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Welcome to the SJRCC Counseling Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Many of your advising questions may be answered through our ONLINE ORIENTATION.
If you have never participated in our orientation, we recommend you do. Even if you are a returning student, you may want to go through it again, you will be surprised how much more you pick up after you have been here a while!
EACH CAMPUS OFFERS:
Academic Advising - Includes an overview of your program of study, interpretation of SAT, ACT and CPT scores, assistance in course selection, assistance in locating transfer resources and variety of other academic and educational planning issues. See FACTS.ORG
Career Services - Includes assistance in locating free computerized career guidance programs, discussions on major and career choices, assistance in locating print and online resources for career research, personality and interest inventories, assistance with resume writing, and interviewing.
Testing Services - Includes identifying possible institutional and CLEP exams, handling CLAST exemption and registration forms, and administration of the CPT. See test dates
Disability Services- The purpose of the Office for Students with Disabilities is to ensure access to accommodations for those students determined eligible. Students must report to campus coordinators at the beginning of each semester. Special assistance is available with orientation, registration, academic planning, special supplies, and equipment. In addition, specialized services are available to students whose disability prevents them from participating fully in classroom activities. The College provides services relating to student academic success; transportation and personal services are the responsibility of the student.
Personal Counseling Services - The counselors are here to assist you in crisis situations and to refer you to the appropriate community resources as necessary.
CONTACT US: Palatka (386) 312-4035 Orange Park (904) 276-6855 St. Augustine (904) 808-7402
It's your turn to grade us! Take Our Advising Survey!
SJRCC Student Timeline/Checklist
As a student at SJRCC, it is important that you follow an upwardly mobile path toward graduation. The Student Timeline/Checklist will help you meet your academic and career goals.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What should I put on my application as my program of study?
When should I see a counselor?
What should I bring when I meet with a counselor?
How many courses should I take each semester?
How many credit hours must I take in a semester to be considered a full-time student?
What are "major prerequisites (pre-req's)?"/Where can I find the pre-reqs for my major?/What can I take as an A.A. elective?
When should I decide on a major or program of study?
If I have an A.A. degree, am I guaranteed admission to a university?
I took two years of foreign language in high school. Do I need any college-level language courses?
What is the CLAST? Must I take it?
What should I do to prepare for transfer to a university?
How many times may I take a course?
Do you have grade forgiveness? /I made an "F" in a course last term. How can I get that grade removed?
What is the difference between "dropping" a course and "withdrawing" from it?
Is there a minimum number of credit hours I must complete in residence at SJRCC to complete a degree at SJRCC?
Can I do my last semester at another institution and still graduate from SJRCC?
What does it mean if I am placed on Academic Probation, Suspension or Dismissal?
Will my financial aid be affected if I drop a course?
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What should I put on my application as my program of study?
If you definitely plan on attending a four-year institution after leaving SJRCC to pursue a bachelor's degree, you should select one of the Associate of Arts (AA) programs.
- If you know what you plan to major in at the four-year level, choose the program code that most closely matches your planned major.
- If you are unsure of what you will major in at the four-year level, put 0034, which is Undecided or other instruction.
If you plan on doing only one or two years at the community college-level and do not plan to go any further, you probably want to select an Associate of Science or Technical Certificate. You must choose a specific program; review the list and choose the program you believe you plan to pursue.
- Some of the AS degrees will transfer to public four-year institutions in a specific major i.e., the AS in Business Administration will transfer to a business major at a four-year state university. See the specific degree pages (link to the AS and Tech Cert Programs of Study) for details.
Do not select any program under Florida School of the Arts unless you plan on auditioning or submitting a portfolio for acceptance.
Select a Non-degree seeking program only if you are:
- Not receiving financial aid
- Taking courses for teacher certification or re-certification (but not the EPI program)
- Not planning to earn a degree from SJRCC (you are just taking a few classes)
NOTE: Degree-seeking vs. non-degree seeking program codes will affect how early you can register for classes (link to wherever we post registration times each semester). Also, you can always change your program of study by completing a Change of Study form and getting a counselor's signature.
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When should I see a counselor?
New students:
ALL new students are required to see a counselor after you have:
- submitted an application to the College
- paid the application fee
- have qualifying SAT or ACT scores (see the Placement Cut-Off Scores) or have taken the CPT
Note: IF you are unsure if you plan to attend SJRCC at all, you may wish to speak with a counselor prior to submitting an application
Returning students:
- ALL returning students are required to see a counselor after earning 30 or more credit hours. This is a one-time counseling hold. If you are unsure if you have a hold at this time, Enter SJRCC Web and View Holds.
