It’s that time of year – advising time. As you prepare to meet with students to discuss midterm grades and schedule spring courses, we’d like to address some common questions regarding the advising of freshmen students.
What are the consequences of a student dropping below 12 credits? In most cases a student can drop below 12 credits without serious consequence. Students may drop below 12 credits and still live in the dorms. However, it is important to note the following regulations. If an athlete drops below 12 credits they will no longer be eligible to play under NCAA regulations. The biggest risk of dropping below 12 credits has to do with making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). A student must complete 24 credits during the academic year in order to be considered as having made Satisfactory Academic Progress. Failure to make SAP means that the student is not eligible for many types of federal, state, or college financial aid, and that can be financially devastating to many families. If a student does not complete 24 credits during the fall and spring semesters, they can take summer courses to make up the difference. For more information about SAP go to:
http://www.lvc.edu/financial-aid/academic-progress.aspx
Where can my freshmen advisees go to get more information about how to register online? The Registrar’s Office has a webpage that provides links to many resources for registration, and it can be found at:
http://www.lvc.edu/registrar/registration-information.aspx
What should I do if my freshman advisee has poor midterm grades? As part of our retention efforts, we have identified all freshmen who have a mid-term GPA of less than 2.0. These students have received an email expressing our concern and encouraging them to be proactive and seek out assistance. This email included the following recommendations.
1) Schedule a meeting with the instructor of any class in which you have a poor grade
(a grade of C or less).
2) Consider using academic support services such as Peer Tutoring and the Writing Center.
3) Attend an academic workshop on study skills or time-management to get tips to improve
your grades.
4) Take inventory of your study habits and make adjustments as needed.
5) Make an appointment with your academic adviser to discuss any adjustments that may need
to be made to your course schedule, such as dropping a course.
6) If you’ve followed these suggestions and you feel you need more support, contact Shannon Brandt
at 867-6204 or by email at sbrandt@lvc.edu to develop an academic recovery plan and
receive additional coaching.
We hope you will review midterm grades with all your freshmen advisees, and reinforce the need for them to be proactive and seek out assistance. Students who received our email were told that ultimately, it is their responsibility to take action to improve their grades. Our job is to help guide them to additional resources they need to help themselves.
If you need assistance in dealing with a student who is struggling academically, you can contact Shannon at x6204 or sbrandt@lvc.edu.