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Last year I posted a thread about my experiences with new student registration, or SOAR (Student Orientation and Retention).
We've been doing this at the community college where I teach nursing all summer. This week, I've been doing SOAR every day. Bascially, the students attend a general orientation session on student success in the morning. Then in the afternoon, they see advisers in their majors to help them register for classes.
Theoretically, all the students I see are nursing students. A few highlights.
Make a decision . . . please
A pre-nursing student comes in to register for classes. She did not have a nursing information packet.
Note: a nursing information packet is detailed information on how to apply to the nursing program at our school. It's an involved process that Admissions does. They look over your transcripts, placement scores. You attend an information session to learn about what being a student in our program is like. Then you take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) test. Then you're ranked. There is no waiting list for our program.
So I explained the packet and how it worked to her. This was her first time back in school in 15 years. She scored into college level English, and basic algebra on her placement tests. She wanted to start with the first semester of Anatomy and Physiology, which if you'll remember from last year fills up quick.
Cast of characters:
Me:
SC: Sucky customer 1
Me: I don't think there are any open sessions, but I'll look. *Tipity tap on the computer. One section had one seat open, on the GC campus, in the mid afternoon.
SC: I work. I really need to take classes later in the day, after I get off of work.
Me: OK *this is really not unreasonable, lots of students in that situation. But it does mean fewer options and choices, which you then have to live with* Well, since that class starts before you get off work, let's look at some of the other required classes. You don't have to take them in any particular order, with a few exceptions. In the meantime, talk to Admissions so you can start on the other things you need to do.
SC: You mean I have to talk to them before I can register?
Me: No, no! *You're not lisTENing!* You can register for your non-nursing required courses. But you need to see them so you can go to the information session and take the TEAS.
SC: But I can't take A&P until I take the TEAS?
Me: *still not LISTENING!* No, you can take A&P now, but you said you didn't get off work in time. So we'll look at other classes to get you started. But you have to see Admissions to get the application process going.
SC: Oh. OK.
Me: Let's look at math and English. *tipity tap, and I find a section of each that fits her work schedule.* Now, do you need to be full time for financial aid? You did mention you worked full time.
SC: No, I don't have financial aid, so I don't have to be full time. I'm worried about doing too much since I've been out of school so long. I'm wondering if maybe I should just take the A&P and start out with that one course and get it done.
Me:
*Wish you'd said that while I had that course open!* Well, it is a very difficult course. But I thought you said you wouldn't get off work in time.
SC: I know.
Me: ----
SC:----
Me: ----
SC: ----
Me: Well, what do you want to do?
SC: I don't know.
Me: *Make a decision lady. I have other students waiting.*
It took me almost half an hour to register ONE student because she couldn't make up her freakn' mind.
Holding Patterns . . .
The next story involves 4 Egyptian students who all wanted to take pre-nursing and pre-radiology tech courses at our school, with the goal of transferring to a four year university near by after two years. This in itself is not sucky. Many students do this, and doing your first two years of a four year program at a community college is actually a great way to make your college dollar stretch. Community colleges are a great bang for your buck. The nationality of the students will be important in a minute though (no Fratching material here, folks).
These students actually spoke English quite fluently, which was a big help. One was not signing up for classes at all, but wanted to insert herself into every conversation of the three students with their individual advisers (of which I was one).
NG: Nosy girl
S1: Student with me
S2: Student 2
S3: Student 3, with whom I really didn't interact much.
NG: Can I sit with her while you sign her up so I can help her?
Me: Uhm. I guess so, if she doesn't mind. Do you speak English? *turning to S1*
S1: Oh, yes, just fine.
Me: OK. *tipity tap on the computer, I bring up her file.* What courses would you like to register for?
NG: We want her to register for the Anatomy and Physiology she can use for the nursing program at University. These are their section numbers. These are your section numbers. They will match up, right?
Me: They should. The courses are transferable, but I don't know exactly what courses transfer as what because I don't know anything about their courses at University.
NG: Well, we want to go for ultrasound tech, and they need a 1 semester A&P. You have this course.
Me: All of our A&P courses are full. That one is A&P light: it is for our Practical Nursing and Medical Assistant students. It will transfer, but it won't give you credit towards the two semester A&P course.
S1: We want to take the courses that will transfer for ultrasound.
Me: All the courses you take here will transfer, but I don't know what their program accepts or requires. Have you talked to them.
S1: Yes, we talked to a lady and she said they will take your courses.
Me: OK, but they are full. I can sign you up for your Math and English courses, though.
S1: I want to take the Psychology course. We need Developmental.
Me: You have to take General first. That is open. *I go over open sections, and she picks one* Oops. It won't let me put you in the course. The computer says you have a Visa hold.
S1: A visa hold?
Me: Yes. Do you have a student visa?
S1: No. I have a green card.
