Working closely with your advisor during the freshman year is critical to starting your academic career correctly. This section is designed to provide information that will assist in planning the first year of courses. Meeting with your academic advisor, the student should plan an entire year (fall and spring semesters) at one time. This does not mean that the spring plan cannot be changed; it merely begins to provide direction and helps the student to begin to anticipate future coursework.

The keys in freshman advising are:
1. Meet with your advisor often (maybe once a month); get to know them and let them get to know you.
2. Let your advisor know your preferences, career and life goals, and general academic plans.
3. Learn to be a responsible student for your academic progress and success.
4. Follow through on your "Advisee Responsibilities."

This section has the following four articles:
- Matriculation Instructions
- General Education Requirements
- Undecided Students
- Advising Packet


MATRICULATION INSTRUCTIONS

Matriculation Instructions sheet is provided to all entering students to the University. This form provides basic student information, student clearances, and results of placement tests and courses that are required to be taken by the student. It is to be used by the advisor is assisting the student in making course selections and planning the first semester.  A student's personal information and results are also available on MyStuff.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Selecting courses for your first semester of college is very important as you set the stage for a successful college career. The General Education Requirements listing [see 2007-2008 Undergraduate Bulletin] is your starting point. First semester freshmen should focus on taking courses to meet those requirements. See your MATRICULATION INSTRUCTIONS sheet or MyStuff for placement and testing results, your advisor and their office location, and additional information to help you prepare for your advising and registration meeting with your academic advisor.

Select from the following courses to set the core of your first semester schedule as well as help meet general ed. requirements.

1. ENGLISH*: determined by placement; choices: ENG100 or ENG101 or ENG102

2. MATHEMATICS*: determined by placement test; choices: MTH105, MTH131, MTH141, MTH142; MTH153 (for education majors only), MTH241

3. FOREIGN LANGUAGE*: determined by placement; choices: French, German, or Spanish with course numbers of 101, 201, 213. (course numbers 102 & 202 offered in spring semester only, except SPN102).

4. PRESIDENT'S SEMINAR: "EXP101: President's Seminar: Learning Through Experience" is required of all entering freshmen in the fall semester (EXP102 required in spring). The seminar is required to be on your fall semester schedule.

5. ACADEMIC SUCCESS: ADV101: Foundations for Academic Success is an academic and life skills course required of many entering students and is open to all entering students. If required, the course must be taken in the fall semester. Is required in the spring semester of any entering student earning less than a 2.00 GPA and not previously completing the course.

* Information on placements is obtained from your MATRICULATION INSTRUCTIONS sheet or MyStuff.

Freshmen should select additional credit hours from the following to reach a total of 12-17 credit hours. 12 hours minimum required for full-time status; 17 credit hours maximum credit load. The actual number of credits should be co-determined by advisee and advisor based upon academic preparation and readiness.

6. FINE ARTS: [one course required] choices: ART120, MUS120, THE120 
 
7. RELIGION: [one course required] choices: REL101, REL102, REL108, REL109, REL203, REL204, REL221
 
8. HISTORY: [one course required] choices: HST101 or HST102 [Western Civilization]

9. LAB SCIENCE: [one lab science course required - some majors will require more] choices for meeting the basic laboratory science requirement are: AST121, BIO110, BIO111, CHM121, or NSC111; students majoring in biology (pre-med) must take BIO130; students majoring in athletic training, exercise science, and PE certification must take BIO206 (or BIO207); chemistry majors must take CHM101;  education majors - discuss with your education advisor. 
 
10. PHYSICAL EDUCATION: [PEC105-Foundations of Wellness and one PEC activity required]  PEC105;  plus choices of PEC activities: PEC104; PEC107 - PEC187 (some activities have additional fees)

11. ADDITIONAL ONE-HOUR COURSE CHOICES: students may also choose to take one or more of the following one-hour courses: IDS151** - Cultural Foundations; [**may take a maximum of two different times for credit] REL119 - Christian Worship;

12. HONORS COURSES: Presidential Fellows & Scholars [plus others invited into the Honors Program] are recommended to take at least 1 Honors course if they have been so placed.
      NOTE: Many students are placed into HST101/102 Honors. Honors is not required but remains the student's option to take any Honors course. Students should discuss this option with their faculty advisor.

