Drop-In Hours | Add/Drop Deadline

Drop-In Hours

During drop-in hours, I will see students on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check-in at the front desk of Career & Academic Planning (3210 Student Success Center) during the following hours if you want to meet:

Office Hours:
Monday (1/12): 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday (1/13): 10 a.m. - 12 p.m & 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Beginning Wednesday, January 14, you'll need to schedule an appointment. Please remember I work during business hours, which are 8am-5pm Monday through Friday.

IS 202

If open sections do not fit with your schedule, complete the IS 202 Override Request Form. Even if none of the sections (closed or open) fit with your schedule, please complete this form. There’s an option that “none of the sections fit with my schedule, but I want to take the course.” Finally, attending the first class is required to be able to take the course. Overrides are not given if you missed the first class.

Upcoming Dates & Deadlines

Add/Drop Deadline

Tuesday, January 20 is the add/drop deadline; therefore, it’s your last opportunity to drop a class without receiving a “W” on your transcript or add a course without the Department Head’s signature. If you change courses after Friday, January 16, then you’ve already missed one week of class, so there will be a lot of work to make-up.  Carefully consider adjusting your schedule at the beginning of the first week of classes to avoid missing too much class. You can adjust your schedule on MyMadison. If you change your schedule, be sure that you are still completing all of the Cluster One courses you need to complete by the end of your first-year. If you have questions or want to discuss this, visit your advisor during the drop-in hours posted above.

Drop-In Hours | Online Classes

Drop-In Hours

Drop-in hours, also known as office hours, are times when you can drop-by the office without a scheduled appointment. Students are seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check-in at the front desk of Career & Academic Planning (3210 Student Success Center) during the following drop-in hours if you want to meet to talk about registration (or anything else!):

Monday (11/3): 2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday (11/4): 1:30 - 3 p.m.

Online Classes

When you register for courses, you’ll probably see courses that are taught in an online environment or a hybrid environment (half in-class, half online).  The Breeze had a great article titled JMU offers more than 450 classes online, which provided student and faculty perspectives of online courses.

JMU provides a self-assessment tool to help you with their deciding whether to register for an online or hybrid course. Upon completion of the Student Readiness Self-Assessment, your scores along with recommendations will be displayed.

IS 202

Class sections and times for IS 202: Career & Life Planning are posted on MyMadison! During our registration preparation meetings, many of you planned on registering for IS 202 for spring semester. If open sections do not fit with your schedule, complete the IS 202 Override Request Form. Even if none of the sections (closed or open) fit with your schedule, please complete this form. There’s an option that “none of the sections fit with my schedule.” If we receive enough of a demand, we may open additional sections. If you need a refresher or you’re wondering what IS 202 is... watch this IS 202 video highlighting students and instructors:

Add/Drop Deadline | Learning Strategies

Add/Drop Deadline

Tuesday, September 2 is the add/drop deadline; therefore, it’s your last opportunity to drop a class without receiving a “W” on your transcript or add a course without the Department Head’s signature.  As we discussed during the 1787 Group Advising Session, if you change courses on Monday or Tuesday, then you’ve already missed at least one week of class, so there will be a lot of work to make-up. We advise you carefully consider adjusting your schedule at this point.

Drop-In Hours

Check-in at the front desk of Career & Academic Planning (3rd floor of the Student Success Center) during the following drop-in hours if you want to meet with your advisor, especially regarding adjusting your course schedule:

Sarah Orem's Office Hours

Monday (9/1): 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday (9/2): 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, September 3, I will begin scheduling appointments. Thank you for all of the very professional emails you have sent listing your availability over the next few business days.

Learning Strategies Instruction

Learning Strategies Instruction (LSI) offers tips, resources, and strategies designed to increase student success through individualized, student-centered academic coaching. They provide FREE individual appointments to develop customized plans, workshops, and online tips about topics including:

• Time Management
• Test Taking
• Note Taking
• Memorization
• Reading Comprehension
• and more...

LSI isn't tutoring; they provide tips and tools to help you adjust and succeed throughout your time at JMU (and beyond)! To set up an appointment, contact lsi@jmu.edu, call 540/568-6705 or visit their office on the 1st floor of the Student Success Center.

Graduation Club

“I learned a lot and my GPA proves it.  I did so well first semester that I was even offered a chance to be in JMU’s honor program.  I know I wouldn’t [have] done nearly as well as I did if I hadn’t attended [your] class.” ~ Graduation Club participant

Graduation Club is an opportunity where course instructors will help you learn how to remain motivated and get the most out of your study time!  The following areas will be discussed:

• Setting Goals and Staying Motivated
• Learning Styles
• Reading those BIG textbooks
• Lecture Note Taking
• Time and Stress Management
• Test-Taking Strategies
• Study Skills
• Interacting with Professors

Talk with your RA to sign up.

Conversation Partners

Are you interested in learning about another culture?  Are you interested in continuing your foreign language skills (second language not required)?  If so, join the Conversation Partner Program.  The program is designed to:

• pair international U.S. individuals
• engage in weekly conversations
• share and learn about each other’s culture
• practice conversation skills in English or a foreign language
• host monthly activities for partners

For more information and to complete an application, checkout the Conversation Partner Program website. You can also attend the kickoff event on Thursday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Highlands Room in the Festival Conference and Student Center.

Drop-In Hours | Schedule Changes

It was great to see you during the group advising session!  I'm really looking forward to working with you this year. After our time together today:

1. Review the Academic Advising Syllabus and take notes of of your to-do items.

2. Review the Presentation, if you need clarification.

Drop-In Hours

Drop-in hours, also known as office hours, are times when you can drop-by the office without a scheduled appointment. Students are seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check-in at the front desk of Career & Academic Planning (3rd floor of the Student Success Center) during the following drop-in hours if you want to meet:

Sarah Orem's Office Hours

8/25: 12:30-2:00p
8/26: 2:00-4:00p
8/27: 3:00-4:45p
8/28: email me
8/29: email me
9/1: 2:00-4:00p
9/2: 9:00-11a

Changing Your Schedule

As you have been doing, you have the power to change your schedule if classes have open seats and you have met the pre- or co-requisites. Remember - With great power comes great responsibility. Review the blog posts from this summer about making changes to your schedule. While you can add and drop classes from your schedule until Tuesday, September 2, the later it is that you make a change, the more class you will have missed and need to play catch-up on. Missing one week of class is a large chunk of time in college.

First Day of Class

Bring a pen or pencil and paper with you on the first day of class.  You will receive a syllabus from each instructor about the class, expectations, contact information, required materials, course schedule, assignments, and grading.  Take notes and ask questions!  You can wait until after the first class to buy books unless you’ve heard otherwise from your instructor.  Waiting to buy books can prevent you from needing to return books if you change your course section or course.  Read more about purchasing textbooks in a previous post.