Creating an academic plan is one of the most important tasks for college students. A good plan will help you to be more successful each semester and to graduate on time.

Choosing a Major

View Programs available at FCC.

Visit Career Services for online tools to connect your skills and interests with majors and careers.  

Academic Milestones To-Do List

Completion of 15, 30, and 45 college credits are considered “milestones” in your academic career. For each of these milestones we have identified specific steps you should be taking toward meeting your educational goals.

15 Credits Completed

Check-In:

• How am I doing?
• Have I completed my Developmental English and/or Math requirements?
• Have I started my math and science requirements?
• Am I taking the right classes?
• Have I picked a major?
• Am I planning to transfer to another school?

To-Do List:

• Review your Degree Plan in your Student Portal or Academic Catalog. Make sure you are taking the classes you need to earn your degree.
• Schedule an Advising Appointment to plan your class schedule.
• Visit Career Services to learn about your intended career field, complete career assessments, and ensure your major aligns with your career goals.
• Visit Transfer Services to learn which transfer schools offer degrees in your major. Students are encouraged to identify their transfer major and transfer schools by the end of 30 credits.

30 Credits Completed

Check-In:

• Do I know what is required of my major?
• Am I considering changing majors?
• If I plan to transfer, have I learned about the schools I’m interested in?

To-Do List:

• Review your Degree Plan in your Student Portal or Academic Catalog. Make sure you are taking the classes you need to earn your degree.
• Schedule an Advising Appointment to plan your class schedule, change majors, and ask if there are any requirements for graduation other than completing the classes for your major. For example, Education majors must take and pass the Praxis I exam.
• Visit Transfer Services to research your transfer options and assure that the classes you’re taking will transfer to your intended school and major.

45 Credits Completed

Check-In:

• Have I met all the requirements for graduation?
• Have I applied for graduation?
• Have I made plans for transferring?
• Do I have a plan to enter the workforce after graduation?

To-Do List:

• Schedule an Advising Appointment to make sure you have all your credits and requirements completed to earn your degree.
• Apply for graduation.
• If you intend to transfer, determine the admission criteria and application deadlines. Plan a visit or attend an open house. Check out transfer scholarships. Schedule a transfer advising appointment if you need help.
• Visit Career Services for assistance with job searching, resumes, and interviews.

View FCC’s records & registration forms.

At FCC, we value our students’ success. It is important for students to know the College’s policies on academic progress and how those policies affect their academic standing.

Academic Progress Review

Students who are working toward a degree or certificate, or who are enrolled as Open Campus, will have an Academic Progress Review after attempting a total of 12 cumulative credits to determine their current Academic Standing.

All courses attempted by a student – including developmental courses and courses in which the student earns a grade of withdraw, audit, incomplete, or in progress – are included in Academic Progress Review.

View Academic Standards Policy and Procedures

Academic Standing vs. Financial Aid Standing

The standards for Academic Standing are different than those for Financial Aid Standing. In general, Financial Aid is stricter, as it involves free or reduced tuition. Therefore, a student may be in good standing academically, but could be on Financial Aid Probation or Suspension. If you are receiving Financial Aid, you are responsible for knowing the criteria for keeping your aid, which may vary depending on the type of aid you are receiving.

See the Financial Aid eligibility webpage for more information.

Student Success Alerts

Success Alerts are email notices you may receive from your instructor when there is a concern about your performance in class. Success Alerts will be sent to student'smyFCC email account.

Don't ignore Success Alerts. Your instructor will list specific actions you should consider and will provide information about a variety of support services to help you.

Getting Academic Help

What steps should I take if I am struggling in a course and need help to be successful?

