule Booklet” which lists:Every course offered next semester and who is Every course offered next semester and who is

teaching it.teaching it. If it is a fall, the winter intersession courses are If it is a fall, the winter intersession courses are

included.included. If it is spring, summer schedules have their own book.If it is spring, summer schedules have their own book.

• Each course is listed alphabetically and also with Each course is listed alphabetically and also with a course number AND a section number.a course number AND a section number.Section numbers are important! They indicate time of Section numbers are important! They indicate time of

day and day of the week the course is held. day and day of the week the course is held. When When choosing your class, include this numberchoosing your class, include this number! Example: ! Example: CIS 111CIS 111

--1212

Selecting Courses: TimesSelecting Courses: Times

• Use any “Course Use any “Course Schedule” worksheet Schedule” worksheet you like. you like.

• Your instructor may Your instructor may have provided a have provided a different one for you different one for you or make your own.or make your own.

• Time decisions are Time decisions are YOURSYOURS to make. to make.

QCC COURSE SCHEDULE Call 508-854-4308 to Schedule an Advising Appointment

NAME_____________________________________ ADVISOR:_____________________________________

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 8-8:50

8-8:50

8-8:50

9-9:50

8-9:15

9-9:50

8-9:15

9-9:50

10-10:50

10-10:50

10-10:50

11-11:50

9:30-10:45

11-11:50

9:30-10:45

11-11:50

12-12:50

12-12:50

12-12:50

1-1:50

11-12:15

1-1:50

11-12:15

1-1:50

2-2:50

2-2:50

2-2:50

3-3:50

12:30-1:45

3-3:50

12:30-1:45

3-3:50

4-4:50

4-4:50

4-4:50

4:15-5:30

2-3:15

4:15-5:30

2-3:15

4:15-5:30

6:30-9:25

6:30-9:25

6:30-9:25

7-9:55

4-6:55

7-9:55

4-6:55

7-9:55

7-9:55 7-9:55

Choose a back-up time or course! Sometimes a class fills up quickly.

Selecting Courses: TipsSelecting Courses: Tips

• Tuesday and Thursday only schedules are Tuesday and Thursday only schedules are the hardest to get so go the hardest to get so go EARLYEARLY!!

• Schedule Labs/Sciences and other courses Schedule Labs/Sciences and other courses that have fewer time choices that have fewer time choices FIRSTFIRST!!

• Sometimes classes fill-up fast, so always Sometimes classes fill-up fast, so always have other course times as a have other course times as a SECOND SECOND CHOICECHOICE!!

• Include the course number Include the course number andand title title andand section number in your selections section number in your selections ALWAYSALWAYS!!

Selecting Courses: TipsSelecting Courses: Tips

• Even if you are unsure of a course, Even if you are unsure of a course, alwaysalways go go to your appointment with a to your appointment with a PLANPLAN!!

• If you are a Health Careers student, you If you are a Health Careers student, you MUST MUST see a Health Careers Advisor.see a Health Careers Advisor.They have very specific information about the They have very specific information about the

health programs that a general advisor would not health programs that a general advisor would not have.have.

• Because you’ve made decisions ahead of time, Because you’ve made decisions ahead of time, your advisor can give you quality your advisor can give you quality ADVICEADVICE!!

Related MaterialsRelated Materials

• Academic Advising & Selecting Courses (Lesson)Academic Advising & Selecting Courses (Lesson)• Academic Advising Printing Prep Instructions Academic Advising Printing Prep Instructions

(Handout)(Handout)• Semester Planning Chart (Handout)Semester Planning Chart (Handout)• Course Schedule Worksheets (Handout)Course Schedule Worksheets (Handout)• Course Sequences, Electives, & No Pre-Course Sequences, Electives, & No Pre-

requisites (Handout)requisites (Handout)• College Catalog (Book)College Catalog (Book)• Schedule Booklet for Credit Courses (Book)Schedule Booklet for Credit Courses (Book)• The “Q-Guide” (Lesson)The “Q-Guide” (Lesson)

SourcesSources

Advising Powerpoint (Original) Advising Powerpoint (Original) http://www.qcc.mass.edu/t3/ORT110/powerpoints/ACADEMIChttp://www.qcc.mass.edu/t3/ORT110/powerpoints/ACADEMIC%20ADVISING.ppt%20ADVISING.ppt

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