A Guide for Transfer Students

FALL 2010

www.SouthernCT.edu

Table of Contents
Section Color Page

Inside...

4 6 8

1 2

Finalize Your Admission ................... admission deposit college and high

Finance Your Education

school transcripts .................. costs financial aid payment deadlines and registration

Plan Your Academic Future ............ placement exams orientation advisement

Get and Stay Connected ................... MySCSU Web services e-mail Join the Southern Community ....... housing health info rules to live by

disability resources for students

Outside back cover ...................................... Follow the steps in sequence to make sure your entry into the Southern community Next Step Checklist
runs smoothly.

www.SouthernCT.edu/guidefortransferstudents
Important Phone Numbers
Academic Advisement
Wintergreen Building (203) 392-5367

To access this publication online, including live Web links, visit:

Dean of Student Affairs

Engleman Hall A106 (203) 392-5556

Placement Exam Info

(203) 392-5367

Admissions Office
131 Farnham Ave. (203) 392-5644

Disability Resource Center

Engleman Hall C105 (203) 392-6828

Residence Life
Schwartz Hall (203) 392-5870

Barnes & Noble Bookstore

Adanti Student Center (203) 392-5270

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Wintergreen Building (203) 392-5222

Southern Telephone Operator

(203) 392-5200

Bursars Office
Wintergreen Building (203) 392-6140

First Stop
Wintergreen Building (203) 392-7121

Student and University Affairs

Engleman Hall A212 (203) 392-5550

Career Services
Schwartz Hall (203) 392-6536

First-Year Experience Program

Engleman Hall D222 (203) 392-6671

Technology Help Desk

(203) 392-5123

Commuter Students
Adanti Student Center 325C (203) 392-5501

Health Services
Granoff Hall (203) 392-6300

Veterans Affairs
Engleman Hall B018 (203) 392-6822

New Student Orientation/Office of Student Life

Adanti Student Center 213 (203) 392-5782

Important Dates to Remember

March 5, 2010
File by this priority date for student financial aid. Deadline for $200 admission confirmation deposit to reserve your place for fall 2010.

July 16, 2010 Payment deadline for fall 2010. August 10, 2010 Transfer Student Orientation. August 13, 2010 Deadline for health forms. August 27, 2010 Move-In Day for New Residential Students. August 30, 2010 First day of classes.

May 1, 2010

* As soon as possible after you pay the admission confirmation deposit

Apply for on-campus housing and submit $250 housing deposit. Housing is limited.

You are at an exciting moment in your life a time to choose where you will continue your academic career and earn your undergraduate degree. Southern is delighted to be among your choices, and we genuinely hope that you will decide to become a member of the Southern community.

High School Transcript If you have not completed 24 transferable college-level credits, you must have your high school guidance department send your official, final transcript directly to the Admissions Office.

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Make Your Admission Confirmation Deposit

When you are ready to accept our offer for full-time admission, pay your $200 admission confirmation deposit. See the Next Steps Checklist on the back cover of this booklet and use the instructions included in your letter of acceptance. You have until May 1, 2010, to confirm your attendance at Southern for the fall 2010 semester. If you are accepted after May 1, your $200 admission confirmation deposit is due within two weeks of your acceptance. If you are a part-time student, you are not required to pay an admission confirmation deposit. The non-refundable admission confirmation deposit will be applied toward your fall semester tuition and fees. Only after this deposit is paid will you be eligible to participate in a number of important pre-enrollment activities, including signing up for housing and making appointments for placement exams, academic advisement, and registration.

Credit is awarded to students who take the Advanced Placement (AP) Exams and who score a 4 or better. For info, visit www. SouthernCT.edu/admissions/schoolcounselors/ advancedplacement/. Please request that the Educational Testing Service (phone (609) 9219000 and fax (609) 734-5410) forward an official AP score report to the Admissions Office. Be sure to include the Southern school code, 03662, with your request. Some students may have enrolled in a nearby college while still in high school. Credits for this academic work may be awarded after a review of your transcript is completed. Please have an official copy of the transcript from the college that recognized your advanced placement course sent directly to the Southern Admissions Office.

