1. Choosing Your Courses and Major
Chapter 9
Choosing Your Courses and Major

2. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Prepare
9-2
Get to know your college catalog
Catalog is a legal document that offers you a contract
Provides information on
Academic regulations
Academic programs
Course listings
LO 9.1

3. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Prepare
9-3
Meet with your college advisor
Set up the meeting early in the term
Take a checklist of questions with you
Remember that ultimately you are responsible for your college career
LO 9.1

4. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Prepare
9-4
LO 9.1

5. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Organize
9-5
Examine what you have done and what you still need to do
What courses do you need to complete your degree?
Understand the requirements of your major and the requirements for graduation
Use your transcript to determine what you have completed and what still needs to be done
LO 9.2

6. Choosing Your Course, Major - Work
9-6
Choosing the next term’s courses
Schedule according to your need for core classes and electives
Decide on the best times for you to take classes
Meet with your advisor and register for your courses
Have alternative classes selected in case your first choices are not available
LO 9.2

7. 9-7
LO 9.2

8. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Evaluate
9-8
Evaluate your schedule
Are you enrolled in the courses that you think you are?
Are you enrolled in the courses you wanted?
Are the times accurate? Are there conflicts?
Are you registered for the number of credits that you need to maintain your student status for financial aid?
LO 9.2

9. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Evaluate
9-9
Correct any problems immediately
If you need to drop a course, do it officially and on time!
Determine what is the last day you can attend and still get a “W” (withdrawn) from the class instead of an F.
LO 9.2

10. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Evaluate
9-10
If you can’t get in the courses you need to graduate:
Act right away and look for a creative solution
Find other classes that are still open that meet the same requirement
Speak with your advisor and with the course instructor
Consider taking a required course at another college, perhaps online (make sure it will transfer)
LO 9.2

11. Choosing Your Courses, Major – Rethink
9-11
Learning what you love and loving what you learn
Set aside time each month to determine if you are satisfied with the direction your college career is going in
Don’t accept dissatisfaction
LO 9.2

12. Service Learning
9-12
Engage in community service activities and get college credit
Tutoring elementary students
Volunteer at a halfway house
Volunteer as a “big brother” or “big sister”
Intern in a government office
LO 9.3

13. Service Learning Make the most of your experience Ask questions
9-13
Make the most of your experience
Ask questions
Maintain a positive outlook
Go with the flow
Keep your commitments
Keep a journal
LO 9.3

14. Choosing Your Major
9-14
It’s okay not to know right away what you want to major in
Taking a variety of classes may help you decide where your interests are
Focus on your interests
Seek the help of others – your advisor, the career center, or other students
A double major or creating your own major may be an option
Remember that learning is life-long – choosing a major does not shut out other options down the road
LO 9.4

15. Accepting Responsibility
9-15
Celebrate successes and accept responsibility for failures
Learn from your mistakes
Reflect on what went wrong, don’t spend time and energy blaming yourself or others
Seek ways to prevent a negative outcome in the future
LO 9.4