Academic AdvisingFor Summer O
Training Date: April 2015
Online Training developed by Barbara Cobb, Coordinator for Academic Advising
and the Advising Committee
Emre Bahadir, Lori Ballard, Gina Claywell, Renae Duncan, Linda Johnsonius, Felecia Jones, Ryan Morrow, Frank Pleban, Olympia Stewart, Ed Thome,
Janice Vaughn, Carolyn Weber, Peggy Whaley
All Summer O Advisors: please see the Summer O website and complete the following Academic Advising training.
Purpose of this Training:
• to familiarize Summer O Academic Advisors with Summer O Itinerary
• to review the purpose of and policies and procedures for Summer O Advising
• to train new and experienced advisors to ensure effective Summer O Advising
• to provide Academic Advising information for use at all Summer O sessions
Summer O Dates:17 April Honors
Summer O18 April Session
104 June Session
206 June Session
324 June Session
415 July Session
507 August Session 6
Transfer Orientations are scheduled for 17 April, 06 June, 24 June, 15 July, 07 August. Transfer students should NOT expect to receive
Academic Advising at Transfer O. Transfer students are referred to Academic Advisors as soon as they are admitted.
Summer O Itinerary:7:30–8:45 AM Check In; Placement Testing;
Browsing Session9:00-9:30 AM Opening Session9:30-9:50 AM Housing and Dining Services
Session9:50-10:30 AM Intro to Academic Life Session10:45 12:30 PM Academic Advising Sessions12:30-1:15 PM Lunch1:30-3:00 PM Summer O Counselor Session3:15-4:30 PM Student Resources Session 4:30 PM Check Out
Academic Life Session Content:
Provost’s WelcomeUniversity Studies Requirements
Area, Major, MinorRACR Degree Audit
The Role of the Academic AdvisorDual Credit/AP Courses and Advising/Scheduling
Summer O Advising LogisticsConsent to Release Form
The Academic Life session should help to prepare students and families for advising and scheduling during the
Academic Advising sessions that follow immediately afterward. Advisors are welcome to attend the Academic Life session.
Student Summer O Booklet: What’s In It for Advisors
Change of Area/Major Form
List of Areas/Majors/Minors
How to Register for Classes
Testing and Placement Information
Scheduling Worksheet
AP/Dual-Credit Worksheet
Booklet also includes sticker with scores and placement information. Scores and placement information also available on myGate
Teaching/Advising tab.
Be sure that students are enrolled in ALL required developmental courses.
Students who do not complete developmental courses in first
semesters of enrollment are at high-risk for low retention. RACR provides general information on Specially Required University Studies courses and pre- and co-requisites for
specific areas/majors/minors.
Summer O is a Recruitmentas well as an
Orientation/Registration Event: We need to ensure that
every student at Summer O is a Racer in August.
A good experience at Summer O, especially with Academic Advising
and Scheduling, will help to achieve this goal.
Strategies for Summer O Advising:Know your program.
Be positive and supportive. If you don’t have answers,
connect advisees to those who do have answers.
Be prepared. Prepare for as many challenges
as you can anticipate. Be sure that every student has a schedule.
Summer O Advising 10:45-NoonEvery program must be represented.
All students
meet with Academic Advisors,
get or make schedules, inc. CRN #s for each class, as well as alternative classes,
and register. Each advising unit should set its own policies.
Some advisors forbid cell phone use; others have students with smart phones register using their phones.
Family members will NOT be with advisees for Academic Advising.
What you need BEFORE Summer O Advising:
RACR / Academic Plans / Sample Schedules
Schedule of Classes / Classes AvailableStudent Test Scores and Placement
Info2015-16 Univ Studies and Area/Major
requirements, inc. prerequisitesPre-plan as much as possible
What your Students Need During Advising/Scheduling:
Academic Plans for Area/Major or RACR
Classes, with CRN #sAlternatives, with CRN #s
Be sure that representatives of all programs are available until all advisees have registered.
Coordinate within your college/department to provide the needed coverage.
Students will go to Lunch after they have registered for classes.
