As everyone has learned from earlier posts, Letter and Sciences' students actually break down into several different groups including "Undecided," "Undeclared," "Non-Degree Seeking" (students who already have BA degrees and may be trying to get entry into medical school, for example, by taking a few extra courses), "Golden ID" (retired community members who can take a course for free during the semester), and "High School Concurrent" students (high school students who are exceptionally bright and are allowed to take one course at Maryland while still attending high school).
In particular, I want to discuss "Undeclared and Undecided" students in this blog. These are the bulk of our advising caseload students in any given semester.
"Undeclared" students are those that have a particular "Limited Enrollment Program" (LEP) in mind; they have already decided on a major, so it's just a matter of earning access to the major, thus making them "undeclared."
What is an LEP?
LEPs are competitive majors at the University of Maryland that control enrollment numbers to maintain program quality. Once a student has earned 45 credits, he/she must have successfully completed a specific set of courses called "gateway" requirements in order to enter one of the programs. See my earlier blog for more specifics:What is a Limited Enrollment Program?
DECLARE or NOT DECLARE? Students who have met all the prerequisite course and GPA requirements are asked to declare their chosen LEP major as soon as possible and by all deadlines set by the Admissions Office or those of the major department themselves.
All students MUST declare a major at Maryland before they reach their 60th credit. If a student fails to declare his or her major before the end of his or her sophomore year (year 2), they will be blocked from making any changes to their upcoming registration--or be blocked from registering at all until they have declared a major. Students who seek a Limited Enrollment Program are constantly reminded to have an "alternative" or "parallel," non-LEP major in mind at all times in the event they do not gain entry into their first choice. Many students remain stubborn at looking beyond their primary major choice; but, if that choice is an LEP, LTSC advisors will insist students have an alternative major in mind.
"Undecided" All of this bring me to my main concern of this post...the "undecided" student. Students in LTSC who are truly undecided in their majors need to make efforts on several fronts during their freshman and sophomore years.
A. They should use CORE (General Education) requirements to "explore" different majors and/or course material. In a perfect world, a student could continue doing this until he or she finally decided which major was a best fit for him or her. However, the University, advisors, parents, the State of Maryland and students themselves all want students to graduate in four years, whenever possible. Obviously, there are big financial and personal issues attached to this goal. The institution has no desire to keep students in school longer than necessary, as seats in courses and rooms in housing are always issues. It's of utmost interest of all concerned to have students graduate in a timely fashion. The hard truth of the matter is that CORE exploration is only valid for a small bit of time, and students must do much more than just explore classes in making their "major" choice. This is just one piece of the puzzle.
B. LTSC requires that all students complete an "Exploration Exercise" each semester they are not declared, especially when they are undecided in their major. From everything we know about these students (remember Millennial students?), and even among their many, many strengths, they can sometimes be horrible decision makers. Only by gathering as much information as possible can students finally feel comfortable at making a decision in regard to major. For this reason, LTSC asks that students seek out that information on their own. This means navigating the campus, collating vast pieces of information and working with their advisor to arrive at a final decision. From taking certain 1-credit courses, to visiting professors, to seeking help from the Counseling Center, to visiting the Career Center, students are completely responsible for making connections on campus, gathering information, and speaking to their advisor about what they've found. This is a huge developmental step for our students, and we work hard to make sure that even when it seems difficult, they reach out for more information!
C. Continue seeing their advisors on a regular basis. Advisors are non biased advocates for students; we're also great listeners and can often reflect back to a student what they've begun piecing together on their search. What do advisors do? Advisors know the ropes. They can explain how academic policy works and how students should navigate different issues that may arise. The point students toward the resources discussed above. They help students learn strategies which will make them successful. The empower students to make wise decisions. They care enough to be honest with students, and they'll let students know when plans do not look attainable; at the same time, they'll cheer a student on who needs the extra encouragement.
