Gadsden State holds fall advising Thursday as Monday’s first day of class approaches

Gadsden State Community College holds Fall Advising Days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the East Broad campus in Gadsden and the Ayers campus in Anniston. Fall classes for Full Term and Mini I begin Monday, Aug. 17. Aug. 16 is the last day to remove all classes with a full refund.

GADSDEN, AL – Anyone still deciding whether to start college this fall has about four days left to sort it out, and Gadsden State has staff sitting at tables Thursday to help.

The college holds Fall Advising Days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at two locations. One is the East Broad campus at 424 East Cardinal Drive in Gadsden. The other is the Ayers campus at 1731 Coleman Road in Anniston.

Fall classes begin Monday, Aug. 17, for Full Term and Mini I terms.

What happens at an advising day?

Advising is the step between being admitted and actually having a schedule.

An adviser helps a student pick courses that fit the program they are pursuing, checks that prerequisites are met, and makes sure the schedule adds up to the right number of hours. At Gadsden State, a full-time load is at least 12 credit hours and no more than 19 for a fall or spring semester.

That matters more than it sounds. Registering for the wrong course, or missing a prerequisite, can cost a student a full semester. Financial aid and scholarships often depend on hitting a minimum number of hours, so a schedule that comes up short can create a bill the student did not expect.

Advising days exist because the week before classes is when most of those problems surface.

What are the deadlines this week?

Three dates matter right now.

Thursday, Aug. 13, is advising day at East Broad and Ayers.

Sunday, Aug. 16, is the last day to remove all classes with a full refund for Full Term and Mini I. A student who decides not to attend this fall needs to act before that date to avoid owing money.

Monday, Aug. 17, is the first day of class, and it also begins the drop and add schedule adjustment period, when the refund policy takes effect. After classes start, dropping a course no longer works the same way.

Which campuses are holding advising days?

The college calendar lists Advising Days at East Broad and Ayers only.

Gadsden State operates five campuses and centers across Calhoun, Cherokee and Etowah counties. Along with East Broad and Ayers, there is the Cherokee campus at 801 Cedar Bluff Road in Centre, the Valley Street campus at 600 Valley Street in Gadsden, and the Wallace Drive campus at 1001 George Wallace Drive in Gadsden.

No advising day is listed for those three. GadsdenThrive is asking the college whether Cherokee, Valley Street or Wallace Drive are holding their own sessions, and will update this story with the answer. Students at those campuses can reach Admissions and Records at 256-549-8210 in the meantime.

What can you actually study there?

Gadsden State offers more than 70 programs leading to certificates or associate degrees.

They fall into a few broad paths. Academic programs are built for students who plan to transfer to a four-year university and want to complete the first two years at community college cost. Technical programs lead to hands-on credentials in fields that hire locally. Health science programs cover nursing and allied health fields. Adult education and skills training serve people returning to school rather than arriving from high school.

High school students can also earn college credit before they graduate through the dual enrollment program.

The transfer path got a little clearer over the summer. Gadsden State and Jacksonville State University signed an agreement in late July creating a transfer pathway specifically for graduates of technical degree programs, a route that has historically been harder to transfer than academic coursework.

Frequently asked questions

When is Gadsden State’s Fall Advising Day? Thursday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where is it being held? The East Broad campus in Gadsden and the Ayers campus in Anniston.

When do fall classes start? Monday, Aug. 17, for Full Term and Mini I.

What is the refund deadline? Aug. 16 is the last day to remove all classes with a full refund.

How many hours is full time? At least 12 credit hours, and no more than 19 without an overload.

Read more Gadsden and Etowah County news from GadsdenThrive.