WELCOME TO NEW STUDENT
ORIENTATION!
Today, we’re providing tools to help you have
a successful start at Ivy Tech.
Your success…is up to you!
Ivy Tech History
• Indiana Vocational Technical College (Ivy Tech) was founded in 1963
• The Northwest Region was established in 1968, and now has over 10,000
students
• The college became Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana in 2005
•Ivy Tech is regionally accredited, which means your credits will transfer both in
and out of state
• Ivy Tech Community College currently serves over 150,000 students throughout
all of our locations
Ivy Tech Northwest
• 4 easily accessible campuses
East Chicago
East Chicago, IN
219-392-3600
Gary
1440 E. 35th Ave.
Gary, IN
219-981-1111
Michigan City
Valparaiso
3714 Franklin
3100 Ivy Tech Dr.
Michigan City, IN
219-879-9137
Valparaiso, IN
219-464-8514
410 E. Columbus Dr.
Steps to Success…
First Day of Class
Bookstore
Pay Tuition & Fees
Registration
Academic Advising
Assessment
Orientation
Admissions
Financial Aid
(if applicable)
Successful Students…
Set Goals
And Chart a Path to
Achieve them
Your career path
Ivy Tech offers two main options
for students
• Technical Certificates (30-36 credit hours)
• Associate Degrees (60-75 credits)
• Associate of Applied Science
• Associate of Science
• Associate of Arts
What is MY Path to Success?
Degree Structure
General Education
Courses
Transfer
Bachelor’s
Degree
+
Program
Courses
Associate’s
Degree
Career
Q: Are you unsure of your
goal?
A: Career Services!
Three reasons to connect with Career Services Early On:
1. Following career goals prepares students for successful
careers
2. Finding a major that fits can help students stay focused in
school, which can lead to better grades
3. Sticking to a plan will prevent students from spending
money on extra classes and make it easier to graduate on
time
Career Exploration and Advising Services
•Career assessments: Discover matches personalities,
interests, skills, and values with careers
•One-to-one personalized career advising to help with career
planning and decision making
Career Exploration and Advising Services
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH YOUR MAJOR? Find out by
logging onto Campus Connect.
Job Preparation Services
• Learn how to write resume and cover letters
• Sign up for JobZone, an online job and internship board
exclusive to Ivy Tech students and Alumni
• Apply for internships, volunteer, or join student organizations to gain career
experience
• Online mock interviewing to practice before the real interview
• Job fairs to connect students and employers
Make a Plan
Once you’ve chosen your degree, use an
Academic Advising sheet to plan your
upcoming semesters
These sheets can be obtained from an advisor,
or online at www.ivytech.edu/academics
Successful Students…
Understand Their
Responsibilities
Even Successful Students Hit
Roadblocks
 Discuss issues with Instructors
 Always keep in contact with your instructor with any
concerns, questions or issues you have
 Dropping or withdrawing from classes
 To officially withdraw from a class, you need to fill out a
Change of Enrollment form in Student Affairs. DO NOT
simply stop going to class
Even Successful Students Hit
Roadblocks
 See Financial Aid before removing yourself from a class
 Always check to make sure your aid will not be affected
 Deadlines for withdrawing and dropping are posted on Campus
Connect
Your Information
Privacy Policy
Ivy Tech will not share any information about
your student records or financial aid with
anyone without your written consent (even
spouses and parents). Please see Student
Affairs with questions about how to obtain
the form.
Paying for Classes
Financial Aid
Financial aid is money that is given or loaned
to you to help pay for your college education.
In order to qualify, you must file a FAFSA.
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Paying for Classes
Financial Aid
To be considered for Indiana State grants, your
FAFSA must be on file by March 10th each
year
There is no deadline for Federal grants
Paying for Classes
Financial Aid
If you plan to use Financial Aid for the Fall
semester, you must have filed a FAFSA by
August 1st. Students who file a FAFSA after
August 1st will need to use Nelnet or make other
payment arrangements.
