General Questions

• What can an advisor do for me?
  • Assist with schedule planning and selecting classes
  • Interpret degree requirements for your transfer degree
  • Interpret COMPASS test results
  • Conduct an unofficial transcript evaluation
  • Discuss requirements for a successful transfer into four-year institutions
  • Give permission to enter a course if the appropriate prerequisites have been completed
• When should I see an advisor?
  If you’re a college transfer student, you should meet with an advisor regularly to discuss what requirements you need to fulfill at SCCC in order to transfer. You should also see an advisor prior to your last quarter to review your degree requirements before you apply for graduation.
• Can I make an appointment with an advisor?
  Advising is available to former, new and current college transfer or undecided students by appointment or on a drop-in basis during these drop-in hours after they have completed SCCC’s admissions process. We do not advise Running Start, International, Pro/tech or Basic Studies students.
• Do I need to bring anything with me to advising?
  • A Photo ID
  • College transcripts from other schools you have attended (official or unofficial)
  • Any advising and educational planning information received from previous advising sessions (AA degree sheets, long range plans, test scores, etc.)
  • Any transfer information you have (information on your prospective university, intended major, etc.)
• When is it mandatory to see an advisor?
  It is not mandatory to see an advisor. However it is highly recommended to make an appointment once you have reached 45 credits, to create a long range educational plan for your transfer. If you have not created a long range plan, you will receive a letter from the Advising Office when you reach 45 credits or more.
• I just have a quick question and I don’t have time to come to the Advising office. Is there another way to speak to an advisor?
  Yes, you can email general inquiries to advisorcentral@seattlecolleges.edu. Please be advised that it may take a few days to respond when we are experiencing high volumes of emails. Additionally, we cannot check student records by phone or email as it violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as we cannot view a photo ID.
• I am interested in a professional technical program, Associate of Applied Science degree, or certificate programs. Who can I talk to?
  The Workforce Education Intake Advisor can assist students with information about all of the professional technical programs that are offered at Seattle Central Community College. The Workforce Education Intake Advisor can be reached at 206-934-4188 or at scccwf@seattlecolleges.edu.
• I am interested in the Bachelor of Applied Behavioral Science degree. Where can I get more information?
  Please check the Bachelor of Applied Behavioral Science web page.

Questions about degrees

• What transfer degrees are offered at Seattle Central?
  Please check our College Transfer degrees web page.
• What is a DTA?
  • The Direct Transfer Agreement is a statewide transfer agreement between community colleges and universities. The agreement ensures that a student who completes an Associate in Arts degree (or other designated direct transfer degree) at a public community college in the state of Washington will have satisfied the lower division general education (or core) requirements at the various baccalaureate institutions. The transfer student who has earned a degree covered by the DTA Guidelines will generally have junior-level standing (90 quarter credits or 60 semester credits) at the receiving institution. Students who transfer within these agreements must still meet requirements in major, minor and professional programs. Note: The DTA degrees do not guarantee admission to a university or to any specific program or major.
  • It is best to meet with a Seattle Central advisor to determine which degree works best for your educational goals and what may be required for each participating institution. Here is a PDF list of four year baccalaureate institutions who recognize the DTA: WA State DTA Schools
• How long will it take to complete my AA or AS degree?
  Each transfer degree requires 90 credits and takes approximately two years to complete if you are attending as a full-time student (12 – 18 credits per quarter). For more information, check our degree page.
• What does the “&” symbol in a course title mean?
  The “&” symbol signifies that the course is part of the Common Course Numbering (CCN) system. This is designed to identify courses that are equivalent at community colleges in Washington State and to make it easier for students who may transfer between two-year colleges. Visit the Seattle Community Colleges district website on Common Couse Numbering for more information.
• I want to know the progress of my degree. Can I check that online?
  Yes, you can. From the Seattle Central Community College home page, go to Student Online Services. Scroll down to “Grades” and click on “Degree Audit”. Log in and select your appropriate degree. Green check marks on the left hand side indicate that you have completed a section. Please contact Academic Advising for any questions about your degree audit.
• I don’t want to take Math 098 Intermediate Algebra. Are there any other options?
  The Math 098 Intermediate Algebra proficiency requirement may be waived if you have completed a 3 year sequence of study in high school at the minimum levels of algebra, geometry, and 2nd year algebra (2nd year algebra requires a 2.0 minimum GPA). The first algebra course may be taken during middle school if the 2nd year is completed in high school. If you think you meet this requirement, submit an official high school transcript to Registration for evaluation. Note: that when this option is selected, the waiver cannot be used as a Math 098 prerequisite for any course.
• I’m not doing well in my algebra math class. I’ve heard of alternatives, like Statway.
  Statway allows students to complete the Intermediate Algebra proficiency and the QSR requirements for the Associates of Arts degree in three quarters. For more information, visit the Statway webpage
• My credits are old. Can I still use them towards a degree?
  Credits don’t expire and can satisfy college transfer degree requirements indefinitely. Math and science courses, however, cannot be used as prerequisites at SCCC if they are older than three years.
• I already have a bachelor’s degree. Can I get an associate degree?
  No, you cannot get an associate transfer degree if you already have a bachelor’s degree. However, you can get an Associate of Applied Science degree (also known as a professional/technical degree).
• Can I do my associate’s degree completely online?
  You can do the majority of an associate transfer degree online. The only thing that you cannot do online is the lab portion of lab science courses (minimum of 5 credits is required for all of our transfer degrees). Often, students will take the lab science at a nearby campus and transfer the course to Seattle Central Community College. We also have hybrid courses, which are classes that typically meet once or twice a week and the rest of the course work is done online.
• I don’t live in Seattle anymore but I want to finish my degree through Seattle Central Community College. How can I do this?
  You can complete the majority of your courses through our Distance Education & e-Learning department. You must complete a minimum of 15 credits from SCCC to be eligible for a degree here.

