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Office of Undergraduate Studies

Parent Resources

September 8, 2009

 

 

FERPA

The Family Education and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted by Congress to protect the privacy of student educational records.

Parent Tip: FERPA prevents UNL faculty and staff from commenting about a student's specific academic record. We can, however, explain to you in general terms UNL policies and procedures that you believe impact your student. Advisers can relay more specific, individualized information directly to the student. If your student needs information about their record, they need to contact their advisor.

 

Importance of Full-Time Status

Students who register for 12 or more semester hours are considered full-time (FT) students. Before dropping below 12 semester hours students should be aware that their action may have significant ramifications. For example:

  • Students who apply for and receive financial aid as a FT student must enroll and stay enrolled in 12 twelve semester hours during the semesters in which they receive aid.
  • Scholarship renewal criteria often state that students must carry 12 semester hours each term. Your student should be familiar with their scholarship renewal criteria. If not, they should contact Scholarships and Financial Aid (402) 472-2030. Students may need to set a semester target gpa goal and should know how many hours they need to complete each semester to keep their scholarships.
  • Some health insurance policies absolutely require that students have FT status. Students should carefully investigate the requirements of their health insurance policy before dropping below 12 credit hours.
  • Fraternity and sororities also have rules about the number of hours students must complete for pledging purposes.

Parent Tip: Before dropping courses students should always speak to an adviser about the ramifications of such an action.

 

Mid-Semester Check Program

The Mid-Semester Check  program (September 16-17 and 21-22, 2009, 6:00 and 7:00 p.m., City Campus Union) is an annual event for all first-time students. Now that your student has several weeks of college experience behind them, we know they may have questions and concerns they did not have when they arrived on campus. The evening includes workshops about the following topics:

  • Research - Just do it!
  • Surviving College Math
  • Preparing for Professional Schools
  • Academic Success
  • Academic Opportunities & Support
  • Financial Planning
  • Study Abroad? Me?
  • Writing Better Papers
  • Finding a Major Right for Me
  • Finding Success in the Large Classroom
  • Next Step Spring Semester
  • Writing for College
  • Tools for Success: On-line Resources

On September 22, we are also offering a "College Fair" designed especially to help undeclared students gather information about majors in which they have an interest.  Students will also have the opportunity to take a career interest inventory on this evening.  We encourage undeclared students to attend the program on September 22, 2009 so they can take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn about UNL majors and career options

Parent Tip: Encourage your student to attend this program! Participants learn about services that can help them succeed in college and stay on track academically.

 

Tuition Due Date

Tuition is DUE on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009.

Parent Tip: Students who carry a balance on their student account will have a "HOLD" placed on their record. This means that their request for certain actions, registering for future term courses, will not be permitted until they have paid their balance in full. Holds are removed immediately if the student pays their bill with cash, with a credit card or with money orders. Personal checks may take as long as two weeks to clear the bank before the Office of Student Accounts will remove a financial hold. Students can check their student account via their WAM page at any time. We encourage them to do so before the priority registration begins (early November) for the spring semester.

 

AP/IB/CLEP/Transfer credit issues and Transcript Issues

Students who earned Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination (CLEP) or transfer credit at another institution prior to being admitted to UNL must request that the credit granting test site/institution send the student's official transcript to the UNL Admissions Office. Once Admissions receives the student's transcript documenting the test scores/credit, the credits earned will become part of the student's record. The student's eventual undergraduate college will evaluate and apply the credit toward the degree.

For now students can see credit equivalencies on these websites:

Parent Tip: AP, CLEP, IB and transfer credit from schools other than UNK and UNO do not calculate into the student's University of Nebraska system gpa. These credits can help students meet degree requirements, but only UNO, UNK and UNL credits are figured into the student's gpa.  Students should not be registered for courses in which they previously earned AP, IB or college-level credit. In the conversations we had with students at NSE we tried to avoid courses in which they may have already earned college-level credit. Occasionally, however, students forget to tell us about tests and credits they may have earned. Students should contact an adviser immediately if they think they are registered for courses in which they have already earned credit.

The Office of Admissions will place a hold on the record of students who fail to submit their FINAL high school transcript and college transcripts.

 

Tuition Refund for Dropped Courses Reminder

  • Last day to drop a full-semester course and receive 100% tuition refund: Monday, August 31, 2009
  • Last day to drop a full-semester course and receive 75% tuition refund: Friday, September 4, 2009
  • Last day drop a full-semester course and receive 50% tuition refund: Friday, September 11, 2009
  • Last day drop a full semester course and receive 25% tuition refund: Friday, September 18, 2009
  • After Friday, September 18, 2009 students do not receive any refund for dropped courses.

 

Student Development

Common issues students face the first month of college

  • This is an exciting place!
  • I have anxiety about my roommate and professors.
  • I am homesick and lonely.
  • I am testing my new-found freedom.

How the parent/guardian can assist...