3 Types of Financial Aid
 Grants & Scholarships - are given as awards and do not
require repayment.
 Loans - are borrowed from the federal government. You are
required to repay the loan amount, fees, and interest.
 Work-Study Employment – is a job at a college where you
can earn a paycheck to help pay for your tuition and fees.
See the Financial Aid office to apply.
Protect Your Financial Aid
Satisfactory Academic Progress

2.0 Cumulative GPA

67% Completion Rate of Classes

Failing & Withdrawing both count
against completion rate
Protect Your Financial Aid
Plan Ahead
 Apply early for Financial Aid every year
• Paperwork and documents need time to process
• Refund periods
 Understand limits of aid
• Max amount of money you can get in a year, lifetime
maximums
 Attend classes!!!!
Getting Your Refund
Ivy Tech Debit Card
Verify that your address is correct on Campus Connect
Follow the directions with the card to make a selection on
www.ivytechdebitcard.com:
1. Either authorize the card for refunds
2. Or, elect to have refunds deposited into your personal
checking account
Getting Your Refund
If you choose to have your refund put on the card,
do not use it until the refund has been loaded onto
your card. Check Campus Connect for this date
(several weeks into the semester).
See the Business office at your campus if you have
questions
Paying for Classes
All students who are enrolled in Fall classes must
have their payment arrangements made (Financial
Aid or Payment Plan) by August 13th or you will
be dropped from classes.
Payment Plans
Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS)
 Enroll online for a monthly payment plan
 Automatic withdrawal from bank account, credit or debit card
 Fees
– $25 enrollment fee per semester
– $25 late payment fee
 Enroll using Campus Connect
 See the Business Office if you have questions
Successful Students …
Use Campus Resources
Successful Students …
Use Campus Resources
Your Ivy Tech email is your PRIMARY
form of contact for all college business.
Instructors will use it as the main way of
contacting you with class notes.
Student Life
 There are many clubs and organizations active at each of our
campuses
 Your campus has a Student Life Coordinator who can help you
get involved or even begin a club yourself
 Our SGAs and many of our student organizations host group
pages on Campus Connect that you can join. See your Student
Life Coordinator if you need assistance in finding and joining
these pages
Student Life
 Student Life and the SGAs provide a number of regional and
campus activities and field trips throughout the year. Ivy Tech
Student pay a reduced cost for these activities. For the latest
list of upcoming events, please see your Student Life
Coordinator, or visit Campus Connect and Facebook
 www.facebook.com/ivytechnw
Student Life
 Before getting involved with Student Life, make sure
your schedule is manageable.
 Some of the opportunities for leadership roles:
Student Government Association: SGA provides students with the opportunity to take part in
student governance and represent the student body in key leadership positions.
Student Leadership Academy: This year-long program engages students in discussions and
activities involving Leadership of Self, Team, Organization, and Community.
Library Services
 The Region has a Virtual Library accessible
via Campus Connect, as well as physical
locations at each campus.
 Library services include: Creation of student
IDs, A/V Equipment, Ask-A-Librarian
Service, and many more
Tutoring Centers
 Tutoring services are available FREE to
students in the area of English, math and some
sciences
 Please inquire at your campus about where and
how to sign up
Ivy Tech Alert
This message alert system delivers emergency
text messages to your cell phone. To activate
this service immediately, please visit the
following link:
http://www.ivytech.edu/alert
All applicable provider SMS fees apply
Where Should You Go for Help?







Academic Advising
Faculty Advising
Financial Aid office
Registrar
Business Office
Disability Support Services
Career Services
Academic Advising
Student
Affairs
Advisors
< 16 credit
hours
Faculty
Advisors
16+ credit
hours
Achieving
your
educational
goal
Student Affairs advisors work with entering students as they navigate
their first year at Ivy Tech. Once students are taking courses specific to
their major, they are referred to a faculty advisor to see them through to
graduation.