- It is suggested that students see a counselor prior to applying for graduation (which would be before registering for the last term of classes). Review the current academic calendar for deadline dates.
Other reasons a student may need to see a counselor include:
- Changing program of study
- Requesting a graduation substitution
- Requesting a CLAST exemption
- Clarification of information obtained through the College Catalog, Web site, and/or Student Handbook
- ANY REASON AT ALL!!
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What should I bring when I meet with a counselor?
This will often depend on the purpose of your meeting. However, it is generally helpful to bring:
- A list of specific questions that you have; an identified reason for coming to see the counselor.
- Any documentation provided at your last meeting: Compliance (print-out of courses, AA Worksheet, etc.
- Any copies of transcripts/test scores you may have (unofficial will usually work for counseling purposes).
- A copy of any paperwork you plan to ask a counselor about; you cannot expect the counselor to speak intelligently to you about a document that cannot be reviewed.
The counselors recommend you start a notebook or file to contain all of your documents relating to the administrative (non-coursework) aspects of your college life. You can then grab this notebook before visiting your counselor and know you have any documentation you may need.
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How many courses should I take each semester?
It depends on many factors...how many hours a week you work, what other responsibilities you have in your life, your academic/study skills, etc.
Some students must be full time (12 credit hours) to stay on their parents insurance, play a sport or meet financial aid or scholarship requirements.
If you work full time, consider a part time (6-9 credit hours) schedule.
Generally, you should plan two to three hours of study outside of class for every hour spent in class. This would thus involve about 24 hours per week for a full-time student (12 credit hours). Two hours are recommended as an average. Also, if you've been out of school for awhile you may want to take a reduced course load your first term back in school.
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How many credit hours must I take in a semester to be considered a full-time student?
The minimum to be considered full time in fall and spring is 12 credit hours. In summer A and B, it is 6 credit hours. However, it is recommended that you plan out your entire program to determine how long it would take you to graduate in your program of based on the number of classes you take each term.
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What are "major prerequisites (pre-reqs)?"/Where can I find the pre-reqs for my major?/What can I take as an A.A. elective?
Almost every major at the four-year level requires that some specific courses be taken as electives or pre-reqs within your A.A. program of study. They vary by major and may be as few as one or two or as many as eight or more courses. In some cases (i.e., limited access programs), you may be denied admission to the major you want if you don't have these courses.
- One place to find the pre-requisites to your intended major in the state of Florida is www.facts.org".
- Public/State Universities: Click on Advising Manuals-Common Pre-requisite Manual-the current catalog year-and then search by alphabetical order. You can then locate your intended major and view the pre-reqs.
- Private Institutions: Click on Advising Manuals-ICUF Articulation Manuals-the current catalog year-and then select the institution from the drop-down menu. You can then locate your intended major and view the pre-reqs
- Major pre-requisites can also be found in the college catalogs, transfer manuals, and on the Web sites of the four-year institution that you plan to attend.
If you have accessed these resources, but still have difficulties, print out what you have found and meet with a counselor.
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When should I decide on a major or program of study?
Generally, the sooner you make a choice of major the better - as long as you are sure you've taken into consideration all the factors involved.
There are computerized career guidance programs, such as SIGI 3 and Florida eChoices that will lead you through a systematic process of career (and major) exploration. Additionally, it is recommended that you explore our Career Services Web pages, as well as facts.org.
If after doing the above, you are still having difficulties deciding on a major, bring printouts of the information you gained through SIGI 3 or Florida eChoices, as well as any other pertinent information you have found to see a counselor.
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If I have an A.A. degree, am I guaranteed admission to a university?
An A.A. degree guarantees that you will be admitted to a State university in Florida, though not to a particular university or major. If the major is classified as "limited access" by the university, you must meet specific admissions criteria (e.g., prerequisite courses, GPA, early admissions deadlines, etc.) in order to be considered for acceptance.
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I took two years of foreign language in high school. Do I need any college-level language courses?
This requirement applies to any student planning to transfer to a state university. It is a state university requirement; not an A.A. requirement. If you have two years of high school foreign language (ASL counts), this will cover the university language requirement (unless your major has specific language requirements). If you did not have at least two years of foreign language in high school, a minimum of eight credits of college-level foreign language will be required. It is generally recommended that you do your languages while at SJRCC, though not always required.
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What is the CLAST? Must I take it?