1. Talk to your instructor about the problem as soon as possible to get recommendations for how to improve in the course.
2. Seek help through the many academic support services. All College services and resources are provided FREE of charge to students.
3. Meet with your advisor to help you identify possible options, including:
   • Changing your class status from credit to audit to remove the grading pressure. This is advised if you plan to retake this course again for credit.
   • Withdrawing from the course in order to salvage your grade point average and free your time so you can do better in your remaining classes.
   • NOTE:
     • Withdraw Dates: The last day to withdraw (or change from credit to audit) is listed in the Credit Schedule each semester. 
     • Financial Aid: Changing class status or withdrawing may affect your financial aid status. All students receiving financial aid should consult with the financial aid staff in Jefferson Hall (J-336) or at 301.846.2620.
     • Athletes: BEFORE making changes to your schedule, all student athletes should check with the Director of Athletics to discuss the impact of withdrawing or switching to audit as either action could affect your eligibility to play sports.

• Student Resources
  Academic Calendar, Support Services, Student Life, Policies & Procedures
• MyFCC Student Portal
  Blackboard, Student Email, Student Accounts, Announcements, Events
• Faculty/Program Advisor List
• GPA Calculator 
• Campus Directions, Maps, Parking
• PeopleSoft Quick Guide
• PeopleSoft Instructional Videos
• Honors College
• Commencement & Graduation Information
• Internship Program

• Academic Calendar – The Academic Calendar provides start and end dates for each semester; the dates to drop a class and get a refund, dates the College is open and closed, the last date to withdraw for the semester, and other important dates. The Academic Calendar is published in the Credit Course Schedule each semester.


• Academic Catalog – The Academic Catalog is the annual College publication that lists all majors and degrees, all courses and their descriptions, all academic and College policies, and current faculty and staff members. It is available online. Students refer to the Academic Catalog to search their major requirements and learn about College policies.


• Advising – Students meet with an advisor to discuss academic and career goals and create an educational plan which includes developing strategies and using resources and services to reach your goals.


• Audit – Auditing a course means enrolling in an academic course without planning to earn the credits or receive a grade.


• Blackboard – Blackboard is a virtual learning environment and course management tool used by faculty to manage and deliver online and hybrid classes.


• Course Descriptions – An overview of each course, including topics to be covered and pre-requisites needed to enroll in it; Course descriptions are found in the Academic Catalog and Credit Course Schedule.


• Credit Course Schedule - The published schedule of classes offered each semester; gives days and times for each course along with required pre-requisites and descriptions. Students use the Credit Course Schedule to select classes and build their schedule each semester.


• Credits - Credits are the number of units assigned to a course based on the number of hours spent in class. Credits can be from 1 credit for a brief, once-a-week PE course to 4 credits for a science class that meets in both a lecture and a lab section each week.


• Developmental English or Math - Classes that are intended to develop students’ academic skills in preparation for college-level courses in English or Math are considered developmental. Credits are based on contact hours for tuition but do not count toward graduation as they are not college-level courses. Enrollment in developmental courses is based upon placement testing.


• General Education Courses - Required courses from various academic disciplines that have been designated to provide a broad, general knowledge. General Education courses are found on the General Education Course List published in the credit course schedule each semester and in the Academic Catalog.


• Major – A major is an academic area of study, also called a program of study.


• New Student - A student who has not yet attended FCC, or who is beginning his/her first semester at FCC, is considered a new student.


• Placement Test – A placement test is offered to provide an assessment of academic reading, writing, and/or mathematical skills to determine accurate placement of students into classes.


• Pre-registration – Pre-registration is a period of time during the registration cycle when students can register for classes and pay later. All current students are encouraged to register early during pre-registration.


• Registration – Registration is a period when students enroll in classes online using the PeopleSoft registration system or hand in a registration form in the Registration and Records office in Jefferson Hall (J-101).


• Semester – Semesters are measured timeframes for academic study. FCC has the following semesters: Fall, JTerm, Spring, and Summer.


• Withdrawal – To officially establish a withdrawal from a course or courses a student wishes to discontinue attending REQUIRES that students either drop the course online, or complete the drop section of a registration form which is submitted to the Registration and Records office in Jefferson Hall (J-101). A student who stops attending a class but does not officially withdraw will receive an automatic F grade. Withdrawals must take place prior to the "last date to withdraw" listed in the Academic Calendar for each semester.