Advising
The OC Pathways Advising Center provides information about getting started in college as well as degree planning, class schedules and other basic facts about the campus and programs of study. The OC Pathways Advising Center staff is available to assist potential and current students with general questions about the college.
Academic advising is an important part of the registration process that takes place in advance of actual registration. Each student has a reason for attending Odessa College and should plan his or her course of study accordingly. Student Academic Success Coaches and faculty are available to assist students in academic planning and academic advising.
In addition to helping students plan class schedules and take courses needed for degree completion or transfer preparation, Student Academic Success Coaches can provide insight, encouragement and referral services for students to make good decisions and to fulfill their individual educational goals.
The OC Pathways Advising Center also exists to help students make decisions and solve problems. Some of the services available to students are academic advisement, admissions/transfer information, crisis referral, and help with career guidance.
Assistance is free and confidential. Any problems or concerns that interfere with the attainment of academic, career, technical, and workforce or personal goals can be discussed with a Student Academic Success Coach.
The center is located in Room 204 of the Saulsbury Campus Center. Students can schedule an appointment with a Student Academic Success Coach by calling 432-335-6433, but walk-in students are also accommodated. Periodically, special activities, programs and structured group experiences will be offered as well. Online advising is also available by appointment.
Registration Process
Registration
The college designates specific dates and times for registration for upcoming semester or summer sessions. Exact dates and times of each registration event are published in the Academic Calendar for each semester. By state law, there is a deadline for registering for college classes. The last day to register for a course is the first day the course meets in that term.
Students are strongly encouraged to utilize the web-based registration. New students (first time in college or transfer students) and returning students who have not enrolled in credit classes at OC within the last calendar year must complete the application or reapplication process before registering for classes. Special information sessions for new students are held regularly. For more information call the OC Pathways Advising Center at 432-335-6400.
In most cases, students who are enrolled at OC or who have been enrolled within the past calendar year are automatically eligible to participate in registration activities online through Student Planner. All fees due for registration must be paid in full at the time designated for each semester in the Academic Calendar. Students are responsible to drop or withdraw from any course the student does not pay for or does not intend to attend.
Students who return to OC after one or more semesters of non-enrollment in credit classes must verify the accuracy of their contact information, reaffirm residency status for tuition purposes, and supply appropriate transcripts if the student has attended any other college or university since first admission to OC.
Academic Fresh Start
Under the provisions of the Texas Education Code Section 51.931 a Texas resident applying for admission to Odessa College may elect to have ALL course work earned ten years prior to the requested enrollment date ignored for purposes of enrollment. For additional information regarding “Academic Fresh Start,” contact the Records Office, Saulsbury Campus Center, 432-335-6404.
Developmental Classes
Students whose test scores do not demonstrate college readiness in an area will be advised by a Student Academic Success Coach as to the appropriate developmental course sequence for each area where developmental work is indicated. Students will be provided with a course of study plan clearly showing all developmental work to be completed to allow students to advance to college-level course work.
Students must begin appropriate developmental work the first semester of enrollment. Those who do not make a passing score in any of the three areas will be advised to enroll for appropriate developmental course work in at least two of the three skill areas. Enrollment according to the student’s developmental plan will be continuous by semester until college readiness is documented by their grades or test scores. Students who present test scores showing only one area of deficiency are required to enroll in appropriate coursework in that area the first semester of enrollment and continue until college readiness is documented by their grades or by placement (TSIA) test scores.
Extension, Off-Campus, Workforce, and Continuing Education Registration
Students who attend classes at extension centers are strongly encouraged to register using the Student Planner system after consulting with their Student Academic Success Coach. Students in certain allied health fields will be registered by their Student Academic Success Coach. These students must consult their Academic Success Coach for authorization to register on the Student Planner and/or to request to be registered for the appropriate courses.
To register for workforce and/or continuing education classes, contact the Continuing Education Office in person in Gregory D. Williams Hall, by phone, (432)335-6580, or by email.
Audit of Credit Classes
Students who want to register for a regular credit class on an audit basis must adhere to the following regulations:
- A student may not register for an audit until the first class day.
- Audit permission must be obtained from the appropriate department chair and the Registrar.
- There must be seats available before an auditing student will be permitted to enter a particular class.
- Auditing students are not required to meet course prerequisites listed in the catalog.
- Students auditing a course may not under any circumstances claim credit for the course.
- A student registering for a course may not change from audit to credit or from credit to audit after the census day. Requests for status change must be made in the Records Office.
- Charges for auditing a course are the same as for regular registration.
Students 65 years of age and older who are residents of Ector County qualify for exemption of tuition, student services fees, and activity fees for up to six (6) credit hours per semester on a space-available basis, as described above.
Veterans
Veterans interested in taking advantage of their benefits to pursue or further their education are encouraged to contact the veteran’s office at Odessa College. As with the other programs, students are strongly encouraged to inquire into the possible benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs as far in advance of the semester of planned attendance as possible. This procedure facilitates the coordination of educational claims for benefits between OC and the regional VA office and avoids delays that could occur in the award cycle. The Veteran’s Office is a component of the OC Pathways Advising Center located in Room 202B of the Saulsbury Campus Center. Veteran students are responsible for following all regulations of the VA and for notifying both the regional VA office in Muskogee and the OC Veteran’s Office of any change in enrollment that may affect their educational benefits. Students must see the Veteran Coordinator prior to registration or add/drop to obtain permission.
Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,’ amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection € that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019 at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to education assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.
In accordance with Title 38 Code 3679(e), Odessa College adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 GI Bill®* (Ch. 33) or Vocational Readiness and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. Odessa College will not:
- Prevent the student’s enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
- Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding; or,
- Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the intuition.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
- Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
- Provide a written request to be certified; or,
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill
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