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Student Services

Academic Advising

The mission of Gulf Coast State College’s academic advising program is to engage all students in dynamic academic and career planning.  The advising program has been developed that enables students to partner with experts in the academic fields related to student’s field of study or career choice.  All students must consult with an academic adviser located in the E.A. Gardner Advising Center prior to registering for first semester classes.

Every first time student at Gulf Coast State College will meet with a Master Adviser who will assist the student in the transition to college and aid in scheduling the student’s first semester courses.  Master Advisers will assign a Primary Adviser for each student based upon the student’s chosen field of study.

During the student’s first semester of classes, the student will schedule a meeting with the Primary Adviser to map out the student’s educational plan.  The student’s assigned Primary Adviser will continue to work with the student throughout the student’s academic career at Gulf Coast.

Students may change their major for a current term through the initial drop/add deadline for the term.  Any change of major initiated after the drop/add deadline will be processed and applied to the subsequent term.  The E.A. Gardner Advising Center is located in the Enrollment Services Building.

Students who have a declared transfer track or academic major may register for classes without consulting an academic adviser provided they have;

• Completed three credit hours of college-level courses at GCSC.
• Are not on academic probation or suspension.
• Are not pursuing the GEN-AA major.

First-time students are not allowed to register without consulting an academic adviser.

Placement Testing

All students entering college credit programs are required to take some form of basic testing for placement in English, reading, and mathematics. Students may meet this requirement several ways.  Students may use ACT or SAT scores for placement provided the scores are less than two years old and meet state-mandated minimum score levels.  If ACT or SAT scores are lower than the state-mandated minimum scores, the student must take the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) for placement.  The CPT is how most students meet the testing requirement.  If a student transfers college-level mathematics credit and/or college-level English composition credit to GCSC, the student has completed the testing requirement in that specific discipline and must test only in the area he or she is deficient.  College-level English composition credit supersedes the need for placement in reading.  Transfer students need to have their transcripts evaluated by the Transcript Coordinator to determine whether it is required to take any of the tests.  Arrangements for disabled students needing special testing conditions are made in the Office of Disability Support Services.

 Computerized placement tests are available for a fee and results are available immediately after testing. Students can pay the fee in the college's Bookstore or Business Office and take the receipt to the testing official in the CPT Lab located in the Enrollment Services Building, Room 129. Computerized placement tests are also available at the North Bay Center, Tyndall Air Force Base Center, and the Gulf/Franklin Center.

Placement test schedules are available at the Information Desk in the Student Union East Building, the Office of Admissions and Records, the Bookstore, the CPT Lab, and on the college website (www.gulfcoast.edu); under Prospective Students click on the testing option. 

TABE tests are given for students in PSAV programs and the Passport Program.  Students testing for PSAV programs can test on campus, at the North Bay Center, or at the Gulf/Franklin Center.  Students in the Passport Program are tested on the main campus.

Bookstore

Gulf Coast State College maintains a bookstore in the Student Union West. The bookstore sells new and used books, school supplies, and Commodore apparel. The book­store is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters.  Bookstore hours during summer terms vary from those listed above. Books for Gulf/Franklin Center classes are sold at the Gulf/Franklin Center Bookstore Monday through Friday.  During the final exam period of each semester, the bookstore at the main campus will buy back select titles from students.

PAY4PRINT

A Pay4Print system is installed in all computer labs and in the library. The logon to the system can be found on the Oasis homepage, and will be the same logon ID as the student email, using only the initials and randomly generated number. (You may also access the information by going to www.gulfcoast.edu and clicking on Student Resources and then on Pay4Print.) Students will be required to add money to their print accounts before they are able to print. In labs where students are paying a lab fee, students will not be required to pay for print in those labs during class time.

Funds can be added to student print accounts by credit or debit card with a minimum of $5 or at patron kiosks or bill acceptors on the Panama City campus at the third floor Library Circulation Desk, the lobby of the Technology Building, and the lobby of the Student Union West Building outside the Bookstore. Bill acceptors are also located at the Gulf Franklin Center in room B108, at the Tyndall AFB Center in room 34, and at the North Bay Center in the EOC student break room. Black & white copies will be 5 cents and color copies will be 20 cents. There will be no refund on any portion of unused prints.

Library

The GCSC library provides comprehensive library services, including  research assistance, library instruction, reserve materials, and interlibrary loan.  Virtual reference chat is available all hours the library is open.  These services may also be accessed via the “Library” link at www.gulfcoast.edu.  The Library’s resources include print and electronic books and journals and access to over 130 databases.  In addition to college-owned resources, the staff will help obtain materials from other libraries. Group and quiet study areas are complemented by computers for students to access the catalog and other online resources.  Wireless internet access and wireless printing are available within the building.

College‐Level Academic Skills (CLAS)

All students are required to demonstrate the mastery of college‐level academic skills in communication and computation in order to receive the Associate in Arts degree. Florida Statutes and State Board of Education Rules designate the following options for students to exhibit the mastery of these competencies:

Communication Competency

• Achieving a score of 500 on the verbal portion of the SAT
• Achieving a score of 22 on the reading portion and a score of 21 on the English portion of the ACT
• Achieving a 2.5 GPA in ENC1101 and ENC1102 and/or Humanities III (earning a minimum of a “B” and “C” in two of these courses)

Computation Competency

• Achieving a score of 500 on the quantitative portion of the SAT
• Achieving a score of 21 on the mathematics portion of the ACT
• Achieving a 2.5 GPA in two college-level mathematics courses (MAC, MGF or STA)

Assessment (CLEP)

Computerized College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests are given at scheduled times by appointment. Registration for the test is required before the test is administered. The CLEP testing schedule is available in the Enrollment Services Building, Room 128 or on the college website (www.gulfcoast.edu) under Prospective Students and click on the testing option.

Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students (FACTS)

Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students (FACTS) is a network that provides access to many resources of Florida's higher education institutions. FACTS offers a variety of student services and resources provided for convenience by the State of Florida and by the participating institutions.

Students may access the FACTS website at www.facts.org to stay aware of current degree requirements, run a graduation evaluation, access college transcripts, take career assessments, investigate Florida colleges and degrees, and apply to Florida colleges.

Web Registration

Gulf Coast State College students have the option of registering online for classes. For available registration dates, please review the College Calendar on the college’s homepage (www.gulfcoast.edu). If a student has been cleared for registration by his/her adviser, web registration is available. All prerequisite and testing requirements must be met prior to web registration. In order to sign on to web registration, a student ID number and a PIN are required.

Websites

Other websites students may find useful include:

• www.studentclearinghouse.org, download degree and/or enrollment verifications.
• www.facts.org, degree shop/copy of transcripts/apply to academic institutions.
• www.ets.org, international student information on TOEFL.
• www.collegeboard.com, order official SAT scores, CLEP/AP/IB.
• www.actstudent.org, order official ACT scores.
• www.collegesource.org, information of college and/or universities.
• www.va.gov, information on veteran student benefits.
• www.gulfcoast.edu/students/testing_center/credit_exam/default.htm, student information on CLEP/IB/AP/AICE.
• www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm, current state statutes.

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