Northern Virginia Community College will close for Winter Break on Thursday, December 22, 2016 at 5pm and remain closed until Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 8:00 am.

If you have common questions, the following information may be helpful:

Finals Grades: Fall 2016 grades will be accessible through NOVA Connect within 7 days of the end date of your course.

Blackboard Course Availability: Instructors make classes available in blackboard on the first day the course is scheduled to begin, or sometimes a few days in advance. If you are visiting Blackboard to access your Spring 2017 courses, you may not have access until the start date.

Course Start Dates: 1^st 16 week, 1^st 8 week, 1^st 12 week and 1^st 4 week (MTT only) sessions will begin on January 9, 2017. View your course specific critical enrollment dates on NOVA Online’s website.

Course Registration: If you have not registered, Spring 2017 registration is still open. Although the College is closed, online registration is open. For registration information, please click here. Additional step by step registration instructions can be viewed by clicking here. If you need assistance with your course selection, NOVA Online Counselors and Virtual Advisors will be available  when the college opens on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Emails will be answered in the order they are received.

Prerequisites satisfied at another College: If you are attempting to enroll in a course at NOVA for which you believe you have successfully completed (a grade of “C“or higher) the required prerequisite(s) at another regionally accredited institution, you will need to submit a copy of your unofficial transcript to a NOVA Online counselor for review. Using your NOVA student email, submit the following information to the Virtual Advisors:

• NOVA seven digit student identification number (EMPLID).
• The specific course that you are registering for (ex: ENG 111 E55N, #45689).
• Unofficial copy of your transcript (Must be able to clearly review your name, the dates attended, and the courses required).

Requests are reviewed and processed in the order in which they are received. You should expect to receive a response about your request within three business days after offices opens.

Online Academic Resources: If you have any downtime during the break, it would be an excellent opportunity to explore the free online workshops offered by Student Lingo. Student Lingo workshops focus on time management, career development, mastering the job interview, resume writing, stress management techniques, writing techniques, study skills, test anxiety and more! They are an excellent resource that will enrich your academic and career growth.

Consider registering for or reviewing NOVA Online Orientation Webinar. This one hour webinar will focus on getting started in your courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, and identifying tips for success and student support services. The NOVA Online Orientation is highly recommended for students who are new to online learning.

We wish you a safe and restful holiday break!

That’s a wrap for our Advising Week blog series, but that doesn’t mean it’s over! Still have questions about spring registration? Let us know!

Take some time to reflect on what you have learned over the last two weeks. Go back and review past posts to dig a little deeper. Missed any of the live sessions? Go back and request a recording.

Here are a few tips to help you move forward:

Join us for the November 10th Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar. Learn more about the webinar and request a recording.

Use the Student Success Planner to build your academic plan and compare your plan to program requirements.

Take a moment to facilitate a time study. Remember you have different options for session length (16, 12, or 8 weeks). Make sure you have enough time to devote to the courses you take on. What has worked in the past? What hasn’t worked? Check out StudentLingo and NOVA Online webinars on time management.

Review your Advisement Report. Access NOVAConnect to run an advisement report to view your progress and outstanding degree requirements.

Take a moment to reflect upon your career planning. If you need more information about career options or would like to learn about a resource to help you build a career plan. Go back and review old blog posts to help you Focus on Career Planning, and take advantage of Free Job Search Tools!

Communicate with your advisor about your academic and career goals. Be sure to take a moment to review your plans for both the summer term (registration is occurring now) and the fall semester. Plan to have your academic plan,  advisement report, and/or career plan handy when communicating with your advisor.

If you have not declared a program of study or are not pursuing a specific program at NOVA connect with an academic counselor or advisor for assistance.

Ready to enroll? Follow this tutorial to help you add your courses in NOVA Connect.

Reach out to the Student Services offices or Virtual Advisors with any questions you have as you are planning your courses.

Do you know where your time goes? It seems that the older you get, the more responsibilities are put on you. Take this brief quiz via Virginia Tech’s website to determine just how much time you have to dedicate to your studies.

If the time left over is not equivalent to at least twice the number of credits you are enrolled in, you do not have enough time allotted for your studies. But, there are things you can do; such as reducing the time spent on some activities/responsibilities, adjusting your work hours, or adjusting the number of credits you take in a semester.

When one can’t reduce their time on activities or responsibilities or work; that leaves the number of credits one should take in a semester. Many students I talk with want to be able to do it all – work full-time, go to college full-time, take care of their family, etc.

Course load is often the only factor that can be manipulated; but students do not want to delay their educational goals. This is certainly admirable; but, if one does not have enough time to complete their course work accurately and on-time, and study effectively for exams; one’s grades will suffer and it can take longer to reach your goals.

I encourage you to take the quiz to see where your time goes and ask yourself: Do you have enough time in the week to dedicate to your studies?

Are you using the time efficiently?

Do you find you do not have enough time?

What can you reduce or eliminate from your schedule to make more time?

Watch the Time Management: Strategies for Success video by StudentLingo to obtain some great tips on managing your time effectively!

-Written by NOVA Online Counselor, Kim Burkle

Take advantage of Advising Week events on campus or virtually as you plan your schedule and register for courses. Reach out to the Student Services offices or Virtual Advisors with any questions you have as you are planning your courses.

Advising week is offered every fall and spring at NOVA as a time for students to reflect upon their academic goals and career development in preparation for planning and evaluating their schedule for next semester. Advising week for the Spring 2017 semester will be held from Oct. 31 – Nov. 4.

