Academic Advisement at John A. Logan College

ICE Fair '11

2011-09-16T08:35:00.001-07:00

Please come join us for the Illinois College Exposition on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Approximately 50 colleges, universities, and other groups from several midwestern states will have booths set up with staff to tell you about their school. This event is designed for high school students but everyone is welcome!

The following schools are expected to be present for the ICE FAIR:

Army ROTC - SIUC, Ashford University, Barnes Jewish College -- Goldfarb School of Nursing, Benedictine University at Springfield, Blackburn College, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois College, Illinois State University, Illinois Student Assistant Commission, IUPUI, Kendall College, Knox College, Lakeview College of Nursing, Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln College, Lindenwood University - Belleville, Linn State Technical College, Maryville University of St. Louis, McKendree University, Millikin University, Missouri Baptist College, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Murray State University, Northern Illinois University, Oakland City University, Paul Mitchell the School, Quincy University, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis University, The Art Institutes, United States Air Force Academy, University of Evansville, University of Illinois at Springfield, University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign, University of Southern Indiana, William Jewell College, William Woods University, Wyo Tech

Self Registration and Advisement

2011-03-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Registering one's self for classes can be an easy or a tricky thing... depending on how well prepared one is. Here's a step-by-step procedure for successful self-registration: You need to know what you're doing! Do some homework before registering for classes.

1. What is your major? Check your curriculum guide before choosing your classes. You probably want to take classes you need rather than classes that won't count toward your degree. If you know what your major is, you can find your curriculum guide here: JALC Degrees and Certificates The curriculum guide is a list of classes you need to complete in order to earn your desired degree or certificate. If you're uncertain but want to transfer, you should use the Associate of Arts (General) or the Associate of Science (General) degree NOT the Associate in General Studies degree.

2. Look at the required classes on your curriculum guide and think about what you might want to take. Some curriculum guides are very specific as to what classes you need. Others give you choices. If you have choices, they will probably appear as "Fine Arts Elective," "Humanities Elective," "Social Science Elective," or "Science Elective." This is the tricky part! For example, don't just assume that because a course is an "art" course that it will count as an "Art Elective." The same holds true for all of the specified electives. You can find exactly which courses count as which electives on page 2 of the Associate of Arts (General) and the Associate of Science (General) degrees. This is very important! The courses listed in the left hand column meet specific elective requirements. The course in the right hand column are general electives that all transfer but don't necessarily meet the specific requirements for fine arts, humanities, social science, and science electives. Very few of the specified majors allow for general electives. The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees allow for as few as 12 or as many as 23 hours of general electives. Your total credits for these two degrees should add up to 62. You subtract all of the required classes on your curriculum guide from 62 to find how many general electives you can take. If you don't see the words "General Elective" on your curriculum guide, you must stick with the courses listed or choose courses from those specified in the left hand column. Make a list of what courses you need and might want to take for the coming semester.

3. Now look at the schedule of course offerings for the semester you want. Summer '11 Class Schedule and/or Fall '11 Schedule. Find the courses on your list and see when they're offered. If you want more information about a particular class, look it up in the JALC Catalog. If you're still not certain, you can look at the syllabus for the course from the current (or previous) semester. You can find syllabi back to 2005 at: JALC Syllabi Portal Decide which classes you want and work out a schedule that pleases you. Perhaps you want a particular teacher? Perhaps you can only come to school or certain days or at certain times? Maybe you MUST have certain classes in order to graduate at a certain time? It is your choice!

4. Keep in mind that, if you receive financial aid, your financial aid will cover ONLY classes required for your degree -- the courses listed on your curriculum guide or their prerequisites.

5. If you have questions at this point, contact your advisor. Make an appointment to talk or to ask questions rather than an appointment to register for classes. Your advisor is there to help you make the right decisions but can't put you in classes until a week after online advisement becomes available.

6. Now that you know what you want, it's time to log in to WEBLINK using your JALC ID number and password and register for classes. WEBLINK will only work with Internet Explorer so please use it rather than Firefox or another browser. If you don't know your ID or password, go here: I.D./Password Request Form. Complete the form and your ID and password will be emailed to you.