DECLARE or NOT DECLARE? As a rule of thumb, I ask my students if they are 51% sure about a major. If they say yes, and it's a non-LEP major they have in mind, I usually ask them to make the leap and declare the major. This process is typically started by visiting the departmental advisor in the major a student has interest. (It may start with attending a "Change of Major" program in the chosen field. Each department is different and students just have to explore which majors do what in terms of declaration.) I feel it's important for students to declare earlier rather than later because (1) they'll have an academic "home" of sorts, (2) they'll be in contact with an advisor who is an expert at all the years in the major (remember, LTSC advisors are good for about the first two years in any major), and finally (3) students will have a sense of having made a choice and then discovering if it is a good one. In most cases, they can still change their mind later with proper planning.
If it's a non-LEP, I think students should take a CORE course in that major and then go for it, declaring as soon as they can. If it's an LEP major, then the process takes a bit longer...but, again, students should always be ready with alternative...just in case!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Academic Advisor Assignments for Students
All students in Letters and Sciences have assigned academic advisors. This academic advisor will become the student's point of contact for advising and a resource for direction to many other campus offices. It is a student's responsibility to stay in contact with his or her advisor during the upcoming semesters; however, advisors will from time to time send emails out alerting students to their responsibilities in regard to academic planning. All advising takes place through individual, one-on-one appointments. We do not offer walk-in service to students, as walk-in advising does not fulfill the need of students and advisors. It's much better for students to have a specific time with their advisor, where the advisor's focus will be completely on the students he or she may have in the office.
Who is My Advisor? (Assignment of Advisor Caseloads)
Academic Advisors call the group of students assigned to them "advising caseloads." It just means the specific group of students for which the advisor is responsible. The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) recommends University advisors average about 300 students per academic advisor. Because of the nature of our students (first-year, undecided, etc.) our academic advisors have caseloads even smaller than the recommended amount. This means that freshmen students at Maryland in LTSC have even more access to their advisor than the national average...if students take advantage of the program. Advising in Letters and Sciences is mandatory. Planning is important!
When Do I Hear About the Name of My Advisor?
On Monday, September 19th, caseloads will be set for the upcoming semester. Typically, the academic advisor assigned to a student will remain with them through the student's time in LTSC. Occassionally, a staff member may move on to another position at Maryland or beyond the University and that student will be reassigned to another academic advisor with our office. Regardless, it is at this point (when an advisor first introduces herself or himself) that a student "has an advisor" and can make an appointment to speak with his or her advisor when he or she wishes to do so.
During the week of September 19th, every advisor in LTSC will be sending emails out to their caseloads. The letter they send will look something like this:
With that letter, the stage is set. Students now have academic advisors, are aware they will have responsibilities for the semester, and should work on those planning steps early in the semester.
What Happens During Appointments?
Generally, students will have at least 2 appointments their first semester at Maryland. The first appointment tends to be one in which the advisor and student get to know each other, the advisor outlines what the assignments are to be completed by the student and any initial questions are asked and answered. It takes one half hour, and students are reminded that they can come back in as much as they wish and for as many times as they make appointments.
During the second appointment, students usually have completed a "four semester plan" and "exploration activity." The advisor and student talk about the academic plans; and, in most cases, the advisor then clears a student's "registration block" so that student is able to register when his or her assigned time comes up later in the semester.
I will discuss these appointments in more detail in a future blog.
For now, the biggest thing an advisor wants to do is introduce themselves to their new students and ask that those students begin making their first appointments. It's often difficult to get many of these students in early, as they do not know the value of this piece of their planning while at the University.
The second thing a student soon realizes is that Academic Advisors are NOT High School Guidance Counselors. Academic Advisors will NOT pick courses for a student, pick majors for students or complete any work for a student. Advisors will point out to a student the resources he or she will need to complete a "four semester plan" and "exploration exercise," but advisors do not perform this work themselves. Students must take this first step in being accountable for their academic experience and learn how to plan for future courses, make "major" decisions and pull together all the resources they need to so by themselves. It's assured an academic advisor will be available to assist students in synthesizing what students are discovering as they move through the journey, but at no time will the advisor take over the reigns of that process.
