Getting Help Making Decisions In Community College: Assistance with Academic Planning

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You'll be in luck at community college because there will be many sources of assistance and advice to help you plan your program of study"right from your first day of classes through to graduation. You'll want to take advantage of all available resources - the college catalog, schedule of classes, academic advisers, the career center - to help you stay on track.

Use Your College Catalog

One of your best and most important sources of information about the college is the college catalog, available online and in print from the college. The catalog will be a very important tool in helping you plan your course of study and understanding the requirements you must meet to complete your certificate or degree. It will help you answer questions such as" What are the college's requirements for graduation? What are the courses I need to take in my major in order to graduate?"

The catalog includes general information about the college's mission and philosophy, campus locations and directions, admissions, tuition and fees, financial aid, student services, academic standards, and special programs.

It also outlines all the programs of study (curricula) with all course requirements and in what order you should take these courses. You'll find detailed descriptions about each individual course so you can easily understand what the course is about, the number of credits you will earn for the course, and any pre-requisites (courses you need to take prior to another course), and other important information. Requirements for fulfilling your major and for graduating are also in the catalog.

The college catalog will also identify all the offices on campus, their staff, and the faculty members of the college. The catalog will outline many of the college's policies on issues such as smoking, discrimination, and sexual harassment.

Before or when you register for courses, be sure to get a copy of the catalog relevant to the year you are admitted because it sets out the requirements you must meet to complete your degree or certificate, and to graduate. Even if requirements change over time, you will need to meet the ones in place at the time you were first admitted and enrolled. Keep your catalog and refer to it frequently!

The schedule of classes lists all the classes that will be offered during a particular term and includes days, times, and location of classes plus the instructor's name. It is usually available in print and online.

The schedule of classes will be your guide to when enrollment or registration begins for the semester or quarter, when tuition payments are due, when classes begin and end, the last day to drop or add courses, the last day to withdraw from a course without a grade penalty, the examination schedule, and the date for commencement.

TIP: Colleges often operate on a semester or quarter system during the school year. A semester is usually 15 or 16 weeks long; there are two semesters each year"fall and spring plus a shorter summer session. A quarter is usually 10"12 weeks long. There are three quarters (fall, winter, spring) plus a summer session in the academic year. You will also hear the word "term" used to describe the time during which classes are held. "It's midterm" or "end of the term" means it's the middle or end of the semester or quarter.