Advising for Families
ADVISING RESOURCES
Here to Help Your Student
Crown College advisors provide general advising to Crown students of all majors and all years. Students can schedule an appointment to meet with an advisor, or they can email CrownAdvising@ucsc.edu to get advising help.
Student Privacy
You have probably heard that the university is very limited in what information we can share with you about your student. Sharing information about your student’s academic record is restricted by the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).We are happy to speak generally with concerned parties about university and college requirements and policies, academic standing, and campus resources. We hope that you’ll share your questions and discoveries with your student, and encourage them to talk to us directly if they want to learn more.
Slug Families Website
The Slug Families website is an excellent hub of information about housing, orientation, campus resources, and more. If you want to know how best to support your student from day one through graduation, this is a great place to start!
Advising Info Online
The campus has a number of online advising resources. Students, parents, and other interested parties may find answers to their questions using the following sites:
Enrolling in Classes
Each quarter, students are assigned an “enrollment appointment” to enroll in their classes for the following quarter. The enrollment priority is assigned automatically based on the number of earned credits, with the earliest priority assigned to students with the most credits earned (seniors first, then juniors, etc). The enrollment appointment is not an actual appointment, where they meet with an advisor; it is simply the date and time when the student can begin enrolling through their portal: https://my.ucsc.edu. If students need help selecting classes, they are encouraged to contact the advising office to schedule an appointment or chat with peer advisors. We generally encourage students to prioritize their major courses first, then GEs, and lastly electives or classes of interest.
Mental Health
It is very heartening for students when their families and friends support them in getting the mental healthcare they need. Asking for help is scary sometimes, and the more encouragement students have in this process, the better!
Choosing a Major
Though some students enter UCSC with a strong idea of what they’d like to major in, many students are confused when confronted with so many possibilities. It is also very common for students to change their major upon arrival to UCSC. We encourage students to talk to family and friends, advisors, faculty, and any other trusted confidants, as they explore their options and identify their goals!
Career Success
At Career Success (centrally located at the Bay Tree Campus Store Plaza), students can seek on and off campus employment, peruse a library of career and graduate school information, and speak one-on-one with Career Center Counselors. The Career Center also provides an internship database and the Career Advice Network, an online database of UCSC alumni, faculty, and staff who have provided information about their academic degrees and careers. Want to see what your student might do with their degree? Check it out: http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/
Social Opportunities and Academic Enrichment
Students often find their academic lives more fulfilling when they take advantage of the many extracurricular opportunities at the College and on campus. Participating in college events and joining student groups is a great way to meet likeminded peers and discover the wealth of educational opportunities on campus. Student Organization Advising and Resources (SOAR) is a great place to start. There’s also the Office of Student Life, a cluster of student support services. For students who prefer athletics, Athletics and Recreation is not just a pretty place—though the facilities boast a stunning view of the city and the Monterey Bay. Athletics and Recreation coordinates competitive and intramural sports, PE classes (including sailing at the harbor, scuba training and trips, and holistic health classes), and the Wilderness Orientation Program. Students can sign up for intramural sports as part of a team, or as an individual looking for a team.
How can you help your student succeed?
We know that family and friends are a huge influence in students’ lives. To that end, here’s a short, basic timeline of what students might be thinking about (and needing to talk about with you) during their years at UCSC.
What to expect each year:
First (Frosh) Year:
- Find a major and begin taking major requirements
- Learn the general graduation requirements
- Meet with college adviser
Second (Sophomore) Year:
- Declare a major
- Meet with a department advisor and create a long-term course plan
- Consider applying to programs like EAP or UCDC, prepare application
- Meet with faculty during office hours, discuss possible career paths and/or graduate school plans
Third (Junior) Year:
- Continue progress in major
- Meet with a college advisor to check on progress with graduation requirements
- Visit the Career Center to explore internship opportunities, part-time work, and career goals
- Meet with faculty to discuss research opportunities and postgraduate plans
Fourth (Senior) Year:
- Prepare for graduation– visit department and college advisors to check that all requirements will be met
- Apply for graduation and sign up for graduation ceremony (commencement)
- Meet with Career Center to work on resumes and/or prepare graduate school applications and request recommendation letters
