Colonial Inauguration Spring 2010

Academic advising is an integral part of your university education. It will provide you with an overview of the many curriculum opportunities and requirements in your pursuit of your Bachelors degree. It will provide you with the means to explore your own strengths and interests, and guide you to those courses, research, and faculty best suited to your specific needs. Moreover, advising is an ongoing relationship with faculty, staff, and students at the University, people who will introduce you to the many facets of higher education. It is imperative that you maintain those relationships, that you heed their advice, and that you use the materials they provide you. If you do, you will enhance your education considerably.

Q: Who is my advisor?

Your advisor may be a faculty member, a full-time staff advisor, or a student peer advisor. Some advisors are assigned based on your academic discipline; others are assigned based on your year or your alphabetical listing. GW's advising systems vary from one school to another, but one of the first people you will meet when you arrive on campus will be an advisor. She or he will give you many materials, which will include the name and contact information of your specific advisor. Keep that information handy and make sure you introduce yourself to your advisor the first chance you get. If you forget the name of your advisor, contact the advising office in your school.

Q: When should I meet with my advisor?

You should meet with your advisor whenever you have a question or concern regarding your academic program. If you are uncertain whether your advisor is the correct person to talk to, meet with him/her anyway so you can be directed to the appropriate person and/or office if necessary. All first year students are required to meet with their advisor during the fall and spring semesters prior to course registration.

Q: Can I use e-mail to contact my advisor?

E-mail is the primary means of communication between you and your academic advisor. During Colonial Inauguration, you will register for an GW e-mail account and thereafter gain access to many people at the University. Additionally, you will be placed on listserves by which you will receive important information related to your academic program. Ideally, you will meet with your advisor in person on a regular basis, but e-mail will be an essential link. Use it!

Q: What are the First Year Advising Programs?

Each school at GW has a required advising program for first year students. Because these programs vary from school to school, you will receive specific information about your school's requirements during Colonial Inauguration. These programs will introduce you to many people and resources that will help you start your college studies successfully. Furthermore, these programs are integrated into your class schedule, so they will not conflict with your other courses.

Q: What do peer advisors do?

Peer advisors are upper classmen who are available to share insightful tips based on their academic experience. Peer advisors can suggest courses and professors, and offer assistance with course registration, for example. You will have varied opportunities to meet peer advisors during CI and the academic year. Be sure to ask your academic advisor for the names and contact information for the peer advisors in your school.

Q: What is an advising hold?

All freshmen are required to see their advisor to discuss selection of courses prior to registration each semester. An advising hold will prevent you from registering until you have met with your advisor, at which point it will be lifted. Remember that other holds (e.g., student accounts, library, student health, etc.) may also prevent you from registering.

Q: How do I register for classes?

Registration is completed on-line through the GWeb information system. Prior to CI, you will receive extensive information about which courses to take as well as how to register, and you will register for your courses. The registration system remains active through the summer and into the first two weeks of the semester. Thus, if you decide to change your registration, you can drop and add courses for many weeks afterwards. But, as always, you are encouraged to talk to your advisor before changing your registration.

Q: May I use a score of 4 or 5 on the English AP exam to place out of UW 20?

Students with scores of 4 or 5 on the AP exam can continue to get credit for those exams; they will show up as English 099 on their transcripts. However, these credits cannot be substituted for the literacy requirement. Students must still take UW 20 and their upper-division WID courses to satisfy the literacy requirement.

Q: How many classes do I have to take to maintain my financial aid?

To maintain federal financial aid you must be a full-time student with at least 12 credit hours per semester. If you are receiving other, institutional scholarships you may have additional requirements, usually 15 credit hours per semester. For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at 202-994-6620.

Q: If I am a full-time student, what does my tuition cover?

Full-time students are assessed tuition on a semester basis that covers 12 to 17 credit hours of course-work. If you take more than 17 credit hours in a single semester, you will be assessed additional tuition on a per credit basis. If UW 20 results in an 18th credit, you will not be charged for the additional credit hour.

Q: What is a course overload and how do I get it approved?

Eighteen credit hours or more per semester is considered an overload. Remember that you will have to pay additional tuition for all credits above the 17 hours typically allowed as a full-time student. You should always discuss such overloads with your advisor, and closely monitor your tuition bill.

Q: How do I add or drop a course after registration has closed?

To add a class after registration on-line closes - after the first two weeks of the semester - you must use the Registration Transaction Form and obtain the signature of the instructor. All completed Registration Transaction Forms should be dropped off at your school's advising office for approval.

To drop a class after registration has closed but before the end of the fourth week of class, you should use the Registration Transaction Form. To drop a course, you do not need to obtain the signature of the course instructor. Submit the completed form to your school's advising office.

Remember that you must drop and add courses on the same transaction form to make an even exchange. If you do not make an even exchange, you may incur additional tuition charges. See the Schedule of Classes for such charges.

Consult your academic advisor or the University Bulletin for information regarding changing your schedule and deadlines for withdrawing from classes. Consult the Schedule of Classes for information on financial penalties that may result from dropping or withdrawing from classes at various times during the semester.

Q: What is the difference between a drop and a withdrawal?

