Orientation Self Assessment

1. My commitment to my currently declared major is:

A) I know I will graduate from UCF with this major.

If you have questions about your major while at UCF, refer to your Degree Audit through MyUCF for Major-Advising contact information.

B) I am likely to change my major.

If you are unsure of your major at this time contact Career Services to schedule an appointment with a Career Services Counselor. If you plan to remain in the College of Sciences you may contact COSAS for an appointment with a Professional Advising within the College of Sciences.

C) Graduating with this major is not my highest priority right now.

It is important to understand the G.P.A. structure at UCF, and how your first term’s grades at UCF can have a long-lasting affect. ONLY the UCF G.P.A. determines your academic standing at UCF. If you, for instance, take two 3 credit hour courses and earn a “C” and a “C-” in your first term, you will have ended your first semester at UCF on academic probation (UCF probation policy on page 60 in the current on-line undergraduate catalog states “Action taken when a student’s UCF cumulative GPA drops below 2.0. Academic Probation will continue until the current term and UCF cumulative GPA reach 2.0 or better.)

Please note that your Overall transferring G.P.A. has no effect on your academic standing at UCF. If, however, you earn an “A” in both courses used in the above example, you will have ended your first semester at UCF with a 4.0 G.P.A., leaving some room to earn a few C’s in your future at UCF.

It would benefit you to schedule an appointment with your COSAS Advisor prior to the Add/Drop deadline of your first term for guidance in planning your transition.

2. In terms of the UCF community I feel:

A) Eager and committed to participate in campus events.

Campus events will help you network with fellow students and professionals in your field of interest.

B) Eager to participate, but struggle with adding additional events to my schedule.

If you can schedule personal time off in your schedule for campus events you’ll find that attending these events will help you network with fellow students and professionals in your field of interest.

C) That I have no time to contribute to campus events.

If you can schedule personal time off in your schedule for campus events you’ll find that attending these events will help you network with fellow students and professionals in your field of interest. However, if that is not an option, you can talk to your major advisor about the possibility of conducting research in your field through an independent study.

3. When I’ve changed jobs in the past, I needed a few months for the transitional period before taking on big projects (going to a new institution is like changing jobs):

A) TRUE.

Think of your transition to UCF as a new job and try to refrain from taking on too many obligations, and most importantly, give yourself some time to adjust to the new policies and new environment.

B) FALSE.

It will be important for you to understand the differences in policies such as Grade Forgiveness/Retakes, Academic Standing at UCF, and the Withdrawal Process and Deadline. COSAS can help you with those questions. Refer to your yellow card that you will receive at Orientation for contact information.

4. How satisfied are you with your academic performance at your former institution(s)?

A) I did well in the classroom and expected grades that I'm happy with which will advance my education.

Great! To maintain this pattern, be sure to connect with either your major advising office or COSAS once a term to ensure that you are staying on track. Be sure to pay attention to emails that your COSAS advisor sends you. Remember, policies differ between institutions.

B) I didn't have a problem with the course material but am struggling to get the work done.

Life will continue to happen while you attend UCF. There are certain events and personal circumstances that can heavily impact your academics. It is important that you seek guidance from your COSAS Advisor once you begin to recognize those signs. The University has policies in place to assist in some extenuating circumstances when “life” interferes with academics.

C) I struggled with maintaining a 'C' average.

If you are transferring in with an A.A. degree or you have completed the general education requirements, keep in mind that you will now be able to focus more on taking mostly (if not all) major-related courses, which should hold your focus if you are in a major that you enjoy. If your Major G.P.A. begins to decline, you should contact COS Explore or Career Services to explore alternative majors.

5. How well do you feel you can balance school with your other commitments?

A) I rarely have a problem fitting all of my commitments comfortably into my schedule.

You are on track to pursuing and achieving your academic goals! Refer to the yellow card that you will receive at Orientation if you need assistance from your COSAS advisor, or refer to your degree audit to find contact information for your major advising office. Be sure to pay attention to emails that you receive through your Knight’s email from COSAS.

B) Sometimes my academic performance suffers because of too many things going on in my life.

Remember: Life will continue to happen while you attend UCF. There are certain events and personal circumstances that can heavily impact your academics. It is important that you seek guidance from your COSAS Advisor once you begin to recognize those signs. The University has policies in place to assist in some extenuating circumstances when “life” interferes with academics.

C) I am concerned about being able to continue with my education.

Remember that your educational transcript is a permanent record, and does not “refresh” after 7 years like a credit report. If this is not the time to start on a good track, you may be putting your academic future in jeopardy. You should make an appointment with your COSAS advisor prior to the Withdrawal Deadline of your first term for guidance. Refer to the yellow card that you will receive at Orientation for COSAS contact information.

6. I feel I am able to follow-through on actions I plan to take (setting and achieving goals):

A) All the time.

Sometimes taking the planned steps to achieve a planned goal leads us in a new direction. While taking major-related course work at the University level, you will meet new people and gain new experiences in your field of interest, or you may find that in fact you don’t like that field after all. It is important to stay open to new ideas and new academic goals.

B) When they are most important in my academics.

Goal-setting can sometimes be disappointing if an action plan is not considered beforehand. While taking major-related course work at the University level, you will meet new people and gain new experiences in your field of interest, or you may find that in fact you don’t like that field after all. It is important to stay open to new ideas and new academic goals.

C) Rarely.

Goal-setting can sometimes be disappointing if an action plan is not considered beforehand. While taking major-related course work at the University level, you will meet new people and gain new experiences in your field of interest, or you may find that in fact you don’t like that field after all. It is important to stay open to new ideas and new academic goals. If you have struggled with goal-setting in the past you should contact your COSAS Advisor early on in your academic career for guidance on navigating through to graduation. Refer to the yellow card that you will be given at Orientation for COSAS contact information, and be sure to pay attention to the emails that your COSAS Advisor will send to your Knight’s email address.

Would you like to speak with your COSAS Advisor?

After completing the self assessment, many students have one or more topics they wish to discuss with their COSAS Advisor. To get in touch with your specific COSAS Advisor, please submit the following form:

Fill Out the Online Form