**NOTE** Students in UNIV100 may not necessarily be required to see their academic advisor twice through individual appointments, although the opportunity is always there for a student. Because these students see their advisors in class (UNIV100) each week, much of the advising work is already being done as a part of the course. **NOTE**
Who is My Advisor? (Assignment of Advisor Caseloads)
Academic Advisors call the group of students assigned to them "advising caseloads." It just means the specific group of students for which the advisor is responsible. The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) recommends University advisors average about 300 students per academic advisor. Because of the nature of our students (first-year, undecided, etc.) our academic advisors have caseloads even smaller than the recommended amount. This means that freshmen students at Maryland in LTSC have even more access to their advisor than the national average...if students take advantage of the program. Advising in Letters and Sciences is mandatory. Planning is important!
Advising appointments early in the semester is key! Because students have some advising assignments to perform during the semester, and because schedules fill up extensively late in the semester, students who attend to advising responsibilities early have very little concerns when it's time to register for the following semester.
When Do I Hear About the Name of My Advisor?
On Monday, September 19th, caseloads will be set for the upcoming semester. Typically, the academic advisor assigned to a student will remain with them through the student's time in LTSC. Occassionally, a staff member may move on to another position at Maryland or beyond the University and that student will be reassigned to another academic advisor with our office. Regardless, it is at this point (when an advisor first introduces herself or himself) that a student "has an advisor" and can make an appointment to speak with his or her advisor when he or she wishes to do so.
During the week of September 19th, every advisor in LTSC will be sending emails out to their caseloads. The letter they send will look something like this:
Introduction Email
Dear Student,
My name is xxxxx xxxxxxx, and I will be your academic advisor in Letters and Sciences (LTSC). Please read the entire email to ensure that you get all the necessary information.
All students in LTSC are on mandatory advising. Depending on your status, students are required to meet with me at a minimum of one, two or three times. Please read below to see which category you fall into as well as additional requirements:
My name is xxxxx xxxxxxx, and I will be your academic advisor in Letters and Sciences (LTSC). Please read the entire email to ensure that you get all the necessary information.
All students in LTSC are on mandatory advising. Depending on your status, students are required to meet with me at a minimum of one, two or three times. Please read below to see which category you fall into as well as additional requirements:
- · New to UM (freshman or transfer) and those with fewer than 30 credits:
o At least two (2) appointments
o Four semester plan, http://ltsc.umd.edu/FourSemPlan.pdf
o Exploration activity, http://ltsc.umd.edu/exploration.pdf
§ If enrolled in UNIV100, CPSP118_, HONR100, GEMS100, HHUM105, HEIP100, HDCC105 you are exempt from this.
- Continuing students (not in your first semester) and with 30 or more credits
- At least one (1) appointment
- Current/accurate four semester plan. See http://ltsc.umd.edu/FourSemPlan.pdf if you need to revise.
- New exploration activity as discussed with your advisor
- Change of major plan (for those approaching 60 credits)
- · Probation or Dismissal students:
o At least three (3) appointments – schedule first appointment by 9/28/2011
o Updated four semester plan, http://ltsc.umd.edu/FourSemPlan.pdf
o New exploration activity, http://ltsc.umd.edu/exploration.pdf
Please call 301-314-8418 to schedule your appointment as soon as possible; the sooner you see me, the better. Bring with you the forms indicated above. Please note that I do not make appointments via email and if you are unable to make a scheduled advising appointment, call and cancel your appointment in advance. If you are 10 or more minutes late for your appointment you will be required to reschedule. Please look for weekly advising emails that will include important dates, academic policies, winter/summer course information and available campus workshops.
In the meantime, please email me any questions or concerns that you may have. I look forward to seeing you very soon.
