FAQ
How do I submit AP, IB, or transfer credit?
Does AP,IB, or transfer credit count toward AXLE?
How do I make an appointment?
Why do I have to make an appointment?
When do I register for classes?
Can I take a class pass/fail?
When is the end of drop/add?
When is the last day I can withdraw from a class?
How do I withdraw from a class?
What do I do if I'm failing a class?
YES won't let me register; what should I do?
How do I transfer to another school or college at Vanderbilt?
Whom do I talk to about transferring to another university?
How can I get credit for summer courses at another college?
How can I get credit for a summer internship?
When do I declare a major and how do I find a major adviser?
Where can I get information about study abroad?
Where can I get information about pre-med or pre-law?
Can a CASPAR adviser write me a letter of recommendation?
How do I submit AP, IB, or transfer credit?
Away from campus, you can fax or send a copy of your scores or transcripts to the
Office of the Registrar
College of Arts and Science, Vanderbilt University
311 Kirkland Hall
Nashville, TN 37240
Fax 615-343-8453
If you're on campus, take a copy of your scores or transcript to 311 Kirkland Hall between 8 and 4:30, Monday through Friday.
Does AP, IB, or transfer credit count toward AXLE?
AP and IB credit do not count toward AXLE. Transfer credit earned before you matriculate may count toward AXLE and graduation. To find out if yours will, download an Application for Pre-Freshman Credit and fill it out to determine if your prior coursework is eligible for transfer. If so, send the application along with syllabi for all pre-freshman courses to Lisa Wright at lisa.wright@vanderbilt.edu. Ms. Wright will send the syllabi out to Vanderbilt faculty for evaluation to determine whether each course is eligible for credit and/or to count toward AXLE.
How do I make an appointment with my CASPAR adviser?
Go to this link and follow the steps. If you have problems, please call the CASPAR office at 615-343-0071 or drop by 225 Commons Center between 8 and 4:30, Monday through Friday.
Why do I have to make an appointment to see my adviser?
All CASPAR advisers have between 125 and 225 advisees. With this number of students per adviser, it is necessary for us to schedule appointments so that you can be assured to see an adviser when you need to. If you have an urgent or quick question, please call 615-343-0071 or stop by Commons 225 between 10 and 2, Monday through Friday to speak with the CASPAR adviser "on call."
When do I register for classes?
You can always find the most up-to-date information about when you can register for classes or make changes to your schedule at the "Student Registration" tab on your YES account.
Can I take a class pass/fail?
Yes, you can take up to 18 hours of classes pass/fail as long as you've completed two semesters at Vanderbilt, have achieved sophomore standing, and are not on academic probation. Pass/fail courses cannot count toward AXLE, major, or minor requirements. For more stipulations about taking courses pass/fail, please consult the section entitled "Taking Courses for P/F Credit" in the College of Arts and Science section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
When is the end of drop/add?
The open enrollment period, during which you can make changes to your schedule, generally opens up mid-July for fall semester and mid-December for spring semester and then runs up to 11:59 pm CDT on the fifth day of classes of the semester. You can always check for this information on the "Student Registration" tab of your YES account. The end of open enrollment for Fall 2011 is Tuesday, August 30, at 11:59 pm CDT.
When is the last day I can withdraw from a class?
The Friday of the eighth week of classes, up until 4 p.m. The withdrawal deadline for Fall 2011 is Friday, October 14.
How do I withdraw from a class?
Pick up a green card from 311 Kirkland Hall, fill it out front and back, and then have the professor of the course you are dropping sign it. Then have your CASPAR adviser sign it (remember, you'll see your adviser more quickly if you make an appointment with him or her). If you're still going to be carrying 12 hours or more, you return the card with these two signatures to 311 Kirkland Hall. If you are going to be going under 12 hours, you need to schedule an appointment with a dean by calling 615-343-6170 or 615-322-2844. Make sure to bring the green card with you to that appointment.
What do I do if I'm failing a class?
Do your best not to despair or panic! Although this is probably a new situation for you, other Vanderbilt students are having a similar experience, maybe even in the same course. First, go to see your professor or TA in office hours or schedule an appointment with him or her. Take all of your graded work to that meeting so that you can discuss it with your instructor. Questions to ask include: Where do I seem to be going wrong? How can I prepare better for tests? What should I be doing differently in my essays?
