General Engineering Advising Newsletter
From the January #3 Newsletter
Keys to Being a Successful Hokie Engineer
Staying organized and having a solid time management plan is essential. Whether it is your first semester or you are a continuing Hokie, start the semester strong by completing these tasks.
Thoroughly review the Canvas page for each course
Most instructional faculty use Canvas, a course learning management site. Review each course page so you know what is expected of you in terms of required assignments, due dates, and course policies. Use of the calendar feature varies by course.
Double check your settings for Canvas notifications to ensure you are receiving info in a timely manner. Questions on how to use Canvas? Check out these university resources.
Create weekly and semester schedules
Take time to create a weekly schedule as well as a semester schedule. These schedules will help you balance your academic and personal responsibilities. You can make copies of the linked files to get started or review written instructions by reading our time management modules.
Review important academic dates and deadlines
Bookmark the official dates and deadlines webpage which includes the academic calendar and Add/Drop and Course Request availability. Incorporate this information into your semester schedule.
Create a plan to manage your email
Email is an official communication method, which means your inbox may stay packed. Ignoring your email can lead to undesired consequences.
Need a better system to keep up? Only use your VT email for academic and career related matters, use a personal account for online shopping and other matters. The GE Advising Team has pulled together more email management tips.
More Keys to Being a Successful Hokie Engineer
By now you should be settling into a routine with your academic and personal obligations. Here are some additional strategies to help you manage the semester:
Go to class
Yes, it is simple, but every class you miss lowers your chances of achieving the best grades possible. If you need to miss class due to illness or an emergency, reach out to your professor as soon as you can.
While you are in class, put your phone down and pay attention. Take every step to eliminate distractions which means you may need to take notes with paper and pen or sit in the front of the classroom.
Submit all assignments
Non-submits = 0. Missed a due date? Contact your professor immediately, but keep in mind they may not accept late assignments.
Schedule study hours
In college the majority of learning occurs outside of your class lectures. For your STEM courses, follow the 3:1 study rule. The 1:1 or 2:1 study rule should work for your non-STEM courses. Incorporate your study hours into your weekly schedule. More on study hours.
Knowing how to study effectively is just as important as the number of study hours. Consider using the metacognitive problem solving technique and the frame routine!
Get help
A sign of strength is reaching out for help when you need it. You can always reach out to your assigned academic advisor for assistance.
Seeking tutoring and course support resources as well as meeting with your professor during office hours is common in college if you need help understanding the course material.
If you need help securing basic needs and services, improving your sleep, or obtaining mental health support, select the appropriate link for resources.
Visit our Instagram for all things General Engineering!
Previous newsletters
Navigating Campus
The Blacksburg campus includes over 200 buildings and 2,600 acres! Be sure to allow at least 15 minutes of travel time between classes. Did you know the Hokie Express (HXP) line on Blacksburg Transit (BT bus system) makes a loop around campus?
Other helpful resources:
Finalizing your Spring 2025 Schedule
Monday, January 20 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Most university offices are closed and classes are not in session. The spring 2025 semester begins on Tuesday, January 21.
The first phase of course registration, Course Request, ended at the beginning of November. Remember, you were not guaranteed to receive all the courses or specific CRNs you requested, so here’s what to do to if you need to finalize your schedule:
View your course request results. If you submitted a course request, your results are available now. Go to Hokie Spa > Course Registration and Schedule Menu > Course Request Results to see your enrolled courses.
Finalize your schedule during Add/Drop. If needed, make adjustments to the schedule you received through the request process. If you missed the request process, plan to add your courses in real time. Keep in mind Add/Drop is a marathon, not a race. Seat availability fluctuates so monitor the system persistently throughout the entire period (scheduled for December 2 at 7 a.m. - January 27 at 11:59 p.m). The Office of the University Registrar manages the registration system availability so confirm dates and times on this webpage.
The General Engineering Advising Team recommends utilizing the Registration (Add/Drop) and Schedule system. This registration system is the easiest to use when making adjustments to your schedule, and it is the best system to add any 0-credit labs you may need.
Watch our How to Complete Add/Drop video (4 minutes) for instructions.
Access the system on Hokie Spa > Course Registration and Schedule Menu > Registration (Add/Drop) and Schedule > Add/Drop - Register for Classes. Don't forget to click or tap the Submit button in the registration system every time you add or drop a course!
You may have heard of force-adding. Force-adds are typically not considered for professor preference or time convenience. A common reason to request a force add is due to unprocessed transfer credit for a pre-requisite course completed at another institution. Review our How to Force-Add video (2 minutes) and the force-add webpage for details.
Some engineering courses are major-restricted, which means General Engineering students are unable to take the course. Go to the timetable of classes > spring 2025 > search for the course > click on the CRN of interest to view course comments and restrictions. You may need to enable pop-ups on your browser.
