Registration Approaching: Plan Ahead!

     Summer and Fall Registration begins in April, and now is the time to plan! Toward the end of the month the waiting time to meet with an advisor will reach two hours, but if you come in now there’s no wait.

     For the first time in TEAM history, Blinn and A&M registration will occur at approximately the same time. Registration starts April 22 at Blinn, while at A&M sophomore and freshman registration begins April 18 and 23 respectively. This should make your task of coordinating class schedules between the two schools somewhat easier. Registration for Spring minimesters at Blinn is already underway.

How do I conceptualize my schedule(s)?
     Don’t think of course selection as two separate processes (one for Blinn registration and the other for A&M registration). The best way to coordinate your schedules is to do so holistically; identify all of the courses you need without thinking about where you will register for them. After you have compiled a “shopping list,” then decide which one will be your A&M course. Register for the others at Blinn. (Naturally, course availability, class days/times, and time to transition between campuses are all factors to consider—if it’s not possible or feasible to to take a course at one school, take it at the other or go with a backup choice.)
     Your GPA at A&M is more volatile that at Blinn because you take fewer courses at A&M. Therefore, choose an A&M course in a subject of your strengths or interests. Should you make a “C” at A&M in your solid course you must wait until the following semester to offset it by making an “A.” At Blinn, a “C” in a course can be offset by an “A” in one of your other courses during the same semester. Research A&M grade distributions for courses and professors here: http://registration.tamu.edu/FacultyStaff/Report/Default.aspx.

How do I identify the courses I need?
     The best way to identify the courses required for your major is to produce a “What If Degree Evaluation” (also called a “Degree Audit”) in Howdy. Instructions for producing the evaluation are found on the General Studies website, see: https://gap.tamu.edu/Main/audit.aspx. This report compares your completed coursework against the curriculum for any major that you choose, making identification of the remaining courses a simple task. Be aware that the report will take into account your in-progress A&M courses, but will not include your in-progress Blinn courses. You’ll have to mentally subtract these from the report to determine what’s left to take.
     Next, you should read each course description and check for student restrictions by accessing the “Schedule of Classes” tab in Howdy. This will help you determine if there are any prerequisites prior to attempting to register for certain courses. If you have questions about how to interpret your Degree Evaluation, bring it with you when you meet with an advisor.

What happens if I’m currently taking a prerequisite course at one school and need to take the subsequent course at the other?
     A frustration can occur if you’re taking a prerequisite course at A&M and need to register for the follow-on course at Blinn. An example would be if you’re taking CHEM 101/111 at A&M and need to register for CHEM 1412 at Blinn. In this situation the two schools’ registration systems do not know that you are satisfying the prerequisite requirement on the other campus. Send an email to gap-blinnteam@tamu.edu. Include your name, UIN, Blinn ID number, and the course number/section/reference number you need to take at Blinn. Blinn will be notified so that you can be cleared to register for the needed course.
     Conversely, if you’re taking a prerequisite at Blinn and need to register for the next course at A&M, send a similar email but also attach a screen image of your Blinn schedule (from MyBlinn) showing your current schedule. The appropriate office will be notified at A&M to clear you for registration.

Where do I go for advising?

     Advising is not mandatory, but advisors “exist to assist.” You do not
need to meet with both a Blinn advisor and an A&M advisor! Remember, selection of your next semester’s courses should be done as one process.
     It is suggested that you meet with an A&M General Studies academic advisor. The reasons for this include: (1) The student-to-advisor ratio at Blinn is more than 1,000-to-1; it will be more difficult to meet with a Blinn advisor—they are extremely busy advising full time Blinn students. (2) General Studies advisors exist solely to advise TEAM and General Studies majors. General Studies advisor staffing is based on the number of students in the department. (3) A&M advisors are familiar with many little-known nuances within the curriculum of A&M degree plans.
     General Studies advisors are available in Hotard Hall (third floor) during normal business hours Monday through Friday (closed noon – 1:00 p.m.), and mornings (except Tuesdays) on the Blinn campus in S-157. No appointment is needed on the Blinn campus to meet with an A&M advisor, but check the General Studies website (http://gest.tamu.edu) to determine walk-in versus appointment hours in Hotard Hall. (These hours change during the semester based on anticipated demand.) Advising appointments may be made through the General Studies website.

