Am I assigned to a counselor? No, you are free to choose any counselor from our staff.
How often should I meet with a counselor? We recommend that you schedule an appointment with a counselor at least once per semester.
When is a good time to meet with a counselor? Definitely before registration but we recommend that you schedule an appointment approximately one month after beginning of the current semester in order to plan for the upcoming semester/session. Please keep in mind that the month before the semester begins is the busiest time of the year for the Counseling Department.
Who can I contact if I was enrolled in special education courses (K-12) or have been diagnosed with a psychological, physical or other disability? You are encouraged to contact the Disabled Students Program & Services (DSP&S) in C2-8. Their phone number is 323-265-8787. Please provide an IEP, proof of disability, or contact information of a physician or health care provider for verification of you disability.
What is a student educational plan? A student educational plan is multi-semester plan of courses that you will be taking in order to reach your educational goal.
What is a unit and how many should I take per session/semester? A unit is the amount of college credit earned by satisfactory completion of a specific course taken for one semester. 12 units are considered full time. The amount of units recommended varies depending on work schedules.
What do pre-requisite, co-requisite, and advisory mean? A Pre-requisite is a measure of readiness for a course or program that a student is required to meet as a condition of enrolling in a course or a program. A co-requisite is a requirement that must be satisfied at the time a particular course is taken; usually a co-requisite is concurrent enrollment in another course but may in certain situations be completed at an earlier time. An advisory is a measure of readiness for a course or program that is recommended for students.
What classes should I take for my major? For an associate degree please check the general catalog for specific courses required for your major. For transfer students, common transfer major sheets are available in the Counseling Department. For transfer to a UC or CSU campus please refer to www.assist.org. Schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor.
What is the difference between major requirements and general education? General education is coursework required in a variety of disciplines that must be completed in order to fulfill graduation requirements. Major requirements are specific courses required in your field of study that must be completed in order to fulfill graduation requirements.
How do I get help choosing a major? Visit the Career Center where you can take career assessments and meet with a Career Counselor. There are resources, workshops and courses such as Personal Development 4 available to help you explore majors and careers.
When and how do I turn in an application?
When do I register for classes? Admissions will assign a specific day and time for registration. You may register any time after the appointment date. Check on-line at www.elac.edu
How do I add and drop classes? You may add or drop a class using one of three methods:
How do I know when my appointment for registration is? "How To View Your Registration Appointment Online" (pdf)
Is there a deadline to add or drop classes? Yes, deadlines to add or drop a class are printed in the first page of the Schedule of Classes.
When do I pay for my classes? We recommend paying for classes before the semester begins. If payment is not made, a "hold" may be placed on your record.
What is the purpose of the assessment? To evaluate and place you in the correct level of math or English.
How often can I take the assessment? Once every six months. Please check with the Enrollment Center, E6 106 for a current Calendar.
How do I obtain official/unofficial transcripts? Official transcripts may be requested in Admissions, E6 103. "How To Obtain Your Unofficial Transcripts Online" (pdf)
How do I calculate my grade point average? "How to Calculate Your GPA" (pdf)
How do I check my grades at the end of the semester? "How To View Your Grades" (pdf)
What is Progress Probation? When a student is enrolled in 12 units or more and receives a "W", "I", or "NC" for more than 50% of the courses attempted.
What is Academic Probation? When your cumulative grade point average is below 2.0.
How do D's Fs Ws NCR affect my academic record? D's and F's affect your grade point average. W's and NCR's are not computed in the grade point average.
Can I repeat a course? (include link to form) A course in which you received a "D" or "F" can be repeated twice without permission. If you do not pass the course the third time around you will need to petition by completing the "Repeat with Special Circumstances" form for approval by Admissions. After you have repeated the course, you must complete the Petition to Remove Substandard Grade in Admissions in order for it not to count in your overall GPA.
What is academic renewal? (include link to form) Academic Renewal is a forgiveness policy that allows students to remove courses in which a grade of "D" or "F" was received from the grade point average calculation. In order to qualify for Academic Renewal two conditions must be met:
What is an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree? Associate in Arts degree is granted by a community college which recognizes a student s satisfactory completion of an organized program of study consisting of a minimum of 60 degree applicable semester units
What is the difference between an AA and an AS degree? Whether the degree is an AA or AS is predetermined by the major. To find out if your intended degree is an AA or AS please refer to the college catalog.
Do I have to get an AA/AS degree to transfer? No, universities do not require an associate degree to transfer.
What is the difference between graduation plan A and graduation plan B? Graduation Plan A - requires 30 units of general education Grad Plan A (pdf) Graduation Plan B - requires 18 units of general education Grad Plan B (pdf) The plan that you follow depends on your major. Please refer to the college catalog or schedule an appointment with a counselor to determine the correct plan for your major.
When and how do I apply for my AA or AS Degree? Apply during the semester when you think you are completing your final AA/AS requirements. Schedule an appointment with a counselor for a graduation evaluation and if you meet the requirements a graduation petition will be completed. Check "Grad Petition" filing dates in the current Schedule of Classes calendar section.
How do I apply for a skill certificate or a certificate? Once the requirements have been completed, fill out and submit the Skill Certificate or Certificate of Completion form in Admissions E6 103.
How do I apply for financial aid? Visit our Financial Aid Office or apply at www.fafsa.org.
What is a BOGG fee waiver / tuition waiver? Click here to download BOGG form. This is an application to have your enrollment fees waived. Once applied it is valid for one academic year. The BOGG fee waiver application is available in the Financial Aid Office or in the schedule of classes. Apply for a fee waiver every academic year. There is no unit requirement for the waiver. The waiver covers "Tuition" and not books, supplies, parking or health fee.
How can I find out about scholarships? Check with the Financial Aid office for scholarship information. You may also check with a "free" website www.fastweb.org.