Send Us Your Final High School and College Transcripts

College Transcript If you were accepted to Southern prior to finishing the semester, you must have an official transcript sent directly from the college or university previously attended. Transcripts from all colleges attended must be on file in order for you to receive transfer credit. You may receive a maximum of 63 credits from a two-year college or 90 credits from a four-year institution. The total cannot exceed 90 credits.

College Level Exam Program If you received credit through the College Level Exam Program (CLEP), please have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send an official score report to the Southern Admissions Office for evaluation. Transfer of CLEP credit that appears on another college/universitys transcripts will be awarded by Southern only after receipt of the official score report from ETS.

Military Credit Credit for military experience will be evaluated according to the American Council on Education guidelines. Please submit your military records to the Southern Registrars Office for review. Life/Work Experience Credit Credit for life/work experience may be awarded through the Portfolio Assessment Center of Charter Oak State College. Many departments and programs accept credits based on evaluations conducted by Charter Oak State College or by other regionally accredited colleges and universities when such credits are applicable to your specific degree program requirements. For more information, contact Academic Advisement at (203) 392-5367 or visit Wintergreen Building, room 131.

Finalize Your Admission

Get College-Level Academic Credits

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Finance Your Education

A college education is an investment in your future! We believe that Southern offers an excellent education plus extracurricular opportunities to enrich your college experience at an affordable cost. We hope that the following information will answer your questions about paying for your education at Southern.

Know the Cost of Your Education

Each semester, you will be required to pay tuition and fees based on your in-state or out-ofstate status, as well as room and board if you live on campus. These costs are known as direct charges, because they are paid directly to the university. In addition, there are non-direct expenses that will not appear on your bill, but that you should anticipate in your plan to finance your education. These non-direct expenses include books and supplies, transportation, and other personal expenses. At Southern, the combined direct and non-direct costs are referred to the cost of education budget. Use these totals to project your costs and to plan how you will pay for them, whether you will be pursuing your education with the assistance of financial aid or not. Amounts of non-direct expenses may vary from student to student, depending on the individual circumstances. Please refer to the chart below.

Know the Financial Aid Process at Southern

We strongly encourage you to become familiar with the financial aid process at Southern by going to www.SouthernCT. edu/financialaid/financialaidprocess. We also advise you to make an effort to meet our announced priority date of March 5, 2010, for 2010-2011 financial aid. Students who meet the priority date will be among those awarded the best financial aid packages available.

Apply for Financial Aid

Each year, about 69 percent of our students are awarded some form of financial aid. If you have not already done so, apply for financial assistance by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form as soon as possible. The application form is found at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Estimated Cost of Education Budgets for Determining Financial Need (Per Semester)
In-State On-Campus Direct Expenses* Non-Direct Expenses ** Tuition and Fees Room and Board Room and Board Books and Supplies** Transportation and Personal Expenses $3,789 $4,735
N/A

Out-of-State On-Campus $8,635 $4,735

N/A

Commuter $3,789
N/A

Off-Campus $8,635
N/A

$ 700 $289 $ 9,513

$932*** $700 $656 $6,077

$700 $577 $14,647

$4,136**** $ 700 $ 893 $14,364

TOTAL COST OF EDUCATION BUDGET, PER SEMESTER

*Direct expenses (tuition, fees, room and board) presented here are 2009-10 rates; these are subject to change at any time. Given current economic uncertainties, the new rates for 2010-11 have not been established by the CSUS Board of Trustees. They will be posted at www.SouthernCT.edu/bursar/tuitionfees/ **Based on average expenses of a typical new student. Will vary, depending on textbook requirements, distance from university, and personal spending habits, etc. ***This is the amount allowed for room and board for a student who is living at home, with family. ****This is the amount allowed for room and board for a student who is living independently in an off-campus dwelling.

