Illinois Valley Community College 815 North Orlando Smith Avenue Oglesby, Illinois 61348 (815) 224-2720

1. Welcome to… The New Student On-Line Orientation Illinois Valley Community College815 North Orlando Smith Avenue Oglesby, Illinois 61348(815) 224-2720 Click anywhere to begin!

2. Click Hereto Beginthe Orientation Main PageIntroduction Navigation Getting Started Academic Program Options The Transfer Option The Career Option Planning & Building Your Class Schedule Financial Information Most Important Policies Every Student Must Know Tips for Success Frequently Asked Questions Sections main menu

3. IntroductionWhat You Need to Know to be Successful in College!Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) faculty and staff want you to be successful so we have developed this orientation program to help you attain that goal! Please read carefully and answer the questions throughout the orientation.At the conclusion of this on-line orientation, you will be prompted to choose a date to come to the IVCC campus to meet with a counselor and register for classes!  IT'S THAT EASY!Let’s get started so that you can be on your way to a seamless transition to IVCC. This orientation will likely take 30 - 45 minutes home | next

4. NavigationRead each page carefully! Some pages will have questions to test your knowledge. Responding correctly to the question will advance you to the next page.When you click on a hyperlink - it will minimize the power point screen and then open up the selected Internet page. To get back to the power point simply click on the power point screen and it will return to the screen that you were viewing.Pages that do not contain knowledge checks, simply click the “next” button in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. If you wish to go back click the “back” button. If you wish to go to the home page, simply click the “home” button. It’s easy! back | home | next

5. Getting Started – First things first!How do you become a student at Illinois Valley Community College?1. Submit an application for admission. If you have not submitted an application, you can begin the process on-line. Go to http://www.ivcc.edu/apply/for more information. 2. Complete placement testing. If your ACT English sub score is a 22 or higher, ACT Math sub score is a 24 or higher and your ACT Reading sub score is a 23 or higher you are exempt from placement testing. If your scores are less than indicated above you may be required to take all or portions of the IVCC placement tests. For more information go to http://www.ivcc.edu/assessment/placement_test.html. 3. Apply for Financial Aid.4. Complete this orientation.5. Meet with a Counselor to schedule your classes and register.Now on with the orientation! back | home | next

6. Academic Program OptionsWhat educational options are available at IVCC?Okay, now that you know how to get started here at IVCC, what about academic program options?At IVCC, you can choose from five different degrees and a variety of certificate programs. If youwant to transfer to a four-year college or university, you will pursue either an Associate in Arts(A. A.) degree, an Associate in Science (A. S.) degree, or an Associate in Engineering Science(A. E. S.) degree. These three degrees are called transfer degrees.If you want to learn a professional skill that will result in immediate employment after IVCC,you will pursue either an Associate of Applied Science (A. A. S.) degree or a certificate program.Another degree option available to you is the Associate in General Studies (A. G. S.) degree.This degree is individualized to meet the needs and interests of the student. It allows for thecombination of both transfer and career courses. While not intended to be a transfer degree,the A. G. S. degree recognizes completion of two years of college. back | home | next

7. Test Your Knowledge IVCC offers five associate degree programs. If you wish tocomplete your associate degree at IVCC and transfer to auniversity, you are pursuing which degree from IVCC? A. Certificate B. Associate in Science (A. S.) C. Associate of Applied Science (A. A.

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9. Academic Program OptionsHow do I choose which degree or certificate is right for me?This depends on your major and/or career goal!Transfer Degree OptionsAssociate Degree in Arts (A. A.) and 
Associate Degree in Science (A. S.)
Designed for a student who plans to transfer to a 4-year college or university to complete a bachelor's degree. An associate degree requires 2 years (full-time) of general education courses. This would be 64 hours of credit in a variety of general education courses, which include English, Math, Science and History. Associate Degree in Engineering Science (A. E. S.)
Designed to prepare the student to transfer directly into an engineering program at the senior universities. Because each 4-year university has its own unique set of requirements students are urged to see a counselor to determine the curriculum required for transfer. back | home | next