7. Using WEBLINK is pretty easy! Once you're in, click on Registration (left column) and choose the semester for which you want to register. You will then be able to see your schedule as it exists for the semester you've chosen. If you're registering for the first time for that semester, you won't be in any classes. You can find your classes by searching Schedule of Classes or by clicking on Add Courses. Add the courses you want and be sure to hit Save when you are finished. If you can't add the courses you want (perhaps because there's a prerequisite) or you run into any other kind of problem, contact your advisor. He or she may be able to help you immediately or may need you to come in for an appointment.

Registering one's self for classes is a great option for students. It does require the student to accept responsibility for what he or she signs up for. If you choose to participate in online registration, it's always a good idea to make an appointment with your advisor to be sure you're in the correct classes for your degree.

Remember... your advisor is there to help you get it right so don't hesitate to contact him or her with questions before or after you register!

Good luck!

Spring Transfer Day

2011-03-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Spring Transfer Day is an event for all students interested in transferring after they leave Logan. About twenty-five college, universities, and organizations will be on campus to provide information on transferring. From all over the midwest, reps will come to share information on different programs their school or organization offers. All will be able to provide information on admissions requirements and dates. Most will have financial aid information and some will even have scholarships to award on the spot.

Any student interested in transferring will find it profitable to visit as many tables as possible in order to compare options and opportunities.

Come join us for Transfer Day! Tables will be set up in the Lower West Lobby from 9:00 a.m. - noon on Wednesday, March 23. This is an event you will enjoy!

If you can't make it to Transfer Day, stop by C204, the Academic Advisement Center, where we have a library of information on many schools to which you might want to transfer. The advisement staff will be happy to assist you.

2011-03-18T14:00:00.001-07:00

Illinois College Exposition

2010-10-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Join us for the Illinois College Exposition on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Approximately 50 colleges, universities, and other groups from several midwestern states will have booths set up with staff to tell you about their school. This event is aimed at high school students but everyone is welcome!

Fall 2010

2010-09-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

School is now in its third week Hard to believe!

During walk-in registration we registered slightly over 1,000 students. Most of the students were registering for their general studies for an Associate of Arts degree. This is a good time to mention that a student who has some idea of what he wants for the future probably needs to tell his advisor rather than just asking for his "generals." There a very few general studies classes that absolutely everyone needs.

Working on an Associate in Arts or Science means the "generals" will be completed by the student choosing which classes he wants to fulfill certain requirements. Some majors have specific requirements for the general studies classes and some do not. It's important to find out if the major one is interested in has specific requirements so those classes can be chosen for the Associate of Arts or Science degree.

It's not necessary to choose a major right away (and sometimes that's the BEST idea) but even if you have a rough idea of what you might like... maybe science or business or teaching... it's good to discuss this with your advisor so you can find out what is required and try some of the classes to see if you like them or not.

Your advisor is there to help guide you on the right path. We like success!

Fall semester 2010 -- right around the corner!

2010-08-08T06:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! Fall semester is right around the corner! What an exciting time for all of us! Here is some info for students, both new and returning...

We now have student IDs! The JALC OneCard is your ID, your library card, your pass to the Saluki bus, your ticket for movie theater discounts, and the way you’ll receive any financial aid funds. New students will have their photos on the cards. The first week of school, campus safety officers will be set up in the west lobby to take photos. After that, students should go to the Campus Safety Office, E105, to have their photos taken. You'll receive your OneCard a week or two after your photo is taken. It looks like a credit card so be sure NOT to throw it away -- there is a charge for replacement.

Be sure to sign up for weather/closure text alerts through our VOLtxt Alert System. This system will send a text message to your phone to let you know if the campus will be closed. This is particularly important in the winter. Who wants to drive 30 miles in a blizzard to find the campus is closed? Of course, you can find this information on our local radio and tv stations but the text message will let you know as soon as the decision is made.

WebLink is our online system to register for classes, make changes to your schedule, pay your bill, and a way to order your transcript. To access Weblink, you'll need your student ID number and a password. The following link takes you to the WebLink portal: Click here to log on to your account via WEBLINK. And another important link: Click here if you do not know your JALC id number or password.

