Freshman FAQs: Spring 2010

What do I do after I've been admitted?
Your letter from Admissions will tell you what your next steps are. If you're sure you want to attend UNC Asheville, you'll need to send in your tuition and housing deposits. If you're still unsure that UNC Asheville is the place for you, we encourage you to visit campus.

What do I need to do to apply for financial aid?
The first step in applying for financial aid is completing your FAFSA. The priority filing deadline for the spring 2010 semester is November 1, 2009. When completing your FAFSA, be sure to list UNC Asheville's school code: 002907. Your tuition deposit must be received and posted to your student account before your Financial Aid award will be granted. If you have additional questions about applying for or receiving Financial Aid, visit the Office of Financial Aid.

When will I get more information about living on campus, registering for classes, and campus life?
Once you have been admitted to UNC Asheville, you will receive a letter from the Residential Education and Housing Operations (REHO) Office to give you information about your housing options. All new freshmen are required to live on-campus. The deadline to submit your online application for on-campus housing in the spring 2010 semester is December 15, 2009.

After you submit your tuition deposit, you will begin to receive more information about UNC Asheville. You'll get a list of "next steps"--things to do and things to know now that you've decided to attend UNC Asheville, including course registration and campus life information.

What courses do freshmen take?
Freshmen take a variety of courses, but they are limited to those taught at the 100 or 200 levels. Most of your first-year courses will satisfy requirements within the Integrative Liberal Studies program, which is a core group of courses all students are required to complete regardless of their major. All freshmen take an LSIC 179, which is an introductory course called Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium (LSIC). This course is designed to introduce you to the liberal arts environment and assist you in adjusting to college life. Your LSIC instructor will also be your academic advisor until you declare your major. Additionally, many of these classes have an upper level student serving as the class mentor. A listing of these courses are available at the ILS Website.

Most freshmen take 4 or 5 classes during their first semester. In addition to their LSIC, they usually take one course in their intended major (or an area they would like to learn more about), and 2 or 3 courses that fulfill ILS requirements. You will learn more about all of these requirements at embark. For additional resources to help you plan your schedule and understand the ILS requirements, visit our Freshman Advising Resources.

How many hours should I take?
Most students take around 15 semester hours each semester. To be a full-time student, you must take at least 12 semester hours. Unlike high school, college courses have Semester Credit Hours associated with them. While most courses are three (3) credit hour courses, some courses, such as many of the Health and Fitness courses, carry one (1) semester hour credit, while others, such as science and math courses are 4 or 5 semester hours. The number of credit hours a course is worth is roughly the number of hours it meets each week.

How will my AP credits transfer?
You can find equivalency information about AP credit and IB credit in the UNCA Catalog.

Credits earned through AP or IB tests fulfill requirements just like their UNC Asheville equivalents. For instance, all students are required to fulfill our Academic Writing requirement. At UNC Asheville, students take LANG 120 to fulfill this requirement. If you took the Language & Composition AP test, or the Literature & Composition AP test and scored a 5, you get credit for LANG 120. This means you have fulfilled the Academic Writing requirement in the same way as students who take LANG 120 here.

What math course should I take?
Some majors require that you take a specific math course. You can find that information by looking at our ILS Advising Sheets by Major. If you are uncertain about your major, you may want to postpone taking your math course, especially if you are considering a major in the sciences. If your major doesn't require a specific math course, the Mathematics Department has online information about course selection and an on-line placement test - check it out to help you decide!

What foreign language course should I take?
UNC Asheville requires all students to demonstrate proficiency through the second introductory level of a foreign language. This can be done either through a placement exam, AP exam, or completion of the appropriate level course work. Students can choose from French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Portuguese and Spanish. Students who wish to use French, Spanish, or Latin to fulfill this requirement and have had previous exposure to their chosen language should take a Foreign Language Placement exam during embark. Students who have scores of 3 or higher on the Spanish, French, German or Latin AP exams do not have to take the foreign language test unless they plan on continuing in that language.

What writing course should I take?
Unless you have AP or college transfer credit, all freshmen register for Language 120. You may take this during the Fall or Spring semester.

How do I register for classes?

You will begin registering for classes after you meet with an academic advisor during embark, and you will be able to continue adjusting your schedule through the Drop/Add period, which ends on the 5th day of class in the spring semester.

How do I log into OnePort?
To log into OnePort, you must enter the username and password provided to you in your Admissions materials. You will use OnePort to review your Financial Aid status and any transfer credit or test score information prior to embark, and you will receive more information at embark outlining the necessary steps involved in getting registered for classes.

Are courses "weighted" differently like they are in high school?
College courses are not weighted by level of difficulty - like as Honors or AP classes in high school. They are, however, weighted by the semester hours credit associated with the course, and thus count differently in your GPA. For example, a 3-hour B+ will affect your GPA more than a 1-hour B+ will affect it.

The quality points earned for each course is multiplied by the semester hours credit. Your total quality points are divided by the total semester hours credit. For example, if you have an A in Econ 101 (3 semester hours) and a B in Astronomy 105 (5 semester hours), you would multiply 4 X 3 cr. hrs and 3 X 5 cr. hrs. for a quality point total of 27. Divide 27 by 8 to get 3.375 - your Grade Point Average (GPA). Please see the Academic Policies section of the UNC Asheville Catalog for more information.

What support services are offered to help me with my classes if I need it?
Every faculty member has office hours when students can stop by for help in class or just to talk. If you find you need more assistance, you can contact Advising & Learning Support to request a Peer Tutor. Peer Tutors are UNC Asheville students who have been trained to work with students in particular courses. If you need assistance with a mathematics course, you should go by the Mathematics Assistance Center and if you need help with a writing project in any course, make an appointment at the Writing Center. Not only are these great resources to help you succeed, they're also free!

Who attends embark?
All new freshmen and transfer students should plan to attend embark in January. Embark serves as a necessary part of your transition to UNC Asheville and provides you with all the information you need to know to further your education at UNC Asheville.

How long is embark?
Embark, held before the spring semester begins in January, is a one-day program. You should expect to arrive on campus before 8am and you could be participating in embark activities as late as 6pm. More information about the schedule can be found online.

Do I have to sign up to come to embark?
In order to attend embark, you must RSVP by January 4, 2010. We need to know in advance if you plan to attend so we can schedule you an appointment with an academic advisor. You will RSVP for embark online.

What if I can't come to embark?
You should know that attendance at embark is required for a successful transition to UNC Asheville. Please contact Advising & Learning Support at 828-250-3808 if you have concerns about your ability to attend embark.

Who lives in the residence halls and what is it like?
Students of all classifications may live on campus, and freshmen are required to live on campus. Living on campus gives you more than just a room-it's convenient and provides you with a lot of activities and resources! For more information, visit the Residential Education website.

Can I have a car on campus?
For the health of the environment and students' budgets, freshmen are not permitted to have cars on campus. For more information, please visit the Transportation website.

How can I get involved in student organizations?
We are excited about your decision to join the UNC Asheville community and look forward to your campus involvement. There are academic, social, and special interest student organizations, on-campus jobs, service learning opportunities, and outdoor opportunities. For more information, visit the Student Affairs website.

Are there on-campus jobs available?
The Career Center coordinates on-campus employment and can also help you find off-campus jobs and internships.