Get the most out of advising week by following the steps below:

1. Attend a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar. Learn more about the webinar and register for an upcoming session.
2. Use the Student Success Planner to build your academic plan and compare your plan to program requirements.
3. Review your Advisement Report.  Access NOVAConnect to run an advisement report to view your progress and outstanding degree requirements.
4. Take a moment to reflect upon your career planning. If you need more information about career options or would like to learn about a resource to help you build a career plan consider attending a Focus on Your Career Planning webinar. Learn more about the webinar and register for an upcoming session.
5. Communicate with your advisor about your academic and career goals.  Be sure to take a moment to review your plans for the spring semester. Plan to have your academic plan,  advisement report, and/or career plan handy when communicating with your advisor.

If you have not declared a program of study or are not pursuing a specific program at NOVA connect with an academic counselor or advisor for assistance. Priority registration for the spring semester begins November 8.  Open registration begins on November 14.

Throughout Advising Week the NOVA Online Student Blog will provide you with tools to plan effectively, resources to help guide your decisions, and answers to frequently asked questions throughout the process. Take advantage of Advising Week events on campus or virtually as you plan your schedule and register for courses. Reach out to the Student Services offices or Virtual Advisors with any questions you have as you are planning your courses.

Your Faculty Advisor is a valuable asset in your academic journey. They can provide insights and recommendations based on their education and real world experience. Take advantage of their knowledge and expertise in your program of interest!

Plan early for your next semester with your Faculty Advisor and have your courses selected and be ready to register on your Priority Registration date. This will give you the best chances at getting the courses you need. Registering early will also be beneficial for students who use NOVA’s TMS payment plan allowing for a lower down payment and more months to break up your remaining tuition balance.

How can my Faculty Advisor help me?

• Create an academic program completion plan, which maps out which courses you need to take for your major/program of study.
• Select which electives will support your academic goal/career plans.
• Connect with NOVA resources you need and make referrals.
• Submit the appropriate forms for substitution requests or changing your major.
• Reflect on your academic performance, so you can be successful.
• Serve as a reference or assist in preparing letters of recommendation for applications (transfer, employment and scholarship).
• Review your academic progress to help assure you complete your program based on your goals

How do I address my Faculty Advisor?

• Address the Faculty Advisor as “Professor and their last name.” If you know they have earned a Ph.D., or Ed.D. address them as “Doctor and their last name”. (i.e. Professor Jones or  Dr. Smith).
• Be sure to send your email from your NOVA student email account and include your Student ID number.
• As a NOVA Online student, you may not meet your Faculty Advisor in person. Project yourself as a professional and dedicated student by composing a well-organized and thoughtful email. Take advantage of these Ten Quick Steps to Email Your Instructor.

What can I include in my correspondence to my advisor?

• Outline topics or questions you would like to discuss. (i.e. transfer plans, career opportunities, extracurricular/club involvement).
• Review your program requirements in the catalog and ask any questions you may have about unsatisfied requirements.
• Identify courses you may be interested in for the upcoming term and year.

Suggested Questions and Topics to discuss:

• What courses do I need to complete my academic program?
• What are the prerequisites for the courses I plan to take or where can I find them?
• I would like to discuss my academic goals.
• What do I need to know about transferring? Are there deadlines and scholarships?
• I need a tutor.  How do I find one and access other services when I need help?
• I need to work. How can I arrange my classes around my work schedule and how will working impact my studies?
• I am interested in participating in extracurricular and co-curricular activities.  Can we discuss my academic goals and extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
• Ask your advisor to share how they chose their major in college.

The last part of the semester is always hectic, reach out to your faculty advisor now!

Attend a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar.  Learn more about the webinar and register for an upcoming session here. Undecided or just getting started on your degree plan? Talk to an Academic Counselor to help you get started with your next term classes. NOVA Online Counselors can be reached at NOVA OnlineCounselors@nvcc.edu.

Advising week is almost here! To make the most of the interaction with your advisor there are a few things you can do to prepare.

Verify your program of Study:  First it is important to verify your student record reflects the program of study you intend on completing here at NOVA. Visit the Academics section of your Student Center in the Student Information System to verify your plan. If your plan needs to be updated make contact with an academic counselor or advisor to determine which plan is the best for you based on your goals.

Run an Advisement Report: Once your program of study is accurate there are several tools you can take advantage of to see your progress towards your plan’s requirements and the courses you have left to complete.

You can run an advisement report to view your progress and outstanding degree requirements.

Review program requirements: Now that you’ve run your advisement report, review the report to see how the coursework you have completed has been applied towards your degree requirements and what you have left to complete.

Plan your semester: You can use the Student Success Planner to create a plan, allowing you to map out when you will complete your remaining courses. As you plan out these courses semester by semester, strive for balance in your course schedule. Use these tips to help you strategize. Don’t delay in taking courses that are challenging for you, especially math.

Request to meet with your Advisor: Once you have our courses mapped out in the Student Success Planner you can even send a meeting request to discuss your plan to your advisor.

Check back in for tomorrow’s post on how to prepare for your meeting with your advisor!

Follow the tips below to build a better schedule.

Tip #1 – Plan your time accordingly.

As you begin to create your schedule, take a moment to think about all of the commitments you will have during the semester along with everything you wanted to accomplish.  How much time will you have available to focus on college courses?

Tip #2 – Identify how each course helps you achieve your goal.

Think about your academic and career goals.  How does each course you are planning to take help you progress towards achieving your goals?

Tip #3 – Know what will be covered in a course before you enroll.

Course content summaries provide information about major topics in a course.   Check out the course content summaries here.

Tip #4 – Select a course format that works for you.

NOVA offers campus-based, hybrid, and online courses?  Which option will work best for you for the upcoming semester?

Tip #5 – Be aware of important dates.

NOVA offers courses that vary in session length and have different start and end dates.  Know the critical enrollment dates for sections of courses you are considering.

Interested in learning more tips?  Consider participating in a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar.  Check the schedule for details.