Division of Student Affairs

Many classes, especially prerequisite classes, tend to fill up quickly. Students who need a particular class often get upset when they unsuccessfully attempt to “crash” the class.

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1. Refer students to GOLD (Gaucho On-Line Data) to look for an alternative class that meets their needs.
2. Refer students to the appropriate College undergraduate advisors at the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, or the College of Creative Studies.
3. Refer students to a departmental undergraduate advisor, who may assist in finding a class that fulfills the needed requirement.

Students tend to change majors a number of times as undergraduates. Most majors can be declared as late as the first quarter of the junior year and still allow the student to graduate in four years, while other majors require an earlier decision because of particular requirements. Academic advisors in the Colleges and the undergraduate advisors in each department can help a student appraise the fit between the course work and his/her major, determine a realistic time frame for the major, and complete the application to the major. Career counselors at Career Services can help the student evaluate whether the selected major will allow him/her to be competitive in a chosen career or graduate program.

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1. Advise students to read major requirements in the UCSB Catalog.
2. Refer students to the appropriate departmental undergraduate advisors.
3. Refer students to the appropriate College academic advisor.
4. Refer students to a career counselor at Career Services or to the Career Resource Room.

Many undergraduates explore the option of graduate school in their junior and senior years.

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1.  Encourage the student to consider undergraduate research options. Refer him/her to:
   http://www.research.ucsb.edu/.
2. Refer the student to Campus Learning Assistance Services which assists students with preparation for standardized entrance exams.
3. Suggest to the student that s/he peruse
   www.kaplan.com and www.princetonreview.com for on-line resources.
4. Recommend to the student the CHOICES computer program available at Career Services. Using a wide range of criteria, this program helps the student identify graduate schools.
5. Refer the student to Career Services for brochures and information on the various entrance exams and for The Guide to Applying to Graduate School.
6. Refer the student to workshops and events related to graduate school at Career Services.

Many students will at some point need to speak with their college’s academic advisor for assistance. The following are some of the reasons a students should meet with an academic advisor. A student is:

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1. Experiencing a crisis or emergency affecting academic progress.
2. Repeating a course for the second or third time.
3. Considering a withdrawal from a course.
4. Inquiring about an inter-campus visitor application or an enrollment agreement (contract).
5. Attempting to transfer from Engineering or Creative Studies to Letters and Science.
6. In need of athletic eligibility.
7. Inquiring about registration blocks and/or academic probation.

Note: When seeking help from a college academic advisor in the College of Letters and Science, it is best to schedule an appointment, although in emergency situations students can be seen on a walk-in basis, 1117 Cheadle Hall.