Questions for Everyone about Academics

What's an academic advisor? How do I find out who my academic advisor is?

Each student is assigned an academic advisor. This person is a professional who is dedicated to helping students make a successful academic transition and complete their degree in a timely manner.

• Freshmen students are assigned an academic advisor from the Unit of Academic Support and Advising Programs (ASAP) or the Multicultural Student Services office in the Unit of Special Programs:
  • If you are a scholarship athlete in a varsity sport, you are assigned to Academic Services for Student-Athletes (Wayne Densch Center room 123B / 823-5895),
  • If you are a student in the Pegasus or CAP program, you are assigned to Student Academic Resource Center-SARC (Portable Classroom 1-102 / 823-5130),
  • If you are a student of color, you are assigned to Multicultural Student Services (Administration Building room 145 / 823-2716),
  • If you have not chosen a major, you are assigned to the Academic Exploration Program (Phillips Hall room 116 / 823-5322),
  • If you do not meet any of the above criteria, you are assigned to First Year Advising and Information Services (Trailer 541, room 109 / 823-3789).
• Sophomore students receive academic advising from their appropriate college and/or major department office.
• Transfer students and students who have finished their General Education Program requirements are assigned an advisor from their college and/or major department. This person is usually a faculty member.

What is the CLAST test?

The College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) is designed to ensure that students have achieved certain math, English language, essay and reading skills. All students seeking an Associate of Arts or Baccalaureate degree from UCF are required by the State of Florida to satisfy the CLAST requirement. You must take the CLAST before you earn 60 or more hours of credit or you will be restricted to enrollment in 1000 and 2000 level classes until you do take the CLAST. Information regarding preparation for the CLAST exam or alternatives for meeting the CLAST requirement may be obtained from the Student Academic Resource Center, PC1-102, phone (407) 823-5130 or http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~sarc/clast_info.htm. The CLAST is offered statewide once per semester. Students must register in advance at the UCF Registrar's Office, Administration Building, room 161.

What is a degree audit?

The degree audit is not your official UCF transcript, but a map to show what courses you must successfully complete to graduate. It gives you important information:

• your cumulative and major grade point average (GPA)
• the courses that are required for your degree
• the courses you have passed, failed or repeated
• the courses you must still take (indicated by minus "-" signs)
• how everything you have taken, or registered for, counts in reaching your goal.

You can get an audit at any time from your academic advisor or from the POLARIS webpage (https://polaris.ucf.edu/).

When can I add or drop a course? A student may add a course anytime during Early Registration, Regular Registration, or during the official Add/Drop period (as listed in the academic calendar). After the Add/Drop period, no other courses may be added. A student may drop a course anytime during Early Registration, Regular Registration, or during the official Add/Drop period. When you drop a course during Early Registration, or during Add/Drop, it will not appear on your permanent record. To drop a course after the Add/Drop period, you must withdraw.

How do I add/drop a class? You can add/drop a course through: *the telephone registration system *POLARIS (https://polaris.ucf.edu/) *your academic advisor *walk-by registration in your college advising office It's very important that you know the Key Code of the course you want to add or drop. The Key Code can be found in the "Schedule of Classes" book. Whenever you add, drop or register, be sure to pick up a copy of your fee invoice to assure the accuracy of your schedule!!

Do I need a signature to add/drop a course? No, as long as it is during the add/drop period, and the course has space available. If the course is closed, refer to the "override procedures" in the Schedule of Classes, or contact the college's advising office.

How do I get my grades at the end of the semester? Only the following students will have their grades mailed to them: *Freshmen *students who are classified as "off-campus" (taking off-campus classes) *students who have had an academic status change *students on the President's or Dean's List *students who may have a disability code on their records *students in FEEDS courses All other students have four options of accessing their grades: toll-free phone system at (877) 823-2527 local phone system at (407) 823-2527 KIOSK's (located in each college as well as in the Library and Administration buildings) POLARIS (https://polaris.ucf.edu/)

What do I do if I think I have received an incorrect grade? If you think you have received an incorrect grade, you have to: *bring it to the attention of the instructor of the course before the next semester ends *attempt to resolve the problem with the help of the instructor in as speedy and satisfactory a manner as possible If you are dissatisfied with the instructor's decision, or if you can't reach the instructor, you may continue to pursue an informal solution with the chair of the department. Consult "Student Grade Appeals" section in the Golden Rule Student Handbook for further information.

