You have your own reasons for attending Paradise Valley Community College. Maybe you’re interested in a specific job skill or preparing to transfer to a 4-year university. Perhaps you haven’t completely defined your goals; you just know you’ll need a college education to get you there!

We want to help you attain your educational goals in the most efficient, effective, and enjoyable manner possible.

With that purpose in mind, you’ll be meeting with an Academic Advisor during your on-campus Orientation to select your first semester classes. Here’s what you’ll need to bring to your Advising session:

1. Your iStartSmart Certificate of Completion.
2. Your placement scores for English, math, and reading.
3. An idea of whether you will be a full-time (12 or more credit hours) or part-time student (1-11 credit hours).
4. Your work schedule, or the times that you will be available to attend classes.

After your initial Academic Advising at the on-campus Orientation, which may be a group session, you will meet with your Advisor one-on-one. At these individual sessions your Advisor will help you lay out a complete educational plan, by semester, of your course work here at PVCC. This will be an awesome planning tool, and you should bring it with you every time you meet with your Advisor.

As you prepare to add college classes to your work and social schedules, this time schedule formula will help you plan. Many PVCC students work part time, between 15 and 20 hours per week, and attend college full time. Time management takes on a whole new meaning when you become a college student! If you don’t have a planning calendar, drop by the Student Life Center tent the first few days of the semester to get a FREE copy of the official PVCC academic planner.

If you’re planning to attend PVCC full-time your first-semester schedule will look something like this. You’ll probably choose a Math class, an English class (based on your Placement Test scores), a required College Success Course, and one or two introductory classes in your major or program. If you’d like to integrate your work for two or more classes together, consider a First-Year Experience Learning Community! Your Academic Advisor will provide all of the needed details.

You may wish to review the Schedule of Classes before you meet with your Advisor. Copies are available in brochure holders across the hall from the Information Center (lower level of the KSC) or on line. Here’s a guide that will help you read the schedule; the guide is also printed inside the Schedule of Classes.