FAQs
We know you have a lot of questions!
After you submit your tuition deposit, you will begin to receive more information about UNC Asheville via your UNC Asheville email account. Your acceptance letter will include a list of "next steps"--things to do and things to know now that you've decided to attend UNC Asheville.
It's important for you to begin your education learning as much as you can in preparation for starting your first semester at UNC Asheville. Review the information below, and if you still want more information about any of these topics, let us know-we're here to help!
What do I do after I've been admitted?
What do I need to do to apply for financial aid?
When will I get more information about living on campus, registering for classes, and campus life?
Which courses do freshmen take?
How many hours should I register for?
Which math course should I take?
Which foreign language course should I take?
Which writing course should I take?
How do I register for classes?
Are courses "weighted" differently in my GPA like they are in high school?
Are there support services offered to help me with my classes if I need it?
Do I have to sign up to come to embark?
What if I can't come to embark?
Who lives in the residence halls and what is it like?
How can I get involved in student organizations?
Are there on-campus jobs available?
What do I do after I've been admitted?
Your letter from Admissions will tell you what your next steps are. If you're sure you want to attend UNC Asheville, you'll need to submit your Enrollment Deposit Form. If you're still unsure that UNC Asheville is the place for you, we encourage you to visit campus.
What do I need to do to apply for financial aid?
If you wish to apply for Financial Assistance, the priority filing deadline is March 1, 2012. The first step in applying for financial aid is completing your FAFSA. When completing your FAFSA, be sure to list UNC Asheville's school code: 002907. Your tuition deposit must be received and posted to your student account before your Financial Aid award will be granted.
All UNC Asheville Financial Aid correspondence is done electronically; please check your UNC Asheville email account frequently to stay informed about Financial Aid Information.
If you have additional questions about applying for or receiving Financial Aid, visit the Office of Financial Aid.
When will I get more information about living on campus, registering for classes, and campus life?
Once you have been admitted to UNC Asheville, you will receive a letter from the Residential Education and Housing Operations (REHO) Office to give you information about your housing options. All new freshmen are required to live on-campus. The application for on-campus housing is available via your OnePort account.
Which courses do freshmen take?
Freshmen take a variety of courses, but they are limited to those taught at the 100- or 200-levels. Most of your first-year courses will satisfy requirements within the Integrative Liberal Studies program, which is a core group of courses all students are required to complete regardless of academic major.
All freshmen take an LSIC 179, which is an introductory course called Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium (LSIC). This course is designed to introduce you to the liberal arts environment and assist you in adjusting to college life. Your LSIC instructor will also be your academic advisor until you declare your major. Additionally, many of these classes have an upper level student serving as the class mentor. A listing of these courses are available at the ILS website.
Most freshmen take 4 or 5 classes during their first semester. Besides their LSIC course, they usually take one course in their intended major (or an area they would like to learn more about), and 2 or 3 courses that fulfill ILS requirements. You will learn more about all of these requirements at embark. For additional resources to help you plan your schedule and understand the ILS requirements, visit our Freshman Advising Resources.
How many hours should I register for?
Most students take around 15 semester hours each semester. To be a full-time student, you must take at least 12 semester hours. Unlike high school, college courses have semester credit hours associated with them. While most courses are three (3) credit hour courses, some courses, such as many of the Health and Fitness courses, carry one (1) semester hour credit, while others, such as science and math courses are 4 or 5 semester hours. The number of credit hours a course is worth is roughly the number of hours it meets each week.
Credits earned through AP or IB tests fulfill requirements just like their UNC Asheville equivalents. For instance, all students are required to fulfill our Academic Writing requirement. At UNC Asheville, students take LANG 120 to fulfill this requirement. If you took the Language & Composition or Literature & Composition AP tests and scored a 5, you will receive credit for LANG 120. This means you have fulfilled the Academic Writing requirement in the same way as students who take LANG 120 here. You can find equivalency information about AP credit and IB credit in the UNC Asheville Catalog.
Which math course should I take?
Some majors require that you take a specific math course. You can find that information by looking at our ILS Advising Sheets by Major. If you are uncertain about your major, you may want to postpone taking your math course, especially if you are considering a major in the sciences. If your major doesn't require a specific math course, the Mathematics Department has online information about course selection and a placement test - check it out to help you decide!
Which foreign language course should I take?