10. Academic Program OptionsCareer Degree OptionAssociate in Applied Science Degrees (A. A. S.)This is a 2 year program (full-time) designed to prepare the student for employment. A fewer number of classes in English and Math are required, depending on the program.CertificateA certificate program requires 1 to 4 semesters of course work which prepares the student for a specific academic or vocational career. Classes are taken only in the student's chosen career area.Other Degree OptionsAssociate Degree in General Studies (A. G. S.)Consists of 64 semester hours in any combination of either transfer or career courses. This degree is not normally considered to be a transfer back | home | next

11. Test Your Knowledge If you have no interest in completing a transfer degree but wish todevelop/enhance a certain skill in a particular field, you may wish to: A. Complete a certificate programB. Complete an associate in applied science degreeC. Both of these are effective options and would help you reach your goal

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13. Academic Program OptionsWhat if I haven’t decided on a college major yet? • Don't worry! It is perfectly normal if you can't decide on a major before your first year of college. Some students do not determine a major until their second year in college, and many change majors several times. In many cases, deciding students take no longer to finish college than students who knew their major and stayed with it. Here are four suggestions to help you determine the right major for you. • Visit the Counseling Center (E-201) and make an appointment with a counselor to explore career options. IVCC Counselors can help you to explore and clarify your understanding of personal qualities that influence your career choice. Career assessments, also known as personality and interest inventories, are available to aid in the career decision-making process to select educational programs related to a chosen career decision. • Take introductory courses in potential major areas. These courses generally provide an overview of the field and can give you an idea of the careers associated with that major. • Use Career Cruising (a computerized career exploration system) to learn more about who you are in relation to career options. Access Career Cruising anywhere anytime by visiting www.careercruising.com. Use the following username and password to enter the site: • Username: ivccPassword: oglesby • Visit Career Services (E-Link) and make an appointment to identify your personal interests, skills and abilities and match an educational plan with your career interests. back | home | next

14. Test Your Knowledge Listed below are some strategies you could take if you are unsure or undecided about your major. Select the most effective strategy from the list below: Visit Career Services Visit the Counseling Center to make an appointment to see a Counselor Take an introductory course in a potential major area of interest Use Career Cruising, username: ivcc, password: oglesby All the above are effective strategies if you are still deciding

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16. Academic Program Options Once I've determined a major, how do I know which courses to take at IVCC? All colleges and universities divide courses into three categories: General Education Core Courses: These courses provide you with theknowledge to become a truly educated, responsible, and productive personin a rapidly changing world. Major courses: These courses provide you with the knowledge and expertiseof your chosen field or career. Elective courses: You chose these courses, and we recommend that youspeak with a counselor before choosing them. back | home | next

17. The Transfer Option What if my plan is to continue my education after IVCC and eventually complete a bachelor's degree? We plan to support and assist you with this process! Our hope is to make the transition to a four-year college or university as easy as possible. But we need your help! Throughout your stay with us at IVCC, you will need to meet with Counselor regularly. The Counselor will work with you to determine the courses you should select based on the college/university you plan to transfer to and your choice of major. Also visitabout www.ivcc.edu/transferservicesfor information transferring. back | home | next

18. The Transfer OptionSo I need to take generaleducation courses...What exactly does that mean for transfer students? Most educational plans begin with general education. If you want to complete an A. A. or A. S. degree, you are required to take a minimum of 42 credits of general education. (The requirements for the A. E. S. are slightly different and should be discussed with a Counselor.) At IVCC, general education is divided into seven areas: - Communications - Mathematics - Life and Physical Sciences - Humanities and Fine Arts - Social and Behavioral Sciences - Global Appreciation - Health and Wellness back | home | next

19. Test Your Knowledge General Education is comprised of seven categories. Identify below the category that is not part of the General Education Core: Mathematics Social and Behavioral Sciences Computer Skills Life and Physical Sciences Humanities and Fine Arts