Be sure your information is up-to-date with the Admissions Office. Many advisors and teachers (and the Financial Aid Office) communicate by email. If the teacher is going to cancel class or the financial aid office has important information for you, they might send an email. You want to be sure your email address is in the system and is correct. If you don't have an email address, you'll want to get one and let the Admissions Office know what it is.

If you have questions about any of these things, ask your advisor!

Time to register for fall classes! Some tips...

2010-06-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you've already completed the admission's process (application, transcripts, Compass test or ACT scores, proof of residency), you have several options for registering for classes. Here's a link: JALC Registration Options. If you're meeting with an advisor it's best for you to take a look at the JALC Catalog and the JALC Fall '10 Schedule of Classes. If you're not sure which classes you need, take a look at your curriculum guide: JALC Degrees and Certificates. Notice (in the schedule) the different times classes are offered and pick out classes that work for you. You may not be an early bird so you may not want 8:00 a.m. classes. You may work in the afternoons so you may want only morning classes. Maybe you want to come to school only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Maybe you want a particular teacher.

The beauty of your doing this yourself is that you can make your schedule the way you want it. The little numbers in the left hand column (01, 02, V1, H1, etc.) are the section numbers. It's necessary to know the section numbers of the classes you want if you'll be registering online, by email, or fax. If you're meeting with an advisor, the section number will allow him to know if you want Dr. Smith or Dr. Jones, both of whom teach the same course on the same day at the same time. It's also a good idea to have alternate choices in case your first choices aren't available.

If you can't figure out how to do this, your advisor will help you but it's also a good idea to have some idea of what you want before you meet with him or her.

Advisement is a shared responsibility between the student and the advisor.

2010-03-04T11:42:00.001-08:00

A Great Time to Meet With a JALC Advisor

2010-02-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

If you wonder why I haven't posted much lately, check out this link: JALC Enrollment Record Shattered! Our enrollment continues to rise! This makes life for advisors very, very busy from November through January. Things are just now beginning to settle down.
Our spring semester is off to a great start and before long we'll be making appointments for summer and fall registration. Before that happens and another busy season strikes, it's an excellent time to make an appointment with your advisor to discuss where you stand with respect to graduation. If you don't yet have an advisor, just call the college and tell the admissions staff that you'd like to sit down with an advisor and discuss your future plans. If you aren't certain about what you'd like to study, an advisor would be delighted to discuss different programs with you and explain how things work. If you plan to transfer, a smooth transfer is always desirable. If you know where you want to finish your four year degree, your JALC advisor will work with you to make sure you're off to a great start so you can transfer smoothly to your next school. Whether you're new or a seasoned JALC student, this is an excellent time to talk with an advisor.

Wondering about financial aid?

2009-11-30T08:04:00.001-08:00

The Federal Student Aid folks have a new way for you to estimate how much federal student aid you might receive. It's called the FAFSA4caster. Click on the following link to learn about the financial aid process and get an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid.
http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov

Credit Hours

2009-11-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

College courses are measured in credit hours. 12 credits is considered full-time for the purposes of insurance and/or financial aid. Each credit is the equivalent of approximately one hour of class time per week. Thus, in most cases, if a student is registered for 12 credits, he will be in class 12 hours a week. This would mean (4) 3 credit classes or (3) 3 credit classes, (1) 2 credit class and (1) 1 credit class or any combination that adds up to 12. A 3 credit class might meet once for three hours, or twice a week for an hour and a half, or three times a week for one hour. Some classes (such as many science classes) meet for more hours than the number of credit hours. Biology 100, for example, is worth 3 credits but meets 4 hours a week -- 2 hours in class and 2 hours in lab. One can determine the number of credit hours by looking in the Class Schedule or the College Catalog. The class schedule will show the meeting times. The College Catalog will show the number of class hours and the number of lab hours. For example, PSY 132 (General Pyschology) shows "3 hours weekly (3-0);" this means three hours of class time and zero hours of lab time. CIS 101 (Introduction to Computers) shows "4 hours weekly (2-2);" this means two hours of class time and two hours of lab time.
A student who is working toward a degree will be earning hours semester by semester. If his degree requires 62 credits, he will have to take at least 15-17 of the required hours (on the curriculum guide) per semester in order to complete his degree in four semesters.

