Counseling
ELAC > Student Services> Transfer Center > Counseling FAQ
Counseling Frequently Asked Questions
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- How do I schedule an appointment?
- Am I assigned to a counselor?
- How often should I meet with a counselor?
- When is a good time to meet with a counselor?
- What is an education plan?
- What is the purpose of the assessment?
- How often can I take the assessment?
- What is a unit and how many should I take per session/semester?
- What do pre-requisite, co-requisite, and advisory mean?
- How do I add and drop classes?
- Is there a deadline to add or drop classes?
- When do I pay for my classes?
- When do I register for classes?
- What classes should I take for my major?
- What is the difference between major requirements and general education?
- How do I calculate my grade point average?
- How do I know when my appointment for registration is?
- How do I check my grades at the end of the semester?
- How do I obtain official/unofficial transcripts?
- What is an AA degree?
- What is an AS degree?
- Do I have to get an AA degree to transfer?
- What is the difference between graduation plan A and graduation plan B?
- How do I apply for my AA or AS Degree?
- How do I apply for skill certificate or a certificate?
- What is progress probation?
- What is academic probation?
- How do D’s Fs Ws NCR affect my academic record?
- Can I repeat a course?
- What is academic renewal?
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How do I schedule an appointment?
Appointments are scheduled in person or by telephone (323) 265-8751. To reserve the most convenient time we recommended that appointments be made on Monday morning.
- In person: beginning at 8:00 a.m.
- By phone: beginning at 10:30 a.m.
*South Gate Educational Center
Appointments are scheduled in person or by telephone (323) 357-6213. To reserve the most convenient time we recommend that appointments be made on Monday morning.
- In person: beginning at 8:30 a.m.
- By phone: beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Bring assessment placement results, correspondence from other campus offices, information from prior counselor appointments, transcripts from other colleges attended, and other educational material to your appointment.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
How do I add and drop classes?
You may add or drop a class using one of three methods:
- In person at the Admissions Office
- By telephone see instructions in Schedule of Classes
- On-line pdf “How to add/drop classes online”
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.
We recommend paying for classes before the semester begins. If payment is not made, a “hold” may be placed on your record.
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 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 calculate my grade point average?
“How to Calculate Your GPA” pdf
How do I know when my appointment for registration is?
“How To View Your Registration Appointment Online” pdf
How do I check my grades at the end of the semester?
How do I obtain official/unofficial transcripts?
“How To Obtain Your Unofficial Transcripts Online” pdf
Official transcripts may be requested in Admissions window #1.
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
Associate in Science 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.
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 refer to the college catalog or schedule an appointment with a counselor to determine the correct plan for your major.
How do I apply for my AA or AS Degree?
Schedule an appointment with a counselor for a graduation evaluation and if you meet the requirements a graduation petition will be completed.
When do I apply for my AA or AS Degree?
Apply during the semester when you think you are completing your final AA/AS requirements.
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 requirements have been completed pick up and complete the Skill Certificate or Certificate of Completion form in Admissions. Submit to window #1.
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.
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.
A course in which you received a “D” or “F” can be repeated once without permission. If you do not pass the course the second time around you will need to petition by completing the “Repeat with Special Circumstances” form for approval by Admissions.
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:
- At least two calendar years must have elapsed from the time the coursework was completed.
- Student must have achieved a grade point average of 2.5 in their last 15 semester units or 2.0 in their last 30 semester units at any accredited college or university.
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?
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 Financial Aid for scholarship information. You may also check with a “free” website www.fastweb.org.
Career Center
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.
How do I write a resume?
Resume writing resources and workshops are available through the Career Center.
How do I get help finding a part time job?
Current job listings are available in the Career Center.
College work study is available for students who qualify through Financial Aid.