Frequently Asked Questions

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Welcome to the Advising and Career Development Center (ACDC) FAQ page! Below are answers to common questions regarding scheduling advising appointments, visiting your student portal, and other helpful information. Use our navigation section below to quickly find the most relevant heading:

 

📌 General Advising Questions

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Q: What services does ACDC provide?

A: ACDC is your primary contact point regarding advising for majors that fall underneath the College of Health and Human Services. We offer academic advising through individual appointments and group workshops, assist with career exploration, and can help direct you towards internshiop and career planning. We are also the primary point of contact for CHHS students regarding advising holds, probation/disqualification, satisfactory academic progress (SAP) plans, registrar forms (e.g. change of major, third attempt), and more. 

Q: How do I schedule an advising appointment?

A: Appointments can be scheduled by visiting our office in person in McLane Hall 292 or by calling our front office at 559.278.5027. You may also email our general email at acdc@csufresno.edu. We do not recommend emailing advisors directly for appointments as this can be much slower, especially during peak advising times such as registration week.

Q: Can I meet with an advisor today if I have an urgent question?

A: Generally advisors are fully booked during the week and are in and out of scheduled advising appointments, so we are unable to accomodate in-depth questions without an appointment. We require appointments to be made 24 hours in advance, with the exception being our walk-in sessions offered every wednesday and during peak advising times.

Q: What should I bring to my advising appointment?

A: Generally we recommend a list of questions, your student ID card, and any other academic documents (e.g. unsent transcripts) you want to discuss. ACDC advisors are able to pull up your enrolled courses, transcript, and other academic information in case you forget!

Q: Can I meet with any advisor, or do I have a designated one?

A: ACDC does not have designated advisors for specific majors and all ACDC advisors are fully trained on all CHHS majors. Students may meet with any advisor or may meet exclusively with an a specific advisor and are even able to request specific advisors during walk-ins. Advisors do have designated telecommute days so they may not be available for in-person appointments every day however.

Q: How often should I meet with an advisor?

A: We recommend at least once per semester to stay on track with your academic and career goals, but students will typically be required to meet with an advisor when holds are placed during the second semester for freshmen students, first semester for transfer students, or at 75 units for continuing students.

Q: I live a bit far from campus. Am I able to meet with an advisor virtually?

A: ACDC is happy to offer advising through both in-person and virtual appointments. Virtual appointments are offered through Zoom and require an authenticated Fresno State account to access. Some advisors have different preferences regarding in-person or virtual appointments, but students may always request a specific modality by emailing the advisor they are scheduled to meet with.

Q: What if I'm running late or can no longer make my appointment time?

A: ACDC has a strict 15 minute late policy, as being too late to an appointment can cause delays for other scheduled appointments. If you know you are unable to make your appointment call our front office at 559.278.5027 to cancel and reschedule your appointment. If you're running slightly behind it's always appreciated to let your advisor know.

Q: What if I'm having trouble accessing my Zoom appointment?

A: Fresno State requires authenticated Zoom accounts meaning that students must be logged in with their Fresno State email to access Zoom appointments. Students are responsible for ensuring they are able to access their Zoom account and have a working microphone prior to their advising appointment. For Zoom assistant contact the Technology Services desk or visit their Zoom help website.

Q: Can I bring my parent/spouse/sibling/friend with me to my appointment?

A: Fresno State follows the rights of students established by the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). ACDC advisors will not disclose personal information to anyone but the student. If you wish to bring someone else with you please contact the Office of the University Registrar regarding FERPA exemption waivers.

 

📚 Academic Planning & Registration

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Q: Where do I register for classes?

A: Students can register for courses through their MyFresnoState portal under the "Student Center." Registration occurs once a semester and students are given a specific time ("enrollment appointment") to register for courses. You may consult our registration guide for more assistance.

Q: Will an ACDC Advisor help me pick my classes?

A: ACDC counselors will typically provide an advising sheet with a list of completed courses and course options for the following semester during advising appointments. Due to time constraints and a lack of access to your portal ACDC advisors cannot pick your classes for you or assist you with searching for classes.