Is UCF the only place I can fulfill my summer attendance requirement? No. While students entering the State University System with fewer than 60 semester hours of credit are required to enroll in a minimum of nine hours of credit in the summer as a graduation requirement, they can take those courses at any state university in the Florida system (FAMU, FAU, FGCU, FIU, FSU, UF, UNF, USF, UWF). Community college summer courses do not count toward the SUS summer course requirement. Petitions for exemption to this rule are sent to Dr. David Dees, Administration Building, room 210, on the form supplied by Academic Services.

I'm ready to go to (FAMU, FAU, FGCU, FIU, FSU, UF, UNF, USF, UWF) to fulfill some or all of my summer attendance requirement. Do I have to fill out any paperwork? Of course you do!! Students taking summer courses at any State University System of Florida school must fill out a "Transient Student Form", available at your advising office or the Registrar's Office, Administration Building, room 161, and submit it for approval.

When does a student go on academic probation and how long does the student stay on probation? Academic probation occurs when a student's UCF GPA drops below 2.0. Academic probation will continue until the current term and UCF GPA reach 2.0 or better. While it is true that a student can continue at UCF on academic probation as long as he/she earns at least a 2.0 each semester, remember that to graduate a student must have a UCF GPA of 2.0 or better.

What if I don't make a 2.0 my next semester while on academic probation? A student on academic probation is disqualified (first suspension) upon failure to achieve a 2.0 GPA during another semester. A student who is disqualified may not enroll at the university for two semesters following disqualification. Readmission after two semesters is not automatic. A disqualified student must submit an application for readmission, which can be obtained from the Registrar's Office, supported by a letter indicating the reasons for previous academic difficulties, plans for achieving a GPA of 2.0 or better, and a recommendation from the department or college of the intended major. The total record will be reviewed, and the decision on readmission will be sent from the University Registrar's office.

I need to leave UCF due to a medical problem-how do I get a medical withdrawal? If you have to withdraw because of illness, you must apply for the withdrawal within the semester from which the withdrawal is sought. Students seeking a late withdrawal because of medical conditions must have their physician provide the university with the appropriate medical information, using the forms available in the Office of Academic Services, Administration Building, room 210 (823-2691). If you apply for a medical withdrawal, you will be withdrawn from all of the courses taken in the semester.

It's after the withdrawal deadline and I need to return home for a family emergency - how can I do this without my academic record being adversely affected? If you are faced with a circumstance that is truly extraordinary and beyond your control, you may consider filing a petition for a late withdrawal if other arrangements cannot be made with your instructors. If you do need to petition for a late withdrawal, your academic progress will be assessed by your instructors to determine whether a "WF" (withdrawal-failing) or a "WP" (withdrawal-passing) will be assigned if the petition is approved. If you are passing and receive a "WP", your GPA will not be affected. However if you receive a "WF" for any of your courses, it will be calculated as a failing grade. The petition form may be obtained in the Office Academic Services, Administration Building, room 210 (823-2169). A petition for late withdrawal is not an option simply because you are not satisfied with your academic progress.

Questions For Everyone about Registration

How do I find out when I'm able to register for upcoming semesters? Meet with your academic advisor. Your advisor will print a degree audit for you which will tell you the time and day that you can begin to register. There are three parts to registration: *"Early Registration," normally held immediately after the midterm of the current semester for the next semester *"Regular Registration," normally held one or two days immediately before the start of the semester *"Add/Drop," during the first week of classes for each semester. Spring Early Registration is held following midterm for the fall semester. Summer and Fall Early Registrations are at the same time and begin immediately following the midterm of the spring semester. Registration is available by telephone, through the POLARIS computer system (https://polaris.ucf.edu/), in the college advising offices, and at walk-by centers. The dates and times of each of these registration periods are published in the "Schedule of Classes."

When and where can I pick up a class registration book? The "Schedule of Classes" is distributed by the colleges, departments, and academic advising centers, and is published twice a year. One edition contains the summer and fall term courses (available around mid-March) and another edition contains the spring term courses (available around mid-October).

How does the Registrar's Office decide my registration appointment time and whom do I contact with questions/concerns about registration? Registration appointment times are assigned to students according to their class status and GPA: *graduating seniors *specific groups of students (Honors, LEAD Scholars, Scholarship Student-Athletes) *seniors with the highest GPA who have completed all portions of the CLAST *juniors with the highest GPA who have completed all portions of the CLAST *seniors with the highest GPA who have not completed all portions of the CLAST *juniors with the highest GPA who have not completed all portions of the CLAST *sophomores with the highest GPA register next *then freshmen with the highest GPA register Any questions about the registration process can be brought to your academic advisor.

