FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.  What is the difference between a class schedule and a catalog?
A class schedule includes courses that are offered at any given semester. A catalog provides you with comprehensive descriptions of all courses, programs, policies and procedures and can be purchased in the Bookstore or obtained on the College website.
2.  How long is a semester?
Fall and Spring semesters are 18 weeks long.  Summer session is 6 weeks.
3.  How many units do I have to take to be considered a full-time or part-time student?
A full-time student enrolls in 12 or more units during a regular semester.  A part-time student can enroll in as little as 1/2 unit to as many as 11 units.
4.  How many hours are you expected to study outside of class?
For every unit of credit, you can expect to devote 2-3 hours of study time outside of class.  For example, if you are enrolled in 12 units, you are expected to devote an average of 24 hours a week toward study outside of classes.
5.  How much does it cost to attend College?
All students are required to pay a California Community College Enrollment fee of $26 per unit.  If you are not a legal resident of California for one year and one day prior to the first day of the term, the Nonresident Tuition is $216 per unit and $6 Nonresident Capital Outlay Fee.
6.  What does the course number mean?
Transfer and associate degree courses are numbered 1-199; associate degree applicable but non-transferable courses are numbered 200-249; non-associate degree applicable courses are numbered 250-299 and 348; and non-credit courses are numbered 400-699.
7.  If I earn a certificate, can I return to complete an AA degree? If I earn an AA degree, can I return to complete a certificate?
The answer is yes to both questions.
8.  Can I get my GED certificate at the College?
No.  Although classes can help prepare you for the GED, the local school districts need to be contacted for GEDpreparatory programs and testing information.

9.  What do I do if a course is closed?
Continue attempting enrollment by using the PASSPORT Student Administration System (https://passport.peralta.edu) because someone may decide to drop the class.  If you still can’t enroll, bring an Add Card to class on the first day it meets.  If there is room available, the instructor may add you in the class by signing an Add Card, which then must be submitted to Admissions & Records.  An Add Card can be obtained from the Admissions & Records, instructors and other campus offices.
10. How do I add or drop courses after I have enrolled?
You can add or drop a class at the Admission & Records Office, by the PASSPORT Student Administration System (https://passport.peralta.edu).  Note: Non-attendance does not mean that you have dropped a class.  It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a class.
11. How can a counselor help me?
A counselor can assist you with your academic and career plans as well as personal issues.  You are encouraged to make an appointment with a counselor to develop an educational plan.
12. Will the college accept my previous college units?
Yes, the college accepts lower-division units earned from accredited colleges or universities.
13. How do I apply for financial aid?
You can apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application on-line for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and fee waiver application available in the Financial Aid Office or FAFSA website.14. How can I get a job on campus?
Information about on-campus jobs is available in the Student Employment Services for all students and the Financial Aid Office for Work-Study students.
15. Where can I purchase a parking permit and park my car?
Parking permit for fall and spring are $40.00 ($20.00 for motorcycle permit) and $20.00 for summer session ($10.00 for motorcycle permit) can be purchased from the College Cashier’s Office.  If you plan to purchase a daily parking permit from the coin machine ($1.00 per day), you must also obtain a student decal to be displayed on the automobile window.
16. How can I get child care assistance?
The College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College provide free, limited childcare services for pre-school children for qualified full-time or part-time students.  Interested students must apply at the Center.
17. How do I leave a message for an instructor?
Contact the appropriate Division Dean’s office for the instructor’s office hours and direct phone number.  Most instructors will also list how to be contacted on their course syllabus.
18. How do I find out my semester grades?
Semester grades can be obtained on the PASSPORT Student Administration System (https://passport.peralta.edu)
19. Where do I go to obtain a transcript?
You can obtain an official transcript from the District Admissions and Records Office.  An unofficial transcript can be printed on the PASSPORT Student Administration System (https://passport.peralta.edu)
20. Can anyone review my college records?
Records are private and, unless excluded by state or federal law, will not be released to anyone without your written permission.  Questions regarding the legislation and College’s guidelines should be addressed to the Vice President of Student Services.
21. May I audit a course?
No, students are not permitted to audit courses.
22. Am I allowed to repeat a class in which I received a D or F grade?
Yes, you may repeat any course in which you received a D or F grade, Withdrawal, No Credit, or Military Withdrawal. Repeat process at the Admission & Records Office.

