By Sam Trunkett, CLA Ambassador

We have all heard adage, “pain is temporary, but GPA is forever.” As a job-seeking senior, I can confirm that this saying is completely true. Many internships, jobs, and graduate programs filter out applicants just by setting a GPA requirement. This requirement may be rigid and does not necessarily give the hiring team or the admissions board an accurate idea of who the applicant is and how they will perform in their career or program, but this commonly used standard is here to stay whether we like it or not.

 
Unfortunately, the quarter system does not allow for mistakes or mismanaged time. Toward the end of each term a lot of students start to wonder about how they will pass their classes or how one course will affect their sacred overall GPA. After 10 terms, I can attest that this kind of stress is neither mentally or physically healthy. I have experienced and seen many of my peers struggle to finish the term strong in all aspects of their lives.

 
Fortunately, Oregon State University offers S/U grading that has saved the GPA of many students. What is S/U grading you ask? Well S/U actually stands for satisfactory/unsatisfactory completion. In most classes, professors and instructors use A-F grading; which is just assigns a letter grade to your transcript when you complete the course. The benefits of S/U grading are that S/U’s do not have a grade point equivalent and if earn a S in a course you receive the course credit without potentially suffering a letter grade that would damage your overall GPA. However, if you receive a U you do not receive course credit and may need to retake the class. Still, your GPA will not be damaged if you do get a U. In order to earn an S, you need to earn a C- or above in the course; anything lower than that will result in a U.

 
Before you go S/Uing your courses, you need to be aware of five important S/U grading facts:

 
1. There ***IS*** a limit to how many classes you can S/U. As an undergraduate student at Oregon State University, you can only S/U 36 credits.

 
2. You ***MUST*** obtain approval from your academic advisor in order to elect for S/U grading ***BEFORE*** you turn in your change of grading slip to the registrar.

 
3. There are some graduate programs that ***DO NOT*** accept S/U grading. If you are considering graduate school, law school, or medical school after your time at Oregon State University you should double check with the schools you are interested in to see if they will accept a S/U grade.

 
4. You ***CANNOT*** under any circumstances S/U a course in your major. If you are not feeling confident about a course in your major late in the term I recommend going to office hours to discuss your action plan for the last few weeks with your professor or instructor.

 
5. The deadline to S/U a course is always ***5pm on the Friday of Week 7!*** You can turn in your S/U request form at the registrar, but plan accordingly, because the line to S/U can get very long.

Happy Week 7, everyone! Go Beavs!

by Hannah Whitley

It’s almost Valentine’s Day – you know what that means! No, not time for pink and red roses or an assorted box of chocolates, but time to schedule an appointment with your College of Liberal Arts adviser. For those of you who don’t know, first year students are required to meet with an adviser in the CLA’s main office each term before registering for classes. It is suggested that freshman and transfer students schedule their advising appointments early each term – typically around Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Cinco de Mayo. To make an advising appointment with the CLA main office, stop by 213 Gilkey Hall or call 541-737-0561.

 
Sophomore students and above are not required to meet with their advisers each term, however, you should plan on meeting with your Major Adviser if you have any questions relating to major course selection, internships, studying abroad, etc. Not sure who your Major Adviser is? Visit http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/finding-my-advisor for more info.
I recently sat down with Kathy Fultz, an Academic Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts, to get her input on what a successful advising appointment looks like; here’s what she said:

 
Hannah Whitley: In your opinion, what does a successful advising appointment look like?

 
Kathy Fultz: A student who has all their questions answered. And if we didn’t have the answers, resources ho how/where to get them answered. Advising is more than “take these classes, get these grades, and you will graduate.” My goal is for students to recognize that they’re not just a number – more than an OSU ID, more than a GPA. What really matters is are you [the student] enjoying this [college]? We want you to be heard and understood.

 
HW: What can students do to be prepared for their advising appointment?

 
KF: Come with ideas and suggestions – bombard us with questions! We want you to be engaged and interested in your education.

 
HW: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to students and advising?

 
KF: A student who comes in and doesn’t have an idea of what they want to do or what direction they’d like to go in someone who doesn’t care about their education and simply says, “tell me what I need to take.”

 
Remember: Advisers do not have all the answers! Ultimately, you are responsible for your education and your decisions here at OSU, but advisers are a great asset that can help you find the resources and contacts needed to answer your questions and meet your goals!