2024-25 Catalog

Advising Center

Academic advising staff provide developmental advising, which includes career and education planning, interpretation of assessments, strategies to address academic difficulties, programs to develop student success skills, preparation for university transfer, and workforce preparedness.

The LifeMap tab in Atlas contains information and Web-based tools to support your goal setting and planning process. You are encouraged to use the LifeMap Tools and to meet with an Academic Advisor, Program Advisor, or Career Program Advisor as you progress towards your degree – at least as you complete 15, 30 and 45 credits.

If you plan to obtain an Bachelor Degree from Valencia, check in this catalog for the degree and admissions requirements. You should meet with your assigned career program advisor for assistance in knowing how your courses apply toward your degree. Check Atlas for your assigned advisor. 

If you are pursuing an Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree, a technical certificate or a diploma, you may check in this catalog for the course requirements of your career program and you should meet with your career program advisor. Career program advisors are available on Downtown, East, Lake Nona, Osceola, and West campuses to provide program planning and to answer specific questions about requirements and program completion of an A.S. Degree, technical certificate and diploma programs. Program planning outlines which list the requirements for each career program, the suggested order in which to take the courses, and basic career information are available in any campus Answer Center, Advising Center, academic division offices, in this catalog and online at https://valenciacollege.edu/asdegrees/. It is recommended that you make an appointment to meet with your career program advisor regularly. Check Atlas for your assigned advisor.

If you plan to obtain an Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree, check in this catalog for the degree requirements. You may see an academic advisor, program advisor for assistance in knowing how your courses apply toward a degree. Check Atlas for your assigned advisor. 

If you plan to transfer to a four-year college or university, you should utilize Valencia’s resources early in your enrollment at Valencia to determine specific courses you need to prepare for your major. academic advisors, program advisors, and career program advisors can assist you in this process. It is important to make transfer plans early to ensure a smooth transition into the university program.

Transfer Tips

(not necessarily in the order to be accomplished):

  1. Visit Valencia’s Career Center and clarify your career goals.
  2. Make use of Valencia’s online LifeMap Tools to assist in your career and education planning.
  3. Follow the degree pathways listed in the degree pathways section of this catalog.  These list the Common Program Prerequisites (CPPs) needed to begin at the university in the particular degree program/major.
  4. If you plan to transfer to UCF, see the DirectConnect to UCF entry in this catalog; you can indicate your plans to transfer to UCF by completing the Change of Program/Major form, found in Atlas, in order to participate in DirectConnect to UCF.
  5. Upon completion of 45 college-level credits, complete a degree audit in your Atlas account and discuss it with an academic advisor, program advisor, or career program advisor.
  6. Use https://www.flvc.org/ -- the State of Florida’s online advising system -- which includes planning outlines for each major as well as information on admission, financial aid, scholarships and special programs.
  7. Make use of the website of the college/university to which you plan to transfer.
  8. Find out if the program you plan to pursue at the university is a limited access program that might have additional admission requirements such as completion of specific courses, minimum grade point average, minimum test scores, an interview, an audition, submission of a portfolio and/or deadlines.
  9. Be certain of the foreign language requirement(s) of the institution you want to attend; some institutions and some majors have both admission and graduation foreign language requirements.
  10. Submit your application for admission as early as possible; many universities recommend applying one year in advance. Check with the university of your choice for priority application deadlines. The application for the Florida state universities is available online through https://www.floridashines.org/
  11. Take a campus tour of the transfer institution.
  12. Apply for graduation from Valencia through your Atlas account for the term in which you will complete your degree with all graduation requirements met. (See the Important Dates and Deadlines calendar for the graduation application deadline.)
  13. Check into on-campus and/or off-campus housing at the transfer institution.  Housing applications should be submitted as soon as possible.  Some institutions accept housing applications a year in advance. 
  14. Check with the admissions office at the transfer institution concerning required documentation of immunization (a requirement of all state universities).