UNC Asheville requires all students to demonstrate proficiency through the second introductory level of a foreign language. This can be done either through a placement exam, AP exam, or completion of the appropriate level course work. At UNC Asheville, students can choose from French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Portuguese and Spanish. Students who wish to use French, Spanish, or Latin to fulfill this requirement and have had previous exposure to their chosen language should take a Foreign Language Placement exam, which is offered through our Foreign Language Department. Students who have scores of 3 or higher on the Spanish, French, German or Latin AP exams do not have to take the foreign language test unless they plan on continuing in that language.
Which writing course should I take?
Unless you have AP or college transfer credit, all freshmen register for Language 120. You may take this during the Fall or Spring semester.
How do I register for classes?
We will pre-register you for 1 or 2 classes based upon your intended major (which is indicated on your embark RSVP submission). You will register for additional classes during embark. We have set aside schedule readjustment periods for later in the summer to allow you to make adjustments as any AP/IB scores are reported. You will also be able to adjust your schedule when you arrive on campus for the beginning of the semester; this will last through the Drop/Add period, which ends on the 5th day of class in the semester.
To log into OnePort, you will need to go here, choose "First Time Login" link (located underneath the OnePort Links heading in the top right corner) and enter the user name and UNC Asheville ID number from your admission letter. You will use OnePort to review your Financial Aid status and any transfer credit or test score information prior to embark, and you will receive more information at embark about how to register for classes.
Are courses "weighted" differently in my GPA like they are in high school?
College courses are not weighted by level of difficulty - like as Honors or AP classes in high school. They are, however, weighted by the semester hours credit associated with the course, and thus count differently in your GPA. For example, a 3-hour B+ will affect your GPA more than a 1-hour B+ will affect it.
The quality points earned for each course is multiplied by the semester hours credit. Your total quality points are divided by the total semester hours credit. For example, if you have an A in Econ 101 (3 semester hours) and a B in Astronomy 105 (5 semester hours), you would multiply 4 X 3 cr. hrs and 3 X 5 cr. hrs. for a quality point total of 27. Divide 27 by 8 to get 3.375 - your Grade Point Average (GPA). Please see the Academic Policies section of the UNC Asheville Catalog for more information.
Are there support services offered to help me with my classes if I need it?
Every faculty member has office hours when students can stop by for help in class or just to talk. If you find you need more assistance, you can contact Advising & Learning Support to learn more about the Peer Tutoring Program. Peer Tutors are UNC Asheville students who have been trained to work with students in particular courses. If you need assistance with a mathematics course, you should go by the Math Lab and if you need help with a writing project in any course, make an appointment at the Writing Center. Not only are these great resources to help you succeed, they're also free!
All new freshmen and transfer students should attend embark. Embark is a necessary part of your transition to UNC Asheville and provide you with all the information you need to know to further your education at UNC Asheville.
For Fall 2012, you need to plan to attend one of the embark sessions scheduled for June 2012. We offer 3 over-night embark orientation sessions for incoming freshmen (see below). You must submit your RSVP for embark to reserve a space for any of these sessions, which are open until filled.
June 11-12
June 14-15
June 18-19
Plan to spend the entire 2-day session with us - we have a lot to address as we work with you to prepare you for Fall 2012.
Do I have to sign up to come to embark?
In order to attend embark, you must RSVP. We need to know in advance if you plan to attend so we can make sure we can schedule you an appointment with an academic advisor. You must submit your RSVP for embark online.
What if I can't come to embark?
You should know that attendance at embark is required for a successful transition to UNC Asheville. Please contact our Orientation Office at orient@unca.edu if you have concerns about your ability to attend embark.
Who lives in the residence halls and what is it like?
Students of all classifications may live on campus; freshmen are required to live on campus. Living on campus gives you more than just a room - it's convenient and provides you with a lot of activities and resources! For more information, click here.
For the health of the environment and students' budgets, freshmen are not permitted to have cars on campus. For more information, please visit the Transportation website.
How can I get involved in student organizations?
We are excited about your decision to join the UNC Asheville community and look forward to your campus involvement. There are academic, social, and special interest student organizations, on-campus jobs, service learning opportunities, and outdoor opportunities. For more information, visit the Student Affairs website.
Are there on-campus jobs available?
The Career Center coordinates on-campus employment and can also help you find off-campus jobs and internships.