Meetings can be scheduled with Success Coaches/Advisors using the scheduling site. You are welcome to book an In-Person or Online Appointment. Select the meeting type that best fits your needs. If you are trying to schedule an appointment with your Peer Coach, please instead use the scheduling link available for that coach on the Peer Coaches page.
- One-on-one advising from a professional Student Success Coach/Advisor who will assist with all aspects of your academic experience, including helping you successfully transition to college life, connect with campus resources, learn study skills, choose courses toward your bachelor's degree, and identify majors and careers.
- One-on-one mentoring from a student Peer Coach who will share their strategies for success, mentor you during your first year, and help you get off to a great start.
- Extra guidance your first semester as you select courses.
- Enrollment in UNIV 100–College Success Skills in your first semester to gain important skills for college and life.
In UNIV 100 College Success Skills (1 credit), students learn how to navigate the CMU campus, utilize campus resources, manage their time well, understand financial literacy, and use technology like D2L and MAVzone. Topics also include reading college-level textbooks, memory, note-taking, test-taking and stress management. Students admitted in the fall semester can choose to take the first half of this course during the MVP program in the week before school starts or take the full course during their first semester.
This course is taught by Student Success Coaches/Advisors and includes Peer Coaches sharing their successful study strategies. The course is a great opportunity to start getting to know other CMU students. Compass Program students must pass this course with a C or better within the first two attempts as a requirement to transition into a baccalaureate degree.
Yes! This courses will count toward completed credit hours and toward overall GPA. Since this course is college-level, it will count as elective credits toward graduation in any elective space available in a student's major.
No, the Compass Program is not a pre-college program; it is an academic support program that allows students to take classes toward their bachelor's degree right away while receiving additional help from Student Success & Engagement. Students can enroll in a full semester of coursework in their first semester. Depending on their test scores, students may start in all college-level classes or may start in preparatory courses in English and/or math. If required, preparatory courses will not count for graduation requirements for a bachelor's degree, but they will help students be more successful at CMU in their other classes.
Our students' schedules will look relatively the same as a baccalaureate student schedule. The UNIV 100 class is required for all of our students, but students will still be in the appropriate math, English and necessary courses for their major - just like any bachelor’s degree student. The Compass Program just provides additional support along the way in the form of study skills help, peer mentoring, and regular meetings with a Student Success Coach/Advisor and a Peer Coach.
Compass Program students can take up to 15 credits in their first semester. Most college classes require a great deal of independent work, including substantial reading and writing, so we want to give students the opportunity to adjust college-level study and time management before taking on larger course loads. If, after the first semester, taking more than 15 hours feels manageable, students are allowed to take up to 18 hours, the maximum load for all CMU/WCCC students.
MVP is designed specifically for Compass Program students. Both MVP and FYI are early start programs in the fall that allow students to start taking a class before the start of the regular semester. Both programs provide many opportunities for students to meet other people on campus and get to know the resources available to assist them.
The MVP program gives students the ability to complete the entire UNIV 100 College Success Skills in the week before the start of the fall semester. The full semester version meets once a week throughout the semester. This class is taught by the Student Success Coach/Advisor who will be working with them and acting as their academic advisor throughout their first year. MVP requires a half day of class work and provides students a half day of time to work on group projects and participate in other activities on campus. It is a great opportunity to meet other students and start getting to know their Coach/Advisor and the campus.
Compass Program students must meet with their Student Success Coach/Advisor before registering for classes or before they can change their schedule. This hold is to ensure students are taking an appropriate amount of credit hours and that courses being taken match the student's declared degree requirements. Coaches/Advisors are here to help students make good decisions about their class schedules. If you need assistance in registering for classes or changing your schedule, please contact Student Success & Engagement in person on the first floor of Lowell Heiny Hall, by phone at 970.248.1340, or by email at [email protected]. Don't forget to use your CMU email account when communicating by email.
Being admitted as a Compass Program student does NOT mean a student is on academic probation. Being in the Compass Program just means a student doesn’t quite meet the admission requirements for a bachelor’s degree at CMU, so the program provides some additional support as they transition into college.
Academic probation means that a student failed to meet the GPA standards to stay in good standing with CMU after attending one or more semesters. Students on probation must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher in the semester they are on probation in order to avoid academic suspension.
Graduating in four years is absolutely still possible in the Compass Program! It's important to do well in all courses each semester and take classes that count toward the major of their choice. All Compass Program students are required to meet with their Student Success Coach prior to registration every semester they are in the program to help plan what classes they should be taking.
Students need to enroll in around 15 college-level credits a semester to stay on a 4-year graduation track. Success & Engagement encourages students to start strong in their first semester to build confidence in their success so not every student may be advised to take 15 credits right away depending on their individual situation. Additional credits could be made up in summer sessions, over the January term, or by taking more credits in future semesters.
Students who need to take preparatory courses in math or English based on placement tests will have a few extra courses they need to take on top of those required for graduation. Changing majors can also impact time to graduation. Due to work schedules, affordability, academic rigor or time commitments outside of school, some students may choose to take around 12 credits each semester (just enough to be full-time students) and will usually take longer to graduate. Coaches discuss options and credit hours needed to graduate with students during registration meetings every semester.
Time in the Compass Program is typically 2-3 semesters. The length of time in the program depends on how many credit hours a student takes each semester, how many preparatory classes are needed, and the student’s cumulative GPA. Students need to meet the following criteria to be eligible to transition to a bachelor’s degree:
- Complete UNIV 100 with a C or higher
- Earn a 2.0 cumulative GPA at CMU
- Complete 24 college-level credit hours
- Complete or being eligible to enroll in college-level English and math
Students are offered the opportunity to meet with a Peer Coach every other week throughout their first year. Students will meet with Student Success Coaches/Advisors at least twice each semester to discuss study strategies, registration, and major/career exploration. Coaches/Advisors also check in with students anytime they are concerned about their success in a course. These meetings are an expectation of the program, and many students find they are a great resource for getting questions answered.
A Peer Coach is a current junior or senior CMU student who meets with first-year students to provide additional support and guidance. During these meetings, the student and Peer Coach build on what is taught in UNIV 100, and the Peer Coach will assist students with study skills, getting involved on campus, motivation, organization, exploring majors, goal-setting, navigating CMU technology, and letting students know about other opportunities like studying abroad or how to start a resume or get an internship. Peer Coaches are a great resource for students because they share first-hand experiences for how they have been successful at CMU. Some are even previous students from our program!
You can book an appointment with your assigned Peer Coach using their link on the Peer Coaches page.