Q: I’m brand new. How do I get started?

A: First, apply to Foothill College. http://www.foothill.edu/reg/index.php. Then, enroll in CNSL 50. Next, take your Math and English placement tests. Lastly, schedule a 30-min appointment with a counselor to create an educational plan. Bring your placement results and any other college transcripts.

Q: Do I need to take placement tests? How can I do this?

A: Unless you’ve taken math and English at another college, in which case you’d fill out a pre-requisite clearance form, you do have to take placement tests. You can schedule an appointment online: http://www.foothill.edu/placement/index.php

Q: Do you take placement tests results from other colleges?

A: Maybe. Contact Kathleen Turner (kat2906@fhda.edu) in the placement office for more details.

Q: How can I make an appointment to see a counselor?

A: Go to www.foothill.edu and click on the Counseling link. The direct link is below: http://fhcounseling.foothill.edu/esars/counseling/eSARS.asp?WCI=Init&WCE=Settings

You will need an active Foothill College Student ID number to make an appointment. If you haven’t attended in two or more quarters, you must reapply.

Q: I live too far to come to Foothill College to see a counselor.

A: We have 30-minute phone appointments available. See above for how to make an appointment.

Q:  I am not a student at Foothill College.  Can I use your service?

A:  Services are reserved for Foothill students only.  However, if you apply to Foothill College, you can make a counseling appointment using your student id.

Q: Where is the counseling center?

A:  Building 8300, Student Development Center, third floor.  Adjacent to Parking Lot 8.

Q: Do I have to take CNSL 50?

A: YES, unless you have completed 12 units of course work at another college.  The Counseling 50 class will give you a better understanding of what you need to do to perform better in college and what you need to do to transfer to a 4-year university. If you do not take CNSL 50, you will have a CNSL 50 hold and your registration will be blocked. In addition, taking CNSL 50 class will give you priority in selecting classes for the next quarter.

Q: How can I get a transcript?

A: You can request an official transcript in 4 different ways, online, letter, Fax, or in person. For online, letter, and fax, please visit www.foothill.edu/reg/transcript.html or you can go to the admission office and fill out the request form for an official transcript.

Q: What is an unofficial transcript?

A: An unofficial transcript is one that is printed from the internet or is in an unsealed envelope. For transcripts to be official, they need to be in a sealed envelope.

Q: How can I exceed the unit limit of 20 units per quarter?

A: You need to fill out the Petition for Excess Units form and meet with a counselor. The form can be found on www.foothill.edu

Q: How can I clear a pre-requisite hold?

A: You can take the placement test for Chemistry, English, ESL, or Math. If you have coursework from another college, bring your transcript (unofficial is acceptable) to Counseling Drop in. You will need to complete the Prerequisite Clearance form, which can be found in the Counseling Center and online at http://www.foothill.edu/transfer/forms/index.html under ‘Prerequisite Clearance’. Fax the form and your transcripts to 650-949-6125

Q: How can I clear a probation hold?

A: Make a 30-min appointment with a Counselor.

Q: Will a “W” count towards my gpa?

A: No. An excess amount of W’s can cause a student to be put on progress probation or dismissed from Foothill College.

Q: What do colleges think about “W’s”

A: The more competitive a college is, the more they care about an excess amount of W’s.

Q: What is a competitive college?

A: A college that consistently has a great deal more students applying than seats available is competitive.

Q: How many units do I need to get a Foothill College AA/AS degree?

A: 90 applicable units.

Q: What is the minimum math I need to get a degree from Foothill College?

A: Math 105, Intermediate Algebra.

Q: I’m unsure of my major. Who can I see?

A: Visit the Career Center’s web site: www.foothill.edu/career for the workshop schedule. We often provide How to Choose A Major one-hour workshops.  You can also download the PDF about How to Choose A Major at www.foothill.edu/career/workshops. You can schedule a 30-minute counseling appointment.

Q: How do I know what counts towards my Foothill College major?

A: Our list of programs and majors can be found on this link. The list of major classes can be found by clicking on your major. http://www.foothill.edu/programs/index.php#programs

Q: What majors does Foothill College offer?

A: Our list of programs and majors can be found on this link. The list of major classes can be found by clicking on your major. http://www.foothill.edu/programs/index.php#programs

Q: I want to know more about Allied Health programs, like being an x-ray tech, or going into medical sonography. Who can I talk to?

A: All our information is online. We strongly recommend you read the website and application thoroughly.

Q: Who can advise me about transferring?

A: Visit the Transfer Center’s web site to learn about upcoming workshops and a schedule of university representative’s visits: www.foothill.edu/transfer

You can also schedule a 30-minute appointment with a counselor.

Q: How many units do I need to complete at Foothill College to transfer?

A: If you want to transfer to a UC or CSU, you need 90 TRANSFERABLE units. A counselor can help you understand what is transferable and what is not. If you want to transfer to a Private university, each school has it’s own requirements. You need to check the admissions requirements found on each college’s website.

