Frequently Asked Advising Questions
What is the ACTION Center?
The ACTION Center is a department of the Student Services Division. The mission of the ACTION Center is to assist new students in educational and career planning. The staff works directly with new students in their orientation to college, the development of each student’s degree plan, and in academic advising. All students will be assisted with career exploration and career counseling as requested.
What is my “PIN”?
Your PIN or Personal Identification Number is equal to your Date of Birth MMDDYY, You will be prompted to change this if you prefer
When is registration for the next semester?
View the current Academic Calendar
Does Wallace State offer a new student orientation?
Lions' Pride is a new student orientation. Each new applicant to the college will be assigned an orientation date. The session is designed to orient students to Wallace State and the Student Services Departments of the college. For example, admissions policies and procedures, financial aid, the advising process, and the registration process are all aspects discussed at Lions Pride.
How much are tuition and fees?
Tuition is determined by the Alabama Department of Post-Secondary Education.
You may visit the website for Alabama Post Secondary at www.acs.cc.al.us
or visit the Wallace State Website and follow the link to Post-Secondary
www.wallacestate.eduHow do I verify acceptance of transfer of credit from my previous college?
The Director of Admissions/Registrar will evaluate your transcripts at the beginning of your first semester at Wallace State. The director will transfer any applicable classes that are needed for your degree. You will be mailed a copy of your transcript upon completion of the evaluation.
What extra-curricular activities are available at WSCC?
You may contact the Student Recruiting office (256) 352-8032 for current student activities. The names of student organizations and their advisors are listed in the College Catalog.
What is the Placement Assessment? Where is it given?
The COMPASS Placement determines which English and math class you need to take your first semester at Wallace State. The COMPASS Placement Assessment is given on the 8th floor of the James C. Bailey Building in the ACTION Center. You are required to have an application on file in the Office of Admissions prior to taking the COMPASS placement test. You will not have to take the COMPASS placement test if you have an ACT score of 20 or better on the Math and/or English portion of the ACT. For information concerning COMPASS please contact Testing Coordinator, Keisha Lewis at (256) 352-8053 or keisha.lewis@wallacestate.edu.
Can I get help in selecting courses?
Yes, and it is strongly recommended you get assistance every semester. Faculty Advisors for your selected program are available to assist you with course selections. If you have not decided on a program of study you must confer with one of the counselors or advisors for undeclared majors in the ACTION Center.
How do I get an academic advisor?
All new students are assigned an advisor. This is pre-determined by the program of study indicated on the students’ application for admission. Students may contact the Office of Admission or the ACTION Center to verify who their advisor is or to request a change.
How do I use the degree plan?
The degree plan is a basic outline of the curriculum for your major. It will show the classes that are required to receive your degree. This will enable you to track your progress toward graduation.
What is Distance Learning?
Distance education is any learning that takes place with the instructor and student geographically remote from each other. The technology is ever-evolving and the process may occur by mail, video, interactive or cable television, satellite broadcast, or any number of Internet technologies. You may want to visit the Wallace State website to help determine if these courses are for you at www.wallacestate.edu Follow the link on the left for student services and then click on the link to the right for distance learning.
I need to change my classes? What do I do?
It is recommended that you speak with your advisor or refer to your degree plan before changing your schedule. If it is determined that you need to change your schedule, you need to visit the Office of Admissions to make these changes.
I need to change my major? What do I do?
You need to complete a Change of Program form and submit it to the Office of Admissions. The forms can be obtained in the Admissions Office.
How many credit hours should I take per semester?
The minimum number of semester hours per semester for full-time is 12 hours. Most first time freshmen take 15 – 18 semester hours. Most classes will be 3 hours credit, so this will be 5-6 classes. It is recommended that students who enroll in 19 hours per semester have a high school GPA of a minimum of 3.5 and/or a 26 on the ACT.
How do I calculate my GPA?
Your academic Grade Point Average is obtained by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of semester hours attempted.
A - 4 quality points per hour
B - 3 quality points per hour
C - 2 quality points per hour
D - 1 qualify points per hour
F - 0 quality points per hour
Click here to use online GPA Calculator
Example:
If you take ENG 101 for 3 hours credit and receive an A you will receive 12 quality points
BIO 103 for 4 hours credit and receive a B you will receive 12 quality points
PSY 200 for 3 hours credit and receive a C you will receive 6 quality points
SPH 107 for 3 hours credit and receive an A you will receive 12 quality points
PED 100 for 1 hour credit and receive an A you will receive 4 quality points
You will have a total of 14 hours and 46 quality points, 46 divided by 14 equals 3.28 GPAHow do I check my grades?
You can log on to the Wallace State website http://www.wallacestate.edu and click on online registration. You will then log on as a student and follow the menus on the screen.
What is the difference in an AAS and an AS degree?
The Associate of Science/Associate of Arts Degrees are designed for students who plan to transfer to a senior institution and pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in a selected field of study. The core courses are taken at Wallace State and led to the Associate in Arts/Science Degree. The Associate in Applied Science Degree program is designed to fulfill occupational and career objectives and go hand in hand with a technical program.
I have not decided on a major. What is my best course of ACTION?
You will be assigned a professional-academic advisor located in the ACTION Center. The advisor will assist you with career exploration activities and discuss how your interest and abilities should relate to your choice of major and ultimately your career.
What is Pinpoint?
Pinpoint is a career guidance system that combines comprehensive self-assessment with powerful career matching to determine which professional careers best suits an individual’s personality. Pinpoint guides the student through an exploration of six aspects of their personality that are highly significant to career satisfaction. It then brainstorms career possibilities by evaluating the user’s personality profile against a database of professional careers and shows how compatible the user’s personality is to each career.
How do I apply for Financial Aid?
You may apply for a Federal Grant by contacting our Office of Financial Aid and obtaining an application. You may make an appointment with a counselor in the Educational Talent Search office to assist in the application process, or visit the Federal Website. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Financial Aid: (256)352-8182) or financialaid@wallacestate.edu
Talent Search (256)352-8258Fast Web! www1.fastweb.com
Free Scholarship and College Searches & Financial Aid ToolsFor online information concerning Veterans’ Educational Benefits http://www.gibill.va.gov/
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