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21. The Transfer Option When I complete the general education requirements, does this mean I will complete my degree and graduate from IVCC? No, but good question! Your goal is to accumulate credits. A total of 64 credits consisting of general education courses and electives, and a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0/4.0 will satisfy thegraduation requirement for an Associate Degree. Understanding Credit Hours Credit is a value assigned to each course. Most courses are worth 3 credits.To acquire 64 credits, you will need to complete an average of 15-16 credithours per semester if you want to graduate in four semesters(2 academic years). back | home | next

22. Test Your Knowledge In order to complete an Associate Degree from IVCC, you will need to complete at least: 55 credit hours 38 credit hours 62 credit hours 64 credit hours

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24. The Transfer OptionSo what's my first step as a transfer student? Begin by selecting courses from the general education core...especially ifyou do not know your major or transfer school yet. The general educationcore for both the Associate in Arts (A. A.) and Associate in Science (A. S.)degree consists of 42 credit hours. These 42 credit hours are only partof the 64 credit hours needed to complete an A. A. or A. S. degreehere at IVCC. This 42-hour general education core satisfies therequirements for the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI). This is an official way of saying that our general education corecourses will transfer to over 100 Illinois colleges and universitiesthat also participate in the Illinois Articulation Initiative. The general education core includes coursesin the following areas… back | home | next

25. A. S. Degree - 9 credit hours of Communications - 3 credit hours of Mathematics -10 credit hours of Life and Physical Science - 9 credit hours of Humanities and Fine Arts - 6 credit hours of Global Appreciation (can be fulfilled by completing appropriate courses in other general education categories) - 9 credit hours of Social and Behavioral Sciences - 2 credit hours of Health and Wellness A.A. Degree - 9 credit hours of Communications - 3 credit hours of Mathematics - 7 credit hours of Life and Physical Science - 12 credit hours of Humanities and Fine Arts - 6 credit hours of Global Appreciation (can be fulfilled by completing appropriate courses in other general education categories) - 9 credit hours of Social and Behavioral Sciences - 2 credit hours of Health and Wellness back | home | next

26. The Transfer Option What courses are available within each generaleducation core area? In some areas, there are very specific courses that every studentwill take to complete the general education core requirement. In otherareas, you will have choices to make. Click the links below to view anoutline of the degree requirements for the Associate in Arts and theAssociate in Science degrees. You will consult the college catalogfor detailed course descriptions. PDF files requireAdobe Acrobat Readerto view. Associate in Arts Degree (A. A.) Associate in Science Degree (A. S.) When clicking on the hyperlinks above, you are leaving theorientation site and you will need to use the browser's backbutton to return to this page. back | home | next

27. The Career Option What if I don't want to transfer to a four-year college or university?In addition to offering transfer degree programs, IVCC also offers a wide range of Career Programs that will lead to an Associate of Applied Science (A. A. S.) or a Certificate. There are over 60 Career Programs to choose from, some of which lead to an A. A. S. degree and some which lead to a Certificate. back | home | next

28. Test Your Knowledge If you wish to major in a Career Program and have no plans to transfer to a four-year college or university, you are pursuing which degree from IVCC: Associate in Arts (A. A.) Associate in Applied Science (A. A. S.) Associate in Science (A. S.) Associate in Engineering Sciences (A. E. S)

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30. The Career Option If I choose a Career Program (A. A. S.) whatcourses will I be taking? The majority of the courses you’ll take will be related to the Career Programyou are pursuing. The A. A. S can be completed in two years of full time study.About 75 percent of the course work required for the A. A. S. is directly in theparticular field major or field of study, or very closely related to it. The remaining25 percent of the course work is in General Education and/or elective courses. More detailed information about the specifics of each Career Program is availablein the college catalog and our career guide sheets(available in the Counseling Center). back | home | next

31. The Career Option What exactly is a Certificate programand how do I know if it's right for me? Certificate programs are designed to teach you skills to gainemployment in a new profession or to improve your knowledgein your current profession. They are short programs that can becompleted fairly quickly. Some certificates consist of as little asthree courses; others contain as many as 30 credit hours. Mostcertificate programs contain many of the same courses found inthe longer 
A. A. S. degree programs. While all certificateprograms contain career courses, some certificates also containsome general education courses. back | home | next

