Academic Advising

To make the most of your time during your advising appointment, we recommend that you prepare in advance.  Use the tips below to help you prepare:

• Think about what questions you might have about your academic, career, and transfer journey.  Write them down so that you can ask your advisor during your scheduled meeting.
• Make sure you can log in to your PeopleSoft student account. Can’t log in? Reset your password or reach out to the Help Desk for assistance.
• Review your PeopleSoft degree plan and make note of the requirements you still need to complete.  Don’t know how to check your PeopleSoft degree plan? Watch our helpful video on how to check your degree plan.
• Considering changing your major? Run a “What-If” Report to see how your current or past classes fit into a new major.  Don’t know how to run a “What-If” Report? Check out our how to guide on how to run a What-If Report.
• Look at the semester class schedule and make a list of possible classes you’d like to take.
• Think about your personal schedule. What obligations do you have outside of school (work, family, etc.)? How many hours per week can you devote to attending class and studying?
• Looking to transfer? Have an idea of your college needs and what you’re looking for in a transfer school.
• Exploring future careers? Complete the Focus2Careers assessments before your appointment so that you can review the results with your advisor.
• Searching for a job? Start a draft resume or jot down your work history.

At FCC, we value our students’ success. It is important for students to know the College’s policies on academic progress and how those policies affect their academic standing.

Academic Progress Review
 
Students who are working toward a degree or certificate, or who are enrolled as Open Campus, will have an Academic Progress Review after attempting a total of 12 cumulative credits to determine their current Academic Standing.

All courses attempted by a student – including developmental courses and courses in which the student earns a grade of withdraw, audit, incomplete, or in progress – are included in Academic Progress Review.

View Academic Standards Policy and the Academic Placement Procedure

Academic Standing vs. Financial Aid Standing
 
The standards for Academic Standing are different than those for Financial Aid Standing. In general, Financial Aid is stricter, as it involves free or reduced tuition. Therefore, a student may be in good standing academically, but could be on Financial Aid Probation or Suspension. If you are receiving Financial Aid, you are responsible for knowing the criteria for keeping your aid, which may vary depending on the type of aid you are receiving.

See the Financial Aid eligibility webpage for more information.

Student Success Alerts
 
Success Alerts are email notices you may receive from your instructor when there is a concern about your performance in class. Success Alerts will be sent to student's email account.

Don't ignore Success Alerts. Your instructor will list specific actions you should consider and will provide information about a variety of support services to help you.

Getting Academic Help
 
What steps should I take if I am struggling in a course and need help to be successful?

1. Talk to your instructor about the problem as soon as possible to get recommendations for how to improve in the course.
2. Seek help through the many academic support services. All College services and resources are provided FREE of charge to students.
3. Meet with your advisor to help you identify possible options, including:

• • Changing your class status from credit to audit to remove the grading pressure. This is advised if you plan to retake this course again for credit.
  • Withdrawing from the course in order to salvage your grade point average and free your time so you can do better in your remaining classes.

NOTE:

• Withdraw Dates: The last day to withdraw (or change from credit to audit) is listed in the Credit Schedule each semester.
• Financial Aid: Changing class status or withdrawing may affect your financial aid status. All students receiving financial aid should consult with the financial aid staff in Jefferson Hall (J-336) or at 301.846.2620.
• Athletes: BEFORE making changes to your schedule, all student athletes should check with the Director of Athletics to discuss the impact of withdrawing or switching to audit as either action could affect your eligibility to play sports.

Academic Calendar – The Academic Calendar provides start and end dates for each semester; the dates to drop a class and get a refund, dates the College is open and closed, the last date to withdraw for the semester, and other important dates. The Academic Calendar is published in the Credit Course Schedule each semester.

Academic Catalog – The Academic Catalog is the annual College publication that lists all majors and degrees, all courses and their descriptions, all academic and College policies, and current faculty and staff members. It is available online. Students refer to the Academic Catalog to search their major requirements and learn about College policies.

Audit – Auditing a course means enrolling in an academic course without planning to earn the credits or receive a grade.

Blackboard – Blackboard is a virtual learning environment and course management tool used by faculty to manage and deliver online and hybrid classes.

Course Descriptions – An overview of each course, including topics to be covered and pre-requisites needed to enroll in it; Course descriptions are found in the Academic Catalog and Credit Course Schedule.

Credit Course Schedule - The published schedule of classes offered each semester; gives days and times for each course along with required pre-requisites and descriptions. Students use the Credit Course Schedule to select classes and build their schedule each semester.

Credits - Credits are the number of units assigned to a course based on the number of hours spent in class. Credits can be from 1 credit for a brief, once-a-week PE course to 4 credits for a science class that meets in both a lecture and a lab section each week.

Developmental English or Math - Classes that are intended to develop students’ academic skills in preparation for college-level courses in English or Math are considered developmental. Credits are based on contact hours for tuition but do not count toward graduation as they are not college-level courses. Enrollment in developmental courses is based upon placement testing.

General Education Courses - Required courses from various academic disciplines that have been designated to provide a broad, general knowledge. General Education courses are found on the General Education Course List published in the credit course schedule each semester and in the Academic Catalog.

Major – A major is an academic area of study, also called a program of study.

New Student - A student who has not yet attended FCC, or who is beginning his/her first semester at FCC, is considered a new student.

Placement Test – A placement test is offered to provide an assessment of academic reading, writing, and/or mathematical skills to determine accurate placement of students into classes.

Pre-registration – Pre-registration is a period of time during the registration cycle when students can register for classes and pay later. All current students are encouraged to register early during pre-registration.

Registration – Registration is a period when students enroll in classes online using the PeopleSoft registration system or hand in a registration form in the Registration and Records office in Jefferson Hall (J-101).

Semester – Semesters are measured time frames for academic study. FCC has the following semesters: Fall, JTerm, Spring, and Summer.

Withdrawal – To officially establish a withdrawal from a course or courses a student wishes to discontinue attending REQUIRES that students either drop the course online, or complete the drop section of a registration form which is submitted to the Registration and Records office in Jefferson Hall (J-101). A student who stops attending a class but does not officially withdraw will receive an automatic F grade. Withdrawals must take place prior to the "last date to withdraw" listed in the Academic Calendar for each semester.