Academic Advisement

ADVISING DURING ORIENTATION ◆ Meet with a faculty member or the Dean of your School, and get your class schedule. ◆ Students will be notified of their permanent advisor in the fall before registration begins for spring, or it can be found in myPSC. ◆ Learn how to use myPSC, to register for classes, change schedules, view grades and plan your academic career. ◆ Don’t worry about changing majors as the courses in your schedule this semester generally apply to all degree programs. ◆ If you’re undecided about a major, visit with the Center for Achievement and Transition Services (CATS) for help defining your interests and/or attend a seminar during your first semester. ◆ Tell us if you have early entry, dual or advanced placement credits.

ADVISING RESOURCES ◆ Resources can be found under “Academics” on the Peru

State website, www.peru.edu. ◆ Class rotation schedules are available on each School’s website that list when courses are offered on campus and online. ◆ The Undergraduate Catalog includes the degree requirements and academic policies. Policies are subject to change, so be sure to check your email or look online. ◆ Get to know your advisor and carefully consider their advice when making course selections. Don’t wait until the last minute to make this connection - talk to your advisor soon!

COMPOSITION & MATHEMATICS PLACEMENT

◆ Your initial placement in math and english courses depends on your ACT scores.

◆ Those with ACT scores of 17 or above on the english portion can take ENG 101. Those with ACT scores of 26 or above can have ENG 101 waived and take ENG 201.

◆ Those with ACT scores of 17 or better on the math portion will take MATH 110 (primarily education majors) or MATH 112 (professional studies and other majors),

MATH 114 or MATH 225 (science and mathematics).

◆ Those scoring below the minimum stated above will need to brush up on their skills with MATH and/or ENG 100.

◆ If you have any concerns about your course placement discuss them with your advisor today or with CATS staff at the start of school.

HONORS PROGRAM Admission to the Honors Program is available to incoming freshmen with strong records of academic achievement in high school. Specific admission requirements include: ◆ A composite ACT score of 24 or SAT score of 1650 or higher; or ◆ A cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and a ranking in the high school class in the top quintile (20th percentile). ◆ Honors Program courses are not necessarily harder in terms of effort, but they cover exceptionally interesting topics of an

ACADEMIC interdisciplinary nature and tend to have advanced engaging activities. ◆ Honors Program graduates have a strong edge in getting jobs and getting into graduate school. ◆ Board of Trustee Scholars and No Boundaries

Scholarship recipients must begin in the

Honors Program and complete HP 101.

ACADEMIC LOAD & PROGRESS

◆ For financial aid purposes a full-time academic load is 12 credit hours per semester. Those who want to graduate in four years should take an average of 15 hours per semester. ◆ Students may consider taking a one-credit course to reach 15 credits in a semester. Music ensembles, including choir and band, are available for one credit. Student athletes should consider registering for HPER 190, which will add one credit towards their load. ◆ Students need to earn at least 120 hours and meet the requirements of their program to graduate. ◆ A typical major is 57 hours and the General Studies Program is 40 hours, leaving at least 23 hours for electives. However, education endorsements often require more hours. ◆ Consider picking up a second major or minor (18 to 21 hours in a specific subject) when planning courses. Always check with your advisor before making changes. ◆ If you take MATH 100 and/or ENG 100, you’re limited to a maximum of 15 hours that semester. ◆ You must earn a grade of C or better in MATH 100 and/or ENG 100 to progress to the next math or english course. ◆ We discourage overloads, but you may take up to 18 hours without special permission. ◆ It is your responsibility to add, drop or withdraw from courses using myPSC before the deadlines. Find more information on the

Academic Calendar which can be found on the Academics webpage and in the College Catalog. ◆ Consider the financial impact of changing your schedule. It could affect your degree completion timeline.

ATHLETES Athletes should not schedule courses after 3:30 p.m. during the season of their sport. HPER 190 is a means of getting one elective credit for varsity sport participation. Up to 4 credits may be earned from this for the degree.

ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT FAQs

What is pre-registration and why is it important?

Pre-registration is when students are able to register for classes the semester before the classes start. It gives students the best opportunity to get enrolled in the most popular classes and sections before they are filled. Contact your advisor for details.

How do I change my major?

A student who wants to change his/her major or undeclared status should first talk to their advisor and then complete the change of major form located on the Student Records website. How do I change my advisor? A student who wants to change advisors may obtain a Change of Advisor form from their Dean’s office. The Dean’s office is responsible for transfer of student files to the new advisor.

Who is my advisor if I haven’t selected a major?

Jamie Eberly Janell Moore

CATS 204 CATS 203 402-872-2436 402-872-2369 jeberly@peru.edu jmoore@peru.edu