You are urged to work with an academic advisor to develop a plan to attain your educational and life goals. Advisors help you reevaluate your plans and check your progress in this ongoing process. It is essential that you be an active participant in planning your education because the ultimate responsibility for making decisions about life goals and educational plans rests with you.

The following students are strongly encouraged to seek advising:

• Students enrolling in over eighteen credit hours
• Students registering for EMT, FSC, LAS and special permission classes.
• Students receiving financial aid or veterans benefits
• Students enrolling for the first semester
• Students enrolling in English, math, or reading courses
• Students enrolling in English as a second language courses
• Students registering for courses with prerequisites
• International students with F1 visas

An academic advisor can assist you with:

• General information about college policies and procedures
• The interpretation of placement test scores and recommend classes
• The enrollment process and scheduling classes
• Planning your educational goal(s)
• Planning a course of study
• General information about the academic departments and programs offered
• Selecting a major
• Completing an associate degree check sheet
• An unofficial evaluation of transcripts
• A graduation audit and planning for graduation
• Choosing courses for transfer to another institution
• if needed, referrals to other student service areas
• information about advanced placement credit, the Honors program and the Presidential Scholarship award
• Locating & exploring education web resources

Meet with an academic advisor today by visiting the Advisement Center (LC) or call (602) 285-7110

Managing Your Time

One important aspect of a successful college career is managing your time well. Making the right choices about how to spend your time is one of the most important things you will do. The following information will assist you with planning your course schedule at Phoenix College.

Unlike the formal structure of a high school schedule, a college schedule can be very unstructured. You are in charge of your own schedule. Several sections of the same class may be offered at various times of the day. It is up to you to select the day and time which best meet your needs. It is possible to arrange your schedule so that you may attend classes on certain days of the week. In other words, it is not mandatory for you to attend classes Monday through Friday.

It is important to consider all aspects of your life when planning your class schedule. Work, family commitments, recreational activities and other areas must be included in your daily schedule. In fact, you are encouraged to take into consideration all aspects of your life when planning your class schedule.  Please refer to the following recommended guidelines to determine your workload:

Planning time for study is one of the most important ingredients of academic success. Most college classes require far more study time than high school classes. A general rule of thumb to follow when trying to set up a time schedule for studying is: plan on two hours of study per week for each credit you are enrolled in. For example, a three-credit course may require six hours of study per week.  To ease some of the confusion you might be experiencing, use this time management planner to determine how much time you have available for classes.

Remember this is just an estimate and that attending college is more than just classes and study. Take advantage of your time at Phoenix College and get involved with student clubs, attend campus events and participate in leadership and volunteer activities. Participate in campus life to get the most from your educational experience!

Important Resources

• Time Management Checksheet
  • MS Word (.doc)
  • Rich Text Format (.rtf)