Click on the question to link to the answer quickly or scroll through the page to read all of the information.

1. Who should attend Orientation?
2. When should you attend Orientation?
3. When and where is Orientation?
4. What happens in Orientation?
5. What do you need to know about the placement test?
6. How do you register for classes?
7. What do you need to know about your academic advisor?
8. What if you want to change your major?
9. What about financial Aid?
10. What if you have been out of school for a while and do not feel ready for college courses?
11. How can you tell if Distance Learning courses are right for you?

1.  WHO SHOULD ATTEND ORIENTATION?

Orientation is vital to your academic success, so all new students to TTC are expected to attend.  If you have not enrolled at TTC for more than a year, you need to visit or call an Orientation Center to verify your academic advisor assignment.

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2.  WHEN SHOULD YOU ATTEND ORIENTATION?

Students may attend Orientation after their application has been processed and they have submitted qualifying test scores (SAT or ACT) or have taken the TTC placement test or have their test requirements waived.  Students do NOT need to be accepted to TTC nor does financial aid need to be completed before attending orientation.  Registration for the following semester begins at mid-term, so the earlier students come to orientation, the better.  You'll need time to make an appointment with your academic advisor who will help you select the correct courses and register you for the time and days you wish to take classes.  The longer you wait, the fewer choices you'll have with your class schedule.

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3.  WHEN AND WHERE IS ORIENTATION?

Orientation is an on-going service at TTC.  For your convenience, Orientation Centers are open on all three campuses Monday through Friday.  No appointment is necessary - drop by when you are on campus.

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4.  WHAT HAPPENS IN ORIENTATION?

Services for all new students:

• View a campus-specific video.
• Explore TTC's web site.
• Talk with an Orientation Leader to
  • Verify major - change major, if necessary.
  • Obtain Placement Test retest pass, if qualified.
  • Be assigned an academic advisor (s).
  • Receive important informational handouts.
  • Have questions answered.
  • Record orientation attendance in the student database system.
• Take a cassette tape guided tour of the campus.

Services for Nondegree Students

• New student orientation.
• Register for courses - Bring appropriate documents if you need prerequisite overrides during the registration period.
• Transfer information - Local area college catalogs and transfer notebook with forms and current information.  More information on TTC's transfer website.

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5.  WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PLACEMENT TEST?

The placement test is a measure of your current skill level in reading, writing and math.  It is not a measure of ability or potential.  Students who do not have qualifying SAT or ACT test scores or are not transferring in college level math and/or English courses will be required to take all or part of the college placement test.  The TTC Placement Test home page will give you more detailed information.

Students with test scores within prescribed "retest ranges" in any or all areas being tested are given a retest pass in the Orientation Center.  There is a $25 retest fee.

The Placement Test is used to determine acceptance to TTC and is critical to the initial placement of students into courses.  The College strives to place students into courses for which they are academically prepared.  It is essential that students do the best they can on this test.

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6.  HOW DO YOU REGISTER FOR CLASSES?

Priority Registration begins at mid-term for the following semester or summer term.  Students who have successfully completed courses at other regionally accredited colleges may need to bring informal documents such as student transcripts, grade reports or online records to their advisor for prerequisite overrides.  Students may be required to see a department head or dean to obtain an override.

New Students need to call their academic advisor, assigned during the orientation process, for an appointment.  Academic advisors assist students in selecting courses and register them for classes.  They can answer specific questions about the courses in the students' program of study and help students plan their academic progress.

Returning Students who qualify can register online through TTC Express.  The first week of priority registration is reserved for students who register online.  Online registration covers a longer period of time than advisor registration.  Check the registration dates in On Course or on TTC's website.  Returning students may also confer with their academic advisor over the phone or in an e-mail before registering online.  Your advisor's name, phone number and e-mail link can be found in "My Profile" in TTC Express, if you completed orientation and have been enrolled at TTC within the last year.

Students who have not enrolled in classes at TTC for two or more consecutive terms may have been removed from their advisor's list of advisees.  Call an Orientation Center to be re-assigned an academic advisor. 

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7.  WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR?

