BASIC TIPS FOR SUCCESS

•  Complete all matriculation steps: Assessment, Orientation, Educational Plan and Counseling.

•  If you want Financial Aid, consult with Financial Aid and apply as soon as possible. You must complete the FAFSA form for Financial Aid. The BOGW pays for your classes and is available for students who qualify.

•  Obtain the Schedule of Classes and plan your own schedule according to the classes you need and your own activities.

•  Register, at your appointment time or later, and pay for classes within 12 calendar days.

•  Save money for books. Your financial aid funds may not be available by the first day of class.                         

•  Attend Class.

•  It is extremely important that you attend the first day of classes. If you don't, the instructor may drop you from the class and you may not be able to enroll in the class in the current semester.

•  As a general practice, an instructor may drop you from the class if you are absent more times than the number of hours the class meets in a week.

•  Instructors are not obligated to drop you from a class. If you cannot continue to attend a class, it is your responsibility to go to Admissions and Records, complete a drop form, submit it, and save your receipt.

•  You may also drop a class through the telephone or the Internet. Refunds for dropping a class are only given until the second week of classes.

•  You will need an average of two hours of schoolwork outside of class for every hour of class.

•  If you encounter difficulty in succeeding in a class, you may do one or all of the following:

•  Consult with you instructor during class or office hours

•  Consult with a learning specialist at the Learning Center

•  Find a tutor at the Learning Center

•  Attend activity groups such as the ESL Lab, conversation or writing groups (inquire at the Learning Center)

•  Consult with a counselor

•  If you have a disability, Disabled Student Services will help you.

•  Visit a counselor once a semester to update your Educational Plan and to discuss your goals and classes for the next semester.                                                                    

                                                    Created by : Luis Echeverría – Counselor                                                                       4/14/04