A. Advising is a process of defining and refining academic plans in order to meet your educational goals. Advisors assist students in developing plans, goal-setting and selecting classes. These critical components will be important throughout your education. The advising process helps to ensure that you are well-informed about academic options.

Q. How do I arrange to meet with an advisor?

A. Advisors are available without an appointment from 8 am to 11:00 am on a first-come, first-served, time-available basis. Appointments are available afternoons and early evenings and may require 2-3 weeks notice during busy times. In order to provide the best service, appointments are scheduled for one hour. Phone advising appointments may be arranged for out-of-area students. To arrange an advising appointment, call (602) 787-7060.

Q. Why get Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) certification?

A. Students who complete the 35 credits in 100-level or higher courses required for AGEC certification (Arizona General Education Curriculum) with a GPA of "C" (2.0) or better are unconditionally admitted to any Arizona public university. AGEC also satisfies ALL lower division general education requirements at Arizona's public community colleges and universities so students do not lose credits when they transfer. All credits used to satisfy the Maricopa AGEC will apply to the graduation requirements for the university major for which the AGEC is designed.

Q. How many credits will Arizona public universities accept from community colleges?

A. Arizona public universities accept a maximum of 64 transfer credits. Students should take only courses that transfer as equivalent courses, departmental elective credit (DEC), or general elective (E) per the Arizona Course Equivalency Guide (CEG) valid for the term in which the student is awarded credit on the transcript. See Course Transferability within Arizona for additional information.

Q. Which MCCD Associate Degrees require AGEC?

A. The AA, ABus, and AS require completion of the appropriate AGEC for the desired MCCD degree. The three versions of AGEC (A, B, and S) align with the three Associate Degrees-Arts, Business, and Science. The AAS, AGS, and ATP may not require AGEC. For more information on this refer to the various degree information on our web site.

Q. Do all MCCD Associate Degrees transfer to Arizona public universities?

A. The AA, ABus, and AS are specifically designed for students who plan to transfer to ASU, NAU, U of A, or their branches. These degrees are accepted as a block of credit to meet the lower division requirements for majors at each of Arizona's public universities. The ATP will transfer to meet the lower division requirements for specific majors at ASU Main and ASU West. A limited number of university programs will accept the AAS degree in lieu of lower division requirements, usually for applied science programs. The AGS is not designed for transfer, but with careful selection of courses, students may be able to meet the lower division requirements for some university majors. The Transfer Guide-Exceptional Requirements (TG-XR) includes the requirements that students should follow if their desired major is one of the Arizona public universities' majors which does not articulate with an Associate Degree.

Q. What happens if I miss my first class?

A. If you know in advance that you will miss the first class, notify the division secretary. Give the secretary the name of the class and the section number you are registered for. If you accidentally miss the first class, contact the instructor to determine what you have missed. (Reminder: some instructors will drop students if they miss the first class.) Contact the Information Desk or Advising Center if you don't know what division to call.

Q. I went to my first class and I hate it. Can I change it?

A. Usually the first week of each semester is the add/drop period. You may change classes without penalty during that time. See the Class Schedule for exact dates.

Q. How do I know if my classes will transfer?

A. For the three state universities, see the Arizona Course Applicability System. Private schools determine transferability for their own schools. See an advisor for additional information.

Q. Everyone talks about time management. Why is that so important?

A. It's really about setting priorities. None of us can work, study, or have fun whenever we want, but with careful planning you can do more in the same number of hours and have time left to enjoy yourself. See Counseling, Advising, or the Learning Support Center for time management hints.