Disability Support Services
 This department provides accommodations
and support for college coursework for
students with a documented disability
(documentation must be from a professional who is
licensed to diagnose)
 Forms are available at your campus Student
Affairs Office
Disability Support Services
 Students need to fill out Accommodation
Request Forms each semester they are
requesting the accommodation
 If you have more specific questions, make an
appointment with Disability Support Services
at your campus
Pop Quiz!
What department(s) should you visit…
 If you want to change your major?
 If you want to change your schedule?
 If you want some advice on planning your last two
semesters before graduation?
 If you want to withdraw from a class?
 If you’re confused about the Ivy Tech Debit card?
 If you discovered on Campus Connect that you were
selected for Financial Aid verification?
Successful Students…
Create realistic
schedules
Three Steps to Scheduling Classes
1.
Decide how many
classes to take
2.
Determine which classes to
take based on your
assessment scores
3.
See an advisor to register
for classes
How much time should you plan to spend each
week studying?
A
B
Total Non-School
Committed Hours
Per week
Recommended
Maximum Hours
of Instruction
Recommended
Minimum
Hours of Study
Total School
Related
Hours
more than 160
0
0
0
152-160
3
6
9
6
12
18
136-144
9
18
27
128-136
12
24
36
15
30
45
144-152
120-128
Part-time
Full-time
Choose the Best Class Format for You
 Traditional 16-week courses
 Accelerated 12 or 8 week courses
 Online – Distance Education courses
Choose the Right Location for You
 General education courses may be taken at any
campus. You may need to attend classes at
another campus to complete your program.
COMPASS Assessment
 Our initial assessment designed to identify your basic skill
levels in math, reading and language usage
 It is an untimed computer based assessment. The length will
depend on each student’s ability.
 Results will determine your potential need for skill
advancement courses, or if you are ready for college level
courses
COMPASS Assessment
 You may be eligible for a waiver for part or the entire
assessment
 If you have previous college credits, or recent SAT or ACT
scores, please see Student Affairs to see if you qualify for a
waiver
Developmental/ASA Courses
 These courses are designed to help you refresh or
develop fundamental skills in English, math and other
areas.
 They also can help ease the transition from high
school or the workforce to a college environment
English Course Sequence
Pre-College Level
College Level
ENGL 031
ENGL 032
COMPASS Reading
44-65
COMPASS Reading
66-79
ENGL 111
COMPASS Writing 70+
STOP
ENGL 024
ENGL 025
COMPASS Writing
23-51
COMPASS Writing
52-69
Must also be college-level in
Reading and Writing to
register for this course!
Mathematics Course Sequence
Pre-College Level
College Level
MATH 015
5 Credits
MATH 035
5 Credits
COMPASS Pre-Algebra 22-54
COMPASS Algebra 35-51
MATH 023
3 Credits
COMPASS Pre-Algebra 55-100
AND Algebra 15-23
OR Algebra 24-34
MATH 043
3 Credits
COMPASS Algebra 52-65
Refer to your advising sheet for
information regarding the specific
math requirement for your degree.
MATH 121
MATH 127
MATH 128
MATH 129
MATH 135
MATH 136
COMPASS
Algebra 66+
ACT Math 22+
SAT Math 520+
MATH 117 - The Art of Geometry
MATH 118- Concepts in Mathematics
COMPASS Algebra 35+
In most cases these do not fulfill the mathematics requirements for
a Bachelors’ degree, and do not prepare a student for further study
in math and science
What’s next?
• Take your COMPASS Assessment or
bring in college transcripts, SAT or ACT
scores.
• Schedule an appointment with an advisor
• Register for classes
• Make Payment or Financial Aid
arrangements
Campus Connect
http://cc.ivytech.edu
 Student Handbook
 Check Your Grades
 Important Announcements  Pay Your Tuition
 Financial Aid Status
 Access Your Email
 Virtual Library
 Access Blackboard
Presentation Complete!
Please close this window and click on
“Continue” to proceed to the orientation
Post-test.