Provide Timely and Accurate Information

After you have filed the FAFSA, and during Southerns review of your aid application, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships may request additional documentation or some action on your part. This usually occurs as a result of your application having been randomly selected for the federally mandated Verification Process. Respond quickly and completely to all such requests. Failing to do so will result in a delay in providing you your financial aid award and may, in some circumstances, reduce the amount of an award for which you would otherwise be eligible.

Understanding Your Payment Options and Meeting the Payment Deadlines

Today more than ever, Southern realizes that families face many financial challenges. To help you meet these challenges, we provide convenient options for paying your bill. Learn about these at www.SouthernCT.edu/ bursar/paymentmethods.

Southern Connecticut State University expects students to be prepared to meet their financial obligations to the university. Planning for those obligations and literally taking care of business well in advance of any semester will permit you to focus your energy on the academic challenges of university life. The payment deadline for fall 2010 is July 16, 2010. Billing statements for the fall semester 2010 are electronically sent beginning in May. To view your electronic billing statement and complete payments, go to www.SouthernCT.edu/bursar and look for the pay bill, payment plan sign up and view E-Statement link in the blue box on the right side of the screen. Late payments are subject to a late payment fee. Note: If you register after July 16, your payment is due at the time of registration. Given the tight economic times, we have established a convenient deferred payment plan that permits a student to make regular monthly payments on the balance due (after all financial aid has been credited) interest free. A $45 enrollment fee and the first payment are due at the time of enrollment in the payment plan. See www.SouthernCT.edu/bursar/faqs/ paymentplanquestions/. Go to www.SouthernCT.edu/bursar for answers to many frequently asked questions (FAQs), or you can e-mail the bursar through our Ask the Bursar link.

Finance Your Education

Your educational future depends on your ability to manage your finances now. Its not too early to begin learning about financial management, including your debt/credit and loan levels and how to make a financial plan. Useful instructions and tools for financial planning are available for your convenience at www.practicalmoneyskills.com and at www.SouthernCT.edu/bursar/ financialplanning.

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Plan Your Academic Future

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At Southern, we recognize that students are individuals. Some students begin their collegiate experience with clear academic goals and majors in mind, while others enter college expecting to explore their options and, with guidance and support, discover what their major field of study will be.
Through placement exams and individual academic advising, we help new students succeed by ensuring that they are in the courses that provide the right balance of intellectual challenge and support and that are appropriate, whether for their major or for their exploration of an eventual major. pleted one year of high school foreign language or more and have not transferred in a foreign language course are required to take the Foreign Language placement. For Math: If Southern has granted you credit for MAT 095, 100 or higher you do not need to take the math placement. If you need a math placement, you must register for one by visiting the placement website at www.SouthernCT.edu/placement . The English and foreign language placements will be available online starting April 5th and accessible via Next Steps. The university Proficiency Policy requires students to complete placement exams within their first 24 attempted credits at the university as well as MAT 095, if so placed.

Take Placement Exams

One of the most important factors that will contribute to your success at Southern occurs during the evaluation of your transfer credits and assessment of your skill level. Southern strongly believes in a placement process that helps us determine the best courses to meet your individual skill level while also challenging you to excel academically. Therefore, if you have not transferred equivalent coursework in English composition, math or foreign language, you will need to take a placement exam. To assess your skill level, we offer online placements for English and foreign language and an on campus math placement. For English: If Southern has granted you credit for ENG 110, 111, or 112, you do not need to take the English placement. For Foreign Language: All students who have com-

Applicants who have served in the military, including the National Guard and Reserves, should contact the Veterans Office, Engleman Hall B018, (203) 392-6822, or at www.SouthernCT.edu/ veterans_services.

Make an Appointment for Academic Advisement

Our staff of trained advisers works in the Academic Advisement Center to help you select courses fitted to your intended major and/or your mastery levels. The staff will also help you build your schedule of classes for the fall 2010 semester. All new transfer students, regardless of intended major, are advised at the Academic Advisement Center. When you have declared a major and/or been admitted to a major, you will be advised by a faculty member in the academic department of that major. If you are not sure what your major will be and want to remain an undeclared/undecided student, you will continue to be advised by a member of the staff in the Academic Advisement Center. Advising is provided only to students who have been accepted to Southern as transfer students; and have paid their $200 deposit. Students must also submit their health forms to Granoff Health Services by August 13, 2010.