The College Level Academic Skills Test is required for the A.A. degree OR to transfer to a State University. It is given on campus three times a year, although you may be exempt from taking the CLAST if you complete your college-level English and Mathematics requirements with a 2.5 GPA in each respective area. For more information, see your counselor.
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What should I do to prepare to transfer to a university?
Be certain to have taken all the courses and/or prereq's required for your degree and major.
Begin the transfer process six to nine months before you plan to go to the university (sooner if your major is "limited access").
Be sure to send your high school transcript if you had a foreign language and all college transcripts.
Utilize FACTS.orgfor admissions and transfer information for the state university of your choice.
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How many times may I take a course?
Three times total. The third attempt will be at the out-of-state tuition rates.
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Do you have grade forgiveness?
I made an "F" in a course last term. How can I get that grade removed?
Any student can take advantage of SJRCC's forgiveness policy. This policy allows you to retake the same course (within the limitations explained in the previous question) and only have the last grade you earn count in your GPA. The earlier grade will still remain on your transcript even though it is not included in the GPA calculation.
If you were in the hospital, transferred by the military or otherwise affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can petition by writing a letter to the VP of Student Affairs to be dropped or withdrawn from the course. A form is available in the Counseling Offices.
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What is the difference between "dropping" a course and "withdrawing" from it?
DROP
- During 1st week of classes (see College Calendar)
- Receive refund (if applicable)
- May be done online
- Does not appear on transcript
- Does not affect GPA
- Does not count as an attempt
WITHDRAW
- After 1st week of classes (see College Calendar)
- No refunds
- Must be done through Administrative offices using the SJRCC Student Initiated Course Withdrawal Form by the deadline
- Will appear as a "W" on transcripts
- Does not affect GPA
- Counts as an attempt
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Is there a minimum number of credit hours I must complete in residence at SJRCC to complete a degree at SJRCC?
Fifteen (15) credit hours or Twenty-five (25) percent of your degree program must be completed at SJRCC to receive a degree.
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Can I attend my last semester at another institution and still graduate from SJRCC?
Yes, but keep in mind the following points:
- you should complete a transient student form with a counselor prior to enrolling in courses at a different institution;
- if the courses at the other institution are not completed by the end of SJRCC's term, you will not be eligible to graduate until the end of following term.
- transcripts from the other institution must be sent to SJRCC's records office upon completion of the course.
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What does it mean if I am placed on Academic Probation, Suspension or Dismissal?
If you fail to achieve a 2.0 in a given term, you will be placed on probation. You will continue to be on probation as long as a) you obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for the each term you enroll in and b) until such time your overall GPA reaches a 2.0.
You may be placed on Academic Suspension if you were on Probation last semester and fail to achieve a 2.0 the following term.
If you are academically suspended, you will not be permitted to enroll for one full semester (Fall, Winter or full Summer).
Upon reentry following suspension, you must maintain a 2.0 or you will be academically dismissed for three years.
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Will my financial aid be affected if I drop a course?
It could be. Financial aid recipients must maintain a 67% pass rate on all courses attempted. The Counseling Office highly recommends you discuss your financial aid issues with a Financial Aid counselor... you may also visit the Web site of the Financial Aid Office.
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SJRCC Student Timeline/Checklist
As a student at SJRCC, it is important that you follow an upwardly mobile path toward graduation. Following the Student Timeline/Checklist will help you meet your academic and career goals.
By 12 Credit Hours:
- Complete (or continue to enroll in) any required college preparatory classes.
- Explore career interests and opportunities using the resources available through SJRCC, visit the Career Resources Web pages to learn more.
- Familiarize yourself with student resources such as the Library, free tutoring, Career Resources Center, and other services.
- Meet with a counselor to discuss your academic goals if you recently decided on or changed your major.
By 20 Credit Hours:
- Review CLAST requirements for your major.*
- Explore upper division universities, visit their Web sites, visit campuses, and review admission requirements.*
- Review prerequisites for your major and other transfer requirements with a counselor if you recently decided on or changed your major.*
By 30 Credit Hours
- Visit a counselor to have your Counseling Hold lifted and review your progress toward graduation and transfer.
- Take the CLAST, if required or file your paperwork for CLAST Exemption.*
By 45 Credit Hours
- Begin applications to upper division universities.*
- Explore career opportunities with J.O.B.S.
In Your Last Semester
- Apply for graduation after registration but before the deadline.
- Request final transcripts to be sent to upper division universities upon graduation.*
- Make sure that you have satisfied any financial responsibilities to the college.
* Applies to A.A. and transferable A.S. degree-seeking students.
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