Most degree-seeking students are assigned academic advisors who are instructors in their program of study.  In some majors, students who need a reading course will be assigned an additional advisor from the Developmental Studies Division.  Most advisors are full time faculty teaching a full load of at least 5 classes.  In addition to teaching, they are involved with new course and program development, serve on committees,  and must keep abreast of the newest technologies, current research in their field of study and the changes occurring in the workforce.  Additionally, they may teach on more than one TTC campus, teach in industry, supervise students in hospitals, various clinical assignments and in retirement and day care facilities.  Their time on campus is limited.

Students who are undecided about their major are assigned to counselors as their academic advisors.  TTC's college counselors are trained to work with students in the career decision-making process and will assist them with registration as long as they remain undecided.  Once students make a decision about their program of study, they then return to an Orientation Center to officially change their major and be assigned their new academic advisor.  Counselors also teach courses, make classroom presentations, serve of committees, work one-on-one with students who are having difficulties, and are required to attend training and seminars to keep their credentials current.  Their time on campus is limited.

It is important to contact academic advisors early for registration appointments.  Because of the demand on their time, faculty and counselors must manage the advising time carefully.  Advisors are not available on demand.  In most cases, students will need to leave a clear phone message including name, phone number.  All full time faculty and staff have voice mail. Additionally, students may send an e-mail to their advisors.  After you have been to Orientation, your academic advisor is recorded in TTC Express on "My Profile" with a phone number and direct e-mail link to your advisor.

Students who have not been enrolled in credit courses for more than a year will be removed from their advisor's list of advisees.  Students who have completed orientation may call 843.574.6436 to be reassigned to a current advisor.  Students who have never been to orientation at TTC will need to visit one of the Orientation Centers on any campus to be assigned an academic advisor.

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8.  WHAT IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR MAJOR?

Students who want to change their major or declare a dual major must complete a Student Update form in an Orientation Center or in the Admissions Office on any campus.  Students who have been admitted on a provisional status must first submit any missing documents before they can change majors.

If students have submitted a Student Update form to admissions and have been through Orientation, they can call 843.574.6436 to obtain the name of their new advisor or e-mail an Orientation Leader.  If students have not been through Orientation, they will need to visit an Orientation Center on any campus at their earliest convenience.

If students would like some help in deciding on a career and/or major, they can contact TTC's Counseling and Career Development Services for assistance.

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9.  WHAT ABOUT FINANCIAL AID?

Financial Aid comes in many forms and is not always based on financial need.  To receive most types of financial aid, students need to declare a program of study.  Check out the Financial Aid Home Page to get started.  Students are not required to have their financial aid completed before visiting an Orientation Center or before registering for classes.  Check the College Calendar on TTC's website or in On Course for important dates and priority deadlines.  Students who apply for financial aid after the priority deadline may have to pay the tuition and fees up front and receive reimbursement later in the semester.

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10.  WHAT IF YOU HAVE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A WHILE AND DO NOT FEEL READY FOR COLLEGE COURSES?

College skills courses are offered to assist students who have been out of school for some time or have never developed the skills necessary to achieve academic success.  Most types of financial aid will pay for these courses for qualified students.  If you feel shaky about test-taking, memory techniques, and note-taking or don't really understand how an electronic library works,  COL 103 is for you! You'll learn how to manage your time, how best to study different types of information, and how to lower your stress level.   Ask your academic advisor about enrolling in one of these valuable courses.

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11.  HOW CAN YOU TELL IF DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU?

TTC offers courses in two distant learning formats: Online and Course in a Bag (video).  These courses are taught mostly by TTC's full time faculty, so your instructors are available on campus during their regular office hours. 

Students enrolling in Bag courses attend an orientation the day after final registration day; there are four times of day from which to select.  You'll meet your instructor, learn about his/her expectations and discover how the course will be managed.  Most of your tests will be taken in the Testing Center on the TTC campus you select.  More details are in On Course under Course in a Bag offerings. 

Students enrolling in Online courses need to contact their instructor by e-mail at least a week before classes start to learn the passwords and to obtain additional materials for the class.  Tests may be Online and/or in the Testing Center on any campus.  You may select the campus where you take your tests, if the tests are in a Testing Center.  More details are in On Course under Online Course offerings.

Students can answer a short TTC READI online readiness questionnaire to see if distance learning courses might work for them.

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