How to Prepare for a Counseling Appointment

Students often have questions about transfer, career or certificate programs that can largely answered with a simple Internet search, while other questions, issues and concerns will need some in-person, one-on-one counseling services. In deciding which type of information you should seek from a counseling appointment, and what type of information you can access on your own, it may be helpful for students to consider the following:

1. Need to know what classes you have already completed? View and print your transcripts from www.deanza.edu/my
2. Need to know how the classes you have taken apply toward CSU or UC General Education transfer admission requirements? Download the CSU GE or IGETC curriculum sheets from www.deanza.edu/counseling/forms.html and check off the classes on the GE sheet applicable to where you want to go (e.g. CSU, UC) from looking at your transcripts.
3. Need to know lower-division major preparation transfer requirements? Visit www.assist.org and choose De Anza and the university you want to transfer to along with a major choice, and you can see what De Anza courses are articulated and required for a particular major and college.
4. Need to know CSU application deadlines? Go to www.csumentor.edu, the home page for the California State University system.
5. Need to know what AA/AS degree or certificate programs are offered and their course requirements? Visit www.deanza.edu/counseling and choose the AA/AS Degrees and Certificates link on the left of the page.
6. Need to find out your Placement Test Results? Visit www.deanza.edu/admissions/placement and click on the Test Results link.

Students may have questions regarding the differences between majors, GE patterns, university systems, AA degree requirements, etc., and for these questions we encourage you to write them down prior to your appointment, and bring in any material you have researched so the counselor can see what level of understanding you already have. We also encourage students who have some personal issues that are inhibiting their college success to make an appointment so a counselor can assist you in identifying strategies to work through them. While counselors and advisors are here to help all students regardless of where they are at in terms of their preparation, we strongly encourage students to take an active role in researching answers to their questions prior to and in conjunction with use of counseling and advising services.

 

The final responsibility for successfully achieving an educational goal rests with the student. Information on-line is designed to be helpful; however, this information changes frequently. It is recommended that students consult catalogs, schedule of classes, counselors/academic advisors, departments and universities to confirm an educational plan.