With that letter, the stage is set. Students now have academic advisors, are aware they will have responsibilities for the semester, and should work on those planning steps early in the semester.
What Happens During Appointments?
Generally, students will have at least 2 appointments their first semester at Maryland. The first appointment tends to be one in which the advisor and student get to know each other, the advisor outlines what the assignments are to be completed by the student and any initial questions are asked and answered. It takes one half hour, and students are reminded that they can come back in as much as they wish and for as many times as they make appointments.
During the second appointment, students usually have completed a "four semester plan" and "exploration activity." The advisor and student talk about the academic plans; and, in most cases, the advisor then clears a student's "registration block" so that student is able to register when his or her assigned time comes up later in the semester.
I will discuss these appointments in more detail in a future blog.
For now, the biggest thing an advisor wants to do is introduce themselves to their new students and ask that those students begin making their first appointments. It's often difficult to get many of these students in early, as they do not know the value of this piece of their planning while at the University.
The second thing a student soon realizes is that Academic Advisors are NOT High School Guidance Counselors. Academic Advisors will NOT pick courses for a student, pick majors for students or complete any work for a student. Advisors will point out to a student the resources he or she will need to complete a "four semester plan" and "exploration exercise," but advisors do not perform this work themselves. Students must take this first step in being accountable for their academic experience and learn how to plan for future courses, make "major" decisions and pull together all the resources they need to so by themselves. It's assured an academic advisor will be available to assist students in synthesizing what students are discovering as they move through the journey, but at no time will the advisor take over the reigns of that process.
**NOTE** Students in UNIV100 may not necessarily be required to see their academic advisor twice through individual appointments, although the opportunity is always there for a student. Because these students see their advisors in class (UNIV100) each week, much of the advising work is already being done as a part of the course. **NOTE**
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
What is a "Limited Enrollment Program"?
For some freshmen, admittance to the University of Maryland does not include direct admission to a chosen academic program. In these cases, students are assigned to Letters and Sciences advising until they are able to apply for a second time as an "internal transfer" (meaning from college to college) to the major of their choice.
What are Limited Enrollment Programs?
One of the questions we hear over and over again are about these "Limited Enrollment Programs." We call them "LEPs." What are they? LEPs are competitive majors at the University of Maryland that control enrollment numbers to maintain program quality. Once a student has earned 45 credits, he or she must have successfully completed a specific set of courses called "gateway" requirements in order to enter a LEP. Typically, students in Letters and Sciences enter their chosen LEP (if they qualify) in the semester in which they reach their 60th credit. By taking, on average, 15 credits per semester, students earn their 60th credit by the end of their second academic year. It's important to note that students with AP credit are already ahead of the game when it comes to an average of 15 credits per semester. Remember that in making that "average," we don't assume AP credits, transfer credits or credits taken during any upcoming winter or summer term.
Out of over 100 majors offered at Maryland, there are 10 LEP programs on campus which qualify as Limited Enrollment Programs: Architecture; Business; College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences and Policy-Biodiversity and Conservation); Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Engineering; Government and Politics; Journalism; Landscape Architecture; and Psychology.
What are the rules for getting into the Limited Enrollment Programs?
For most of the majors, it's a straight forward process--students simply need to take the pre-requisite courses over two years, attain the major's specific GPA requirement and continue at Maryland, declaring into the major. During the process, the courses students take while in LTSC are almost always exactly the same courses students in the major are actually taking at the same time. Along the way, LTSC students are also taking CORE (general education) requirements as are students in the LEP majors already. (There are very few exceptions including ENES100 for Engineering or COMM107 for Business. Once in the programs, students will take those courses if not before.)
To see the specifics for any of the LEP majors, simply go to www.lep.umd.edu and view the .pdf documents for chosen majors. Be sure to look for the requirements under "Transfer Student" or "Internal Transfer Student." These outline what the student will be taking during their time in LTSC. If the major is not competitive, and the student meets the requirements, they'll gain access to the major.