How do I verify the class(es) that I have registered for? You can check on your schedule by getting a fee invoice/schedule from your academic advisor or student accounts, through the POLARIS computer system (https://polaris.ucf.edu/), or from one of the information kiosks around campus. When you get your fee invoice/schedule, check to be sure that you that you know where the classes are being held, and you have met the prerequisites for those courses. Also, it is your responsibility to be sure that all your fees and tuition are paid on time, even if you are not paying for them.

Can I register for summer and fall courses at the same time? Yes, summer and fall Early Registration are held concurrently immediately following the midterm of the spring semester.

How do I get into a closed class? Ask nicely and have a really good reason. If a course section is closed, you may ask about an "override". An override is when an instructor agrees to teach more students than the stated course limit and are given only in exceptional circumstances. To check on the possibility of an override: *contact the course department office *ask "What is the policy for overrides into ...(fill in the course and section)?" The department will know the override policy for that course and section. They may tell you that overrides are not an option for that section of that course. If overrides are an option, the department will tell you who to go to get the required signatures.

Questions For Everyone About Transcripts and Credits

If I'm a new student, when will I know what courses transferred into UCF? Transfer credits are usually processed within two weeks of receipt. Transfer credit is then updated after enrollment when all final transcripts and test scores have been received. You will receive a "transfer summary report" indicating your transfer credit. If you have any questions, call the Admissions Office at 823-3000.

If I take courses outside of UCF as a continuing student, when will I know about this transfer credit? If you complete courses outside of UCF after you've enrolled here the credits for those courses will be processed through the Registrar's Office, Administration Building, room 161. Remember to complete a "transient student form" for approval of non-UCF coursework and have the other institution send an official transcript to the Registrar's office once you have completed the course(s).

How long does it take for the processing of my dual enrollment college credit? AP credit? CLEP credit? IB credit? The normal turnaround time for processing dual enrollment, CLEP credit and IB credit is two weeks to a month after the start of a semester. AP credits are usually processed within two weeks of receipt. Give the Admissions Office, Administration Building - first floor, at least this amount of time and then check your degree audit. If they haven't shown up by then, call them at 823-3000. Separate appeals are needed for General Education courses and courses in your major. Contact an advisor in your college regarding credit for courses in your major. Who do I contact if there is a problem with UCF not receiving a high school or college transcript? Contact the Admissions Office (823-3000) to be sure that they do not have your transcripts. Admissions receives many transcripts every day and yours could be next in line to be processed. If Admissions says they just don't have it, contact your former institution and ask them to resend your transcripts.

How do the grades from my previous college coursework factor into UCF grade point average? Grades that you earned for any college-level coursework taken at any accredited college or university do not factor into your UCF grade point average.

When will my international transfer credit appear on my degree audit? These credits are usually processed within two weeks of receipt from WES or Josef Silny. Give the Admissions Office at least this amount of time and then check your degree audit. If they haven't shown up by then, call them at 823-3000.

Questions for Everyone about Other Academic Information

What does the "excess hour surcharge" rule mean? Students who first enrolled at UCF as a freshman (with less than 12 semester hours of transfer credit) in the fall of 1996 and later, and as transfer students in the fall of 1998 and later, are subject to excess hour surcharges. These surcharges are assessed when you enroll in courses that exceed 115% of the credit hours required to complete your degree (for example, if your degree requires 120 hours of credit to complete, then you are permitted to take 18 more credit hours, for a total of 138, before you are charged for excess hours).

What is the "third attempt surcharge"?

All students enrolled in the fall 1997 term and after, regardless of when they started at UCF, are subject to third attempt surcharges. This includes all undergraduate courses that you either repeat or register for the third time, including completed courses, withdrawals and grades of incomplete. Courses taken before the fall of 1997 do not count toward the total. At this time, when you enroll in a course for the third time, you will be charged a rate approximately equal to out-of-state tuition, currently about $262 per credit hour. What does this all mean? Now more than ever it is important that you carefully plan your program of study with the assistance of your academic advisor and complete the classes in which you enroll!!

Example:

No. of Attempts	Grades	Surcharge
First Attempt	D	No
Second Attempt	W	No
Third Attempt	A	Yes

Can American Sign Language be used to meet UCF's foreign language graduation requirement?

No, at this time American Sign Language ONLY satisfies the state mandated foreign language admission requirement.

