The University of Toledo

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Why am I in Gateway Programs?

2.  How do I declare my major?

3.  How long can I stay in Gateway Programs?

4.  How do I know when to register for next semester and what classes to take?

5.  If I am undecided, what classes should I take?

6.  Where do I find out which classes are required for a certain major?

7.  What if I don’t know what to major in?

8.  What if I have a hold saying “Needs to declare a major”?

9.  What if I don’t have the GPA to get into the major I want to declare?

10.  Will I have an assigned academic adviser?

11.  Because I am undecided on a major, will it take me longer to graduate?

12.  How do I know which courses count as Core Requirements?

13.  I am a transfer student.  What classes will transfer?

14.  What is the procedure and/or date to Add, Drop, or withdraw form a course?

15.  I want to go to school full-time.  How many hours should I take?

16.  How do I qualify for Financial Aid?  How do I apply?

17.   How do I pay my bill? Can I pay in monthly installments?

18.   How do I make an appointment to see an advisor in Gateway Programs?

19.   How do I cancel an appointment?

1.  Why am I in Gateway Programs?

a.)  You are undecided (one of the biggest “majors” on campus).  One our five students enter college as undecided.
OR
b.)  You didn’t meet the admission requirements to be in the major of your choice.

It could be because:

• You don’t have enough credits in math or chemistry from high school
• You haven’t taken the ACT or SAT test
• Your high school GPA was not high enough to meet the requirements of the major.

Once you meet the required college GPA and have the necessary college courses/credit hours, you may declare your desired major .

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2.  How do I declare my major?

Make sure you meet the GPA and course requirements to declare the major. Then call the college office of the major you want to pursue and make an appointment. See the GPA and course requirements at our Choosing a Major Next Steps page.

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3.  How long can I stay in Gateway Programs?

While there are no official limits, after three semesters with Gateway Programs, you will no longer be eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid. Once you establish a UT GPA and meet the GPA requirements of your intended major, we will help you transition into the college that houses that major. You should declare your major as soon as you meet the requirements.

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4.  How do I know when to register for next semester and what classes to take?

First semester students:
Advisors come to your Orientation class to explain the registration process, registration policies, resources available and to make appointments to discuss your course options with you.

Continuing or transfer students:
Make an appointment with your Gateway Programs advisor well ahead of your priority registration date http://www.utoledo.edu/offices/registrar/registration_dates.html

Registration is based on the earned hours completed prior to the current semester. This is found on your UT transcript on the MyUT portal. http://myut.utoledo.edu

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5.  If I am undecided, what classes should I take?

See a Gateway Programs advisor. You will be taking classes from UT’s core curriculum offerings to help you meet university requirements for a degree. Our advisors can help you work toward that degree while keeping your options for a major open as long as possible.

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6.  Where do I find out which classes are required for a certain major?

 There are several places:

• The University of Toledo’s General Catalog lists all degree requirements and course descriptions at www.utoledo.edu/catalog/. 
• On the UT homepage under Find a Major/College & Program. Scroll down to the second page to see the suggested semester by semester plan of courses for each major. www.utoledo.edu
• See the Degree Audit Requirements on your MyUT Portal under My Records. There is even a tutorial to help you understand how to read your Degree Audit. http://myut.utoledo.edu
• Visit your Gateway Programs adviser or the appropriate college student services office for further information.

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7.  What if I don’t know what to major in?

There are several options:

1. Look at the UT homepage for a list of majors and their course requirements.
2. Use the http://www.onetonline.org/ Occupational Information Network (O*NET) sponsored by the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration to explore occupations
3. Look at the Career Services website for lots of resources http://www.utoledo.edu/utlc/career/index.html
4. Use the FOCUS self assessment on the Career Services website to explore your options
5. Talk to a Career Services counselor, SU 1532 or call 419.530.4341
6. Do Informational Interviews with people you know in a field you are considering
7. Talk to your Gateway Programs advisor to find out the competitive GPA requirements (i.e. for majors in the health fields)
8. Take the AL 1120 class – Career and Self Exploration – this is strongly suggested if you are still undecided after the first semester.

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8.  What if I have a hold saying “Needs to declare a major”?

