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Academic & Career Center
Advising FAQs

1. How am I assigned an academic advisor?
   Upon entering Wesleyan, you were randomly assigned to a Freshman Seminar Group. Each group has a Freshman Seminar Leader who conducts the class, which lasts for the duration of the fall semester. At the conclusion of Freshman Seminar, the student is asked to state his/her preference for a particular advisor within a major department. If the student is undeclared, he/she remains with the Freshman Seminar leader until the point of major declaration.

2. How many hours must I have earned (passed) before I am considered a sophomore (or junior or senior)?

29 or fewer	30 - 59	60 - 89	90 or more
credit hours	credit hours	credit hours	credit hours
Freshman	Sophomore	Junior	Senior

 

3. When do I meet with my advisor?
   You are encouraged to meet with your advisor whenever you have concerns about your academic progress or adjustment to college life. Your advisor can help you resolve difficulties and may refer you to additional resources on campus. You must meet with your advisor at least twice per year during preregistration.

4. What is preregistration and when does it take place?
   Preregistration is the period of time in the semester during which currently enrolled students sign up for the next semester's courses. Around the first of March, students begin preparation for registering for the next academic semester (fall). First semester freshmen register for spring semester during a designated time period in the fall semester. All students meet with their academic advisors before they register for courses. It is important that you meet with your advisor even if you already have met with a different staff person who helped you plan courses. Your advisor is required to sign the trial schedule form which must be submitted to the Academic & Career Center to finalize your preregistration.

5. What are progress reports?
   During the fall and spring semesters, progress reports are sent to students whose academic work is evaluated as deficient (grades of D or F) during the first five weeks of classes. Progress reports do not become a part of student's permanent record, but are indicators that immediate corrective action is needed. Copies of these reports are sent to the student, to the faculty advisor, and to the designated parent or guardian (unless the student is formally identified as having independent status).

6. How will my grades be reported?
   At the end of each semester, summer term and May Term, the College issues a report of each student's grades. Copies of these reports are sent to the student, to the faculty advisor, and to the designated parent or guardian unless the student is formally identified as having independent status.

7. I want to take a summer course at another college over the summer, but how will I know if it will transfer back to Wesleyan?
   Wesleyan students who wish to complete work toward a Wesleyan degree at another institution must receive approval for specific courses prior to enrollment. This guarantees that they will be accepted by the College and satisfy intended degree requirements. The Academic & Career Center is responsible for the evaluation and acceptance of transfer credit.

8. Even though I study and study I am still struggling in one of my courses. What should I do?
   The first thing you should do is meet with your professor during his/her office hours. He or she will probably have some suggestions for you about how to study the material and what to emphasize. If you have recently taken a test or quiz, you can ask whether he or she would be willing to go over some of the questions you got wrong.
   Secondly, meet with your academic advisor about the many resources on campus that are available to you. These include the walk-in tutor schedule, the Student Academic Support Services program, the Math Lab, the Writing Center or the Counseling and Wellness Center.

9. When do I have to declare a major?
   As a rule of thumb, by the time a student reaches the end of the first semester of the sophomore year or has earned 45 semester hours, he or she should be confident about a choice of major. Declaring a major after this point might impact your plan of graduating in four years.

10. How do I declare/change a major?
    When you are ready to declare a major, a change of major/advisor form must be completed in the Academic & Career Center. A declaration or change of major is usually accompanied by a change of advisor to a faculty member in the major department. Completion of this form initiates notification to the previous advisor and a transfer of student advising records to the new advisor.

11. I don't really know what I want as a major. What should I do if I am undeclared?
    If you are a freshman, relax and realize that many students at this point are unsure of their major or change from the major they originally declared. However, if you are anxious about your status, or if you are a sophomore and still unsure, you can pursue a number of options to assist you in clarifying your goals.
    
    Talk with your academic advisor about your interests and strengths. Take advantage of the excellent programs and workshops offered by the Academic & Career Center. Enroll in Freshman/Sophomore Career Planning (COLL-150), a one-credit six week course offered each semester. Confer with an Academic & Career Advisor about taking a career inventory. Browse through the Career Library for information on a career option or summer job possibility. Explore a part-time job opportunity or an informal "shadow" internship that will help you explore an area that interests you. Canvas family members and friends to find out how they made decisions about their majors and/or careers. Surf the Internet for career related information, like the on-line Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm.

12. How do I calculate my GPA?
    A student's grade point averge (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of graded semester hours for which the student has registered. Courses from which the student has withdrawn officially, courses in process, and courses in which a grade of Pass was earned are not included in this computation.
    

    Grade	Quality Points	(per hour)
    A	4
    A-	3.67
    B+	3.33
    B	3
    B-	2.67
    C+	2.33
    C	2
    C-	1.67
    D+	1.33
    D	1
    D-	.67
    F	0

    Example: 3 cr course x A- (3.67) = 11.01 QP
    Quality points divided by hours=GPA
    

13. What if I don't get all the classes I want?
    At some point during your four years at Wesleyan, you won't get all of your first choice classes; therefore, it is important to identify several alternate selections. If you can't get into a course during the initial registration period, try adding the course during the schedule change period or during the registration session for that particular semester. When registering for courses keep in mind the following:
    *Space in some courses is reserved for specific majors in order to accommodate need
    *Eligibility for a course is based upon the course number (see course numbering system)
    *Date in which trial schedule was submitted
    *Course prerequisites