WORDS AND PHRASES TO KNOW

A.A. (Associate in Arts) or A.S. (Associate in Science) Degree: Degree granted by community colleges upon completion of required course work.   
Academic Year: Includes two 18-week semesters; Fall (Aug – Dec) and Spring (Jan – May).
Add (a class): Add a class to his/her schedule after the term has begun.
Articulation Agreement: Agreements between community and four-year colleges which indicate the acceptability of courses in transfer toward meeting specific degree requirements. 
Assessment: The process of gathering information to assist students in selecting appropriate courses and developing a program of study.  Assessment tests are provided in English, English as a Second Language, and Mathematics to assist in evaluating a student’s current skill level.
Bachelor Degree: A level of education marked by the completion of the equivalent of four or more years of full-time education.  The degree is offered by the California State Universities, the University of California system, and many private colleges and universities.
Certificate of Achievement: Certificate issued to a student by the college upon completion of required courses in a specific occupational program.
Class Schedule: Published prior to each term, it includes registration and enrollment procedures and dates, general information, and the list of classes to be offered during that term.
College Catalog: College publication describing academic programs, student services, general regulations, requirements and procedures.  All classes offered by the college are described, including information about unit value, transferability and prerequisites.
Concurrent Enrollment: Enrollment in two or more colleges during the same semester.
Co requisite: A condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet before or in conjunction with enrollment in a course.
Course Number: A number, which designates a particular course offered by the college.
Credit / No Credit: A grading option in lieu of a letter grade offered students in some classes.  A “Credit” (CR) grade indicates that the work completed in the class was equivalent to “A,” “B,” or “C” and units awarded but not counted in the GPA.  A “No Credit” (NC) grade indicates the work was unsatisfactory or failing.  Students electing this grading option are expected to complete all course work and assignments.
Dismissal: A student who is on Academic or Progress Probation in each of three consecutive semesters is subject to dismissal.
Drop (a class): A student has enrolled in a class and then decides not to continue.
Electives: Courses that are not required but can be used to complete the unit requirements for a degree or program.
Freshman: A student who has completed 29 or fewer semester units in college.
Full-time Student: A student enrolled in 12 or more units during the Fall or Spring Semester, or 6 units in the Summer Session.

General Education Requirements: A specific group of course requirements, usually outside of, and in addition to the student’s major, that must be met in order to obtain an associate or bachelor’s degree.
Grade Point Average (GPA): A measure of your achievement, determined by dividing your total grade points by the total number of units attempted.
Incomplete Grade (I): Grade that an instructor may give a student who has not completed all the course work by the end of the term due to extenuating circumstances.  The student has one year in which to make up the work and receive a final grade.
Junior: A student who has completed 60 – 89 semester units in college.
Lower Division: Courses offered during the first two years (freshman and sophomore) of a college.  Community colleges offer lower-division courses that can be transferred to a baccalaureate degree college.
Major: A field of study chosen as the focus of a student’s educational program.
Minor: Approximately 18 credits in an area outside a student’s major department.
Prerequisite: A body of knowledge or set of skills necessary for success in a course.   A condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet before enrolment in a course.
Probation: A warning sign to the student that the academic standard of the college is not being met.  Must see a counselor prior to enrolling in the next term.
Recommended Preparation: A condition of enrollment that a student is advised, but not required, to meet before enrollment in a course or educational program.
Section Number: Number used to identify one or more sections offered of the same course.
Senior: Student who has completed 90 to 120 semester units in college.
Sophomore: A student who has completed 30 to 59 semester units in college.
Student Education Plan (SEP): A plan developed by the student and counselor to assist the student to attain his/her educational goal.
Transcript: A permanent record of a student’s college course work.  It will show all courses in which a student enrolled, the grades received, the GPA, and the number of units earned.
Transfer Courses: Courses that have been designated as acceptable by baccalaureate degree institutions and that those colleges will accept toward a bachelor’s degree.
Tuition: A fee that is paid for instruction in a school, college, or university.
Units: A value that indicates the amount of credit given to a class.  It reflects the amount of time required for class attendance.  One unit is equal to one hour of lecture or three hours of lab each week during a college term.
Upper Division: Courses offered for junior/senior class level and are not offered at the college.
Variable Units: Course for which a range of units can be earned depending on the course work completed, or the number of lab hours or amount of classroom time required to complete this course.
Withdrawal (“W”): Notation on a student’s transcript that indicates withdrawal from a course between the end of the fourth and the fourteenth week of instruction.