Academic Advisement
Northwest provides all undergraduate students with personalized advising that ensures their individual major and career goals are aligned and supported. First-year student academic advisement is decentralized in academic departments/schools and includes a combination of professional and faculty advisors. The personalized advising approach supports students as they transition and includes:
- assistance with course selection and student registration
- connections to campus resources
- introduction to profession-based experiences to support their major
Select students may be required to work with a success coach as part of his/her academic recovery plan, however, success coaching is available optionally to all students.
Students are expected to read the regulations in the University catalog and adhere to them. The student is responsible for knowing the regulations and policies and for meeting the requirements for a degree or certificate.
General Registration
A registration period is set aside, with published dates and time schedules, preceding the beginning of courses for each semester or session. Registration instructions are available on the Registrar’s website. Off-campus and off-schedule courses have specific registration deadlines which may differ from the regular registration periods.
Preregistration
The University provides a period for currently enrolled students to preregister for classes during regular terms.
A student who has preregistered and does not return for the term must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing before the date of general registration so that his or her enrollment can be cancelled (email: registrar@nwmissouri.edu). Students who fail to meet the deadline must complete withdrawal as outlined in Adding, Dropping, and Withdrawals and are subject to fees.
Students receiving veterans’ benefits should consult with the coordinator of Veterans’ Affairs prior to withdrawal.
Deciding Major and/or Degree Objective
The student who is undecided about a major or pre-professional interest, or perhaps about both, should look upon the freshman year, and perhaps also the sophomore year, as exploratory.
New students who have not yet made a decision on what major to pursue are asked to declare a Meta-Major, which is a set of coursework designed to get the student to an academic goal in the fastest and most efficient way. The four Meta-Majors to choose from include: Business, Education, Sciences, and University Studies. If one of the first three areas does not fit the student, selecting the University Studies Meta-Major provides additional time for exploration and deliberation on a major while earning Northwest Core credits. All students are required to complete 44 hours of Northwest Core coursework, and 4 hours of Institutional Requirements, so the Meta-Major assists in providing the framework needed to make a final decision.
Verification
Students are required to verify registration through CatPAWS by supplying information in regard to local address, emergency contacts, and other pertinent data prior to the first day of class. Enrollment will be cancelled for students who do not verify by the published deadline.