Where do I go to take an interest test or to find out what careers I would be good at? *The Career Resource Center found in building 7F of the Student Resource Center (823-2361). The Center runs five career expos and fairs, over 100 weekly career planning mini-classes, and hosts several hundred employer recruiting visits each year. *Another good resource is the Academic Exploration Program (AEP). AEP offers workshops and individualized academic advising to help students find the correct balance of support, challenge, structure and freedom to assist in the development of their academic programs. They also offer SIGI PLUS, the fast, easy-to-use, free computer program that helps you make important decisions about your future. The AEP can be found in Phillips Hall, room 116; call them at 823-5322. *Finally, the University Counseling and Testing Center, located in the Student Resource Center, room 203 (823-2811), offers a professional staff of psychologists and counselors to assist students through educational, vocational, and career counseling.

Where do I go for tutoring? *The Student Academic Resource Center (SARC). SARC provides students with free individualized and small-group tutoring in biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, foreign language, physics, reading, statistics, and many other disciplines. SARC also offers Supplemental Instruction (SI), a series of weekly study sessions for students taking historically difficult courses. SI is provided for all students who want to improve their understanding of course material and improve their grades. Attendance is voluntary. It's a chance to get together with people in your class to compare notes, to discuss important concepts, to develop strategies for studying the subject, and to test yourself before your professor does. At each SI session, your SI leader, a competent student who has previously taken the course, will guide you through course material. SARC is located in PC1-102 (with the red door!), and can be reached by phone at 823-5130, or on the web at: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~sarc/ *There is also a Math Lab dedicated to helping any and all students that need guidance in the many different fields of Mathematics. Their phone number is 823-3498, and their web page is http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~mathlab/. *For writing assistance, contact the University Writing Center (UWC). The UWC allows you to collaborate with others on any kind of writing you do: group projects, business memos, research papers, composition essays, lab reports, grad school applications, CLAST prep, senior thesis support, letters, resumes, etc. Their phone number is 823-2197. Their website can be found at: http://reach.ucf.edu/~uwc You can also e-mail them at uwcd@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu. *Finally, you'll want to check with the academic departments to see what type of tutoring they offer as well.

I've got an insurance form that needs to be completed by a UCF official indicating that I'm a student here-who can help me with this? Enrollment verification for insurance purposes can be done in the Registrar's Office, room 161 of the Administration building.

How is my financial aid affected if I fail or withdraw from a course? At the end of each academic year, hours completed are monitored for the previous three terms (summer, fall, and spring). Students are required to complete a specified number of credits each semester as determined by their enrollment status: if you attempted this many hours you have to complete this many hours 12 or more 10 9,10,11 8 6,7,8 5 Successful completion of a course means earning a grade of A, B, C, D or S. Unsuccessful completion is defined as earning a grade of F, W, I, WP, WF, X, N, U, or NC. So if you fail or withdraw from a course and fall below the minimum number of completed hours, you may be placed on financial aid probation, or financial aid cancellation.

Does it affect my financial aid or on-campus housing if I am taking fewer than 12 hours? Yes and no. To verify the minimum hours of enrollment and other program-specific criteria for financial aid, contact the Student Financial Assistance Office at 823-2827, or refer to the information found in the UCF catalog. To live in a university residential unit you must be enrolled in a minimum of nine semester hours. If you intend to drop below nine hours, you should contact the Department of Housing and Residence Life at 823-4663.

Questions Especially for Freshmen Students

When can I start taking courses in my major?

Generally you can begin to take a course in your major at any time, as long as you meet the prerequisites for that course. Check the course description in the catalog to determine what, if any, prerequisites there are for a course. Keep in mind each major distributes general education and major courses differently. It's best to check in with your advisor often to make sure that you are selecting the best courses.

How do I know my dual enrollment and AP transcripts have been received by the university? Check on dual enrollment and AP credits by reviewing your Transfer Summary Report sent by the Admissions Office, requesting a degree audit from your academic advisor, or by accessing your student records on the POLARIS computer system.

Will I receive credit for courses I take at another university or community college? Yes; if you have successfully completed college-level credit from another regionally accredited institution, you will get credit for it. Now the question to ask is: What will they count for? *General education courses completed at Florida public community colleges or universities might satisfy UCF's General Education Program requirements if they are identical in prefix and number to UCF courses. *Other transfer credit from junior and senior colleges and out-of-state institutions will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Check with your academic advisor to see if the courses you have taken, or are going to take, are equivalent to UCF courses. If your courses are not equivalent to UCF courses, you can use them as general electives. Do this as soon as possible!

Questions Especially for Transfer Students

What steps should I take to complete the transfer process?