Any General Engineering student who does not declare a degree-granting engineering major by the start of the semester will be dropped from major-restricted courses.
You must be currently enrolled in the pre-requisites at Virginia Tech or have credit for the pre-requisites showing on Hokie Spa to request or add a course.
If you are completing the pre-requisite at another institution, you cannot add the follow-on course on your own using the registration system until your transfer credit for the pre-requisite is showing on Hokie Spa > Grades Menu > Transfer and Other Additional Credit. The transfer credit will not show until you have the transfer institution send an official transcript to Virginia Tech showing a C or better in the approved course equivalent and that transcript is processed by the Virginia Tech Registrar’s Office.
While you are waiting for your official transcript to be sent to Virginia Tech and processed, you can submit a force-add request. Force-adding is an administrative process which allows the department offering the course to place students into courses they cannot add themselves. A common reason for a force-add is unprocessed transfer credit for pre-requisite courses taken at other institutions. Review our How to Force-Add video (2 minutes) and the force-add webpage for details.
Some courses (e.g., COMM 2004) have an hours restriction. If you do not meet the threshold, you will have to attempt to add the course once your grades post for the current semester. The academic calendar outlines when grades are viewable on Hokie Spa.
Switching sections of the same course? Use the Conditional Add/Drop feature outlined on slide 22 of the university’s registration tutorial. We also have a Using Conditional Add/Drop video (1.30 minutes).
Some courses require enrollment in a 0-hour lab in addition to the lecture such as PHYS 2305 and PHYS 2306. Please use the Add/Drop system to add any 0-hour labs you need. Watch our Adding Zero Credit Labs video (3 minutes) for instructions.
Canvas course page changes are not immediate. Removal of a page if you have dropped a course and addition of a page if you had added a course will occur with 24-48 hours with the reoccurring university system update.
Download the program requirements. If you started at Virginia Tech in spring 2024 or earlier, use the checksheet of your intended major. If you started at Virginia Tech in summer 2024 or later, use the roadmap of your intended major.
Mark off the courses you have credit for and those you are currently enrolled in. Go to Hokie Spa > Grades Menu > View Unofficial Transcript.
Identify and highlight the courses you plan to take. We recommend 15-17 credits.
Full-time status is important to avoid jeopardizing some types of financial aid, on-campus housing, NCAA eligibility, and visa status. Start the semester with more credits as a safeguard should you need to unexpectedly drop a course. Start with at least 16 hours, if your highest credit-level course is four (4). If your highest credit-level course is three (3) hours, start with at least 15 hours.
To maintain F-1 visa status, international students must enroll in at least 9 in-person/hybrid credits. Once minimum in-person/hybrid required credit hours are met, students may enroll in as many online/virtual credit hours as desired or needed. More information on maintaining F-1 status.
The College of Engineering change of major requirement courses for restricted majors are your first priority during course registration.
If you started at Virginia Tech in spring 2024 or earlier, use the checksheet of your intended major. If you started at Virginia Tech in summer 2024 or later, use the roadmap of your intended major.
Pathways to General Education is the current general education program. Requirements for Pathways concepts 1,4,5 and 6D are traditionally fulfilled through courses required for a restricted engineering degree. You must choose courses or use transfer credit to fulfill the requirements for Pathways concepts 2,3,6A, and 7, however, some restricted engineering majors have specific course requirements which will also fulfill one or both of your Pathways 3 requirements. Review Pathways information on your checksheet or program curriculum tab in the catalog. You can also review our Advising Minute video (2 minutes) on this topic.
If you earned an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts and Sciences degree from a Virginia Community College, your general education requirements are satisfied for Pathways 2, 3, 6A, and 7 unless your intended engineering major requires a specific course for the Pathways requirement. This does not apply if you earned an Applied Associate degree.
All students must complete the specific course requirements for Pathways 1, 4, 5, and 6D as they are all required to earn an engineering degree.
Finalizing your Spring 2025 Schedule
The spring 2025 semester began on Tuesday, January 21.
The first phase of course registration, Course Request, ended at the beginning of November. Remember, you were not guaranteed to receive all the courses or specific CRNs you requested, so here’s what to do to if you need to finalize your schedule:
View your course request results. If you submitted a course request, your results are available now. Go to Hokie Spa > Course Registration and Schedule Menu > Course Request Results to see your enrolled courses.
Finalize your schedule during Add/Drop. If needed, make adjustments to the schedule you received through the request process. If you missed the request process, plan to add your courses in real time. Keep in mind Add/Drop is a marathon, not a race. Seat availability fluctuates so monitor the system persistently throughout the entire period (scheduled for December 2 at 7 a.m. - January 27 at 11:59 p.m). The Office of the University Registrar manages the registration system availability so confirm dates and times on this webpage.
Canvas course page changes are not immediate. Removal of a page if you have dropped a course and addition of a page if you had added a course will occur within 24-48 hours with the reoccurring university system update.