Advisement appointments can be made by calling the Academic Advisement Center at (203) 392-5367 (press 2) or by e-mail at advisement@SouthernCT.edu.

Come to Transfer Student Orientation

An all-day orientation program, designed for transfer students and offered on Tuesday, August 10, will introduce new transfers to the universitys academic programs, policies, and services. The orientation will also give you an opportunity to learn more about and to begin to experience life at Southern. Mark your calendars now and check for more information regularly at www.SouthernCT.edu/orientation/ transferorientation after June 1. To assure student mastery of basic skills areas, the CSUS Board of Trustees in July 2003 adopted system-wide policies governing basic skills proficiencies. All students at Southern are subject to these academic requirements and conditions. For the full text of the policy, see www.SouthernCT.edu/placement.

Plan Your Academic Future

Students who want to explore their strengths and interests in relation to possible majors and careers should begin now. Visit www.SouthernCT.edu/careerservices/students/careerplanning, where you can find career-planning resources, including a Web-based, self-directed program called DISCOVER, to assist you with this exploration.

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Get and Stay Connected

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As you get acquainted with Southern, youll need to become skilled at using the technological tools that will enable you to access information, receive important notifications, and conduct critical business with the university. We urge you to familiarize yourself with each of these tools now even before you begin your studies to help you navigate your new university community.

Activate Your Network Account at Southern

If you have not already done so, activate your Southern network account immediately. Through this account, you will access important information concerning registration dates, advisement dates, your student accounts, financial aid, classroom content and your university e-mail. To activate your account, please do the following:

Go to www.SouthernCT.edu. Click on MySCSU. Enter your network ID that consists of a username and
password according to the directions on your acceptance letter from the Office of Admissions.

The system will prompt you to change your password

and set up your security profile. This will include creating a set of security questions that you can later use to resolve any log-in issues.

Click save changes to save your self-selected password. Make note of it and keep it in a safe place; the university will not share it with anyone, including parents / families, under any circumstances. Various offices will correspond with you throughout your years at Southern and you with us using your individually assigned email account. Your SouthernCT.edu e-mail address is your official university notification address. To assure confidentiality of student records, you must use your SouthernCT.

edu e-mail when corresponding with the university. Otherwise, it is impossible for the university to be confident that we are communicating with you, rather than with another party.

DONT MISS OUT!

Your SouthernCT.edu e-mail address is your official university notification address. However, if you wish to receive e-mail at an address other than your SouthernCT.edu account, you may forward your emails to an alternative address. To do so, visit myscsu. SouthernCT.edu. Please note: the university is not responsible for any disruptions or delays in delivery that arise when you select any third-party service (AOL, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.) as your preferred provider. Although it may seem convenient to use a third-party service, you assume all risks associated with missing timely and important notices and communications.

Use BannerWeb
BannerWeb offers you access to your academic records, registration, student accounts, and financial aid. You will use this tool to access your information for planning upcoming semesters with your adviser. To access your information, please do the following: network account. members electronically or over the phone; it is your responsibility to safeguard it and, if you wish, to share it with others. This number is the key that opens the door to all of Southerns online services; use your key wisely.

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Once you have signed in to MySCSU, click on the

Banner Web link on the right.

Select Next Steps, which will lead you through

the steps you must take to join the Southern community. Or select other available features, such as Personal Information or Student Services and Financial Aid.

Use Your Southern ID Number When You Contact the University

To make life run more smoothly and accurately, its important that we assign you a unique identification number so that we can track your progress and provide you with the services you need. Your eight-digit student identification number was assigned to you when you applied to the university; it is also included in your letter of admission and in the MySCSU portal. To assure your privacy and confidentiality, the university does not provide this number to anyone you, your parents, or family

Need Help Accessing Your Info?