Q: How do I know if the classes I took at Foothill College transfer to the CSU or UC’s?

A: Check http://www.assist.org/web-assist/FOOTHILL.html

Q: Does the date your apply to UC/CSU affect decision for acceptance?

A:  No, but it is better to apply early. System failures and sudden changes in college policies can affect your admission chances.

Q: What is the deadline to apply to UC or CSUs?

A: November 30^th at exactly 11:59pm.

Q:  What is the difference between speaking with a Transfer Counselor vs. the Transfer Coordinator?

A:  The Transfer Counselor can help you make appropriate education decisions, that will lead you on the way to transferring.  A Transfer Counselor can assist students by mapping out an education plan, and selecting the proper courses within each quarter system.

The Transfer Coordinator can help with transfer information, and conducts workshops such as: completing applications and essays, and choosing the best colleges. Dates for these workshops can be found on the Foothill college website under www.foothill.edu/transfer

Q:  What is the difference between TAG/TAA/TAP?

A:  The TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) and TAA (Transfer Admission Agreement) perform the same function which is to provide a roadmap to guaranteed admission for a specific CSU or UC campus. The TAP (Transfer Alliance Program) is provided through UCLA and gives you the opportunity to enhance your ability to transfer to UCLA at the junior level.  TAP is not a guaranteed agreement. Students are certified after completing the Foothill honors/scholars program and given priority consideration for admission.

Q: What exactly goes on in TAG workshop? 

A: Two main things go on in a Tag workshop:

1)Students are provided with information on deadlines and the TAG process.

2) Students are instructed on how to calculate their transferable GPA.

Q:  How many TAGs (Transfer Admission Guarantee) can I complete?

A:  You can complete 1 (one) TAG with a counselor and 1(one) online TAG.

Q: How do I get into the Honors program?

A: All our information is online. Visit: http://www.foothill.edu/hon/

Q: Do all private universities require SAT scores?

A: No, contact the school you are interested in for specific requirements.

Q: What do I do in a UC application workshop?

A: The UC and CSU application workshop introduces student to the appropriate websites, and provides information about university admission criteria. A student may utilize the computers in the Transfer Center and request individual assistance by making an appointment with a Transfer Counselor or  10-minute drop-in with a counselor.

Q: What is the maximum number of units I can transfer to the UC or CSU from the community college?

A: The CSUs and UCs will only accept 105 community college transferable units, having more will not affect your transfer in a negative way. This is how it works. The CSUs and UCs look at IGETC and your major requirements first. They take those classes and count those units. They keep doing this until they reach 105 qtr units. After that amount, they stop counting your units towards transfer/graduation BUT they will still count classes you took and count them as being complete.

For example, say you took English 1A worth 5 units. You took it at the very end of your FH career so you took it AFTER you've already completed 105 qtr units. The CSU will look at that and say, we need English 1A so lets mark it as complete, but we won't count 5 units toward transfer. And, why would they..you already have the 90 you need.

Q: Do I need an AA degree before I transfer?

A: No, you don’t. It is not necessarily better or worse to get an AA/AS degree before transfer. What you need to know is that each degree objective has its own requirements that need to be fulfilled.

Q: How do I request an IGETC or CSU GE certificate when I am ready to transfer?

A: http://www.foothill.edu/transfer/forms/index.html. From the link, click on GE Certification and turn the form into a Counselor.

Q:  I’m not finding internships on the foothill job board, how can the career center help me?

A: A student can attend a Job & Internship Search workshop or search directly on the job board at www.plaksa.com.  In addition, a student who finds an internship opportunity, can come to the Career Center for help with writing a resume, preparing a cover letter, and reviewing an application.

Q: How do I find a job on campus?

A:  Most students learn of an opening through a staff/faculty person. There are no job announcements for on campus positions. You can also walk into a department and ask if they are hiring.  Most student work on campus is through the Federal Work Study Program offered through Financial Aid. You need to complete the FAFSA to apply for Federal Aid.

Q:  Can I take career assessments in the Career Center?

A: No, email the Testing Office for instructions: kat2906@fhda.edu. Know the name of the counselor you want to work with. After you receive the results, then you want to make an appointment with that Career Counselor to discuss your results.

Q: What is the difference between speaking with a Career Counselor vs. the Career Coordinator?

A:  The Career Counselor meets with students to discuss career options and picking classes related to your major. The career Counselor assists students by helping with changing your major, choosing a career, and creating educational plans related to your career. A Career Counselor can refer students for assessment tests and discuss assessment scores with a student during a 30 minute appointment.

The Career Center Coordinator meets with students either by appointment or in a workshop setting.   The Career Center Coordinator answers questions and assists students with resume writing, job interviewing, choosing a major, job and internship searching, and career exploration.  The workshop calendar can be found at www.foothill.edu/career.

Last updated Dec.14, 2009