This means you should go declare a major now. This is especially important if you use Financial Aid. You may only be considered undecided for 3 semesters in any college/program and still receive aid. Many colleges within UT also require that you be in their college as a requirement for graduation and before you are allowed to take upper division coursework in their college. You should declare your major as soon as you qualify. Note: You will then be meeting with an advisor in your new major to select courses for the next semester, although, the new major code may not show up on your transcript until the beginning of the next semester.

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9.  What if I don’t have the college GPA to get into the major I want to declare?

Discuss this with your advisor. You may have to decide on a different major or risk not receiving aid if you can’t get into your 1^st choice of majors within 3 semesters. This can also prolong time to graduation.

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10.  Will I have an assigned academic adviser?

First Year Students. Yes, student in Gateway Programs will have an assigned advisor based on the orientation class they were in during their first semester at UT. The advisor comes into class during the semester to help students learn about registration policies and procedures, as well as to help students pick out and register for classes. If you don’t remember who your advisor is just call our office between 8:15 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 419.530.1250 to find out.

Transfer students may meet with any Gateway Programs advisor.

After declaring your major. Once you have officially declared your major you will have a new advisor within your new major/college at UT. You may call that college office for advisor contact information.

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11.  Because I am undecided on a major, will it take me longer to graduate?

You will be focusing on the core curriculum for the university. However, some majors are sequential and require students to begin coursework in the major right away. Majors heavily dependent on Math prerequisites, engineering for example, depend a great deal on where you placed in Math. Those types of majors may take extra time to graduate, not because you are in Gateway Programs, but because of your level of math and the need to catch up in Math before you can go onto other types of classes in your major. If this is a concern, discuss this with your academic advisor.

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12.  How do I know which courses count as Core Requirements?

The University of Toledo’s General Catalog lists the core requirements for any bachelor’s degree. http://www.utoledo.edu/catalog/index.html

Gateway Programs has a list of available core requirements each semester and your advisor can assist you in selecting the appropriate core classes.

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13.  I am a transfer student.  What classes will transfer?

In state, You will receive a transfer credit evaluation after you have been admitted and UT has received your official transcripts. This evaluation may take 3-4 weeks during peak times for admission – just prior to the start of the semester. You may go www.transfer.org/uselect/login.htm to see how your classes will transfer from one university to another within Ohio.

Out of state or out of country transcripts. will take longer and may require the syllabi from your classes at your prior institution for each course taken. You may submit these syllabi to your Gateway Programs advisor when you meet with them.

Classes taken prior to Fall 2005. If you took classes at a previous institution prior to Fall 2005, you must also have received a grade of “C” or better in each course to receive transfer credit at UT.

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14.  What is the procedure and/or date to Add, Drop, or withdraw form a course?

Talk to your advisor before attempting to add, drop or withdraw from a course on your own, as there may be financial and academic implications. This is especially true if this is your first year at UT.

See the Registrar’s website for add/drop/withdraw deadline dates. http://www.utoledo.edu/offices/registrar/registration_dates.html

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15.  I want to go to school full-time.  How many hours should I take?

Full time for financial aid is 12 – 16 credit hours, however, to finish a 4-year degree in 4 years, you should take a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester and pass all attempted classes. 

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16.  How do I qualify for Financial Aid?  How do I apply? 

Go to the UT Financial Aid web site for all the information.    www.utoledo.edu/financialaid

There is also a tutorial for how to apply for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the MyUT Portal. It is in the upper right hand corner under “? Help” (beside the logout button). Look for MyUT tutorials.

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17.  How do I pay my bill? Can I pay in monthly installments?

Go to the Treasurer’s Office website www.utoledo.edu/offices/treasurer

Go to My Accounts after logging into the MyUT portal http://myut.utoledo.edu

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18.  How do I make an appointment to see an advisor in Gateway Programs?

Stop in Rocket Hall 1400 or call 419.530.1250 between 8:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday to make an appointment.

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19.  How do I cancel an appointment?

Call 419.530.1250 or email (gatewayprograms@utoledo.edu) the office and leave a message 24 hours a day. Be sure to speak clearly.

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