You may drop a class anytime during the first four weeks of classes without academic penalty, meaning the course will not appear on your transcript. If you want to leave a class after the end of the fourth week of class, it is considered a withdrawal and the class will appear on your transcript with a grade of W. Also note: The last date to withdraw from a class is at the end of the eighth week of classes.

Neither a drop nor a withdrawal is calculated into the QPI.

Q: Can I register for a class that is closed?

Only the instructor of the class or the Department Chair has the right to grant you permission to add a closed class. Usually, it is not in your interest or the instructor's to add extra students to a class. You should have a compelling reason why the instructor should add you to the roster. If approved, you must complete a Registration Transaction Form and obtain the signature of the instructor or Department Chair. Then return the form to your school's advising office.

Q: How many students will be in my classes?

You may find that some of your required freshman classes are quite large, perhaps with as many as 200 students. As you progress in your studies, your major courses will decrease in size. However, in a few cases you may find yourself in larger classes as the result of our desire to allow all of our students to benefit from our best faculty. In these and other classes you may also have follow-up discussions and laboratory sessions with highly qualified teaching assistants. CCAS Dean's Seminars have fewer than 20 students, and UW 20 sections are capped at 15 students.

Q: A friend said some classes don't count toward graduation. Is this true, and if so, what are they?

Yes, this is true. The following courses do NOT count toward your overall credits for graduation:

Exercise and Sports Activities (EXSA) courses
Proseminar on Scholarship and Advising (CCAS 001)
Some Naval Science courses

This list varies from one school to another, so it is critical you ask your advisor for the specifics for your school. Don't rely on what your friends say, since they may be enrolled in a school different from yours.

Q: I would like to take a class over the summer at a school near my home. How do I get these classes approved?

Meet with your advisor first to make sure that you will meet residency requirements for your school and/or your major. Obtain course descriptions from the institution where you would like to take summer classes. Pick up a Petition to Transfer Credit from your advisor, and take the course description of the class to the appropriate department along with the Petition to Transfer Credit for approval and signature. For example, if you would like to take a History class over the summer, you should obtain approval from the History Department. If the department approves the course, return the Petition to Transfer Credit to your advisor for further approval.

If you receive a grade of C- or higher (lower grades will not transfer), request an official transcript from the summer institution to be sent to the GW Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The credit will then be posted to your GW transcript. When planning to take classes at another institution, be aware that some universities are on a different academic calendar, and that this may affect the transfer of credits. For example, credits from schools on a quarter system will count only as 2/3 of their numerical value when transferred to GW.

You may also take GW courses during the summer that are part of the Summer Distance Learning program. These are regular GW courses available online.

Q: How do I change my major or school?

To change your school, you must file a transfer application with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. To change your major, you must complete the appropriate paperwork required by your school's advising office. In either case, you should discuss the pros and cons of changing your school or major with an academic advisor first. Such a switch will change your academic requirements and it may change your graduation date. It may also affect any scholarships you are receiving. Note that you must meet the academic requirements of your school in order to be able to transfer schools.

Q: Can I choose a second major in another School?

Bachelor of Arts students in the Columbian College, the School of Engineering, and the Elliott School may pursue a second major among these three schools. Students wishing to pursue this option must consult an advisor in the appropriate department or School first. Some second majors are restricted: Communications, Journalism, Political Communication, and English and Creative Writing. Some programs may require summer courses or a fifth year. Students cannot triple major.

Q: Can I declare a minor?

Yes. If you are interested in another field in addition to your major you can add a minor in that subject area. Majors usually require ten courses or 30 credit hours; minors, usually five or six courses, 15 to 18 credits. Discuss your interest(s) with your advisor and a faculty member in the related department early in your studies at the University.

Q: What is a Secondary Field?

A Secondary Field of Study is a minor completed in another division or school at the University. Information on course requirements for each field can be found either in the appropriate departmental section of the Bulletin, or by requesting information from the department offering the secondary field. To declare a Secondary Field, consult your academic advisor for the appropriate form and complete it with the assistance and approval of an advisor in the relevant department.

Q: How do I get my grades?

Grades are mailed to students through the Office of the Registrar at the close of each semester. Grades are also available through the GWeb information system. Grades are not given out by instructors or released over the telephone.

Q: What is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974?

As an adult and a college student, you are protected under the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment). Consequently, your academic records are confidential and will not be shared with anyone other than yourself and University staff with a need to know. If your parents wish to obtain information on your academic progress, you and your parents both must complete a statement of financial dependency, which will grant them access to your academic records. Your parents can easily obtain the necessary form from the Office of the Registrar. You may also provide explicit, written permission for your advisor to discuss any matter with your parents even if this form is not completed.

Q: Can I take a class Pass/No Pass?

Juniors and seniors in good academic standing may take one elective class per semester on a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) basis. Classes required for your major, minor, or general curriculum requirements cannot be taken Pass/No Pass.

Students who choose to audit a course attend class but are not required to complete any coursework. Audited courses are posted on transcripts without credit. Students are billed for an audited course, as they would be for any other course. Students may not repeat an audited course for credit.

Consult your advisor before registering for either Pass/No Pass or Audit.