For the best and fastest way to get answers to your questions and get the help you need: activating your SouthernCt.edu network account finding your student ID number obtaining general assistance with accessing the universitys many technology services, including conducting transactions with the electronic Next Steps

Go to www.SouthernCT.edu/0it or call the HelpDesk at 203-392-5123 (Mon.Thurs., 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sat., 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Get and Stay Connected

Sign in to your MySCSU account using your Southern

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Join the Southern Community

You are joining a special, caring academic community, one that is committed to providing a safe, healthy, challenging, and diverse environment in which to live and learn. Students who take full advantage of all of the universitys out-of-class resources academic clubs, commuter events, special university-wide celebrations, as well as social, cultural, and interest group organizations will find a rich array of program offerings and an engaged and caring professional and student staff that encourages student involvement in campus life.

Make Healthy Choices

We are committed to doing our part to make sure that you remain healthy and that nothing interrupts your academic success while you are a student here. The university provides basic primary care to all full-time students and also facilitates referrals to the regional medical community.

Specifically, each full-time student must do the following:

Be at Home at Southern

Submit health information and immunization documentation. All full-time undergraduates must submit the Health Examination Report Form (completed and signed by a health care provider) by the August 13, 2010, deadline. This form is available to students online at www.SouthernCT.edu/healthservices/healthforms. We urge you to make an appointment with your family physician as soon as possible. Contact Student Health Services at (203) 392-6300 with questions.

Whether you live on campus or commute from home or an off-campus apartment, as a new student you will make Southern your academic and social home, develop friendships that last a lifetime, and explore new areas of intellectual inquiry and personal growth. Our commuter students connect with their peers through classes and more than 100 student clubs and organizations; students who live on campus have additional opportunities to share living-learning experiences literally where they eat and live! To discover more about on-campus living, please visit www. SouthernCT.edu/residencelife. Here you will see 360-degree room tours, learn about the features of various residential communities, become familiar with the services that will be a part of your life on campus, and meet the residence life staff. If you have decided to live on campus, you need to complete your housing application and pay the deposit as early as possible. The Next Steps Checklist, which is available through your student account on MySCSU, provides you with an easy means to submit simultaneously your application for housing and to make the required non-refundable $250 housing deposit. NOTE: Only students who have paid an admission confirmation deposit are eligible to complete a housing application and pay a housing deposit. On-campus housing is not required or guaranteed for students. Assignments are made in the order in which the university receives both the completed housing application and the required housing deposit. Students who submit a housing application and pay a housing deposit early have the greatest likelihood of receiving an on-campus assignment.

In addition:

Submit documentation of meningitis vaccination, for oncampus residential students only. Connecticut state law requires that all students living in university residence communities provide documentation of meningitis vaccination. You will not be permitted to check in without completed documentation. Contact the Student Health Services at (203) 392-6300 with questions.

Verify your health insurance coverage. All full-time undergraduate students are required to have health insurance. Students are automatically billed each semester for university group accident and sickness insurance, provided by the Aetna Health Insurance Company. If you wish to keep this coverage, you need not do anything. To waive this coverage, please go to www.aetna studenthealth.com. Click on Find Your School, and follow the directions. The deadline to waive this coverage for the fall 2010 semester is September 8, 2010.

Plan Your Transportation

If you commute to Southern in a vehicle, you will need to obtain a parking permit from the University parking regulations and the uniPolice. For more information about versity shuttle service, visit www.

SouthernCT.edu/universitypolice/parkingregulations. If you use public transportation to get to campus, you will find useful information at the following: www.mta.info/mnr/index.html and www.shorelineeast.com.

How to Access Services of the Disability Resource Center

Southern is proud of its distinguished record of helping students with disabilities complete their undergraduate degrees. If you think you are eligible for support from the Disability Resource Center (DRC), call (203) 392-6828 to set up an intake appointment with a staff member. You must bring a copy of your disability documentation to the appointment, which should be made as far in advance of the beginning of the semester as possible. For more information, including documentation guidelines, please visit the centers Web site at www.SouthernCT.edu/drc.

