adult learner enrollment services

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www.itshows.psu.eduThis publication is available in alternative media on request.Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact us before your visit.

It’s official!You’re now a member of the Penn State family, and we look forward to serving you.

Embrace the journey; experience the traditions.

Now that you have made the decision to return to college, you have, like most adult students, a lot of questions about what happens next, what you need to do, and whom you should be in contact with. Your Penn State student services team wants to help you feel at ease on your first day of class and to keep you informed about what to expect over the next few months.

We hope this brochure will help guide you through the next steps and provide a quick reference to offices at Penn State that are solely dedicated to helping adult students.

— Student Affairs and Adult Learner Enrollment Services

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Welcome toPenn State

—Connect with your adviser—Select and schedule courses—Get involved

Penn State in your career—It Shows

Penny recently completed her associate degree and is continuing on to complete a bachelor’s degree.

The annual Central Pennsylvania Regional Career Fair connects Penn State adults learners with regional prospective employers. For information on the career fair visit www.fairs.sa.psu.edu.

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. Produced by Outreach Marketing and Communications U.Ed.OUT 10-0304/10-CEUP-086lum/sss Copyright © 2009 The Pennsylvania State University

All University Day Tailgate Party

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Connect with your adviserA Penn State adviser should be an essential part of your experience at Penn State from the beginning through graduation. An academic adviser can guide you through choosing courses, help you with locating financial aid, keep track of your program progress, and be a good listener and personal cheerleader. Depending on your selection of a Penn State location and delivery method, there are basically three ways to reach an adviser:— Visit www.itshows.psu.edu for contacts at each location.— Call Adult Learner Enrollment Services, at 800-252-3592.—Contact your academic college or school.

Schedule coursesWhile meeting with your adviser, you can review the best course options and schedule your courses on the spot. Penn State has more than twenty campuses across the state, and we offer flexible course delivery options—you can select day, evening, or weekend courses, and pair them with online courses. You can also ask your adviser to give you a quick tour of eLion, the Web-based course registration system, and help you find course listings on Penn State’s Web site.

Keep informedYou will want to sign up for an official Penn State user ID and Penn State e-mail account. The user ID will give you access to an amazing number of resources connected to Penn State, and the e-mail account will help us keep you informed about new courses, program updates, and adult learner events.

For more information, stop by the Penn State id+ Office in 103 HUB-Robeson Center, call 814-865-7590, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.idcard.psu.edu/thecard.

You can also conveniently activate your Penn State Access Account in our office at 121 Outreach Building; follow the Penn State exit to Innovation Park. Call 800-252-3592 for more information.

Please note: Transfer students need to register for at least 1 credit before ID access is initiated.

Get involvedWe offer special programs for entering adult students to connect with other adults, become familiar with the technology, and learn about campus resources. You can find out about welcome week and new-student orientation events through your adviser, by attending the First-Year Testing, Counseling, and Advising Program (FTCAP), or by contacting Student Affairs, Adult Learner Programs and Services, at 814-863-7378.

There are also family-friendly activities that come up during the year to show off the campus and give your family a chance to meet some of your classmates and instructors. Keep current by checking your Penn State e-mail account!

For additional opportunities, visit www.events.psu.edu.

Join the clubPenn State is more than academic studies. Meeting people who share your interests is a great way to extend your participation at Penn State and cultivate your creative, philanthropic, and athletic interests. The Adult Learners of Penn State (ALPS) group is an officially recognized group at Penn State that provides a sense of identity and belonging and serves as a place for adult learners to network at University Park. ALPS also supports and enhances the educational and developmental experiences of the adult learner.

When do classes start?Penn State operates on a semester-based system. The fall semester usually starts on the Monday of the last full week in August. The spring semester begins in mid-January. The first summer session begins in mid-May, and the second session begins in the first week of July. See a complete academic calendar online: www.registrar.psu.edu/academic_calendar/calendar_index.cfm.

When do I pay my tuition?Bills are e-mailed to your Access Account (your Penn State e-mail address). The first bills go out in mid-July for the fall semester. Payment options are

explained in the e-mail, and any financial aid awards are shown as a credit. A minimum one-third payment on your balance is due three weeks after the billing date. For many students, including adult learners, paying for a Penn State education requires careful budgeting as well as partnering with the Office of Student Aid to take advantage of the federal, state, and

institutional aid that may be available. We encourage students to complete your FAFSA online and apply early. Visit www.psu.edu/studentaid/aidprog/adults.shtml. Penn State’s federal code is 003329.

Penn State may be a big place, but there is help for any problem, question, or concern you may have. Once you’re settled into your courses, you’ll soon become familiar with all of the resources available to you. In the meantime, we are eager to help you make a smooth transition and feel at home.

Where do I start?

Students network at the Continuing Education orientation.

Adult Learners of Penn State (ALPS), a student organization for adult students, enjoy a day together at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. Visit www.sa.psu.edu/adultlearners.

Adult degree students Flavia and Carol were among 30 Penn State students to receive the Osher Reentry Scholarship.

Kaamilah Gilyard is congratulated on earning an associate degree in letters, arts, and sciences by Wayne Smutz and Jeff Hand.

Questions?Adult Learner Enrollment Services: 800-252-3592 or 814-865-5403 www.itshows.psu.edu

Office of Student Aid: 814-865-6301 www.psu.edu/studentaid/aidprog/adults.shtml

Student Affairs, Adult Learner Programs and Services: www.sa.psu.edu/adultlearners 814-863-7378

Campus adult learner contact: See the listing. www.itshows.psu.edu/contact

Office of Veterans Programs: 814-863-0465www.equity.psu.edu/veterans

Office for Disability Services: 814-863-1807 (V/TTY) www.equity.psu.edu/ods

Penn State Learning (Tutorial Resources): 814-865-1841www.pennstatelearning.psu.edu

Information Technology Services: http://its.psu.edu/students

Where do I start?

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adult learner enrollment services

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