General Information

Academic Advisement is mandatory for all students and is available through several offices including the office of Academic Advisement and the Counseling Center. Students in Special Programs such as College Discovery, C-STEP, Disability Support Services, and International Students will be advised by staff from the appropriate offices. All first semester freshmen should visit the SAFE (Save All Freshmen Early) Center located in library room 434. SAFE provides success strategy resources aimed at helping 1 st semester Freshmen transition to the rigors of college.

Entering students for Fall 2008 (Freshmen, Transfer, Re-Admits) will be required to see an Academic Advisor prior to registering for classes. Current students looking to be advised and registered for the Fall 2008, will be in one of the following categories:

Students who have completed 24 credits with a GPA of 2.75 or higher have the option of self-advising via the online advisement system. A registration date is assigned to them at the completion of their online advisement session.

Students who have completed 24 or more credits and who are in good academic standing (2.0) + grade point average are required to receive advisement from their designated faculty advisor within their academic department of study.

Students who have achieved fewer than 24 credits and who are in good academic standing are required to meet individually with an academic advisor prior to registration.

Students placed on Academic Alert or Academic Probation are required to see a counselor in the Counseling Center prior to registration for the following semester. The purpose of this required meeting is to identify strategies and actions that can improve academic performance. A registration “stop” will be placed on the student’s record until this meeting has taken place. Students will continue to work with their assigned counselor on their overall advisement plan.

There will be three exceptions to this process:

1. Pre-Clinical Nursing (NP2) students usually do not complete 24 credits until they have already been accepted into or have reached a point where they are not eligible for the clinical program. These students are encouraged to seek advisement from the nursing department’s faculty advisors and/or academic advisor.
2. Students who intend to pursue a degree in elementary education at Queens College (LE1) are referred at the start of their first semester to the designated education advisor, located in the Social Science Department.
3. Some academic departments with highly specialized curricula (ET/CT, Music Electronic Technology, MT, PE and a few others) encourage their students get advisement by faculty in their first semester. Please contact the specific Academic Department for more information.

Current Students

Advisement for current students is available throughout the semester and summer; however, most advisement takes place during the Academic Advisement Period. The Academic Advisement Period is usually a 6 to 8 week time during which all academic departments, the Office of Academic Advisement, Counseling Center, and other student service areas offer advisement prior to registration. This period usually begins late October/early November for the fall semester and late March/early April for the spring semester.

Students are encouraged to check their Tigermail accounts to find out when and where Advisement and Registration will be taking place.

New Students

All new Freshmen and Transfers are notified of orientation and advisement dates and times after they have been accepted to the college and have taken (or have been exempt from) the CUNY/ACT Tests.

Readmitted Students (PDF)

Students who have not registered for classes for one or more semesters must file a readmission application with the Admission Office. Once students are officially readmitted, they can contact the advisor noted on their readmission letter for advisement. For further information, see the Readmitted Student Guide (PDF).

What is Probation?

Students whose GPA (Grade Point Average) falls below retention level (see below) are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation should contact the Counseling Center (Library 428, 718-631-6370). Probation is a time period of one or two semesters that students are given to raise their GPA to retention level. Students who do not make the needed progress are dismissed from the college.

While on probation, students cannot take more than 13 credits/equated credits. Students must also receive at least a 2.0 GPA for the current semester to remain on continued probation. Once students have raised their GPA to, or above, the retention level their probation status is automatically removed.

When students are having difficulties, they should speak with a counselor as soon as possible. Take steps early to AVOID PROBATION! Counselors can refer you to support services such as:

• The Writing Center – 281-5001, Instructional Support Services Center
• The Tutoring Center – 631-6383, Instructional Support Services Center
• Basic Skills Learning Center – 281-5709, Room H-237
• Math Learning Center – 281-5364, Room S-216

Retention Levels:

It is important to note that the credit levels are based on credits attempted, not how many credits are completed. This means that classes for which students receive grades of WU, W, INC, as well as standard grades, apply to the credit limit.

Counseling web site

What Happens if I am Dismissed?

When students are dismissed, they cannot attend any branch of the CUNY system for six months (one semester). If you are dismissed and believe there was mistake made (i.e. a grade change that has not been processed on time) or if you faced extenuating circumstances, you may file an appeal with the Committee on Course and Standing. To do this, you must obtain the appeal form from the Registrar’s Office (A-104), fill it out with any appropriate documentation attached, and return it to the Committee on Course and Standing secretary in Room A-104. Once the Committee has reached a decision, the student will be notified. Counselors can assist students in filling out the appeal form.

If the student is dismissed he/she may not attend any branch of the CUNY system for six months (one semester). During your time of dismissal it is advisable to seek assistance in resolving outstanding issues, such as WU grades and completing any outstanding work needed for INC grades.

To return to QCC a readmission application must be filed through the Admissions Office. The Admissions Committee reviews the application and a decision is made. Once re-admitted, students must see an academic advisor.