Get Your Hoot Loot Card

This is your official student identification card. A photo for your card will be taken when you come to campus for New Student Orientation. The Hoot Loot Card serves as your official means of identification at the university and is mandatory for all students. Youll use it for residence halls and facility access, library loan privileges, computer labs, and meal access. Your Hoot Loot Card can also act as an optional campus debit card, allowing you additional privileges and services at Southern. It also provides a convenient and economical means of making purchases at various onand off-campus locations. For additional information about Hoot Loot, or to add money to your Hoot Loot Card from our secure Web site, visit http://hootloot.SouthernCT.edu.

Know the Rules

The rules and regulations governing student conduct at the university reflect our values: respect for academic freedom and intellectual integrity, respect for oneself, respect for the rights of others, and respect for property. To have a positive experience at Southern, it is important that you know what the university expects of you. As you begin the process of joining the Southern community, please review these important rules at http://handbook.SouthernCT.edu/.

Join the Southern Community

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This checklist has been developed to assist you as you take the important Next Steps toward your future. By detailing the process step by step, we hope to ease your transition into life as an undergraduate student at Southern and at the same time, tell you about some of the great opportunities and choices you will be able to explore as you become a member of the Southern community. You must take action on each of the required next steps via the Web-based site within your account at MySCSU to be eligible for enrollment in the fall. To make that happen and to access the electronic Next Steps, please do the following: Go to www.SouthernCT.edu Click on MySCSU Enter your user name and password (See instructions on page 6 of this booklet.) Click on BannerWeb, located directly under SCSU links on the right of the page Select Next Steps and follow the steps.

Next Steps Checklist

Section Color

Checklist

Understanding the costs and developing a plan for paying for your education will make your transition to college easier. Apply early for financial aid and familiarize yourself with our convenient payment plans. (See the green Finance Your Education section of this booklet.)

4. Plan How to Pay for Your Education.

Apply for Financial Aid

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________
Meet the Fall 2010 Payment Deadline: July 16, 2010

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________
5. Develop a Plan for Your Academic
Coursework.

As you complete each step, keep this paper record of your action by checking the box and filling in the date when you completed the step.

Section Color

Checklist

We can assist you in developing a solid academic plan that will help you realize your potential and achieve your academic and career goals. (See the red Plan Your Academic Future section of this booklet.)

1. Pay Your Nonrefundable Admission

Confirmation Deposit.

Take Placement Exams

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________
Make Your Appointment for Academic Advisement and Registration

Confirm your acceptance of our offer of admission by paying the non-refundable admission confirmation deposit. This deposit assures your place in the entering class. The deadline for payment is May 1, 2010. If you are accepted after May 1, your admission confirmation deposit is due within two weeks of your acceptance. (See the yellow Finalize Your Admissions section of this booklet.)

DATE COMPLETED________________________________

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________

2. Make Your Plans for On-campus Housing. Housing is limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. (See the orange Join the Southern Community section of this booklet.)

6. Verify Your Coverage for Health Insurance. Be sure to take care of your health and well-being so you can have a great Southern experience. See the orange Join the Southern Community section of this booklet.)

DATE COMPLETED________________________________
7. Know the Rules: Learn What To Expect

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________
3. Submit the Required Health Information.

and What Is Expected of You. (See the orange Join the Southern Community section of this booklet.)

You must take this important step before you can attend class and/or move into residence halls. The deadline for submitting this information is August 13, 2010. (See the orange Join the Southern Community section of this booklet.)

DATE COMPLETED________________________________
8. Send Your Transcripts.

DATE COMPLETED____________________________________

Southern will require official college transcripts and possibly high school transcripts from the schools you have attended so that we can help you complete the transfer process. (See the yellow Finalize Your Admission section of this booklet.)

printed on recycled paper 3M: 3/10

DATE COMPLETED________________________________