Advising FAQ

1. Can courses taken to meet major or minor requirements also be applied to General Education Requirements?

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   Yes. If a Gen Ed course is also a required pre-requisite for the major, or if it is listed as an upper level course for the major or minor, it will meet both requirements.

2. How does a student drop a course?  
   
   The process for dropping a course depends upon when a student decides to drop. Check the current Academic Calendar for important deadlines.
   
   a) During the first 2 weeks of fall and spring semesters (the ADD/DROP period), students drop courses online at www.studentadmin.uconn.edu
   
   b) After ADD/DROP ends, students are able to drop a course during the next 7 weeks, but only with appropriate signatures. Students must do 3 things: Pick up a Schedule Change form in Registrar’s office, have the advisor sign it, and submit completed Schedule Change form in the Registrar’s office.
   
   c) After the 9th week of the semester, however, students may NOT drop a course. If there are extenuating circumstances, students may submit a Late Drop Request to Dr. Sharon White in Student Services, with appropriate documentation of their situation.

3. When does a student have to declare his/her major?
   
   Students are encouraged to apply for a major as soon as they make an informed decision of their academic and/or career interests. This can be done as soon as the end of the first semester, but it should be done by the end of the sophomore year.
   
   To apply for a major, email one of the professional advisors in the Advising Center to discuss your decision and the application process.
   
   After a student is accepted into a major s/he is assigned to a faculty advisor in the major and a relationship begins which can benefit the student in making important decisions about class selection, career options, and graduate school possibilities.
   
   Please note that with some majors, it is important to begin taking specific courses immediately as preparation for upper-level courses. Such majors as engineering, elementary education, mathematics, athletic training, business and the science majors are ‘linear’ majors that require more careful planning.

4. For students who are undecided about their majors and/or career choices, what steps should they take in making their decision?
   
   When reviewing the General Education Requirements, students are encouraged to explore areas of interest by taking introductory courses in a discipline. UCONN Stamford’s Career Center has links to great online Student Resources, including "What Can I Do This Major?”  Students can also make appointments in the Career Center to meet with a career counselor and to take an interest assessment. Also, feel free to discuss your own career path with your academic advisor, favorite instructors, family and friends.

5. If students take courses at another college, can the credits be applied to their UCONN degree?
   
   Yes, but certain factors need to be taken into consideration. Students should look at the Transfer Admission website by googling ‘transfer credits’ and search for ‘course equivalencies’ on that website. Courses taken at Connecticut colleges will be shown there along with their UCONN equivalents. Note that only courses receiving a grade of C or better can be transferred to UCONN for credit.  Grades from another school will usually not affect the UCONN GPA (only the credits transfer, not the grade). Students must have an official transcript sent to UCONN Admissions office upon completion of the class.

6. What determines whether a course is a Writing course?
   
   The Class Schedule must list the course with a ‘W” if it can be used to satisfy the Gen Ed Requirement.

7. What are the advantages and risks of repeating a course?
   
   When a student repeats a course, only the most recent grade counts toward calculating the GPA, both the cumulative GPA and major GPA calculations. The previous grade remains on the student’s transcript, since that grade is a true reflection of the student’s performance during that term. However, the last grade is the only one counted in the GPA. NOTE: This is true even when a student repeats a course that has been passed, and receives a lower grade the second time (and if the most recent grade is an F credits earned previously are taken away).