32. The Career Option What Career Programs (A. A. S.) and Certificatesare available at IVCC? Click the links below to view the A. A .S. and Certificate programs offered at IVCC. Associate of Applied Science Degrees Certificate Programs back | home | next

33. Planning & Building Your Class Schedule Now that I know the difference between transfer and career, do I get to pick my classes? Not quite yet. Once you've completed this on-line orientation, call the Counseling Center for an appointment with a Counselor to schedule your classes and register. In the mean time, here are a few steps you can take to get started planning your schedule, and a few things you'll need to remember and do while at IVCC. Call YourCounselor! back | home | next

34. Planning & Building Your Class Schedule Planning and Building Your Program of Study Pull out your trusty IVCC Catalog. (And if you don’t have one, get one Now!) Find your Program of Study http://www.ivcc.edu/programsofstudy in the middle of the catalog. Put a paper clip there because this will guide your attendance at IVCC (the same holds true for any college attended). Now the good part, you can take any course** listed on your Program of Study page that’s right any course**. Now isn’t that cool compared to the high school days? But there’s one catch, you can’t take courses that have prerequisite requirements. Well, you ask, how is one to know if a course has prerequisite requirements? You look in the back of the catalog under the course listings. If a course has a prerequisite, it will be listed directly below the course description. Example: You can't take ENG 1002 until you’ve completed ENG 1001. You can't take MTH 1007 until you’ve completed MTH 1003. **If you are a transfer student pursuing a Bachelorﾕs degree, you want to use the guide sheets listed with your major and school choice to choose your classes. See http://www.ivcc.edu/transferservicesfor the majors and schools.When clicking on the hyperlinks above, you are leaving the orientation site and you will need to use the browser's back button to return to this page. back | home | next

35. Planning & Building Your Class Schedule How do I read the course descriptions in the college catalog? The course descriptions provide you with basic information about the topics covered in each course. Pay close attention to the course prefix, number, credit hours, course title, prerequisites, co-requisites, content description, and contact hours.Check out the following course description: Prefix Course Name Hours Anatomy & Physiology I 4 BIO 1007 This course involves an introductory study of the structure and function of the human body. A study of cytology, histology and five organ systems (integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and endocrine) illustrates the relationships between structures and their functions. Laboratory exercises include cat dissection, cadaver demonstration and other materials. Prerequisite: none, but BIO 1200 is recommended for students with a limited science background. IAI:L1 904L back | home | next

36. Course Description Definitions Prefix Course Name Hours BIO 1007 Anatomy & Physiology I 4 Course Description Definitions BIO Course Prefix 1007 Course Number 4 hrs Number of credit hours earned in this course Anatomy & Physiology Course Title Prerequisite: None Courses which must be taken before taking this class IAI:L1 904L This code means that this course is a part of the Illinois Articulation Initiative and meets a portion ofGeneral Education Core Curriculum requirements. back | home | next

37. Planning & Building YourClass Schedule Develop Your Program of StudyYou and your counselor will work together to develop your individualplan of study, discuss strategies for success, and address any problems you may be facing Continue to meet with your Counselor each semester. Remember, thesooner you schedule your appointment each semester, the better! Callor stop by the Counseling Center during the month of September toschedule an appointment with a Counselor to plan your Spring SemesterClasses. Call or stop by the Counseling Center after January 15thto schedule an appointment with a Counselor to plan your SummerSession and Fall Semester. back | home | next

38. Planning & Building Your Class Schedule What’s the best way to build your schedule? Most people have jobs or personal responsibilities that they have to build their schedules around. So, look at the class schedule http://www.ivcc.edu/schedules/for the times that are good for you. Some students must register full-time for health insurance purposes or to receive a full-time Pell grant. Full-time is defined as 12 semester hours or more. Other students are not able to take a full-time course load with their other responsibilities. Remember, a good rule of thumb is to plan for 2 hours outside of class for homework for every hour you spend in class. Build your schedule based on the time you actually have available to devote to school. Your Counselor can help you take a realistic look at the best schedule for you. If you plan to finish your two-year degree program in two years and you don't want to attend summer terms, you will need to plan to be full-time each term to complete a 64-hour Associate in Arts or Science degree within two years. Some A. A. S. programs may take even longer. back | home | next

