If you're in the first year here at EMU, you're required to meet with your Academic Advisor prior to registering for classes. This is to make sure that you're following the best and most efficient path to graduation. If your major is "Exploratory," you also need to meet with an Academic Advisor before you can register.

You'll also need to make sure you have an ebill balance of less than $500, and that you do not have any "holds" on your account. You can check your holds by logging into my.emich and going to the Registration section.

"Dropping" a course happens within the 100% tuition refund drop period, typically the first week or so of a new semester. "Withdrawing" can refer to just one, two, or even all courses. If you withdraw from a course after the drop period is over, you'll receive a "W" grade for the course. 

If life circumstances force you to stop attending EMU during the semester, you should definitely ask about withdrawing. Lack of attendance in class does not automatically drop the class for you, and you could receive an F on your transcript for each course affected.

You can find all the details on the Registrar's website, along with contact information if you still have questions. 

Holman Success Center always recommends students check with a) academic advisor, b) Service EMU, and c) their Success Coach about whether dropping/withdrawing is the right decision. First year students are required to visit the UACDC to withdraw from a course after the 100% drop period.

All of these services are consolidated at Service EMU, our one-stop customer services center, located on the second floor of the Student Center.

EMU has tons of student organizations, so you're likely to find one that's perfect for you. Browse club sports, Greek Life fraternities and sororities, and other student orgs at Eagle Sync.

You should also check out the "What's Happening" tile in the EagleApp; you'll find all of our events there.

The IHA Health Center located on EMU's campus offers primary care, urgent care, gynecological care, and more. The IHA facility also has a pharmacy for filling prescriptions. 

College is different from high school in so many ways!

Time management: First, students in college are likely taking only 4-5 different classes each semester, and are probably in class only about 12-15 hours each week. However, most of the work that needs to be done -- reading, writing papers, studying notes, taking exams and quizzes, preparing for in-class activities, completing projects, etc. -- is completed outside of class, and will likely take 30 hours or more each week. That's why we call it "being a full-time college student!" 

Being present on campus:  There are a lot of group projects in college classes, and group work is also very common. Because all of the services offered to your student are located on campus, your student will also need to be on campus for more than just the hours that they're physically inside a classroom. Tutoring, supplemental instruction sessions, Eagle Study Tables, advising, and Success Coaching all take time and require the student to be present on campus. 

Independence and responsibility:  Another huge difference is the level of autonomy students experience in college. Students are making their own choices and decisions, and sometimes experiencing the consequences of those choices. 

At the same time, the number of things you can do or handle for your student is greatly reduced. Professors, staff, and administrators are required by federal law (FERPA) to communicate only with the student unless that student signs a release. Most will also insist on working only with the student regardless of privacy waivers. 

EMU has a fantastic Disability Resource Center (DRC) staffed with professionals who collaborate across campus to ensure a great experience for all students, faculty, and staff.  

Students should start by going to emich.edu/drc and clicking the "Start the DRC Accommodation Process" button. Complete the form and upload your supporting documentation. Your DRC case manager will assist you in navigating the process of receiving and notifying professors of appropriate accommodations.

Contact the DRC office at 734.487.2470 or email [email protected] if you have any other questions for them.

Unfortunately, there is no "guest" access to a student's account on Canvas, the online portion of an EMU course. Neither Academic Advisors nor Success Coaches have access to a student's individual Canvas courses, either. This is mainly due to federal privacy laws, commonly referred to as "FERPA." 

The best way to check in with your student on their progress is one-on-one and face-to-face.

At the end of each semester, faculty enters final grades in my.emich.edu. A student can view their final grades by logging in to my.emich.edu and choosing Student Services > Student Records > Final Grades. Students can view their course grades to date by viewing Student Services > Student Records > Academic Transcript.

Students in the 4S 4 Success program have specific guidelines to meet in their first semester. 4S students meet with their Success Coach bi-weekly (6+ meetings over the course of a 15-week semester), and complete 10 total hours of structured study time. These hours may be completed at Eagle Study Tables, the Math Lab in 411 Pray Harrold, through Success Coach and Peer Academic Coach meetings, drop-in tutoring, Supplemental Instruction sessions, and workshops. 

Study Table guidelines for the second semester are individualized to the student's fall performance. These requirements will be communicated to students following the publication of official semester grades by the registrar's office, just before the beginning of the winter term.

All in all, these guidelines help students learn to become self-regulated learners and hold themselves accountable for their own academic performance. These are the behaviors that create successful students, and establishing these habits early is key to student persistence and progress to graduation.