ASK ADVISOR ALEX
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Ask Advisor Alex and Other Apt Advice for the Week of March 24, 2008

• If you don’t Withdraw from classes by the end of this week, you must stay until the end of the semester. Once the Withdrawal deadline has passed, the other option for avoiding a failing grade is to use Credit/No Credit. Talk to an advisor to learn more about your options.
• Many departmental advisors have walk-in hours in the Sylvia E. Fishman Student Center (417W) this week to talk to students about declaring their major. Go here for more information and to find out what departments will be available when: http://studentservices.hunter.cuny.edu/current/current_faculty.htm
  

Ask Advisor Alex

Dear Advisor Alex:
I am considering going to Law School after I graduate from Hunter, and my twin sister plans to go to Medical School. How do we declare Pre-Law and Pre-Med majors? Are there any specific courses we should be taking to help our applications?

Thanks,
Barrister Barry & Bio Betty                                                                                                  

Dear Barrister and Bio:
What an ambitious pair you are! You are in good company, and not just with one another. There is a large population of students at Hunter that are pre-professional, however there are no “Pre-Law” or “Pre-Med” majors. Instead, students planning to go to professional school major in a liberal arts and science field, while fulfilling the necessary prerequisite coursework for the program they plan to attend.

For pre-med students, this may mean majoring in the Biology or Chemistry department, because many of the prerequisites for medical school are also necessary for majors in those departments. However, many students choose to major outside the natural sciences, and simply complete the medical school prerequisites as part of their GER, minor or electives. For law school, there is not a set of standard prerequisites, so students generally major in one of the liberal arts fields, often concentrating on an area that is relevant to the type of law career they hope to pursue.

There is a Pre-Professional Office in 812 East, which works with students planning to attend professional school. They have advisors dedicated to pre-med and pre-law students, and they can help you choose your coursework and major, and discuss the application process:

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/arts_sci/preprofessional.shtml.

There is also a Pre-Law Society and a Pre-Med Club on campus, where you can meet other students who are entering these fields and participate in relevant activities and discussions. Contact Student Activities for information: student.activities@hunter.cuny.edu or 212-772-4908.

Get involved with the Pre-Professional Office and the student groups and you will find that they are a goldmine of information. Best of luck to both of you!

Always,
Advisor Alex

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Dear Advisor Alex:
I am planning to Withdraw from one of my classes, but haven’t been able to get a signature on the Withdrawal form from the professor because she has been out. What should I do?

Thanks,
Bailing Barney

Dear Bailing:
The deadline to Withdraw from courses is this Thursday, March 27! Luckily, the Withdrawal policy has been updated and you no longer need the instructor’s signature on the Withdrawal form to Withdraw from a class! Simply complete the form with your information and the course information, and submit it to the OASIS by the deadline.

Always,
Advisor Alex

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For more advisement information or questions:

Visit the Advising Web Site
http://studentservices.hunter.cuny.edu/advising.htm

Contact the Office of Student Services
(212) 772-4882
1119 East Building

Contact a peer advisor in the Sylvia E. Fishman Student Center
(212) 650-3282
417 West Building

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