Individualized Academic Plans are the best way a student can figure out how their college experience could be laid out, especially with CSU Bakersfield’s switch to the semester system next fall. However, many students are approaching their IAPs as a rule book they cannot deviate from, and it’s causing scheduling issues for those who cannot get into the classes they need or want to take for fun.
First, students are avoiding changing their schedule assigned by their academic advisers. Most often, they’re scared that any hiccup in scheduling will affect them drastically in the long run, when the IAPs should be looked at more like a map. An adviser may point out the simplest or fastest route, but there are others that will get you to your destination as well. To avoid confusion, students should request a list of when these classes will be available in the future, or alternates if they have to fulfill a certain requirement. If they cannot get a certain class now, they can adjust accordingly, and quickly in case their adviser isn’t available as soon as the student needs them. This happens most often in the beginning of a quarter when the advisers are in high demand and their scheduling is full.
Second, some students take their IAPs as a list of classes they will be taking, and think they cannot take any others. The college experience, first and foremost is to educate the student who is willing to go above and beyond their high school education. To limit the college experience to a list of requirements set in stone is absurd. Minors and themes already expand past the requirements of a major, and intend to create a well-rounded student, but sometimes this isn’t enough.
To refer back to the map metaphor, students shouldn’t be afraid to take “pit stops” in classes outside of their requirements if the subject is something they may be interested in.
Often, our staff will meet fellow communications majors who aspire to some sort of journalism position, or even want to just try it out for fun, but because The Runner class is not part of their IAP requirements, they don’t enroll in the course.
College should be an experience that empowers and transforms a student, not something that should be holding their interests hostage. The Individualized Academic Plans are in place to help you achieve, but they’re just that: plans. Plans can change.