What classes do I get to choose from and what is an elective?

2009-10-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Again, take a look at your curriculum guide. Some classes on the curriculum guide are listed specifically; you MUST take those exact classes to earn your degree. Other classes will say "elective;" for example "fine arts elective," "social science elective," "humanities elective," etc. You can find the list of electives on page two of the following link: Associate of Arts, page 2. It doesn't matter that this link leads to the associate of arts degree. Column 1 on page two lists ALL of the state approved electives offered at J.A.L.C. for fine arts, humanities, social science, science, supportive skills and integrative electives. To meet the specific state approved elective requirements for any degree you choose from column 1. It is totally your choice!

Column 2 lists all general transferable electives. These are excellent transferable classes but all of them do not meet specific state requirements. Some degrees are very specific and don't allow you to choose from column 2 at all. However, if you are working toward an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science (General Studies) degree, all of the courses listed in column 2 will fall under Group IX General Electives.

At this time, you might want to look in the J.A.L.C. catalogue to find out more about the classes. Go to: John A. Logan College Catalogue and click on Course Descriptions. There is a description for every course.

Except for the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, all of the curriculum guides make suggestions as to what classes you should take and in what order you should take them. In most majors (but not all) there is quite a bit of wiggle room. You get to make choices about what classes to take each semester as long as you finish the all of them to earn your degree. Of course, with anything that has a pre-requisite, you must take the pre-requisite first.

It's up to you! What are you interested in? What sounds like fun? What do you want to get over with? Which classes have you heard have great teachers?

Take some time BEFORE you go for an advisement appointment to consider what you might like to take. Check out the schedule and see when the courses are offered. Make a tentative plan or list and have questions ready for your advisor if you need help.

Yes, there are more things you can do to get ready for advisement so, once again, stay tuned!

First step to prepare for advisement -- online or with your advisor.

2009-10-09T12:37:00.001-07:00

Take a look at your curriculum guide. Every student has one. Your advisor should have given you a copy but if you don't have one (for whatever reason), print a blank one from JALC Degrees and Certificates . On the line next to each class, write the grade you earned in each class you've completed. Write FL 09 on the line next to any classes you are currently taking.

The remainder of the classes on the list are classes you will need to take to earn your degree whether it is a transfer or a vocational degree. Your total number of credit hours for a two year degree is about sixty-two, depending upon the degree. You will find the number (usually in the upper right-hand corner of the page). That number says "Minimum Hrs."

Look over the classes you have left to take and consider planning classes for your next semester or even all of your remaining semesters.

I just need my generals.

2009-10-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Is this what you will say to your advisor when registration begins on November 9? If so... you might be short changing yourself. Within the next few weeks (before advisement officially begins) you will find some suggestions in this blog for making the most of your advisement experience. Stay tuned!

Fall Registration

2009-10-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

"Not even the most starry-eyed optimist at John A. Logan College could have predicted a 14 percent increase in enrollment from last fall semester to this fall.” That’s how the John A. Logan College News article about our fall enrollment began. A 14 percent enrollment increase is almost unimaginable in today’s up and down world in which the costs (and benefits) of education continue to rise. Almost 900 more students showing up to be advised is also closed to unimaginable from an advisor’s point of view. What that means is that we were BUSY as the beginning of the semester approached. By the end of July, every advisor was totally booked with appointments so that no more appointments were available weeks before walk-ins were to begin. Yes, we were VERY, VERY busy!
With registration behind us, advisors are taking a few deep breaths and getting ready for the next round. Spring registration will begin on November 2 for continuing students who register on line only. Continuing students who would like to meet with their advisor for registration can begin calling on October 26 to schedule appointments for November 9 or later. New students may begin calling on November 9 to schedule appointments with advisors for November 16 or later.
There can be many facets to the duties of academic advisor. It can be fun, stressful, rewarding, frustrating, busy, and, perhaps, one of the best jobs in the world. It is rarely, if ever, boring. According to NACADA, the National Academic Advising Association, “Few experiences in students’ postsecondary career have as much potential for influencing their development as does academic advising.” With that said, we are looking forward to seeing our students, both old and new, as we prepare for SPRING 2010!