“15 to Finish”15 credit hours per semester toward
Area, Major/Minor, University Studies= 120 hours in 8 semester
= Graduation in 4 yearsMost students should register for
at least 15 credit hours/semester. Some exceptions apply. Know the norms for your program.
Be sure that all first-year students are enrolled in the 100T (formerly 099) section for your program. If unsure whether advisee needs a 100T, check the advisee’s RACR.
Plan for:Students who need developmental classes
If a student needs developmental coursework to achieve pre-requisites or meet admissions conditions, be sure that the student is enrolled in these classes, and have a plan to
help the student to progress toward graduation.
Plan for: Students who have prior credit
Some students may arrive with AP or Dual Credit that places them into advanced classes; have a plan for these students
so that they may take advantage of advanced standing.Placement scores are available to Chairs before Summer O;
day-before and day-of scores arrive as soon as available. Know who will have this information for your program.
Placement and Testing InformationTesting Link on Summer O site
Developmental Course Requirements and Placement Charts on myGate,
Teaching/Advising tabAP Equivalencies linked here
CLEP Testing through Testing CenterCLEP Equivalencies linked here
Modern Languages Online TestingB.A. Degree: complete ONE language
through 202 level(Language not offered at MSU WILL transfer in as MLA 201/202:
this sequence satisfies the requirement as well)
Link to Placement HERE (scroll down)
Fee for test (requires credit card payment)
Scores available immediately
Test scores valid for 1 year
NOTE: some non-B.A. students are required to take Modern Language (101/102) as part of Conditional Admission.
Advanced Placement• If student does not have AP scores “in hand”
or already on file:schedule must be established based on scores “in hand”/on file
• Use the form included in the Summer O Booklet to provide instructions for drop/add once
scores arrive (be sure to provide student with chair or advisor
contact info for questions) (be sure scores are submitted to MSU)
• AP Equivalencies listed here
Dual-Credit Courses• With Supporting Docs, Use Override
Transfer Center RACR will include Transfer classes already
evaluated. Look closely at the Unrestricted Electives: Additional Hours section at the bottom of the RACR for classes that might
not have been evaluated appropriately. Use Course Exception form to substitute
these for required courses or contact the Transfer Center if the course should be equivalent to an MSU course. for Transferring Classes resource HERE
If a student has a transcript from another school, you may be able to determine
equivalencies using this tool. If courses are not listed, contact the
Transfer Center for evaluation. If Transfer Evaluation has not been
completed, use Override
Transfer Center Transferring Classes resource: click HERE
If courses are not listed, contact the Transfer Center for evaluation.
If Transfer Evaluation has not been completed but requirement is satisfied
and needed as a pre-requisite, use Override.
Chairs and Deans have Override authority. Representatives from the Registrar’s Office are available in every college/school.
Honors Program• Honors Program students MUST take
AT LEAST ONE Honors Sequence course per semester until the Honors Sequence is complete. Student will be dropped from the Honors Program if this requirement is not met. Note: ENG 150 is an Honors Sequence course.
• Honors Sequence REPLACES University Studies for students in the Honors Program• For Honors Program students, RACR Audit includes only
the Honors Sequence and not University Studies. Many programs have additional requirements (inc. pre-requisites); Honors Program are not exempt from these requirements. •ASK advisees to self-identify as Honors Program!
Summer O Academic Advisorsare important in making sure
that each advisee will be a Racer this August.
Every moment of Summer O makes a difference.
Make every moment a positive one, no matter how challenging.
Academic Advising WebsiteHow to Read a RACR for Students and Advisors
Registration 101 for Academic Advisors
QuickLinks for Academic Advising
and much more!
Be sure that students know that this information is available.
Students should have CONTACT INFORMATION for someone in your program (someone available in summer).
Checklist:
1) Connection: connect student to program, area/major: make sure student has contact info for at least one person.
2) Registration: help student to create a schedule with CRN #s and to register for classes inc. any needed developmental classes.
3) Adjustments: make sure that student knows what to do when test scores and placements are complete or something else changes.
If you need additional content or information for Summer O Academic Advising,
please e-mail Dr. Barbara CobbCoordinator of Academic Advising
Resources to supplement this training will be postedon the Academic Advising website.