Next, come up with a plan for studying differently for this course. In this situation, many students will say that they are going to "study harder" without any idea about what studying harder would entail. Change your study habits, opting for active strategies (e.g., solving problems, annotating your reading, consulting with the Writing Studio) and prioritizing the class you're failing over social and service obligations and, if necessary, courses in which you are succeeding. See your academic adviser to discuss strategies for addressing the problem, including making use of individual tutoring, study halls, drop-in sessions for quantitative courses, and the Writing Studio.
YES won't let me register; what should I do?
First, check to see if there is a hold on your account. The most frequent hold for first-year students during the registration period for the spring semester is for failure to submit a Buckley Release Form. Other holds may be a financial hold if your bill has not been paid or an advising hold if you have not seen your adviser prior to the registration period. Once you've determined the nature of the hold, contact the appropriate office to see what you need to do so that the hold can be released. If you need help identifying which office to contact, please call the CASPAR office at 615-343-0071 or drop by 225 Commons Center between 8 and 4:30, Monday through Friday.
How do I transfer to another school or college at Vanderbilt?
Consult the page on Intra-university Transfers on the Office of the Registrar's website. Read the letter on this page from the school or college to which you want to transfer. That letter will identify a person in that school or college with whom you should speak or a meeting about transferring that you should attend. After attending an individual or group meeting, fill out the form on this same Web page, paying attention to the stated deadline. Please note that students are not eligible to transfer until after attaining sophomore status.
How do I transfer to another university?
Many schools use the Common Application for transfer students. Consult its website to determine if the school(s) you're interested in uses the Common Application. If it doesn't, then go to the website of the school(s) you're interested in and look for information about transferring, most likely on the admissions page of the site. Whether you use the Common Application or fill out a school-specific one, you will probably need your adviser to fill out one or more sections of the application. Make an appointment with him or her for this purpose; during that meeting, s/he can show you the sections on the application that will need to be filled out by a dean in 311 Kirkland Hall.
How can I get credit for a summer course at another college?
To determine if you are eligible to receive credit for a course completed at another institution, consult the section entitled "Summer Work at Another Institution" in the College of Arts and Science section of the Undergraduate Catalog or pick up a pink information sheet about transfer credit for summer courses from 311 Kirkland Hall. Then get a course description from the school where you want to take the course. Because some Vanderbilt departments will want to see the syllabus as well, try to get that, too. Once you have the description and syllabus, make an appointment to meet with a dean by calling either 615-343-6170 or 615-322-2844 to present your proposal. If approved, you will be given a form to take to the appropriate Vanderbilt department(s) for evaluation of the course(s). The Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department is usually the faculty member who evaluates transfer credit. Once the form has been signed by the Director of Undergraduate Studies, return the form to Molly Thompson, Registrar, 311 Kirkland Hall for her approval.
How can I get academic credit for a summer internship?
Set up a meeting with Dean Jones by calling 615-343-6170. She will explain the process to you and help you to identify a faculty supervisor so that you can receive the credit.
When do I declare a major and how do I choose a major adviser?
You can declare a major as early as the first day of your third semester in residence (for most students, fall semester of their sophomore year) and must do so no later than around the middle of your fourth semester in residence. If that fourth semester is in spring, you must declare your major by the Friday before Spring Break. If that fourth semester is in the fall, you must declare your major by mid-October. You can ask a professor whom you know in the department of your major to serve as your major adviser or let the department assign you one.
Where can I get information about study abroad?
Consult the GEO website.
Where can I get information about pre-med or pre-law?
Your CASPAR adviser can and will give you general information about how to get started in pre-med or pre-law studies. Pre-med students should get to know Dr. Robert Baum and Karen Laws of the Health Professions Advisory Office (HPAO), who have the most up-to-date information about medical school admissions requirements, shadowing and internship opportunities, and undergraduate research possibilities. Pre-law students should attend a Law School Express session at the Vanderbilt Career Center (VCC). Please call the VCC at 615-322-2750 or send an email to careercenter@vanderbilt.edu to find out the schedule of these sessions. Once you've been to Law School Express, you can then make an appointment with Professor Klint Alexander, the pre-law adviser.
Can my CASPAR adviser fill out recommendation forms and/or write me a letter of recommendation?
Yes, if s/he knows you well enough to comment on your strengths and weaknesses for the position, award, or scholarship (among other things) for which you are applying. If the recommendation form or letter requires first-hand knowledge of your academic capabilities, you would be better served by asking the instructor in one of your courses to fill out the form or write the letter.