What happens if I have a registration hold?
     If uou have a hold at either school, contact the office where it originated for instructions about clearing it. Be sure to check for holds before your registration day to avoid delays!

Q-Drop vs First Year Grade Exclusion – How Do I Decide?

By Robyn Torpey ’14

How do you decide which option, Q-dropping or First Year Grade Exclusion, is best for your particular situation? Read the 18 Most Frequently Asked Questions other students have asked when trying to make this very same decision. Before going to an advisor to ask a question, be sure to read ALL of these questions. You just might find the answer you are looking for and save yourself a lot of time!

1) What is the deadline for dropping a course? This is the LAST DAY to drop a course.
● Texas A&M – April 2nd
● Blinn – April 12th

2) Will I be “kicked off” Blinn TEAM if I drop below 12 hours in a semester?
● No. In the TEAM contract, it specifies that each student must ATTEMPT at least 12 hours per semester. It does not state that you must complete 12 hours. You must remember though, that there could be serious consequences for dropping below full-time student status. If you do not take 12 hours in a semester, you will probably need to take classes during the summer semester to complete all the requirements necessary to meet Blinn TEAM automatic admission criteria.
○ Blinn TEAM automatic admission criteria includes:
■ 45 hours at Blinn with at least a 3.0 GPA
■ 15 hours at TAMU with at least a 3.0 GPA

3) Will I be kicked off of Blinn TEAM if I do NOT drop a course and end up with a GPA below 3.0?
● Not necessarily. TEAM rules state that you need a cumulatie GPA of 3.0 at each school by the END of the program, not the end of each semester. However, students have been removed from TEAM in the past for falling too far behind, whether that be because of too few hours or a low GPA, rendering them incapable of catching up.

4) How do I drop a course?
● TAMU – You must meet with a General Studies Academic Advisor and complete a Q-Drop form (http://registrar.tamu.edu//forms/Q-Drop_Form.pdf) and then take it to the third floor of Hotard Hall.
● Blinn – Go to Enrollment Services Office in the Administration Office. (Note: Blinn charges a small fee for dropping a course)

5) What could happen if I drop a course?
● There are multiple things to consider if you drop a course:
○ You will NOT receive a refund this late in the semester
○ You may need to attend summer school to get back on track for completing all TEAM requirements
○ Dropping to zero (0) hours at TAMU is actually a “withdrawal.” This means you would lose ALL student services for the remainder of the semester. These services include, but are not limited to: dorm residence, bus services, athletic tickets, Student Rec Center membership, etc.
○ If you drop below 12 total hours, you will no longer be a full-time student. Consequences of this include:
■ Financial aid eligibility may be affected (you must check with the TAMU Financial Aid Office about your specific financial aid situation)
■ Scholarships may be lost
■ Health insurance could be suspended (Many family policies specify that children who are not living at home must remain full-time students in college to be covered. Be sure to check with your parents to determine if your coverage will be affected. If you will lose your insurance coverage, you may consider getting a month-to-month policy that is endorsed by TAMU: http://www.aipinternational.com/TAM/plan_select.html)
○ Visa requirements for international students may be violated
○ Veterans’ education benefits may be reduced
○ Eligibility to hold leadership positions in Student Organizations may be lost
○ Athletic eligibility may be lost

6) How will a dropped course appear on my transcript?
● A dropped course will appear on your transcript as a grade of “Q”. Grades of “Q” will NOT affect your GPA.

7) How many courses may I drop?
● TAMU – You are allowed three (3) Q-Drops during your entire time at TAMU. State regulations restrict students to a maximum combined total for all schools attended of 6 drops at Texas institutions.
○ For example, if you Q-Drop 4 courses at Blinn, TAMU can only allow you 2 Q-Drops
● Another thing to consider is that if you have to repeat a course, students attempting courses more than twice at TAMU will be a charged a fee of $125 per credit hour (that would be $375 for a three hour class)

8) One of the TAMU courses I’m taking is a one credit hour course. If I drop it, will it count as one of my 3 Q-Drops?
● Q-Drops in one hour courses will NOT count in the TAMU limit of three. It will be included in the State mandated limit of 6 dropped courses.
● If a lecture and a companion lab are dropped at the same time, this will count as one Q-Drop, rather than two.