The General Engineering Advising Team recommends utilizing the Registration (Add/Drop) and Schedule system. This registration system is the easiest to use when making adjustments to your schedule, and it is the best system to add any 0-credit labs you may need.
Watch our How to Complete Add/Drop video (4 minutes) for instructions.
Access the system on Hokie Spa > Course Registration and Schedule Menu > Registration (Add/Drop) and Schedule > Add/Drop - Register for Classes. Don't forget to click or tap the Submit button in the registration system every time you add or drop a course!
You may have heard of force-adding. Force-adds are typically not considered for professor preference or time convenience. A common reason to request a force add is due to unprocessed transfer credit for a pre-requisite course completed at another institution. Review our How to Force-Add video (2 minutes) and the force-add webpage for details.
Some engineering courses are major-restricted, which means General Engineering students are unable to take the course. Go to the timetable of classes > spring 2025 > search for the course > click on the CRN of interest to view course comments and restrictions. You may need to enable pop-ups on your browser.
Any General Engineering student who does not declare a degree-granting engineering major by the start of the semester will be dropped from major-restricted courses.
You must be currently enrolled in the pre-requisites at Virginia Tech or have credit for the pre-requisites showing on Hokie Spa to request or add a course.
If you are completing the pre-requisite at another institution, you cannot add the follow-on course on your own using the registration system until your transfer credit for the pre-requisite is showing on Hokie Spa > Grades Menu > Transfer and Other Additional Credit. The transfer credit will not show until you have the transfer institution send an official transcript to Virginia Tech showing a C or better in the approved course equivalent and that transcript is processed by the Virginia Tech Registrar’s Office.
While you are waiting for your official transcript to be sent to Virginia Tech and processed, you can submit a force-add request. Force-adding is an administrative process which allows the department offering the course to place students into courses they cannot add themselves. A common reason for a force-add is unprocessed transfer credit for pre-requisite courses taken at other institutions. Review our How to Force-Add video (2 minutes) and the force-add webpage for details.
Some courses (e.g., COMM 2004) have an hours restriction. If you do not meet the threshold, you will have to attempt to add the course once your grades post for the current semester. The academic calendar outlines when grades are viewable on Hokie Spa.
Switching sections of the same course? Use the Conditional Add/Drop feature outlined on slide 22 of the university’s registration tutorial. We also have a Using Conditional Add/Drop video (1.30 minutes).
Some courses require enrollment in a 0-hour lab in addition to the lecture such as PHYS 2305 and PHYS 2306. Please use the Add/Drop system to add any 0-hour labs you need. Watch our Adding Zero Credit Labs video (3 minutes) for instructions.
Canvas course page changes are not immediate. Removal of a page if you have dropped a course and addition of a page if you had added a course will occur with 24-48 hours with the reoccurring university system update.
Download the program requirements. If you started at Virginia Tech in spring 2024 or earlier, use the checksheet of your intended major. If you started at Virginia Tech in summer 2024 or later, use the roadmap of your intended major.
Mark off the courses you have credit for and those you are currently enrolled in. Go to Hokie Spa > Grades Menu > View Unofficial Transcript.
Identify and highlight the courses you plan to take. We recommend 15-17 credits.
Full-time status is important to avoid jeopardizing some types of financial aid, on-campus housing, NCAA eligibility, and visa status. Start the semester with more credits as a safeguard should you need to unexpectedly drop a course. Start with at least 16 hours, if your highest credit-level course is four (4). If your highest credit-level course is three (3) hours, start with at least 15 hours.
To maintain F-1 visa status, international students must enroll in at least 9 in-person/hybrid credits. Once minimum in-person/hybrid required credit hours are met, students may enroll in as many online/virtual credit hours as desired or needed. More information on maintaining F-1 status.
The College of Engineering change of major requirement courses for restricted majors are your first priority during course registration.
If you started at Virginia Tech in spring 2024 or earlier, use the checksheet of your intended major. If you started at Virginia Tech in summer 2024 or later, use the roadmap of your intended major.
Pathways to General Education is the current general education program. Requirements for Pathways concepts 1,4,5 and 6D are traditionally fulfilled through courses required for a restricted engineering degree. You must choose courses or use transfer credit to fulfill the requirements for Pathways concepts 2,3,6A, and 7, however, some restricted engineering majors have specific course requirements which will also fulfill one or both of your Pathways 3 requirements. Review Pathways information on your checksheet or program curriculum tab in the catalog. You can also review our Advising Minute video (2 minutes) on this topic.
If you earned an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts and Sciences degree from a Virginia Community College, your general education requirements are satisfied for Pathways 2, 3, 6A, and 7 unless your intended engineering major requires a specific course for the Pathways requirement. This does not apply if you earned an Applied Associate degree.
All students must complete the specific course requirements for Pathways 1, 4, 5, and 6D as they are all required to earn an engineering degree.