Me: Hmm. Well, it should let you register then, but it's not. You'll have to go to the Registrar's office and get them to take the hold off.
NG: Can't you put her in the course, and then send her to the Registrar?
Me: The computer won't let me do that. I have no idea why there's a hold on her account but there is. She'll have to go over there to get it off.
NG: How much longer will you be here?
Me: Not much longer. Half an hour or so.
So S1 leaves. NG moves over to where S2 is trying to register. The instructor there is not a nursing instructor, but an office technology instructor who is doing the best she can to help. S2 has her totally confused about an ultrasound program, which we don't have. Instructor 2 (I2) asks me for help.
Me: Well, we do have a radiology technology program. It's just starting this year, but they're not in our division for some reason (don't ask me why), and I know nothing about their requirements because I haven't been given them. I do know you have to be a radiology tech before you can be an ultrasound tech. Are you trying to get into our Rad tech program? I do know it's a limited enrollment program, and they have information on the application process in the admissions office.
NG: NO, NO! We are doing ultrasound at University. We just want to take some classes here, and then transfer.
Hoookday. S2 could have explained that to I2.
We get the set up now that I2's confusion is cleared up. S1 is still not back. It's been an hour and I've hung around a bit though the place has cleared out of other students (when all the students are registered, I can leave). But I'm not waiting past 5pm, when the rest of the college shuts down, for one student who may not even come back.
NG assures me she's coming back. So I waited.
NG: Can you pull up her file and register her for the courses S2 and S3 are taking. We are car pooling together (sensible).
Me: No. I can't pull up her file without her being here. Government privacy rules.
NG: It's OK, I will be here.
Me: I'm sorry, but no. The law does not allow that. (really, lady. I'm not breaking FERPA for you).
Eventually she gets back, but bad news is, one of the courses her friends was taking was closed. She'd have to take another section. I signed her up then explained she could try to get into the same section as her friend during Drop/Add.
NG: Can you write down all the instructions on how to do that for us?
I2: It's all online when you get into WebAdvisor. It explains exactly how to do it from home.
Thank you I2!
Whew!
Of course there was the usual run of the mill hadn't bothered to take the placement tests yet or didn't know what they wanted to take as well. Out of four days, I registered ONE student who a) knew what she wanted, and b) didn't care what she got as long as she got what she needed. I got her registered in five minutes flat.
Next week is open registration, when all comers try to get into the classes that are increasingly filled up. That's when the real fun begins.
We've been doing this at the community college where I teach nursing all summer. This week, I've been doing SOAR every day. Bascially, the students attend a general orientation session on student success in the morning. Then in the afternoon, they see advisers in their majors to help them register for classes.
Theoretically, all the students I see are nursing students. A few highlights.
Make a decision . . . please
A pre-nursing student comes in to register for classes. She did not have a nursing information packet.
Note: a nursing information packet is detailed information on how to apply to the nursing program at our school. It's an involved process that Admissions does. They look over your transcripts, placement scores. You attend an information session to learn about what being a student in our program is like. Then you take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) test. Then you're ranked. There is no waiting list for our program.
So I explained the packet and how it worked to her. This was her first time back in school in 15 years. She scored into college level English, and basic algebra on her placement tests. She wanted to start with the first semester of Anatomy and Physiology, which if you'll remember from last year fills up quick.
Cast of characters:
Me:
SC: Sucky customer 1
Me: I don't think there are any open sessions, but I'll look. *Tipity tap on the computer. One section had one seat open, on the GC campus, in the mid afternoon.
SC: I work. I really need to take classes later in the day, after I get off of work.
Me: OK *this is really not unreasonable, lots of students in that situation. But it does mean fewer options and choices, which you then have to live with* Well, since that class starts before you get off work, let's look at some of the other required classes. You don't have to take them in any particular order, with a few exceptions. In the meantime, talk to Admissions so you can start on the other things you need to do.
SC: You mean I have to talk to them before I can register?
Me: No, no! *You're not lisTENing!* You can register for your non-nursing required courses. But you need to see them so you can go to the information session and take the TEAS.
SC: But I can't take A&P until I take the TEAS?
Me: *still not LISTENING!* No, you can take A&P now, but you said you didn't get off work in time. So we'll look at other classes to get you started. But you have to see Admissions to get the application process going.
SC: Oh. OK.
Me: Let's look at math and English. *tipity tap, and I find a section of each that fits her work schedule.* Now, do you need to be full time for financial aid? You did mention you worked full time.
SC: No, I don't have financial aid, so I don't have to be full time. I'm worried about doing too much since I've been out of school so long. I'm wondering if maybe I should just take the A&P and start out with that one course and get it done.
Me:
*Wish you'd said that while I had that course open!* Well, it is a very difficult course. But I thought you said you wouldn't get off work in time.SC: I know.
