From Lynne Waugh, Executive Director of University College Academic Advising, for the November 2021 Appalachian Connections newsletter for parents and families.
Academic Advising and Class Registration for Spring 2022 and Fall Final Exams
As we enjoy the fall season, it is time for ACADEMIC ADVISING, CLASS REGISTRATION and soon, FINAL EXAMS! Advising is happening now and Class Registration will take place November 1-12 and beyond. Final Exams will take place Dec. 2-3 and 6-8.
Academic Advising
The following is some important advising information to discuss with your students. Also, if your student needs academic assistance please have them review the Student Learning Center resources such as tutoring, learning labs, and peer academic coaching.
Academic Advising and Orientation Center (AAOC) Students:
Students who have not officially declared their majors are advised in University College (UC) and most in the AAOC (*see note below). Fortunately, many of our students have already been advised so please ask your students if they have completed this important process.
AAOC students who are REQUIRED to meet with an advisor prior to class registration are:
- New first-year or transfer students (entered this semester)
- Freshmen (less than 30 earned semester hours)
- Students with less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Juniors (60+ earned hours) and Seniors (90+ earned hours) who are eligible to declare their majors and have been at App State for at least one semester
Advising Appointments: AAOC students with required advising should make an advising appointment ASAP through AdvisorTrac if they haven't already. Students with required advising must meet with their advisors in order to get a PIN to access the registration system.
AAOC students who are not required to be advised are certainly encouraged to meet with their advisor to stay on track.
*Students who are advised by Student Support Services (SSS), ACCESS Program, or Honors College advisors should follow the specific instructions from their advisors regarding appointments.
Academic Advising for Students Who Have Officially Declared Their Majors:
Students who have declared their majors and moved from University College may have required advising in their Colleges or departments. Students should review their Colleges/School/Departments websites to learn about the advising process in those areas. For many departments, a student's academic advisor is listed on DegreeWorks but if not, a student should contact their major department or College.
Before meeting with an academic advisor and before registration, a student should:
- Make an appointment with their academic advisor NOW! Our calendars are getting full.
- Login to DegreeWorks to review their degree audit and the remaining courses for their degrees (General Education, major, minor if required, electives).
- Review General Education and advising information in the 2021-22 Mountaineer Advising Planner or an older version if the student has been here longer than this semester.
- Review potential majors and major requirements in the Undergraduate Bulletin and the Four Year Guides website.
- Develop a list of classes to take during spring semester based on General Education, major, and minor (if needed) requirements and have the list available when meeting with the advisor.
- If undecided on a major, please review and utilize the Career Development Center resources especially Explore Majors and Careers for assistance. Career Studio is an important resource for undecided students.
- Review Registration & Classes information and our Registration Help tips before registering for classes.
- Check AppalNet Self-Service (Student tab>Registration link>Check Your Registration Status), to see their registration day and time and if they have any holds that will prevent registration. If your student has registration holds, they should contact the appropriate office to try to have those taken care of before their registration day and time.
- Follow the advisor's specific instructions for preparing for the appointment.
Early Registration for Spring Classes:
Early Registration began on Nov. 1 (for seniors) and continues through Nov. 12 and beyond, but students should try to register on their appointed class registration day/time when possible. Classes fill up quickly!
Academic Standing:
It is likely that your student is doing well academically and may be placed on the Dean's List or Chancellor's List, but here is some information for students who earn less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA:
Academic Probation and Continued Probation:
Students who earn less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA are placed on academic probation, the first semester of probation (*see IMPORTANT note below). The second and final semester of probation is called continued probation. Students on academic or continued probation or who expect to be placed on probation should meet with their advisors as soon as possible to create an Action Plan for getting back into good academic standing. Working together, we can help your student get back on track. Unfortunately, students who have used two semesters of academic probation will be placed on academic suspension.
*Students who earn a 0.0 GPA during their first semester at Appalachian will be placed on academic suspension and do not receive two semesters of academic probation.
Academic Suspension:
Students who are placed on academic suspension have either earned a 0.0 GPA during the first semester at App State or have already used 2 semesters of academic probation. Students who are placed on or are expecting to be placed on academic suspension should meet with their advisors immediately to discuss their options.
Fall Final Exams:
Final exams are coming up soon, December 2-3 and 6-8. Be sure to talk with your student about preparing for their exams and encourage your student to:
- Make sure all exams are added to their calendars and double check the dates/times. Some students miss an exam because they thought the exam was on a different day. Here is a link to the Fall 2021 Exam Schedule but encourage your student to confirm exam dates/times with their faculty members as well.
- Start studying early instead of cramming at the last minute. Breaking up study sessions into smaller chunks over a longer period of time can be more effective and less stressful.
- Find a quiet study space with no distractions.
- Spend extra time studying for the most challenging classes.
- Take advantage of any review sessions or group study sessions offered. Even if your student feels prepared, encourage attendance at these sessions or create their own sessions.
- Use study strategies that help retain the information: some students review their class notes several times, have a friend quiz them, use flashcards, take notes from the textbook, create practice tests/study guides, make a game out of the material (ex. Jeopardy), create mnemonic techniques to remember the material (ex. HOMES: the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior).
- Talk with their faculty members about the material on the final and the best ways to prepare for the exam.
- Take care of themselves during final exams: make time for good nutrition, exercise, SLEEP, and other stress relievers (meditation, relaxation, music).
Best wishes to your students for a productive, successful exam period and fall semester!