FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

This section consists of questions most asked by students about academic advising issues and is divided into five sections.  Click on the area heading for answers to the questions.  If you have questions that are not listed, please contact the Academic Advising Center staff by emailing advising@iwu.edu.

General Advising

1. What is the purpose of the Academic Advising Center?
2. Who is my academic advisor?
3. Why am I assigned to a first-year advisor?
4. How do I get an appointment with my academic advisor?
5. When and how often do I meet with my advisor?
6. How should I prepare for my advising appointment?
7. What do I do if I want to change advisors?
8. What are my responsibilities as a student in the advising relationship?
9. What questions should I ask my advisor?

Majors

1. What majors are offered at IWU?
2. What if the major I want is not offered at IWU?
3. How do I declare my major?
4. Where do I go for help with exploring and choosing majors?
5. What courses should I take while I am undecided about my major?
6. When do I need to make a decision about my major?
7. What are the advantages of starting in college as undecided? 
8. Does my major determine my career?
9. What does it mean to double major?
10. What does it mean to have a minor? Do I need a minor?
11. What minors are offered at IWU?
12. What is the difference between a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts?

Registration/Scheduling

1. How do I choose my classes? / How does course registration work?
2. How many courses should I take each semester? / Why am I only taking four courses per semester?
3. What are Gateway Colloquium classes?
4. What is a prerequisite course?
5. How do I do a course overload?
6. How many course units are considered full-time status?
7. Should I take a course during the summer?
8. How do I find out what classes are available?
9. When can I register for classes?
10. How do I make changes to my schedule?
11. What do I do if a class is closed?
12. What is my registration PIN?
13. What are general education requirements?
14. How many units do I need to graduate?
15. What are upper division courses?
16. When is the last day I can add a course?
17. When is the deadline for dropping a course?
18. What if I am past the deadline for adding or dropping a course?
19. Do I get a refund if I drop a course?

Academic Progress/Student Records

1. How can I check my academic progress?
2. What is the difference between a transcript and a Degree Evaluation?
3. What if I find an error on my Degree Evaluation?
4. How do I obtain a transcript?
5. What is the turnaround time to get a transcript mailed?
6. How do I get an Enrollment Verification?

Academic Issues and University Policies

1. How many course units do I need to be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior?
2. What is the Credit/No Credit grading option and how do I change a course from graded to Credit/No Credit?
3. How do I calculate my grade point average (GPA)?
4. Can I repeat a course?
5. What is Academic Probation
6. What is Academic Disqualification?
7. What is academic distinction?
8. How do I withdraw from the University?

Transfer Information

1. Do AP credits transfer to IWU?
2. Do I need approval to take a course at another college and transfer it to IWU?
3. What is concurrent enrollment, and do I need concurrent enrollment approval?
4. What if my transfer work is not showing on my Degree Evaluation?
5. Will study abroad courses transfer?
6. Why should I study abroad?