JUMP session online

By Jarrett Keohokalole

Are you on track to graduate? Having trouble seeing an adviser? Obtaining advising is vital to graduating on time; however, many students are reluctant or unable to see an academic adviser. The College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) is now offering advising information online for students who are too busy to get advising.

A&S students of junior standing (approximately 55 credits earned) are traditionally encouraged to attend a JUMP session, which is a meeting with an academic adviser to track the student's progress and project a graduation date. The adviser verifies what core academic requirements have already been met and what classes need to be taken to qualify for graduation.

A&S now offers self-directed advising through the A&S website. The JUMP online section provides students with online access to documents that will help them figure out what core requirements they have satisfied and how many credits they have.

Advisers Renee Arakaki and Barbara Watanabe are overseeing the development of JUMP online. "It allows us to reach so many more students," Arakaki said. "We can only do so many JUMP sessions, so this makes it easier for those who can't get in."

Watanabe said that one problem with the traditional JUMP session were the amount of students who would sign up and then not attend. As many as 40 percent of the students who would register for the twice-a-week JUMP sessions would not attend, essentially taking slots from other students who wanted to attend. Watanabe added, "students have a lot on their plate so it was harder for them to attend the sessions."

Students can complete the session on their own by downloading a core program sheet, which explains core graduation requirements, as well as a reference sheet with answers to commonly asked questions like, "Where do I find courses to satisfy my Focus requirements?"

Credits and core requirements can be tracked with the help of several other downloadable forms that can be submitted to an academic adviser for official verification. Credits you have already completed can be broken down with the help of a progress worksheet and a transcript. An academic plan worksheet allows students to set a graduation date and chart what classes they will take during upcoming semesters in order to graduate on schedule. The website offers detailed step-by-step instructions to help students fill out their progress worksheet and academic plan.

Arakaki said that in the three the weeks the sessions have been available online, 25-30 students have scheduled appointments to verify their work online. "It allows us to be more efficient with our help to them," she said.

There is also a section available online for transfer students, including a tutorial to help students decipher their transfer evaluation, which includes instructions on how obtain credit for transfer classes.

But how many students know what exactly what core requirements they need to fulfill? If you don't know a Diversification credit from a Focus requirement, helpful online tools are available to take A&S students through the whole advising process. These user-friendly tutorials outline each core requirement and explain what classes fulfill the requirements.

Arakaki said that previously it was hard to get that information out to students who had not attended orientation as freshmen. She added, "We'd either have to have a mass assembly, or have one adviser repeat It 9,000 times."

The web version of the JUMP session may prove more convenient and less intimidating than making an appointment to see an adviser. However, Watanabe and Arakaki agree it is highly recommended that students still come in and talk to someone. JUMP sessions do not address major requirements, so advising within a particular major is still necessary. Some majors also require students to fulfill their core A&S requirements with specific classes. That information cannot be obtained through the JUMP website.