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  ACADEMIC ADVISING

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


If you definitely plan on attending a four-year institution after leaving SJR State to pursue a bachelor's degree, you should select the Associate of Arts (AA) program code 0001.

If you are uncertain about what your major will be, talk with a member of the Counseling staff.

If you plan on doing only one or two years at the community college-level and do not plan to go any further, you probably want to select an Associate of Science or College Credit Certificate. You must choose a specific program; review the list and choose the program you believe you plan to pursue.

Some of the AS degrees will transfer to Baccalaureate degree programs at SJR State. See the Catalog and Website for additional information.

Do not select any program under Florida School of the Arts unless you plan on auditioning or submitting a portfolio for acceptance.

Select a Non-degree seeking program only if you are:

  • Not receiving financial aid
  • Taking courses for teacher certification or re-certification (but not the EPI program)
  • Not planning to earn a degree from SJR State (you are just taking a few classes)

NOTE: Degree-seeking vs. non-degree seeking program codes will affect how early you can register for classes (link to wherever we post registration times each semester). Also, you can always change your program of study by meeting with a member of the Counseling staff and completing a Change of Program form.

This will often depend on the purpose of your meeting. However, it is generally helpful to bring:

  • The Orientation packet.
  • A list of specific questions that you have; an identified reason for coming to see the counselor.
  • Any documentation provided at your last meeting: Compliance (print-out of courses, AA Worksheet, etc.
  • Any copies of transcripts/test scores you may have (unofficial will usually work for counseling purposes).
  • A copy of any paperwork you plan to ask a counselor about; you cannot expect the counselor to speak intelligently to you about a document that cannot be reviewed.

The counselors recommend you start a notebook or file to contain all of your documents relating to the administrative (non-coursework) counseling and academic advising sessions (including Orientation). You can then grab this notebook before visiting your counselor and know you have any documentation you may need.

It depends on many factors...how many hours a week you work, what other responsibilities you have in your life, your academic/study skills, etc.

Some students must be full time (12 credit hours) to stay on their parents insurance, play a sport or meet financial aid or scholarship requirements. If you take 12 credit per semester, you will be expected to do an additional 24-36 hours of homework. Going to school full time is a full time job!

The minimum to be considered full time in fall and spring is 12 credit hours. In summer it is 6 credit hours for a mini-term or 12 credit hours for the full term. However, it is recommended that you plan out your entire program to determine how long it would take you to graduate in your program of study based on the number of classes you take each term.

Almost every major at the four-year level requires some transfer specific elective courses They are taken within your A.A. program of study. They vary by major and may be as few as one or two or as many as eight or more courses. In some cases (i.e., limited access programs), you may be denied admission to the major at the university if you don't have the transfer specific courses. One place to find the transfer specific courses (pre-requisites) for your intended major in the state of Florida is www.flvc.org.

Click on “My Portal Pal” and then search by alphabetical order. You can then locate your intended major and view the transfer specific courses.

Private Institutions: Click on the ICUF Articulation Manuals.

Transfer specific courses / electives can also be found in the college catalogs and on the websites of the four-year institution that you plan to attend.

If you have accessed these resources, but still have difficulties, print out what you have found and meet with a counselor.

Generally, the sooner you make a choice of major the better - as long as you are sure you've taken into consideration all the factors involved.

Visit the Career Services page on the Web.

Schedule a career counseling session with a Advisor

An A.A. degree guarantees that you will be admitted to a State university in Florida, though not to a particular university or major. If the major is classified as "limited access" by the university, you must meet specific admissions criteria (e.g., transfer specific courses, GPA, early admissions deadlines, etc.) in order to be considered for acceptance.

Effective with fall 2014 admission, two years of the same foreign language in high school or two semesters of the same foreign language in college is required for the AA. ASL counts as a foreign language.

Be certain to have taken all the courses and/or transfer specific courses required for your degree and major.

Begin the transfer process six to nine months before you plan to go to the university (sooner if your major is "limited access").

Be sure to send your college transcripts.

Utilize Flvc.org for admissions and transfer information for the state university of your choice.

Three times total. The third attempt will be at the out-of-state tuition rates.

Any student can take advantage of SJR State's forgiveness policy. This policy allows you to retake the same course (within the limitations explained in the previous question) and only have the last grade you earn count in your GPA. The earlier grade will still remain on your transcript even though it is not included in the GPA calculation.

If you were in the hospital, transferred by the military or otherwise affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can petition by writing a letter to the VP of Student Affairs to be dropped or withdrawn from the course. A petition form is available in the Counseling Offices.

DROP During 1st week of classes (see College Calendar)
• Receive refund (if applicable)
• May be done online
• Does not appear on transcript
• Does not affect GPA
•  Does not count as an attempt

WITHDRAW After 1st week of classes (see College Calendar)
• No refunds
• May be done online
• Will appear as a "W" on transcripts
• Does not affect GPA
• Counts as an attempt

Fifteen (15) credit hours or Twenty-five (25) percent of your degree program must be completed at SJR State to receive a degree.

If you fail to achieve a 2.0 in a given term, you will be placed on probation. You will continue to be on probation as long as a) you obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for the each term of enrollment and b) until such time your overall GPA reaches a 2.0.

You may be placed on Academic Suspension if you were on Probation last term and failed to achieve a 2.0 the following term.

If you are academically suspended, you will not be permitted to enroll for one full term (Fall, Winter or Summer).

Upon reentry following suspension, you must maintain a 2.0 or you will be academically dismissed for three years.

It could be. Financial aid recipients must maintain a 67% completion rate on all courses attempted. The Counseling Office highly recommends you discuss your financial aid issues with Financial Aid prior to dropping or withdrawing from a course.