The summer and fall course schedules for 2010 have been posted.  Please review them and talk to your advisor before signing up for classes. 

Student advising is one of the most important jobs any professor has.  With that in mind, here are a few tips that will help both of us when you come in for advising.

1. Be Prepared!  You should have with you or be able to access through OLSIS your transcripts and placement test scores so we know what you have had, and what you will need.
2. Know what your goals are, and know what your major is.  I can help you a lot more if we both know what you want to achieve while you are here.
3. Think about anything that we should work around in terms of your schedule.  Some of the more common issues include:
   1. A work schedule
   2. A babysitter’s schedule
   3. Carpooling with a friend and their schedule
   4. If you need to stay a full time student (12 credit hours minimum).  Sometimes if you are on your parents insurance or receiving other benefits you can only keep them if you stay a full time student and keep a certain GPA.
   5. If you are on academic probation
   6. Any benefits you may be receiving that have special conditions attached to them, such as VA benefits or Workforce WV.
   7. Before taking an E-course (completely online), ask yourself if you are a self-motivated person who will keep up with the class on your own, or if you will succeed better in an in-person class.  E-courses tend to be more work and require more discipline.  Be honest with yourself about your abilities and limits before you sign up for an E-course.
4. Make an appointment!  Don’t just show up – while that works most of the time, the best way to guarantee that you will get the time and attention you need, you should make an appointment.  You can make an appointment with a faculty member directly or through one of the two secretaries, Judy (304-424-8365) or Vicky (304-424-8303).
5. If you are having any problems through the semester, don’t hesitate to come to your advisor to discuss them or to ask for advice.  There are a wealth of resources available, and often times you just have to ask to get help.
6. DO NOT SELF ADVISE!  A number of students have taken longer than they anticipated to graduate or lost their benefits because they did not talk to an advisor before they signed up for classes.