Two programs are "competitive" in nature due to space availability in the programs, Business and Architecture. With these two majors, students should not only meet the GPA requirements set forth, they'll need to present other credentials including co-curricular involvement, leadership experience, and honors and awards. Letters of recommendation are also accepted for consideration for entry into the majors. For the Business major, students also submit a resume and letter detailing their accomplishments and experience with their applications.
From orientation on, students are told where to find information about LEPs and how to plan on accessing the major of their choice. If they plan correctly, and they attain the grades required, they get into the major. If students stay in touch with their advisors, and keep them abreast of any change of plans students may have, advisors will do their best to work with students on a timely declaration of major.
Advisors work hard with this group of students, and LTSC insists that all students have an "alternative" or "parallel," non-LEP major in mind as they move forward. In the event a student comes up on 60 credits without having completed requirements for the LEP, they must declare the alternative major while they continue their work.
As you see, it's a pretty straightforward process! If you have any questions, comment below!
What are Limited Enrollment Programs?
One of the questions we hear over and over again are about these "Limited Enrollment Programs." We call them "LEPs." What are they? LEPs are competitive majors at the University of Maryland that control enrollment numbers to maintain program quality. Once a student has earned 45 credits, he or she must have successfully completed a specific set of courses called "gateway" requirements in order to enter a LEP. Typically, students in Letters and Sciences enter their chosen LEP (if they qualify) in the semester in which they reach their 60th credit. By taking, on average, 15 credits per semester, students earn their 60th credit by the end of their second academic year. It's important to note that students with AP credit are already ahead of the game when it comes to an average of 15 credits per semester. Remember that in making that "average," we don't assume AP credits, transfer credits or credits taken during any upcoming winter or summer term.
Out of over 100 majors offered at Maryland, there are 10 LEP programs on campus which qualify as Limited Enrollment Programs: Architecture; Business; College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences and Policy-Biodiversity and Conservation); Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice; Engineering; Government and Politics; Journalism; Landscape Architecture; and Psychology.
What are the rules for getting into the Limited Enrollment Programs?
For most of the majors, it's a straight forward process--students simply need to take the pre-requisite courses over two years, attain the major's specific GPA requirement and continue at Maryland, declaring into the major. During the process, the courses students take while in LTSC are almost always exactly the same courses students in the major are actually taking at the same time. Along the way, LTSC students are also taking CORE (general education) requirements as are students in the LEP majors already. (There are very few exceptions including ENES100 for Engineering or COMM107 for Business. Once in the programs, students will take those courses if not before.)
To see the specifics for any of the LEP majors, simply go to www.lep.umd.edu and view the .pdf documents for chosen majors. Be sure to look for the requirements under "Transfer Student" or "Internal Transfer Student." These outline what the student will be taking during their time in LTSC. If the major is not competitive, and the student meets the requirements, they'll gain access to the major.
Two programs are "competitive" in nature due to space availability in the programs, Business and Architecture. With these two majors, students should not only meet the GPA requirements set forth, they'll need to present other credentials including co-curricular involvement, leadership experience, and honors and awards. Letters of recommendation are also accepted for consideration for entry into the majors. For the Business major, students also submit a resume and letter detailing their accomplishments and experience with their applications.
From orientation on, students are told where to find information about LEPs and how to plan on accessing the major of their choice. If they plan correctly, and they attain the grades required, they get into the major. If students stay in touch with their advisors, and keep them abreast of any change of plans students may have, advisors will do their best to work with students on a timely declaration of major.
Advisors work hard with this group of students, and LTSC insists that all students have an "alternative" or "parallel," non-LEP major in mind as they move forward. In the event a student comes up on 60 credits without having completed requirements for the LEP, they must declare the alternative major while they continue their work.
As you see, it's a pretty straightforward process! If you have any questions, comment below!
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