Students sat on the floor of the College of Arts and Sciences Advisement Center on Tuesday because every seat in the waiting room was taken.
Many of the students are hoping to graduate in four years. Others, who have taken time off or who have made mistakes, know they will be spending more time at UNM.
So, how does one graduate from UNM in four years?
“The biggest thing is to plan ahead and get advice,” said Wanda Martin, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Breanne Herrera, 20, is beginning her fourth year at UNM and plans to graduate in May.
She recommends that students seek academic advisement if they want to graduate in four years.
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“You have to be responsible to make sure you’re on the right track,” she said.
Herrera said she has taken at least 15 credit hours every semester — sometimes 21 hours. She said taking a lot of classes improves her grades and progress toward her major.
“If I give myself any slack then I won’t stay focused,” she said.
Martin said students should take at least 16 hours per semester because they need 128 hours to graduate. Keep in mind, 16 hours times 8 semesters equals 128 hours, she said.
Herrera said not changing her major from English literature has helped her to complete the courses she needs.
“If you want to graduate in four years then it’s important,” she said of sticking with one major.
Martin said students should complete basic requirement courses, which are necessary for graduation, before taking classes for their majors.
She said finishing the core courses first will give students a better feel for what they want their majors to be.
Tobi Camilli, who has been at UNM off and on since 1991, said she hopes to graduate this December.
Camilli said she has taken time off from school and has explored different subjects during her time at UNM. She said taking classes in chemistry, psychology, art, nursing and other subjects has helped her to realize that she wants to major in biology.
“Event though it’s taken me longer to do this, I really, really know that this is what I want to do,” she said.
Camilli said she has made a few mistakes since she’s been in college, including failing a class.
She recommends that students having trouble in their classes should seek help from their professors or withdraw from the course.
“Don’t just sit there like a dumbass,” Camilli said.
She added that students need to know what courses they should take for their majors and to graduate.
“Read the fine print,” she said loudly. “Read it 300 times. If you don’t understand, ask.”
Camilli added that students should try to find out more about graduation requirements and their majors on their own because academic advisers are often very busy.
“They see 40 to 50 different students a day,” she said. “They don’t have time to spoon feed you.”
Tips for Graduating in Four Years
Take at least 16 hours a semester to insure you will have completed the necessary 128 hours you need to graduate. If you take only 12 hours per semester, which is still considered full time, you will only have taken 96 hours in four years.
Complete basic requirements before rushing to take classes for your major and minor. This will give you time to explore other subjects for majors while getting classes necessary for graduation out of the way.
Plan ahead for prerequisites and sequential classes. For example, to take chemistry 121, you have to have certain math classes under your belt. Also, some courses are only available in spring and fall. If a 251 class is offered only in the spring, and you haven’t taken 151, then you may have to wait another year to take 251.
Visit an adviser half way through the semester to evaluate where you are and what you need to do. Be warned, advisers are extremely busy during the first and last two weeks of a semester. The wait can be longer than an hour.
Apply for graduation as soon as you have completed 90 hours. Advisers will evaluate exactly where you are and how many classes you need to take to graduate.
Set up a free UNM e-mail account to receive a progress report once a semester. Take this report to your semester meeting with an adviser and make sure it is accurate and understandable.
Transfer into your degree-granting college, such as the College of Arts and Sciences or College of Fine Arts, as soon as possible. Advisers in your college will have more specific information about what classes and requirements you need for graduation. They also can help you to find a major and minor.
Visit departmental advisers. They will help you know what you need for your major and minor.
Try to keep work hours reasonable so you can complete homework and experience college life.
Read the University Catalogue. You are responsible for knowing what your degree requires.
Tips provided by Wanda Martin, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
