Advisement Forms & Reference Tools
Students can use the Academic Map to plan out their time at South Carolina. By using resources such as the Academic Bulletin and DegreeWorks, students can plan each individual Fall, Spring and Summer semester course load.
This step-by-step guide will show you how to manually add and drop courses in Self-Service Carolina.
View a list of common holds and restrictions, when these holds are applied, and how students can resolve them prior to registration.
Students can use the GPA Calculation Worksheet to project their semester GPA based on the grade they anticipate receiving in the courses they are enrolled in.
After receiving a grade of D+, D, F, or WF in a class, you may retake that class once. After you have taken that class you may apply to replace the original grade with the new one. Grade forgiveness may be used for up to two classes.
To register for courses, students can register directly in Self Service Carolina or utilize the Schedule Planner tool. View this resource to learn the steps one can take to register using either platform.
Incoming freshmen and transfer students are advised to consult the Pre-Orientation check list for instructions on how to register for the Foreign Language and Math Placement tests, how to complete the Pre-Orientation advising worksheet, and more.
Helpful Quick Links for Advisors:
Foreign Language Placement Test
Carolina Core Requirements and Core Components
Office of New Student Orientation
In some instances, students can reach out directly to the professor or department contact to request an override into a course. In other instances, however, students must complete an override request form or sign up for a seat notification in alert. Please view this document to learn more about departments that utilize an override request form or seat notification form.
Students who are no longer progressing in their current major of study may request to leave their current college or school and be reassigned as an Undeclared major in the Undergraduate Studies program, which is run through the University Advising Center.
To request reassignment into the Undeclared in Undergraduate Studies program please make an appointment with an Academic Coach in the University Advising Center. Additional information about Undergraduate Studies can be found in the Academic Bulletin under “Academic Progression and Program Dismissal.”
Students can use the Scheduling Worksheet to plan their weekly schedule when preparing for course registration. This worksheet can also be used to create a weekly time management plan.
The academic bulletin is the official document of record for undergraduate academic programs and policies. This resource should be used for informational purposes only and is subject to change at any time when, in the judgment of the faculty, the president, or the Board of Trustees, such changes are in the best interest of the students and the University.
Video Resources
Tools for Advisors
This reflection tool, provided to Undergraduate Academic Advisors, motivates reflection on the support provided to the advisor’s caseloads as well as the advisor’s comprehensive approach to the advising appointment (including preparation before appointment, workflow during appointment, and follow up after appointment).
This quick-reference guide outlines the Academic Success Coaching program and how it can help students discover their strengths and plan for their success at USC.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), passed by Congress in 1974, requires educational institutions to provide students access to their educational records, to allow students to correct inaccurate or misleading information in these records, and to limit the release of information to third parties. Students who wish for advisors to release information to supporters or engage in conversation specific to the student’s record must sign and submit the FERPA waiver to the department granted permission for the identified amount of time.
In some programs, and with the permission of the academic dean, students may take up to 18 semester hours of courses in transient status at another institution provided they have a 2.00 USC grade point average; the courses are approved in advance by the academic advisor and dean; and the other institution is fully accredited and the course work meets University specifications for transfer credits. View this guide for step-by-step processes related to transient course enrollment and where to send transcripts when coursework is complete.
The Guided Conversation Matrix is a resource Academic Advisors might place on their desk or in their office as a prompt for dialogue during the appointment. An advisor could refer to the matrix at the start of the appointment to frame the conversation or at the end of the appointment to discuss key advising topics that did not arise in the dialogue. Advisors are welcome to replace components of the matrix to fit their college or frequent topics that arise. Utilizing the matrix also allows the student to lead discussion of important topics he/she determines.
The “Guide to Advising” is a quick-reference resource for undergraduate advisors at the University of South Carolina. The guide contains information on the University Advising Center, policies and procedures related to advising, and scheduling and registration.