Me: ----
SC:----
Me: ----
SC: ----
Me: Well, what do you want to do?
SC: I don't know.
Me:
*Make a decision lady. I have other students waiting.*It took me almost half an hour to register ONE student because she couldn't make up her freakn' mind.
Holding Patterns . . .
The next story involves 4 Egyptian students who all wanted to take pre-nursing and pre-radiology tech courses at our school, with the goal of transferring to a four year university near by after two years. This in itself is not sucky. Many students do this, and doing your first two years of a four year program at a community college is actually a great way to make your college dollar stretch. Community colleges are a great bang for your buck. The nationality of the students will be important in a minute though (no Fratching material here, folks).
These students actually spoke English quite fluently, which was a big help. One was not signing up for classes at all, but wanted to insert herself into every conversation of the three students with their individual advisers (of which I was one).
NG: Nosy girl
S1: Student with me
S2: Student 2
S3: Student 3, with whom I really didn't interact much.
NG: Can I sit with her while you sign her up so I can help her?
Me: Uhm. I guess so, if she doesn't mind. Do you speak English? *turning to S1*
S1: Oh, yes, just fine.
Me: OK. *tipity tap on the computer, I bring up her file.* What courses would you like to register for?
NG: We want her to register for the Anatomy and Physiology she can use for the nursing program at University. These are their section numbers. These are your section numbers. They will match up, right?
Me: They should. The courses are transferable, but I don't know exactly what courses transfer as what because I don't know anything about their courses at University.
NG: Well, we want to go for ultrasound tech, and they need a 1 semester A&P. You have this course.
Me: All of our A&P courses are full. That one is A&P light: it is for our Practical Nursing and Medical Assistant students. It will transfer, but it won't give you credit towards the two semester A&P course.
S1: We want to take the courses that will transfer for ultrasound.
Me: All the courses you take here will transfer, but I don't know what their program accepts or requires. Have you talked to them.
S1: Yes, we talked to a lady and she said they will take your courses.
Me: OK, but they are full. I can sign you up for your Math and English courses, though.
S1: I want to take the Psychology course. We need Developmental.
Me: You have to take General first. That is open. *I go over open sections, and she picks one* Oops. It won't let me put you in the course. The computer says you have a Visa hold.
S1: A visa hold?
Me: Yes. Do you have a student visa?
S1: No. I have a green card.
Me: Hmm. Well, it should let you register then, but it's not. You'll have to go to the Registrar's office and get them to take the hold off.
NG: Can't you put her in the course, and then send her to the Registrar?
Me: The computer won't let me do that. I have no idea why there's a hold on her account but there is. She'll have to go over there to get it off.
NG: How much longer will you be here?
Me: Not much longer. Half an hour or so.
So S1 leaves. NG moves over to where S2 is trying to register. The instructor there is not a nursing instructor, but an office technology instructor who is doing the best she can to help. S2 has her totally confused about an ultrasound program, which we don't have. Instructor 2 (I2) asks me for help.
Me: Well, we do have a radiology technology program. It's just starting this year, but they're not in our division for some reason (don't ask me why), and I know nothing about their requirements because I haven't been given them. I do know you have to be a radiology tech before you can be an ultrasound tech. Are you trying to get into our Rad tech program? I do know it's a limited enrollment program, and they have information on the application process in the admissions office.
NG: NO, NO! We are doing ultrasound at University. We just want to take some classes here, and then transfer.
Hoookday. S2 could have explained that to I2.
We get the set up now that I2's confusion is cleared up. S1 is still not back. It's been an hour and I've hung around a bit though the place has cleared out of other students (when all the students are registered, I can leave). But I'm not waiting past 5pm, when the rest of the college shuts down, for one student who may not even come back.
NG assures me she's coming back. So I waited.
NG: Can you pull up her file and register her for the courses S2 and S3 are taking. We are car pooling together (sensible).
Me: No. I can't pull up her file without her being here. Government privacy rules.
NG: It's OK, I will be here.
Me: I'm sorry, but no. The law does not allow that. (really, lady. I'm not breaking FERPA for you).
Eventually she gets back, but bad news is, one of the courses her friends was taking was closed. She'd have to take another section. I signed her up then explained she could try to get into the same section as her friend during Drop/Add.
NG: Can you write down all the instructions on how to do that for us?
I2: It's all online when you get into WebAdvisor. It explains exactly how to do it from home.
Thank you I2!
Whew!
Of course there was the usual run of the mill hadn't bothered to take the placement tests yet or didn't know what they wanted to take as well. Out of four days, I registered ONE student who a) knew what she wanted, and b) didn't care what she got as long as she got what she needed. I got her registered in five minutes flat.
Next week is open registration, when all comers try to get into the classes that are increasingly filled up. That's when the real fun begins.
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