What is an Academic Advisor?

The Dual Enrollment Academic Advising team at UNWSP is your primary resource for questions about classes, programs, and campus policies. Each Dual Enrollment (PSEO & Early College) student is assigned a personalized academic advisor based upon the first letter of your last name. In many ways your academic advisor is the coordinator of your educational experiences at UNWSP, similar to the role your guidance counselor plays at your high school.

Please visit the Meet your Academic Advisor page to determine your academic advisor. If you have not connected with your academic advisor yet, please send him/her an email today to introduce yourself!

You are also welcome to direct advising questions to our general advising inbox: advisingde@unwsp.edu

Which parts of academic advising are my responsibility as a student?

It's your responsibility to take initiative and contact your advisor with questions or goals you would like to discuss. It's helpful to keep your advisor informed about changes in academic progress, course selection, and academic/career goals. Responsible students are also knowledgeable about policies, procedures and requirements outlined in the Dual Enrollment Student Handbook.  Clear communication with your advisor is crucial, and you should regularly review the emails and communications you receive from your advisor throughout your time at UNWSP.

Which parts of academic advising are my advisor's responsibility?

Your advisor will maintain knowledge of the requirements for UNWSP majors/programs and Dual Enrollment policies/procedure. He or she will assist you in selecting courses appropriate to your abilities and interests.  Advisors will recommend possible alternatives and/or support services when you encounter obstacles to your academic goals.

What questions should I ask my course instructor and what should I ask my academic advisor?

Questions related directly to a course you are taking should be directed to your course instructor. For example,

• Questions about the course syllabus
• Questions about the course site in Moodle
• Questions about virtual resources or E-books in Moodle
• Questions about directions, assignment, due dates, grades, etc.
• Extenuating circumstances that will affect your progress in the course

You can find your course instructor's contact information by clicking on your course page in Moodle (once your course begins).

Questions related to academic issues, opportunities, and programs should be directed to an advisor. For example, 

• Questions about requirements for UNWSP majors/programs
• Questions about course selection
• Questions about Dual Enrollment policies and procedures
• Recommendations for possible alternatives and/or support services
• Extenuating circumstances that will affect your progress toward a degree

Is there an expectation of student etiquette when interacting with my academic advisor and course instructors?

Yes. As a college student, you are expected to display appropriate professionalism and etiquette when interacting with your academic advisor and course instructors. More information about expectations can be found on our Online Etiquette for Remote Participation document.

How do I register for a course?

Visit our Online Student Registration Steps (Home) or On-Site Student Registration Steps (Home) for extensive information regarding upcoming course offerings, registration instructions, and important deadlines. Placement in courses is not guaranteed and seats are limited; registering early each semester will increase your chances of getting into your desired courses!

How do I drop or withdraw from a course?

During the first two weeks of a semester (or first week of a quad) you are able to drop courses without transcript notation. Please review the Dual Enrollment Academic Calendar for the specific add/drop deadline for each semester and quad (dates for on-site courses will depend on the calendar at your high school).

After the add/drop period, you are able to withdraw from a course through 10 weeks of the semester (or 5 weeks of a quad). Please review the Dual Enrollment Academic Calendar for the specific add/drop deadline for each semester and quad (dates for on-site courses will depend on the calendar at your high school). Withdrawing from a course does result in a "W" notation on your college transcript, but does not otherwise impact your college GPA. You should discuss the positive and negative consequences of withdrawing from a course with your high school guidance counselor and academic advisor before withdrawing from a course.

Instructions for dropping a course or withdrawing can be found on the Drop or Withdraw from a Course page.

Would someone else ever drop me from a course?

If you are a PSEO student, we are required to administratively drop you from any online course that you do not access for the first 10 business days of the semester. You will receive an email notification if this action is taken.

Is Summer registration different from Fall or Spring registration?

For PSEO students: Yes! If you would like to register for any Summer courses, please note that the process is slightly different. PSEO students are billed directly for Summer courses outside of the PSEO program. If you would like to register for Summer courses, please contact your academic advisor directly for assistance.

For Early College (non-PSEO) students: Since you are billed for all semesters, the registration process for all semesters remains the same.

How do I know what courses are offered to Dual Enrollment students at UNWSP?

We update lists of Dual Enrollment Online Course Offerings and Dual Enrollment On-Site Course Offerings each year. We do our best to keep these resources updated, but please note that they are subject to change. The course list for an upcoming school year is typically not released until April of the preceding year.

How do I choose the right classes to take?

The Dual Enrollment Academic Advising Team has created a helpful Course Planning for Dual Enrollment Students resource page to help you start researching the best classes for you to take. Please contact your academic advisor with any questions you have about this resource.

How do I choose classes that will transfer to my high school?

If you are hoping to take Dual Enrollment classes that will transfer to fulfill graduation requirements at your high school, it's best to follow this sequence:

• FIRST: Contact your high school guidance counselor to receive a list of your remaining high school graduation requirements. We also recommend discussing with your guidance counselor which requirements would be best taken at your high school (for example, often Dual Enrollment students choose to take stronger subjects through UNWSP and weaker subjects at their high school).
• SECOND: Contact your academic advisor to review this list of requirements; your advisor can give you recommendations of UNWSP courses that may fulfill your high school graduation requirements.
• THIRD: Double-check the recommendations your academic advisor provided with your guidance counselor, to confirm that everything will transfer successfully to your high school. Your high school reserves the right to make final decisions on courses that will (or will not) fulfill graduation requirements.
• FOURTH: Register for your Dual Enrollment classes!

How do I choose classes that will apply to a degree/program at Northwestern?

Many Dual Enrollment students will make extensive progress towards their college degree while in high school. Some Dual Enrollment students (usually around 5% each year) will even graduate high school with a completed Associate's degree!

More information about degrees offered at UNWSP can be found on our website here. If you have questions about any of these degrees, or if you would like to start taking classes towards one of these degrees while in high school, please contact your academic advisor as early as possible!

How do I choose classes that will apply to a degree/program at a different college or university?

If you are hoping to take Dual Enrollment courses to transfer outside of UNWSP to a different college or university, we would recommend contacting the Admissions Office at that school for assistance choosing transferable classes. Many students will also use resources like the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum to choose highly-transferable courses too.

What is my Degree Audit?

Should you choose to pursue a degree at UNWSP, your Degree Audit is a resource to help you map out and monitor your progress towards degree completion. This tool houses worksheets for all academic programs at Northwestern and can help you determine Core Curriculum (General Education) requirements along with needed degree-specific coursework. Access your Degree Audit through the "Academic Tools" tab on myUNW.

Your worksheet also contains key information, including your:

• Student ID
• Cumulative UNWSP GPA
• Registration Holds
• Declared Major/Minor (as applicable)
• Anticipated Graduation Term (as applicable)
• Etc.

Visit the Degree Audit Tutorials and Degree Audit FAQs pages for more information. Contact your academic advisor with questions about this important tool.