ADVISOR: A faculty member who facilitates University communication, coordinates learning experiences through academic course (semester schedules) and career planning, evaluates academic progress, and refers students to other campus resources.   WORK WITH AND SEE YOUR ADVISOR OFTEN!  Also, check the Academic Advising website for more information: http://www.highpoint.edu/academics/advising

READING THE CLASS SCHEDULE
USING THE "STUDENT WORK COPY"

1. Reading the Class Schedule from left to right, the columns appear as follows and mean:
• SECTION NAME  = department - course number - section [example: AST121-01] = enter in the SECTION column of your Student Work Copy.  NOTE: most courses offer several sections noted by numbers [from our example: -01] (this tells the computer what time you want the course - - be accurate!)
• DAYS = when the course is offered; M-W-F means course meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week; T- TH means it meets only on Tuesday and Thursday weekly; DAYS are pre-printed on your Student Work Copy
• START TIME = when the class begins; START times are pre-printed on your Student Work Copy
• END TIME = when each class is scheduled to end for the day; M-W-F classes are 50 minutes long; T-TH and M-W classes are 75 minutes long; labs are usually 2 hours in length
• SHORT TITLE = brief title of course and notes if the course section is Honors or a signature is required  - record in COURSE TITLE column of your Student Work Copy
• BLDG = abbreviation of building where course is taught (building abbreviation code at end of Class Schedule)
• ROOM = room number of the building in which the class is taught
• FACULTY NAME = faculty teaching the course; "STAFF" or a blank means instructor has not been named
• CREDIT = number of credit hours the course carries - record in CREDITS column of your Student Work Copy

2.  SOME IMPORTANT REGISTRATION POINTS TO REMEMBER:
• ALL courses are one semester in length. You are only registering for one semester of a course (not an entire year). The general education requirements for the freshmen year is to be spread out over both fall and spring semesters. Thus, you are not expected to take, nor can you, all of the general education courses listed on the other side your first semester.
• EXP101 is required to be on your fall semester class schedule. EXP102 is required on the spring schedule.
• 12 hours is considered full-time. Freshmen enrolled in ADV101, ENG100 and MTH105 their first semester should probably limit their total hours to 13 or 14 credits. The maximum any student can take is 17 without extra charge. Over 17 hours requires permission of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and is rarely approved (there is an extra charge).
• Courses are by credit hour - most courses are three credit hours. (It takes 124 credit hours to graduate.)
• Try to avoid taking 3 back-to-back courses at 11:00-12:00-1:00 on MWF - this takes up your lunch hour. It is generally a good idea, anyway, not to have three courses back-to-back anytime. Two courses back-to-back are usually okay.
• Try to avoid scheduling all of your courses on M-W-F or TUES-THURS. It may sound good, but doesn't work well for most students. Spread them out. If possible, the best is half on M-W-F and half on T-TH.
• The 101/201 levels of a foreign language are offered during fall semester only; the 102/202 levels of a foreign language are offered in the spring semester except SPN102; 6 credits required of same language [3 credits if starting above 202]
• Generally, ONLY courses in the 100-level are eligible for you to take your first semester. Any other courses at the 200-level need approval. [See: Day Course Schedule: Freshman Courses] You may DROP/ADD and change courses through the first week of classes. The last day to DROP a course with a "W" is the Friday after Fall or Spring break, as appropriate. See your advisor for assistance!

3.  BEFORE YOU SEE YOUR FACULTY ADVISOR  - DECIDE:
• How many total hours you want to take this fall ? 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17?   Suggestion: 13 to 16 credit hours.
• If you primarily prefer to take courses in the morning or afternoon or both
• Whether you want to take a fine arts (ART, MUS, THE) course or a religion (REL) course
• Whether you want to take PEC105: Foundations or take a PEC activity (PEC104 and PEC107-PEC187)
• Which Western Civilization history course you want to take this fall or wait until next semester. (HST101 or HST102)
• Which lab science course you want to take or if you want to wait until next semester to take a lab science.
• If you want to take any of the one-hour courses (IDS151, REL119, etc.).

REQUIREMENTS – FRESHMEN: SPECIFIC MAJORS

For entering freshmen who have a particular program of study decided upon, there are some specific courses which need to be on their first semester schedule. By majors, they are:

UNDECIDED STUDENTS

Students entering the University as "Undecided/Undeclared" are assigned advisors from faculty advisors from any discipline. These students need to use their first year to explore different major options as well as deciding upon a future direction. The focus of their coursework should be upon completing general education requirements. Students who have reached their sophomore year without selecting a major will need special guidance and work with their advisor at this crucial stage in their academic program. 
  
At the beginning of the sophomore year a student remains undecided, it is suggested that they work with the Career Development Center. It may also be useful for the advisor and advisee to take some extra time to discuss the student's interests to determine how they might be matched with available programs of study.  The student may also wish to make an appointment with one or more faculty in various departments for a more in-depth discussion of particular majors (the advisor may also assist in this process).

ADVISING PACKET

A "Freshman Advising Information Packet is distributed at Early Registration and Orientation. It contains the same information as provided on this academic advising website. Contact the Office of Academic Development for more information.