Advising FAQ

You will first meet the advising staff at Orientation. They are an integral part of the process as you move from applicant status to student status.

You will be assigned to an advisor according to the major you have chosen. Your University Survey course, EXP 1100, might be taught by an advisor. This is a great opportunity to begin a working relationship with the advising staff.

Academic advisors are available by appointment throughout the calendar year. They care about your success! Visit OnCourse or call 740.366.9333 to set up an appointment.

Your assigned advisor is listed on the right-hand side of the first page of your My Buckeye Link. Advisors at Newark are assigned according to major. View a list of Newark advisors.

1. Go to go.osu.edu/oncourse (if using an iPad, go to buckeyes.campus.eab.com) and log in. Select the blue button “Schedule Appointment.”
2. Select “Meet with Your Success Team” and select your advisor.
3. Select the appointment reason and the day you would like to meet.
4. Select a day and time from the list available.**
5. In the comments box, please provide your phone number, your intended major and the reason for the appointment.
6. Confirm the information and schedule. You will receive an email confirming your appointment with the Zoom link.

**If you do not find a time available that works for you or if you want to declare a new major or minor, please call our office at 740-366-9333 to schedule with our reception staff. Our advisors specialize in different majors and we want to make sure you are meeting with an advisor who has been trained in that major.

Watch video tutorial.

In preparation for your advising appointment, you should:

1. Run your Degree Audit and review it ahead of time. Your Degree Audit uses the major and general education requirements for your degree and identifies which requirements have been completed and which ones are incomplete.
2. Write down your questions ahead of time, particularly those generated when you read your degree audit.
3. Bring something to take notes with. If you have an iPad through the Digital Flagship initiative, make sure to bring that with you. You can also bring a pen and notepad to take notes.

Academic advisors are available to help you navigate and understand the requirements for your major. However, there are many tools and resources available to Ohio State students to help determine which classes you need for your major and according to your placement scores, which are listed in your Advising Report.

You should run a Degree Audit for your intended major to see what courses you need for your major. Refer to your college’s General Education Curriculum guide for a comprehensive list of GE options that your major requires - this is usually found on your college’s website. Determine the math courses required for your major and the Level One Writing and Related Skills (Freshman English) class you will take.

You will learn how to utilize different scheduling tools in your University Survey course, EXP 1100. After a student’s first semester, it is expected that you are able to schedule your courses on your own by referring to your Degree Audit. If you need further assistance with selecting courses, please make an appointment with your advisor.

Another great scheduling tool is the Schedule Planner, which you can access through your BuckeyeLink. Schedule Planner builds a schedule based on your course selections, which you can then send directly to your BuckeyeLink Shopping Cart.

Summer term courses do not follow the traditional length of autumn and spring semester courses. To provide as many options to students for classes that fit into their schedule, Ohio State has created multiple sessions for summer term course offerings including 4-week, 6-week, 8-week, and 12-week sessions. View more information about summer term.

Students interested in summer courses should discuss their intentions with Student Financial Services to learn how their financial aid might apply.

You can enroll in summer courses in the same way that you enroll in autumn or spring courses. Please refer to the “How do I schedule my classes” tab above for more information.

There are four possible formats for classes:

In person: This is a traditional in-person class with your classmates and the Professor in a classroom on campus. Class sizes have been reduced to allow for social distancing. If a day and time is still listed in the course description, a room has been assigned or says TBD, and it does not say that it is hybrid delivery, then class is in-person.

Hybrid delivery: This means that the course will include both online and in-person elements. The course description will include the words “hybrid course.” Students will need to read the course description and syllabus carefully to learn when they will need to attend each component.

Online-synchronous: This means that the students and Professor meet together virtually as a class at the designated day and time. The description for these classes includes the phrase “virtual class times as listed.” These classes have a day and time listed in the course description, but say ONLINE for the room assignment.

Online: This is a traditional online format where students complete the readings and assignments on their own time and do not meet together as a class. Classes in this format say ONLINE for the room assignment and the day and time spot is blank.

A waitlist forms when a class is full. Placing yourself on a waitlist indicates your desire to enroll in the course if a seat becomes open. This is not a guarantee that you will be enrolled in the course. You are added into a course from the waitlist on a “first-on, first-off” basis as space becomes available and fits your schedule. The waitlist closes after the first Friday of the semester. After the first Friday, no one will be added to a course from the waitlist.

You can monitor your waitlist position in your BuckeyeLink. It is your responsibility to know whether or not you have been put into a course and to monitor your waitlist position on a regular basis. You will be notified by email if you are added to a course from the waitlist, so be sure to check your email and your schedule frequently.

The Registrar’s Academic Calendar contains important dates and deadline such as when classes begin each semester, holiday breaks, and commencement. Find academic deadlines for the university such as registration, fees, and important dates. 

First, you should speak with a Financial Aid Advisor to determine if dropping a class will affect any aid or scholarships you are receiving. Dropping a class may also affect Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Student Financial Services is located in the Gateway area of Hopewell Hall and can be reached at 740.366.9435.

Dropping a class may also impact other areas such as housing, military/veteran benefits, insurance, etc. It is your responsibility to check with relevant offices regarding the potential consequences, if any, of your decision to drop a class.

During the first four weeks of the semester, new first semester students must meet with an advisor for assistance dropping classes, whereas continuing students can drop classes online on their own in their My BuckeyeLink. Between the 4th and 10th Fridays of the semester, all students will need advisor assistance with dropping courses. Please be aware of dates and deadlines of dropping courses for each semester. After the 10th Friday, courses cannot simply be dropped – to drop a class after this date, you must submit a petition which describes the extenuating circumstances which prevented you from dropping a course by the University deadline. For more information on the petition process, please make an appointment with your academic advisor.

You are welcome to take courses at other institutions. It is advisable to discuss this plan with your academic advisor beforehand. You should plan accordingly so you take courses that will apply to your degree – preferably courses with direct equivalents. We recommend that you use Transferology.com to explore ahead of time if a course at another institution has a direct equivalent at Ohio State. Learn more about transfer credit. Additional questions should be directed to your academic advisor.

If you take courses at another institution, you must request that the official transcript be sent to Ohio State to be evaluated.

To earn credit for AP scores, contact College Board at 1.888.225.5427 to have your official score report sent to recipient code #1592, The Ohio State University Testing Center, 585 Student Academic Services Building, 281 W. Lane Ave., Columbus, OH 43210. Lear more about Prior Learning Assessment for Examination Credit.

College Credit Plus (CCP) courses will not be evaluated from a high school transcript. You must contact the university at which the courses were taken to have an official transcript sent to Ohio State. Learn more about transfer credit.

You can order your Ohio State transcript online.