Nuts and BoltsWCU and Your Major

Why this presentation

The department, the university, and myself want you to succeed. Navigating a 4-year degree can be confusing. Know the facts and ask if you don’t…don’t’ forget to have fun along the way

Support Services

Career development center – resumes, internships, academic goals…

Counseling center – individual, group, career, aptitude/interest career testing, drugs/alcohol◦Strong individuals know it’s OK to seek help◦Staffed by several psychologists

Support Services

Learning assistance & resource center –◦Tutoring, it’s FREE! - first come 1st serve◦Academic success workshops◦PAPA test prep!!!

Writing center◦Face to face writing assistance◦Handouts◦Instant messaging writing assistance

Financial Aid

Finding $$ for college can be tough but remember you are FULL-TIME students. That basically means it should consume about 40 hours per week. ◦Carnegie system – what is it?

Beware working too much as this can adversely affect your success…not an option for some

Financial Aid

Types of funding◦Aid programs

Federal work study (dining hall…) Perkins loan ($27.5K max) Stafford loan (~$18K-$33K max) PLUS loans (for parents) Pell grant

◦Scholarships See the undergraduate catalog (

http://www.wcupa.edu/_information/official.documents/undergrad.catalog/finanaid.htm) and click financial aid

There are 172 (don’t quote me) scholarships listed in the catalog.

Activities

Clubs and organizations◦ http://www.wcupa.edu/_information/official.documents/un

dergrad.catalog/stuaffair.htm#organizations Look under “student organizations”

Honors college◦Challenging honors curriculum, service◦Overall 3.25◦Looks awfully good on a transcript

Office of recreation and leisure ◦Intramurals, club sports, group exercise

To Do’s

From the home-page, click the “view all events” link

Degree Requirements

Misc.◦“Q” courses (english or math) counts towards

GPA but not credit requirements◦Full time is 12-18 credits

If able, get your $’s worth (near 18 credits) You can take over 18 credits at a cost

◦Student standing is determined by credits, not how many years here i.e. – Freshman 0-29.5 credits (increments of 30)

Registrar

Adding a class – 7 daysDropping a class – 6 daysWithdrawing from a class – 7th day to 9

weeks◦“W” recorded on transcript

Repeating a class 100+ level◦Can do 5x’s, no more than twice per course◦Most recent grade is kept regardless of score

GPA

Calculating GPA◦Use online GPA calculators:

Target GPA: http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/premed/html/gpa.htm

Dean’s list = GPA 3.67 or higherProbation = GPA < 2.0

◦Student must see advisor for creation of an academic recovery plan

Your Home

College of Health Sciences

◦Minors for HPE Health (3 credits!) Coaching (18 credits) Exercise science (21-23 credits) Individuals with disabilities (18-21 credits)

H&PE TC

Advising – the UG catalog makes clear that ultimately, YOU are responsible for course selection and U. guidelines◦ The quality of advising varies so

do your homework◦ Also, advisors are there for more

than academics!

Q&A

Top 5◦What do you think are the top 5 reasons

students don’t graduate on-time (from Encarta) Parents let them Students don't go to school every day Students change their majors too late Students transfer and lose credits Students work too much

Advising

Advising Sheet◦Fall 2013 and forward◦ABSOLUTELY important to know what advising

sheet/program you follow◦Self Help Guide from Dr. Cummiskey◦Year by Year Checklist from Dr. Lepore◦PPE’s

FATE – formal admission to teacher education◦http://www.wcupa.edu/_academics/coe/fate.aspx◦No longer is a FATE delay permit◦Summer letter◦Message – get FATE ASAP – freshman year is best◦Basic Skill Testing – take the CORE over PAPA◦Professional Testing Center – can schedule a test

any time!

Mock Selection

Take a look at the advising/curriculum/program sheet and do a preliminary schedule for next semester. If you use a different advising sheet, help someone else.◦Return sheets when you leave