College Updates  

The 5th week deadline to add or drop a class has passed. What should you do if you want to change your class schedule now? Although it is recommended that you try and stick to your current schedule, there are some options out there.

If you are in a class that you would ideally like to drop, and it is not a requirement for your major or an essential skills requirement (Foreign Language, Quantitative Reasoning, and R&C), then you can still change the grading option to P/NP. The deadline to do that is March 23, 2007.

If there were some extenuating circumstances that prevented you from changing your class schedule before the deadline, then you can file a petition called "Exceptional Change of Class Schedule", available at: http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/fp/73ExceptionalScheduleChange.pdf
You will need to have a personal statement, any applicable documentation, and a faculty support letter. A committee determines whether or not to grant the exception, so you won't hear back for several weeks. Make sure to keep attending the class in the mean time.

Another option is to ask your professor to give you an Incomplete grade. These contracts are between you and your professor. You will then have until the beginning of the Spring 2008 semester to complete your work. If you do not, and you don't file a petition to extend an Incomplete deadline, then your Incomplete grade will turn into an F. If you decide that you don't want to complete the coursework, then you can also petition to "Freeze the I". This means that the Incomplete grade will forever stay on your transcript, but will never turn into an F or factor into your GPA.

If you decide that you need to withdraw from all your classes for this semester, then you need to come in to 113 Campbell Hall and meet with an advisor. If you withdraw before March 9th, then the "semester out" rule will not be imposed. This means you will be eligible to return to Berkeley the following semester. If you withdraw after March 9th, then the advisor will decide whether to impose the "semester out" rule or to waive it. If it is imposed, then you will have to sit out one semester before returning to Berkeley.

The most important thing is to not worry and remember that there are options available. If you have any more concerns, please come in to 113 Campbell Hall and speak to an advisor.

Also, remember that there is tutoring and help available at the Student Learning Center. Another option if you are having difficulties in a class is to visit your professor's or GSI's office hours.

Cheers from your Peers!
Angela and Maya.

Summer is a great time to take a break from school, travel, spend time with friends and family, and also gain valuable work experience. Whatever your interests are, there is a summer opportunity for you. The trick is how to find it!

If you want to gain job experience, an excellent resource for internships and summer jobs is the Career Center's Internship and Summer Job Fair. It is happening on February 21st and 22nd at the Pauley Ballroom in the MLK Student Union building. Various organizations will be coming to recruit college students for the summer. Make sure to bring your resume if you have one. For more information, go to: http://career.berkeley.edu/Fairs/IntSum.stm

If you are interested in traveling and earning college credit this summer, check out the Travel Study program offered by Summer Sessions at Berkeley. You can go to Brazil, England, Portugal, or many other countries and take courses abroad. The website is: http://summer.berkeley.edu/mainsite/travelstudy/

If you are interested in traveling and helping different communities abroad, you might want to look into volunteering abroad. Programs such as Cross Cultural Solutions, Global Service Corps, Foundation for Sustainable Development, Global Children Organization, and Global Crossroad offer opportunities around the world.

Remember, there are many opportunities out there. Just start looking early and keep an open mind.

Also, don't forget: The deadline to drop or add classes or to change the grading option from P/NP to letter grade is February 16th!

Welcome to Spring 2007! This is our first College Update of the semester. First, there has been a switch among the peer advisers. Tiffany is on an EAP program, so Angela is now here! Angela is a 2nd year History and Political Science major and will be writing College Updates with Maya for the rest of the semester.

As the 5th-week drop deadline approaches, keep in mind that you must be enrolled in a minimum of 13 units by February 16th, 2007. If you are still looking for units, there are some options for you.

The "Looking for a Class" website (http://www.ls-advise.berkeley.edu/lfac/)
is an excellent source of classes that are not yet full. It is constantly being updated by undergraduate major advisers who post the open courses in their departments.

Another great option is to take a Decal. Check out www.decal.org for the list of Decals offered this semester. Decals are interesting courses taught by UC Berkeley students that cover a wide range of topics. They are usually 1-2 units and are taken on a P/NP basis. These courses can also count for your 6 upper division units outside of your major requirement.

If you like working with kids, you may want to consider tutoring middle and high school students for units. Student groups such as CalCorps, OASES, Project SMILE offer tutoring opportunities for college credit.

If you are participating in an internship, you may be able to get units for it if you can get sponsored by an instructor in an academic department.

Finally, if you would like to be approved for a reduced courseload, please make sure to come in to 113 Campbell Hall before February 16th. Make sure that your reason for this approval is listed on the website: http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/faq/enroll13.html

Good luck with the start of the semester!

Cheers from your peers!
Angela and Maya.