How is My Student Placed in First Semester Classes?

By: The Center for Student Academic Success (CSAS)

It’s hard to believe that in just more than a month, our Gonzaga Family will grow as we welcome you and your college student to campus for the beginning of their higher education journey.  

We’ve spent weeks and months preparing for your student. This article covers the first semester schedule, as well as guidelines on schedule changes and other issues that may come up, and how to talk with your student about these. To learn more about the services provided in the Center for student Academic Success, visit  www.gonzaga.edu/csas, or drop by Friday, August 25, during orientation weekend in Foley Library, Suite 122. 

The First Semester Scheduling Process:  Your student is getting the best possible start on their education with a first semester schedule created by professional advisors here in the Academic Advising & Assistance (AAA) office. We put your student on target for timely degree completion with a schedule that checks all the right boxes. Your student is in the right courses for his/her degree, based on the information he/she provided our office regarding academic preferences and preparation. We have been working on schedules since June, and are making final adjustments this month to get everything just right before releasing schedules to students August 1.  

Schedule Changes:  Many of our incoming students will be perfectly happy with their schedules, and won’t need any schedule adjustments. Others may have minor requests, while a few will have completely changed their minds about what they want to major in and need major changes. Advising conversations, including schedule changes, can be made in these situations, but there are some limitations.

Here are a few guidelines for how the advisors in AAA will help your student make changes, and how you can help with conversations leading up to these:

• Courses are full across the board. We worked long, hard hours to make sure students got what they needed, and that means many will have classes early and later than what they may be used to. This is normal for a freshman. Please have a conversation with your student about their schedule needs, versus their wants, and the difference. 
• Federal Law prohibits us from having conversations about a student’s academics with anyone other than the student. Therefore, we can only take schedule change requests directly from the student, whether over the phone, by email, or in person. As a parent or family member, if you have a question about your student’s schedule, please have your student contact us and relay this information to you. This is a great way to practice the conversations we hope you will have with your student about their progress in courses.  
• Everything we have enrolled your student for will count towards their degree. If your student thinks we have enrolled them for a course in error, encourage them to contact us. We will answer their questions and concerns, clarify any misunderstandings, and if necessary, we will make adjustments to schedules.  
• Encourage good time management and organizational skills. When students receive their final schedule (August 1), go over it with them and ask about their anticipated study habits. Suggest they create a study schedule to follow and keep a copy for yourself to check in with them for a progress report. Encourage changes if their plan isn’t working.  If your student needs help with study strategies, time management or other types of academic support, send them to us in Foley 122.  
• Asking for help is hard to do, but is paramount to your student’s success. Encourage your son or daughter to talk with their professors during office hours, to seek campus resources when they need them and to follow suggestions of their mentors and peers. There are many resources at your student’s disposal, but they must learn to seek them out.

We look forward to working with your student through their time at Gonzaga. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer with your new college student!