To help you succeed as the fall semester begins, be sure that you review these important TIPS FOR SUCCESS!
Do you need to make adjustments to your fall semester schedule based upon any recent coursework?
If you took classes over the summer or were surprised by grades that you received in the spring semester, be sure that you make any necessary adjustments to your fall schedule. A good rule of thumb is if you received a grade of C- or lower particularly in a sequential course such as chemistry 101 or calculus I, chances are you will not be ready to successfully continue on with the second course in the sequence. Contact an academic advisor immediately for assistance with your fall semester planning.
Have you sent all of your AP credits, alternative credits, and any college transfer coursework to UB?
To Send AP Credit - http://src.buffalo.edu/procedures/ap.shtml
To Send Other Alternative Credits - http://tas.buffalo.edu/altexam/scorereports.shtml
To Send College Transfer Coursework - http://taurus.buffalo.edu/caspages/transcripts.shtml
Are you comfortable with your amount of registered credit hours?
On average, students complete 15 credits a semester. To be considered a full-time student, students need to be registered for at least 12 credits a semester. A full-time student needs to ideally complete a minimum of 24 UB credit hours an academic year.
If you plan to work, organize your job to work for you!
It is recommended that students limit themselves to no more than 15 hours of work per week as a full-time student in order to ensure that needed time is not being taken away from studying.
Remember to ALWAYS print out an updated copy of your class schedule.
If you make any changes to your fall semester schedule, always check that such changes have been recorded correctly and an updated copy of your schedule has been printed from MyUB. When visiting MyUB, remember to click on the “Web Registration” link and the “View Schedule” button to view a real time schedule of your course changes.
Go to class!
Do not underestimate the importance of attending class. The first day of class particularly is the most important time for students to receive the syllabus, learn about the course content, meet their instructors, and learn if they have the necessary preparation essential to be successful in the course.
Plan appropriate travel time.
Plan at least 1 hour of travel time between a North and South campus class. If you have a class in the Ellicott Complex followed by a class on the North Campus spine, you need to plan at least 30 minutes of travel time.
Check your UB E-mail regularly.
All students are urged to check their UB e-mail accounts often. Important academic and financial communications as well as other details that affect students’ statuses are communicated year-round. Be sure that you check your UB e-mail once a day or at least several times a week so that you stay informed throughout the semester.
Be sure you know these important UB resources as classes begin.
*********
Have questions? Contact an academic advisor immediately so that we can assist you!
The University at Buffalo requires all full-time students to have health insurance coverage. (Full-time is defined as 12 credits for undergraduate students or 9 hours for graduate study.) SUNY additionally requires all international students, scholars & OPT participants to carry adequate medical coverage. All students (domestic full-time and all international) will automatically be charged for the University plan on the first bill for the semester. All others who wish to enroll may do so by selecting an option from the Student Medical Insurance program.
Students may waive the plan by providing proof of comparable coverage and submitting a waiver by the due date of their tuition bill for the semester. Comparable coverage must be in effect on or before the first day of classes. Initial waivers for the Student Medical Insurance program are accepted until the due date of the bill where the charge first appeared. All waivers received after the due date on your bill for the fall semester will receive a Sub-Board I late processing fee.
Have questions? Need more information? Contact UB Student Medical Insurance at 716.645.3036, 223 Student Union, asksmi@buffalo.edu or healthinsurance.buffalo.edu.
The 2009-2010 Distinguished Speakers Series line-up has been announced!
If you attended orientation this summer, you should have received a copy of Steve Lopezs’ book The Soloist as part of the UBReads Program. Mr. Lopez is part of this years Speaker Series and will provide students, faculty, and staff a fantastic opportunity to discuss his work.
Students have the opportunity to obtain free tickets so watch the Spectrum in the fall for distribution dates.
Mark your calendars for these very important Fall 2009 semester dates.
**********************************************
• Monday, August 31, 2009 - UB fall classes begin.
• Friday, September 4, 2009 - LAST day to drop a Fall 2009 course without financial liability.
• Monday, September 7, 2009 – Labor Day. UB is closed.
• Friday, September 11, 2009 - LAST day (by 11 pm) to drop/add a Fall 2009 course. Resigning with a grade of “R” begins Saturday, September 12, 2009.
Friday• , September 18, 2009 – Rosh Hashanah. Classes canceled after 6 pm.
Saturday• , September 19, 2009 – Classes resume at 6 pm.
• Sunday, September 27, 2009 – Yom Kippur. Classes canceled after 6 pm.
• Monday , September 28, 2009 – Classes resume at 6 pm.
• Friday, November 13, 2009 - LAST day (by 11 pm) for ALL UB students to resign a Fall 2009 semester course(s) with a grade of “R”.
• Wednesday, November 25, 2009 – Sunday, November 29, 2009 – Fall Recess. No classes.
• Friday, December 11, 2009 – Last day of Fall 2009 classes.
• Monday, December 14, 2009 - Monday, December 21, 2009 – Final Exams week.
Learn more about other student calendar listings of important academic, financial, and billing date information. Also, for a list of academic and other workshops offered this fall semester, be sure and consult the Life and Learning Workshops program.
For those of you who are new to UB and as a reminder to those of you who are returning, welcome to UB and the Be Advised weblog! Important academic information critical to students’ success will be posted year round on this blog so be sure that you visit us frequently and that you stay informed.
If you have questions, comments or suggestions regarding the Be Advised weblog, feel free to contact Student Advising Services at sas-advisor@buffalo.edu.
The deadline for applications for UB’s newest international travel experience has been extended to September 15th. We’d like you to consider living and learning in one of the most exciting places in the world, in a new program called SLIDE - Student Leaders International Dialogue and Exchange. Take your leadership experience up a notch and add an experience to your resume that few can match. Travel to Singapore over Winter Break, 2009/2010 and learn from student leaders just like yourself, but on the other side of the world. Visit: http://leadersforlife.buffalo.edu/ for more information and learn how you can apply to be with us!
UB has a number of helpful tools to help students discover their major, minor, and General Education requirements. Additionally, these tools help students to find courses and programs of interest, succeed in the university environment, and attain a UB degree.
Bookmark these valuable UB tools today!
- Undergraduate Catalog - UB’s Undergraduate Catalog is your contract with the University, outlining the degree requirements that you must complete and policies and procedures that you must follow. In addition, the catalog contains a wealth of information on the programs and courses that we offer. The undergraduate catalog is accessible on-line at http://undergrad-catalog.buffalo.edu.
- Academic Policies and Procedures - This section of the catalog provides information about degree options and requirements (like General Education), registration, grading, and financial aid. These are important policies that students must abide by while attending UB.
- Academic Programs - This section of the catalog contains vital information about majors and minors at UB, including acceptance criteria, program requirements, transfer policies, as well as information about department faculty, class sizes, complementary programs, and careers for which the programs are well-suited.
- Course Descriptions - Our catalog has a searchable list of descriptions of courses offered at UB, which is extremely helpful in planing your major, selecting General Education requirements, choosing courses, and registering.
- UB DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) - All UB students have individualized DARS reports which outline their degree requirements and illustrates which requirements have been met. Each semester, as students plan the courses that they will be taking, they should refer to their DARS report in consultation with their academic advisor to ensure that they are on track to graduation. Current students can access their DARS reports on the Academics/Courses page in MyUB.
- Academic Advising - At UB, all students have an academic advising office related to their major or special program. Students should be sure to take advantage of advising services throughout their academic careers. To learn more about our advising services and to access a number of other tools and guides to help you succeed at UB, visit the Undergraduate Advising website.