9) What’s the difference in Q-Dropping a course versus excluding a grade under the First Year Grade Exclusion (FYGE) policy?
● First time freshman at TAMU are allowed to exclude up to three grades of “D”, “F” or “U” received during the first 12 months of enrollment at TAMU.
● Q-Drops are done before the end of a semester, while Grade Exclusions may only be done after receiving the final grade in the course.
● Excluding a grade will remove it from your GPA calculation, but the course and grade will still appear on your transcript. This is important to consider if you plan to transfer to another university, or apply to graduate or professional school.
● Blinn DOES NOT have a Grade Exclusion Policy!
● TAMU Grade Exclusion Policy will END this AUGUST!

10) How will the Grade Exclusion appear on my transcript?
● The grade received will be listed, followed by a pound symbol (F#)

11) Do Q-Drops and Grade Exclusions have the same effect on Financial Aid?
● No. “Academic Progress” for Financial Aid purposes is viewed differently for each. If you have scholarships, loans, or grants, please be sure to consult with a Financial Aid Advisor BEFORE making a decision.

12) Do other schools recognize and honor my Grade Exclusions at TAMU?
● No. Other schools can see all original grades on your transcript, and may use that grade to recalculate your GPA for their admission purposes. In cases like this, it might have been better to have used a Q-Drop rather than have received a low grade and excluded it.

13) If I exclude a course that I passed with a grade of “D”, do I get to keep the credit hours?
● No. Once you exclude a grade, you have permanently discarded credit for that course. If you are counting on those credit hours to move your closer to graduation, sophomore or junior status, or your Aggie Ring, exclude D’s only after careful consideration.
● General Academic Programs advising staff policy is to strongly encourage students to delay excluding grades of “D.”

14) How do I exclude a grade (“D”, “F” or “U”) earned during my first 12 months at TAMU?
● You must meet with a General Studies advisor and complete the Grade Exclusion form (http://registrar.tamu.edu/forms//GradeExclusionForm.pdf) then take it to the third floor of Hotard Hall.

15) When may I exclude a grade (“D”, “F”, or “U”) earned during my first 12 months at TAMU?
● You may exclude the grade AFTER it has been posted, any time before you graduate. You must be a currently enrolled student to exclude a grade. (Students who are not currently enrolled must wait until they are readmitted and/or registered before they may exclude a grade.)

16) What are the advantages of using Grade Exclusion instead of Q-Drop?
● You remain enrolled as a full-time student for the entire semester.
● You may be able to bring your grade up by remaining in the course until the end. Grade Exclusion was created to encourage students to continue attending and attempting the class rather than using a Q-Drop after the first exam in fear of failing.
● Allows you to save your Q-Drops until later. Four years is a long time for only 3 Q-Drops!

17) Does Blinn have a Grade Exclusion Policy?
● No. Blinn allows students to replace a low grade by retaking the same course. For repeated courses, Blinn will use only the higher grade to calculate your GPA. TAMU will use ALL grades earned at Blinn to calculate your GPA for Blinn TEAM automatic admission or transfer admissions decisions. Always consult an advisor BEFORE repeating a course. You may not need to retake that particular course (depending on your intended academic major).

18) Since Blinn does not have Grade Exclusion, is it better to drop a course at Blinn if I will receive a grade of “D” or “F”?
● At Blinn, you should ALWAYS drop a course if you’re sure you will receive an “F”. It is often wise to drop a course if you will receive a “D” also.
● ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR ADVISOR FIRST!
● Your first year is the most important time to make good grades. Using a drop as a freshman can prevent serious damage to your GPA. One of the biggest mistakes freshman make is to NOT drop a course at Blinn if they are doing poorly. There is nothing wrong with making an occasional “C”. But it is often a poor decision to drop a course if you can make a “C” in the class.

If you are still unsure what to do regarding Q-Dropping versus Grade Exclusion, please consult with an Academic Advisor as soon as possible BEFORE the drop deadline. There will be long waits to meet with advisors on the deadline day.