39. Test Your Knowledge In order to be considered a full-time student at IVCC, youneed to be enrolled in at least: 9 credit hours 12 credit hours 11 credit hours 14 credit hours

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41. Planning & Building Your Class Schedule Check Your Program of Study Now remember, your counselor will help you - But… you are ultimately responsible for making sure you take the right classes. You must double check your catalog for your program of study (guide sheet) and check off…… yes, literally making a big check mark... after you complete each course on your guide sheet. That way, you will be in charge and will know exactly where you stand regarding how close you are to completing your program and obtaining that degree or certificate!!! It is also your responsibility to apply for graduation when you are within one semester of completing your degree or certificate requirements. back | home | next

42. Planning & BuildingYour Class Schedule What if I want to make changes before orafter classes start? You may add a course or change sections, on a space available basis before the start ofclasses only. Keep in mind that you must satisfy the course prerequisites and cannotgo over 18 credit hours. Adding courses after the class has met the first time is not allowed. back | home | next

43. Financial Information Once I have picked my classes and selectedthe days and times - how do I know how much it will cost? Tuition Per Credit Hour In-District Tuition & Fees Per Credit Hours $65.75 back | home | next

44. Financial Information Now that I know about costs, how do I pay for my classes? Payment Options After the initial payment due date, anyone registering must pay by the Wednesday following registration. Wednesday registrations would be due that day. Students with any type of financial aid including tuition waivers, scholarships, loans, grants, etc.... must contact the cashier department to have their tuition deferred. Failure to do so will result in classes being dropped for non-payment.There are six methods for payment of classes: Payment Plan/Full payment: payment plans are available online with eCashier. To learn more about payment plans visit the eCashier site or contact the Cashier at 815-224-0213. In person: The Cashier’s Office is located in the Main Lobby - C building. By mail: (Please allow 3-5 business days)
IVCC - Attn. Cashier
815 N. Orlando Smith Ave.
Oglesby, IL 613484. Tuition Drop Box: Drop off payments in the drop box located at the front entrance below the "IVCC welcomes you" sign. By phone: credit card payments can be made by phone at 815- 224-0213. Visa, Discover, and MasterCard are accepted. By fax: credit card information may be faxed to 815-224-6091. Please include student account number (or social security number), credit card number, expiration date and name of card holder. back | home | next

45. Test Your Knowledge How can I pay for classes? Cash Check Credit Card Payment Plan All of the Above

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47. Financial Information So what if I don’t have the money to pay for my classes? There are several types of financial assistance that you may qualify for to help you pay for classes. Regardless of your financial situation, whether great or bit of a challenge, you should always apply for financial aid. There are several sources of aid of which you can apply. Check them out! Sources of Financial Aid Grants: Financial Aid awarded to students based on financial need. They are typically funded by the Federal or State Government, however many private colleges and universities have institutional grants which are awarded according to their own criteria. Grants are "free." No repayment is necessary. Scholarships: Financial Aid awarded to students based on merit, talent, financial need, or other specialized criteria. Scholarships given to IVCC students are funded by the State Government, the Illinois Valley Community College Foundation, and Private Agencies. Scholarships are also "free." No repayment is necessary, (except in a small number of cases which will be specified on the application materials). back | home | next

48. Sources of Financial Aid – Continued. . . Employment: Employment (Federal Work-Studyor College Employment) enables students to earn money while attending school. All student employees are paid the State minimum wage and are limited to 20 hours of work per week or less. Loans: Financial Aid awarded to students or parents to help meet education-related expenses. An educational loan is just that a loan which must be repaid, with interest. Some financial aid programs are subject to the availability of funds (first-come, first-served); therefore, aid applications should be completed as soon as possible after January 1st for the upcoming academic year. back | home | next

49. Test Your Knowledge Who should apply for financial aid? Only students who have no money for college Only students who are putting themselves through college Everyone

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