Questions about Classes

• I can’t register online and I got this error message. What happened?
  • "You have entered an incorrect Student ID or PIN. TRY AGAIN."

    If you cannot log in, you may not have completed the New Student Orientation (STAR). The new student orientation is the last step in the admissions process before you can register for classes. If you complete the online version of the STAR orientation, it takes at least 2 business days for your PIN to be activated. Your initial PIN is your six digit birthday. E.g. if your birthday is May 8th, 1990, your PIN is 050890. After this, you can begin using our Student Online Services. If your PIN still does not work, please call Registration at 206-934-6918 with questions.

  • "Unmet prerequisite - override with a course entry code OR You have not met the prerequisite for this class"

    The registration system will prevent you from registering if the required courses or test scores are not in your SCCC academic record. If you believe that you have met the prerequisites, please schedule a time to meet with an advisor – your transcripts may not have been officially evaluated as yet and added to your student records or there may be a glitch in the system. Academic advisors do not have entry codes and these must be obtained from the appropriate department or instructor.

  • " Invalid registration appointment date or time"

    A registration appointment time is not an actual appointment. It is the exact day and time during the registration period that a student can first register for classes. You must call Registration at 206-934-6918 to request one or check here to see what your registration appointment time is. The day and time is determined by how many credits you have accumulated at Seattle Central Community College, not including courses that have been transferred in. Please contact Registration for additional questions.

  • "The following classes require course entry codes"

    The course you tried to register for requires permission to enter into the course. Please contact the instructor or the department for more information. Advisors do not have any entry codes for any course.

  • "There is a flag on your records that blocks registration"

    This will prevent you from registering for classes until it is removed. This can be an outstanding fine at the library, not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) with Financial Aid, unpaid tuition at the Cashier’s office, or a variety of other possibilities. Please contact Registration at 206-934-6918, BE1104, to determine the nature of your block and then contact the appropriate department to find out how to remove your block.

  • "The following classes are full. Check the box and click the button below to be placed on a waiting list"

    This means that you will be placed on the waitlist until other students withdraw from the course. For waitlist procedures, check here.

  • "Permission is required to register for this class."

    The course you tried to register for requires permission from the instructor or department to enter into the course. Please contact them for more information.