Q: How do I check my Degree Progress Report (DPR)?

A: Log in to MyFresnoState, go to "Student Center," and click "Degree Progress Report" under the "My Academic Records and Registration" tab. You can view a brief guide on accessing your DPR on the Registrar website. We highly recommend reviewing your DPR for accuracy with an ACDC counselor at least once a semester.

Q: What if a class I need is full?

A: If the class is waitlisted (a yellow triangle on the class search) you can join the waitlist which will add you automatically if students drop the course. For courses that are closed you must consult the faculty member who is teaching the course. You may use the Fresno State Directory to find faculty contact information. ACDC advisors cannot provide permission codes or create pre-requisite exemptions for courses.

Q: How do I change my major or minor?

A: ACDC advisors are generally able to assist you in initiating a change of major/minor for programs under the College of Health and Human Services. Different CHHS majors have different requirements and policies for changing majors, which you may find by consulting our major advising page. ACDC advisors cannot add majors/minors that fall under a different college, and you should consult that respective college's advisor center for more information on major changes.

Q: Why do I have so many different advisors? Who do I go to about all these questions?

A: The two most common types of advisors on campus will be your major advising center (ACDC) counselors, who assist with degree requirements, class registration issues, transfer coursework, and other policy related questions, and faculty advisors who teach courses but are also specialists in their fields and can provide information on internships, work experience, graduate programs, and scholarship advice. If you are part of a special program you may also have additional advisors that provide additional academic support, but do not provide major advising. 

🎓 General Education & Graduation Requirements

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Q: What are the General Education (GE) requirements?
A: Fresno State’s general education consist of courses in different subject areas that all students must complete, regardless of their major. The GE program includes general areas covering communication, science, math, humanities, social sciences, and lifelong learning. You can find GE requirements and more commonly asked questions on our general education page.

Q: My friend told me they took a really easy GE class. Should I take that one too?
A: While your classmates are a much better source of "good" courses to take than ACDC advisors, it's important to always remember that GE requirements may be different between majors. Some majors will require specific GE courses that can "double count" as both a major and GE requirement, while other majors such as nursing may have GE courses unique to them. Always check your DPR to make sure that GE courses are counting in the right area.

Q: Can I take a GE course over the summer, and where should I take it?
A: General education courses are often offered during the summer and winter sessions at Fresno State. For lower-division courses students can also take courses at the local California Community Colleges and will want to consult ASSIST.org to verify that courses are equivalent to specific courses and/or GE areas.

Q: I took an AP class in high school and passed the exam. Does that clear any GE for me?
A: Depending on the exam, students can receive college credit and clear GE areas for passing AP exams. Visit the external exam credit page on the Registrar's website to verify the most up to date credits received.

Q: What are the basic graduation requirements for Fresno State?
A: All Fresno State degrees require at least 120 units and completion of GE and major course requirements. We suggest reading over our degree requirement page for more information.

Q: What is the difference between major electives and general electives?
A: All students must reach 120 units minimum to graduate. If a student's GE and major coursework does not add up to 120 units total the difference is considered "general elective" requirements and can be cleared by any credit-bearing coursework. For example, if a student has 48 units of GE and 52 units of major coursework they would need 20 units of credit to reach 120 units. Adding a minor or certificate would be a great use of these units, but they can be completed by "fun" courses like KACs as well.

"Major electives" are part of the major requirements of a degree, but you have a choice on what class you want to take to clear the area. Often you will see a section of the major where you are required to take 6-15 units and have a choice between a number of classes. These must be completed for the degree, but have additional choice compared to core major requirements.

Q: What are catalog rights, and how do they affect me?
A: Your catalog rights determine which degree requirements you follow based on when you first enrolled. They remain valid as long as you maintain continuous enrollment. For more information visit our description of catalog rights.

Q: How do I apply for graduation?
A: When you have completed all major requirements you can submit a graduation application through MyFresnoState and meet with an advisor to ensure all requirements are met. Students should only apply for graduation during the semester they are finishing all requirements. Students are able to "walk" in the commencement ceremony a semester early (e.g. in Spring and then finish in Fall) but would not submit the graduation application until the Fall semester. Visit our guide on applying for graduation here. 

