Freshman Alyssa Calloway faced an issue when registering for classes for the upcoming semester until she finally gave up on Point Web and visited her academic counselor.
“I knew I need help, so I went to my advisor Judy Chanyi and within two minutes I was registered for the classes I needed,” she said.
Academic Advisors at Point Park help students resolve scheduling issues in order to graduate within a reasonable time frame by providing assistance to them, but there are a variety of other tips students have learned to make sure they finish degree requirements in four years.
“We see problems like this all the time and students need not to worry.” said Chanyi, when recalling the issue, “It is our job here at the Center for Student Success to help students get and stay on the right track to graduate in four years,”
The calendar dates for registration were recently sent to students via email. Along with seniors, students apart of the Honors Program are allowed to register on March 14. Sophomores on March 17 and 18, Juniors on March 15 and 16, whereas freshman students, pending on their acquired credit hours, will be able to select classes for the fall semester on Monday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 22.
“I’m lucky to have early registration since I’m in the honors program, so it wasn’t super crazy when I was trying to make my schedule,” said Calloway.
Around registration time, many students fear not being able to take the classes they were planning to: “I’m nervous because I noticed that the GCS 215 class is only offered once this upcoming semester and that the classes are filling up quickly,” said Emily Rogers, freshman Global Cultural Studies major.
“General classes such as Math have numerous sections open in a single semester and classes for specific majors sometimes only have one section opened,” said academic advisor Emily Quidetto, “We have the ability however to open another section, but first a student needs to come see us.”
The Center for Student Success is located on the 5th floor of West Penn. Students can register here alongside their academic advisor or online via PointWeb.
At the beginning of freshman year, students are provided with a program sequence for their particular major that maps out each of their 8 semesters.
“This is very beneficial to me because is a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what I need to take and when I need to take it and this does exactly that,” said Rogers.
On the program sequence, which if not received yet can be picked up at the Center of Student Success, students will see their 120-125 credit degree requirements. 42 of these credits are known as the core and are required for all majors.
“While there are options within the core choices a student chooses to take, there may be a class that is more suitable for you major, which is why it is important to get in contact with your advisors early on,” said Jehnie Reis, assistant professor of History.
As it was in high school, GPA is an important factor that can determine your future.
“In order to receive your degree, you need at least a 2.0,” said academic advisor Matt Berwick.
For students who aren’t satisfied with their current grade markings, there are drop in tutoring sessions and a writing center at the Center for Student Success.
“Both of these are free help tailored to improve student’s grades,” said Quidetto.
Registration week is closing in. To ensure that you are picking the classes that will make and not break your next semester, here are some tips from fellow students:
“Online courses can be a blessing or a curse,” said freshman Accounting major Dontae Robinson, “While I love learning on the computer, I remember completely forgetting about my online course until a few weeks into the semester.”
“Mix up your schedule by taking courses of different subjects,” said sophomore Political Science major MaryJane Sims, “This helps because you won’t feel like you’re taking the same classes over and over.”
Remember, while asking for assistance may seem of a thing of the past. Being safe rather than sorry is a smart decision, especially when money is involved.
“We are always here to help,” said Quidetto.