Academic ADVISEMENT

At Georgia Southern University, transfer students are “early advised” which means they are advised prior to the Southern Orientation Advisement and Registration (SOAR) session. Advantages of early advisement:

• Transfer students attend an abbreviated SOAR session.
• Transfer students are able to register for their classes immediately upon completing WINGS training at SOAR.
• In some cases, early advisement also enables your advisor to pre-register you for critical courses, thereby ensuring that you will get into the class.

In preparation for your early advisement session, you will need to do the following:

• Have an official transcript sent from your current institution to Georgia Southern, reflecting all academic coursework taken. If you are currently taking classes, you should send an official transcript before your early advisement session and have a second official transcript sent after the grades have been posted to your transcript for the classes you are currently taking.
• Communicate to your Georgia Southern advisor current classes in which you may be enrolled.
• Consider what classes you will need for your major. Four-year plans of study and two-year course rotations are available for each academic major at http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/advisement/programs.html.
• Consider what classes you may need for a minor. Minors consist of 15 hours of course work in a particular field other than the major. A minimum of nine of the 15 hours must be earned at Georgia Southern University. Students enrolled in Bachelor of Arts degree programs are required to have a minor. Students in other baccalaureate degree programs may also wish to add a minor. Students should plan the courses taken towards a minor with their advisor.

If you would like to change your major before SOAR from what is listed on your Admissions Status Check (https://my.georgiasouthern.edu/admissions/), you must complete the online Change of Information form at http://admissions.georgiasouthern.edu/info_update_transfer.htm. If you have previously been early advised for the old major, you will need to contact your advisor to inform him or her of the change of major. If time is available prior to attending SOAR, you will be contacted by your new advisor (if applicable) to early advise for your new major.

A change of major can also be initiated at SOAR, but it is preferred that your change of major be made prior to attending SOAR. To change your major at SOAR, you need to complete the change of major paperwork when you check in. You will then need to attend the advisement session at SOAR where you will be advised for classes for the new major.

If you decide to change your major after you have registered for classes, you will need to contact your assigned advising center and inform them of the new major you are considering. The advisement center will help you complete a degree evaluation that will provide you with important information on what courses would currently count toward the new degree program. If you decide to move forward with changing your major, they will also assist you with completing the Change of Major form.

12/11/08

BE ADVISED.