⚠️ Advising Holds & Registration Holds

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Q: What is an advising hold, and how do I remove it?
A: In order to ensure students are regularly meeting with an advisor at key points in their academic career, Fresno State will place "holds" on a student's account that prevent registration. Visit our home page for a common list of registration holds and how to clear them, as not all holds are placed/cleared by ACDC.

Q: Why do I have a hold on my account?
A: Holds can be placed due to advising requirements, owing fees for tuition or missing an appointment at the Health Center, or because of incomplete requirements such as a violence training. Students can click on the hold in their student center for more information.

Q: How long does it take to clear a registration hold?
A: Holds can take up to 24 hours to clear, so it is critical to check your student portal before regsitration for holds and start the process to clear those early. Waiting to clear a hold until registration week can result in class registration being delayed due to the wait time to clear a hold.

Q: Can ACDC advisors clear all of the financial aid requirements on my student portal?
A: The short answer is no. ACDC counselors generally are not trained in financial aid and student's requirements are typically specific enough that we always recommend discussing questions directly with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. You may see requests for documents on your student portal for financial aid, but generally these do not impact registration. We still highly recommend taking care of everything as soon as possible though!

💼 Career Development & Internships

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Q: What can I do with a CHHS major?
A: There are too many career opportunities to list within Health and Human Services fields to list all at once. To see what career opportunities are available with your major we recommend visiting the "What can I do with this major?" page on the Career Development Center's website, or alternatively view the Occupational Outlook Handbook or O*NET for in-depth information on career fields.

Q: Where can I learn more about careers and applying for jobs?
A: The Career Development Center on campus exists to help you with all career-related questions and needs. You can visit their career cafe for drop-in advising about careers, meet with a career counselor to discuss resume reviews or interview tips, visit the HireFresnoState website to find an on or off-campus job, attend a workshop to hone your career skills, or even get free professional clothes from the career clothing closet. 

Q: Is there someone who specializes in CHHS careers?
A: The career counselor assigned to the College of Health and Human Services is Nora Diaz. You can email her at norad@mail.fresnostate.edu to schedule an individual appointment for any career-related needs. Additionally, you can also talk to a faculty member in your field about any advice related to careers, scholarship, or internships.

Q: Where can I find on-campus employement?
A: The Career Development Center maintains the HireFresnoState portal that houses on-campus and off-campus career opportunities.

Q: What resources are available for resume building and interview prep?
A: The Career Development Center can provide resume reviews, mock interviews, and career workshops to help you prepare for job opportunities.

Q: Does ACDC have any student positions?
A: We do! Keep an eye out as we occasionally will post positions for our office. You can also talk to any of our advisors about a career in student affairs if you are interested.

🔎 Special Programs & Additional Support

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Q: What is an advising campaign, and how does it affect me?
A: An advising campaign is a targeted outreach effort where students will be given the option to schedule an appointment for a specific milestone. For example, ACDC uses campaigns for advising holds, so early in the semester all students with a Transfer Advising Hold may receive an email asking them to schedule an appointment at a time convenient to them. This usually offers an early opportunity to book an appointment so we suggest keeping an eye out for and responding to campaign emails!

Q: What is a pre-evaluation for nursing admissions, and how do I request one?
A: Students who are interested in the Fresno State Nursing progrma can request a pre-evaluation of transcripts to ensure they meet requirements for admission by emailing fsnursingadmissions@mail.fresnostate.edu. Please keep in mind that responses may be delayed during nursing admssion cycles in both the spring and the summer.

Q: Where can I find academic support and tutoring?
A: Fresno State offers tutoring through multiple centers on campus. The Learning Center and Academic Support Coaching can provide assistance with subject tutoring or general assistance with study strategies. The Writing Center provides services related towards writing and research, and can help review essays and other assignments for classes. The Fresno State Library is also an excellent resource for research with access to books and journal databases, as well as subject librarians assigned to each college who can help you access and find even more relevant sources.