• All the classes I want are closed. What should I do?
  • Add yourself to a waitlist – there is still the possibility of getting into the class, but it’s also a good idea to choose alternate classes to register for.
  • If you need general electives, you can try a class that you would not have taken otherwise, even if it is not specifically for your major.
  • See if you can take a class at a different time. For example, an early morning or an evening course may still be open.
  • Check out the other campuses in our district: North Seattle Community College and South Seattle Community College .
• I’m on a waitlist. What does this mean?
  If you are on a waitlist, there is the possibility of getting into the class as well as the risk of not getting in. If you have an email address on file with the college, you will receive an update every time your status on the waitlist changes. If you are still on the waitlist on the first day of class, take a red and white add/drop registration form to the class and ask the instructor for permission to register. If there is still room in the class, they may sign the form giving permission, and you will need to take it to Registration in BE 1104 to officially register for the course.
• I’ve completed the math or science prerequisite more than three years ago but I can’t register for the next class.
  While classes never expire from your transcript, Math and science test scores and courses may only be used for three years as a prerequisite to get into the next class. If your prerequisite course is more than three years old, you can ask permission from the instructor or retake the Compass placement test. For math and science courses, an academic advisor cannot sign off on a prerequisite with scores or courses that are older than three years.
• I placed into Math 085 but I want to skip to Math 098 because I know I can handle that class. Can an advisor give me permission?
  No. An academic advisor cannot give permission unless a student has completed the prerequisite for a course. Math prerequisites must be taken within the last three years. You can try to test higher on the math Compass placement test or you can discuss this with the instructor of the course you wish to enter.
• I want to finish my degree as fast as I can and I plan to take 25 credits each quarter. Is this a good idea?
  • Advisors usually do not recommend that students take more than 18 credits in one quarter. A full time student takes between 12 – 18 credits, and a typical course load is 15 credits (usually around 3 courses). 1 credit equals about 1- 3 hours per week of extra study outside of class and thus 15 credits is about 45 hours of work each week - more than a regular full time job. It is best to take fewer courses and get good grades than to take lots of courses and get poor grades.
  • Students wishing to take more than 20 credits must gain permission from the dean of the department of the course that brings a student above 20 credits.
• I repeated a course and got a better grade. Can I replace my old grade on my transcript?
  If you originally took the class at SCCC as well as the retake, then you can replace your grade. Once you have the new grade, you must request the grade replacement at Registration and your old grade will not be counted towards your cumulative GPA. However, it will remain on your transcript with an “R” to indicate ‘replaced’. If this is not done, the grades from both courses will be averaged and counted towards your cumulative GPA.
• How many times can I repeat a course?
  You can repeat a credit course once and it must be repeated on the same campus for the grade to be replaced on your transcript.
• Does a W, I, NC, or 0.0 look bad on my transcript?
  • A W (Withdraw), I (Incomplete), or NC (No Credit) does not affect your overall GPA, however, if a student accumulates too many of these, it could be a point of concern when transferring to a four year college.
  • A 0.0 grade affects your overall GPA and it is recommended to repeat the course to raise your GPA, especially if it is a prerequisite for your transfer major.
• I want to take a course at North or South Seattle Community College. How can I do this?
  You can take courses concurrently at different campuses, even at a college outside of our district. You must complete the admissions process for that school and it is the students’ responsibility to transfer the credits back to SCCC for evaluation. Please consult with an advisor at the appropriate campus for further information. Additionally, if you are receiving Financial Aid through Seattle Central Community College, please consult with the Financial Aid office about taking courses at different campuses.

Other Questions

• I sent in my official transcripts to Seattle Central Community College to be evaluated but I haven’t heard anything back.
  You must fill out an Incoming Transcript Evaluation Request form in order to formally have your transcripts evaluated. The form can be found at the Registration office on campus at BE 1104 or here and you can submit it to Registration.
• Where can I find the online START New Student Orientation?
  You can find it on the Advising page on our website.
• I need to reschedule my in-person START New Student Orientation. Where can I do that?
  You can call Admissions to reschedule. They can be reached at 206-934-5450 or in room BE 1104.
• Why should I do the START New Student Orientation in person?
  The in-person STAR orientation takes about an hour and will give you a broad and in- depth overview of how to get started at Seattle Central Community College. You can also meet directly with an advisor after the orientation is over. In addition, your matriculation is completed at the end and you will be able to register for courses immediately following the orientation.
• I lost my SID number. Where can I get it?
  You can call or visit Registration to get your SID number. They can be reached at 206-934-6918 or in room BE 1104.