Advising FAQs for new students

I am a future student - where do I start?

Future students should work with the dedicated staff in New Student Services and Admissions to begin their journey at K-State.

Who is my advisor?

If you're already enrolled, your advisor is listed in your Student Center in KSIS. If there is no advisor listed, contact your department.

I am considering taking classes for college credit at another school. How do I find out if they will transfer to K-State?

See how courses transfer using our online transfer equivalency tool and transfer pathways information.

What are the K-State 8 requirements all about?

Get the download on K-State's general education requirements.

Are there any special opportunities for first-year students?

There are plenty of opportunities especially geared toward first-year students! Guide to Personal Success (GPS), First-Year Seminars, CAT Communities, and Week of Welcome are just a few of the programs available specifically to students in their freshman year.

When do I enroll?

Check out the Academic Calendar to find out when the enrollment process begins. Students with senior status are the first to enroll each new semester, then juniors, then sophomores, then freshmen. You can find your enrollment date and time in your KSIS Student Center.

What is a credit hour?

The number of credit hours students receive for a course correlates to the amount of time students spend in class. Most classes are three credit hours, which generally means the course meets three times a week for 50 minutes, two times a week for 75 minutes, or once a week for 150 minutes. Lab sections meet at additional times, and lab credit is figured differently.

How many credit hours are considered full-time?

The university considers twelve credit hours per semester to be full-time. Dropping below full-time status may affect insurance, financial aid or housing.

Are there certain classes I need to take my first year?

Since each major has different requirements, consult the University Catalog and your academic advisor.

Do I need to complete all the basic requirements before they can take classes for their major?

Because many major courses do have prerequisites, students need to complete selected basics before they get too far into your major. However, there is no need to complete all basics before starting anything else. Students can start exploring their major and completing major requirements as soon as they have the prerequisites.

Which classes are easy?

Advisors rarely give a direct answer to this question, because the answer relates more to the student than the classroom. What is your learning style? What are your study habits? What subjects are strongest for you? What type of assessment do you prefer? All these things determine whether students find the class "easy" or "difficult." These are very subjective terms!

What can I do with a major in...?

Visit the Career Center at K-State.

When do students need to make a decision about majors?

Students are required to declare a major and move out of Exploratory studies by the time they have completed 60 credit hours (by the end of the sophomore year). Encourage students to set a goal to choose a major prior to the end of the freshman year. However, some students do not make their decision about a major until they are sophomores, and most of these students will still be able to graduate in about four years.

What resources are available to help students make a decision about majors?

The Career Center is a really good place for students to begin. Their website includes information about career assessments, K-State majors, and what one can do with a major in various programs. The Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center also guides students through the process of finding the right fit for them.

What is the procedure for declaring a major or changing majors?

Go to the Deans’ Office and request a change of curriculum form. It is important to understand that K-State policy requires a 2.0 GPA to move between Colleges, and some programs impose additional restrictions and/or criteria.
Students declare minor(s) with the department/academic unit that offers that minor. Even if students complete the right courses, nothing appears on the transcript unless students file with the department/academic unit. Students will need to consult their Department Office regarding the correct paperwork.

How do students declare Exploratory?

Students should fill out a Change of Major in the college where they are currently enrolled. Then, students should go to the Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center (114 Berney Family Welcome Center) to complete the paperwork.

What if a student knows the general field of interest but not a specific major?

Most colleges at K-State also have general programs. For example, if a student is leaving Horticultural Therapy but knows other choices still relate to Agriculture, students might change into the General Agriculture program rather than Exploratory.

Where do students learn about the placement testing in Modern Language?

Students who have had previous language training in high school, at home, or through living abroad should take the department's placement examination. It generally takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete, and may be taken at any time during the LLC's regular hours of operation.

For more information, please contact or visit the Department of Modern Languages at 104 Eisenhower, 785-532-6760.

Can students study abroad if they do not know the language?

There are many programs available in English in both English-speaking countries and non-English-speaking countries. Studying abroad can give students the opportunity to learn a foreign language or to improve skills in a language you already know. Numerous programs offer beginning and intermediate language instruction. Some students can finish their entire four semesters of language credit in one semester overseas. Studying a language overseas is the single best way to learn, since students are immersed in the foreign culture daily.

For more information, visit the Education Abroad website.