Send an initial transcript(s) from all previous colleges which you have attended. Make sure you apply to graduate from your community college. (Often students apply to graduate but then fail one or more sections of CLAST. Typically, students must apply to graduate again after the completion of ALL sections of CLAST). UCF must have the "final transcript" which states that the AA degree has been awarded in order for you to receive the benefits guaranteed by the AA degree.

I lack one general education requirement at the community college, can I still transfer? Will I still receive the benefits of the AA degree? Students transferring without the AA degree will not receive the benefits of the AA degree. Typically, the AA degree is awarded when ALL general education requirements are met, with 60 or more transferable credits, and a 2.0 GPA minimum. Students can transfer without all their general education requirements completed if they have 60 or more transferable credits and a 2.0 GPA without using grade forgiveness. However, students must satisfy either the community college general education program or the UCF general education program. Students who have a 2.0 GPA (without the benefit of grade forgiveness) can use the first semester at UCF to complete their AA degree at the community college provided they petition their community college to allow them to return credit. (Community colleges usually have a residence requirement which states that the last 15 hours must be completed at their institution. Often community colleges will waive this requirement via petition, if most of the hours for the AA degree has been earned at their community college).

Must I satisfy UCF's general education requirements if I transfer without the AA degree? Yes, unless you have satisfied the general education requirements at another Florida public institution and this is stipulated on your transcript with the following statement, "ALL GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS MET." If you have satisfied all your institution's general education requirements and are not receiving the AA degree, you should contact the supervisor of records to have this statement placed on your transcript.

What is the Summer Attendance Requirement and must I complete this requirement? Maybe, a student entering the State University System with fewer than 60 semester hours of credit is required to enroll in a minimum of nine hours of credit in the summer at a state university. (Courses taken at the University during the summer for which the student receives a "W" or "F" may be counted toward this requirement). If you have earned 60 or more hours of credit at a community college, private college, or out of state institution before you ever enroll at a Florida public university, you are exempt from the summer attendance requirement. If you have previously enrolled in a Florida public university, then you may be subject to this requirement.

How do I enter under a different catalog?

All students enter under the current catalog; however, students who have maintained *continuous enrollment since they began at the community college may elect to enter under a prior catalog. Students should make this decision with the help of a professional advisor. The advisor will provide an "academic audit" for the catalog year under which you qualify and also, for the current catalog. In this way, you can make an informed decision.

*Continuous enrollment is defined as being enrolled in classes without a break of two or more consecutive regular semesters (i.e., fall and spring, or spring, summer and fall). Continuous enrollment is automatically broken when a student moves from one transfer institution to another following academic disqualification or exclusion. Check with your college's advising office for more specific information.

Must I submit high school transcripts in addition to college transcripts? No, not if you anticipate completion of the AA degree. However, if documentation of two years of foreign language taken in high school is needed to meet the admission requirement, you must furnish the high school transcripts.

What is the 48 hour rule? Normally, your major requires that you complete 48 hours of 3000 and 4000 level course work before you can graduate.

Does UCF accept ONLY 60 credits from the community college? No, UCF accepts all course work on your transcript; however, typically not all course work taken at other institutions deduct from the course work necessary for your degree at UCF. The Degree Audit given to you at orientation will note all credits which deduct from the degree.

How do I determine the number of hours permitted before the excess hour surcharge begins? Calculating the Interval To Surcharge (ITS): Step 1. When the institution receives all final transcripts and the student is admitted to the major, the university will identify the minimum hours needed to finish the degree. Total hours required for degree minus transferred hours meeting degree requirements equal hours remaining to complete the degree. Step 2. Multiply the hours remaining to complete the degree by 115% to create the Interval To Surcharge (ITS). Step 3. When the courses taken at UCF (or any Florida public institution after enrollment at UCF) equal the ITS, excess surcharges are assessed for any additional hours. Example: Marketing major requires 120 hours. Student transfers 75 hours to UCF, but only 48 hours meet specific degree requirements. Step 1. Total hours required for degree: 120 hours Transferred hours that meet degree requirements: - 48 hours Hours remaining to complete the degree: 72 hours Step 2. Hours remaining to complete the degree: 72 hours Times 115% x 115% INTERVAL TO SURCHARGE (ITS): 83 hours

Although the ITS is not calculated until a student enters a major, it is crucial to understand that all courses taken at UCF as an undecided or pending student will be subtracted from the ITS. All attempts taken at any institution after admission and enrollment at UCF will reduce the Interval To Surcharge.