Southern Maine Community CollegeSouthern Maine Community CollegeNew Student Advising

fall2010Enrollment Services Office

www.smccME.edu

Goals

Know Your ResponsibilitiesUnderstand Registration PoliciesCreate a ScheduleBegin Course SelectionUse Web RegistrationKnow Your Next Steps

Advising Process

• Registration vs. Advising• Registration is the act of signing-up for

courses. • Advising is an on-going educational planning

process between the student and their faculty advisor including academic progress, course selection, transfer guidance, and program completion.

Your Role and Responsibilities

Get to know your advisor early in the semester .Ask questions and remember to keep all records.Share academic and personal goals with your

advisor.Bring necessary materials to advising meetings.Become familiar with the academic policies of

the college.Know your scholastic standing and GPA.Inform Enrollment Services of changes to

contact information.Accept final responsibility for all decisions.Meet with your advisor each semester.Use My SMCC, our new web portal.

Your Advisor’s Role and Responsibilities

To assist with educational planning.To clarify policies and procedures.To provide career and field information.To oversee academic progress.To connect students with campus services.

Academic PoliciesAdding, Dropping and Withdrawing from classesAdjusting your schedule by adding or dropping classes is

possible through the end of the first week of classes. Adding a class involves placing additional courses in your schedule. Dropping a class involves removing a course from your schedule without

any financial and academic penalty.The last date for dropping a standard semester course for the

fall, is Tuesday, September 7th, at 5pm. After this date no classes may be added or dropped.

Adjusting your schedule by withdrawing from a class is possible between the second and twelfth week. Withdrawing from a class involves removing a course from your schedule

and requires full payment for the course. This will result in receiving a mark of “W” on your permanent record.

This may adversely effect financial aid eligibility as well as academic standing.

It is always recommended that students discuss course adjustments with their faculty advisor.

Steps to Selecting Courses

Click here to view your program worksheet

Consider the amount of time you can dedicate to your studies:

Credit Hour – a credit hour is 50 minutes of in class time per week over a traditional 15 week semester.

Be aware that it is expected that students will spend anywhere from two to three hours in out of class work for every credit hour.

Most classes at SMCC will be three credit hours a few exceptions. For example lab sciences will require an additional one credit lab.

Determine if you want to attend full or part time:

Full-Time StatusStudents carrying 12 or more credits are considered full-

time.Full-time students are eligible to apply for Housing,

Athletics, and Full Financial Aid. Students who plan to complete a two year program in two

years will need to take at least 15 credits per semester or take Summer classes.

Part-Time StatusStudents carrying less than 12 credits are part-time.State grant eligibility is pro-rated for part-time students.Federal student loan eligibility requires 6+ credits.

Consider Class Format and LocationOn-line courses

Take place on the internet and require a moderate level of technological know how. If considering an online course, take the time to read through the linked webpage.

Off Campus LocationSMCC offers courses at a variety of locations, such

as Bath, Brunswick, Portland, Windham, and more!

Consider Academic Success Seminar (ACCS 104)

Time management. Why is it so important?

Career Exploration.Develop a resume and portfolio. Learn specific study skills and strategies.Explore the learning process.Discover your learning style.

Steps to Course Selection

Choose developmental courses first.

Your test scores, Accuplacer, SAT, etc., along with any previously completed college course work determine which, if any, developmental courses you must take.

Developmental Courses do not count toward your degree. They are pre-college level courses designed to help strengthen your academic skills and prepare you for college level work. These courses are financial aid eligible but may lengthen how long it takes to obtain your degree.

Next, look for courses listed in the recommended first semester section of your program curriculum.

Check each course to verify that all pre/co-requisites have been completed or are in progress. Pre-requisites are courses which must be taken prior to a

specific course, while co-requisites can be taken simultaneously.

If you are unable to follow the first semester recommendations, you may choose courses so long as you meet any pre/co-requisites.

Some courses are semester specific. It is recommended that you follow first semester recommendations as closely as possible.

Restricted Courses

Some courses are restricted by programIn order to register for restricted classes, you

must be accepted to the program. Some areas are listed below (subject to change). Health Science Automotive (AUTO) Communications and New Media (CNMS) Construction Technology (CONS) Electrical Engineering Technology (ELEC) Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing (HVPL & HVAC)

Competitive CoursesThough students are accepted to their chosen degree

programs, individual course registration is not guaranteed. Courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis with current matriculated students registering first, followed by new students, then the general public. Students may find that some classes, especially for those majors with limited lab capacity, are already full for the semester. In such instances, students should regularly check the online schedule for openings as there are no waitlists for full courses. Should a spot be entirely unavailable, it is recommended for students to begin with general education coursework, realizing the opportunity to register earlier in upcoming semesters as a current student.

My SMCCSMCC’s Web PortalMy SMCC provides 24/7 access to:

Web registrationYour academic recordsYour degree audit (IMPORTANT NOTE: the Degree Audit

section is currently under construction. Until it is completed, you should meet with your advisor to review your progress.)

…and much more!

The following slides will walk you through the process of accessing My SMCC and registering for classes. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with its many other features!

Steps to Using My SMCC

To begin, start at our homepage and click on “My SMCC”.

Log-in using your user name & password (see “Login Information” for instructions). If you cannot login, contact the Help Desk at 741-5696 for assistance.

On the “Home” tab, use the “College Course Schedule” portlet to either Add/Drop courses from your current schedule, or to do a Course Search.

Check the box(es) on the courses you want to add/drop, then click on the “Add Courses” and/or “Drop Courses” button to complete your registration.

Simple click “search “ from this page to see a

full list of course offerings. You can also

use the search functions to limit the course list based on days, times,

and locations.

Check the box nextto the course(s) you

would like to register for, and then

click “Add Courses”.

Familiarize yourself with My SMCC’s many other features!

View/print your:ScheduleBooklistPay your tuition bill on lineFaculty advisor informationUnofficial transcript… and more!

The following areas are under construction:Explore another majorDegree AuditFinancial Aid

Immunization RequirementsHealth Science accepts must submit all

immunization requirements to the American DataBank. It is important to note that some health programs have additional requirements such as background checks, and drug testing. Visit www.smccme.edu/adb for details.

Non Health Science accepts submit the required Immunization Verification form (found at www.smccme.edu/downloads) to SMCC’s Enrollment Services Office.

Final Steps for Student Success• Arrange payment through your Portal.• Check in with Financial Aid.• Get parking sticker & ID at Security.• Turn in proof of immunizations.• Purchase books.• For log-in assistance call our Help Desk at

741-5696 or visit their office in the Technology Center Room 102.

• Complete the New Student Online Orientation via My SMCC.

• Make any additional changes using My SMCC!