Advising FAQ

Advisors are professionally trained staff members who can assist you with a wide range of academic services. Advisors assist with short or long range academic planning; determining your degree or certificate goals; assess your current degree status (audit); complete unofficial transcript evaluations; assist with class registration and prerequisite issues; discuss major requirements for four-year transfer, advise on prerequisite requirements for professional/technical programs, etc.

Counselors are professionally trained faculty who provide career and personal counseling. Students may seek counseling for help with major life transitions, stress reduction, crisis intervention, identifying skills, abilities and interests, disabilities, academic goals, and job search skills.

“Authentication Error: Double check that you have entered the correct ctcLink ID number (EMPLID) & ctcLink Password”
If your ctcLink Password does not work, please call Registration at 206.934.6918 with questions. Have your ctcLink ID number (EMPLID) on you so that they can check your information.

“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 Seattle Central academic record. If you believe that you have met the prerequisites, please contact us. Your transcripts may not have been officially evaluated and added to our student records, or there may be an error in the system. Class entry codes can only be obtained by emailing us at AdvisorCentral@seattlecolleges.edu. An Advisor can provide you with permission for a class on a drop-in basis if you meet the prerequisites.

“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 go to Registration Appointment to see what your registration appointment time is.
The day and time are determined by how many credits you have accumulated at Seattle Central, 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 can provide entry codes via email, or grant permission in person.

“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. Visit Waitlist Procedures for more information.

“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.
 

If you met the prerequisite for a Seattle Central class at another school, you will need to obtain permission from an instructor or advisor in order to register for the class. Please remember that it is always a good idea to have your transcripts officially evaluated by submitting an Incoming Transcript Evaluation Request form to registration. Having your transcripts officially evaluated is the only way to ensure that your credits are "on file" at Seattle Central. 

While waiting for the completion of your official evaluation, you can obtain permission to register for a class from the following individuals:

Advisors - Advisors can give you permission to take a class if you have met the exact required prerequisite. This means that they cannot give you permission based on things like job experience or knowledge of a language for example. Ask for advisor permission by:

• Meeting with an advisor in person during drop–in or by making an appointment
• Contacting the advisors through AdvisorCentral@seattlecolleges.edu. If you receive permission via email, you can print it to use as a physical signature, or forward the email to registration at Registration.Central@seattlecolleges.edu

Instructors - Instructors can give you permission to register for a class based on various criteria at the instructor's discretion. If you do not meet the exact prerequisite for a course, instructors are the only ones who provide a signature. Ask for instructor permission by:

• Meeting the instructor in person during office hours
• Contacting the instructor via email. Again, if you receive permission via email, you can print the email to use as a physical signature or forward the email to registration.
   

You must fill out an Incoming Transcript Evaluation Request form and send it to Registration in order to formally have your transcripts evaluated. The form can also be found at the Registration office on campus at BE1104.
 

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 your responsibility to transfer the credits back to Seattle Central for evaluation. Please consult with an Advisor at the appropriate campus for further information. Additionally, if you are receiving Financial Aid through Seattle Central, please consult with the Financial Aid office about taking courses at different campuses.
 

You can call or visit Registration to get your ctcLink ID number (EMPLID). They can be reached at 206.934.6918 or in room BE1104.

Advisors usually do not recommend that you 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 three courses). One credit equals about one to three 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. If you wish to take more than 20 credits, you must gain permission from a faculty counselor or Department Dean.

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 you to transfer between two–year colleges. 
 

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.
 

A W (Withdraw), I (Incomplete), or NC (No Credit) does not affect your overall GPA, however, if you accumulate 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.