2016-17 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2016-17 Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Registration information


Click on any of the following links for information:


Registration procedures

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New students: Students who have been accepted for admission and paid the $100 enrollment deposit will receive registration instructions in connection with the orientation program. Incoming freshmen are registered by their admissions counselor. New transfer students register via a registration worksheet for their first semester and online thereafter. A faculty adviser will assist the student in planning a program of study.

Former students: Students returning to Northwestern College after a semester or more of absence should complete the re-enrollment application, which is located at https://www.nwciowa.edu/admissions/re-enrollment .

Enrolled students: Pre-registration for enrolled students who plan to return for the next academic year is held in March/April for the fall term and in October/November for the spring semester. Enrolled students who pre-register and later decide not to return to school in the fall must notify the registrar’s office before July 1 of the school year. Students registered for second semester must notify the registrar’s office of their cancellation before classes start in January. Failure to notify the registrar’s office will result in forfeiting the $100 enrollment deposit.

All students: Class attendance is not permitted until registration is completed with the registrar’s office and financial arrangements made with the business office.

Generally students must fulfill the academic requirements that were in effect when they first enrolled at Northwestern College (see graduation section of catalog). If requirements change, students may choose to fulfill the requirements of a subsequent catalog. The college reserves the right to change requirements and also has the right to cancel classes if registration is insufficient.

Change of registration - adding & dropping courses

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All course changes can be made in the registrar’s office or online through MyNorthwestern before the deadline listed in the academic calendar. Appropriate signatures must accompany the Change in Registration form. No refund will be given after the 5th day of classes.

Class attendance

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Since a student benefits from regular class attendance and suffers if class is missed often, it is incumbent upon the student to attend regularly and to finalize their academic program as early in the term as possible. Regular class attendance is essential to scholarship. Each faculty member establishes their own attendance policy. Students shall inform instructors of any anticipated class absences. Penalties or makeup privileges shall be left to the discretion of the instructor. Instructors may reduce grades for absences, particularly if the nature of the class procedure depends on student participation. If such a reduction may be made, it shall be so stated in the course syllabus.

Only registered students may attend class sessions, including on-site and online. A student who allows another to establish or maintain attendance, participate in course activities, or complete coursework in their stead is subject to the college’s Academic Dishonesty policy.

In order to comply with the U.S. Department of Education regulations, the college is required to document whether or not a student begins attendance in enough credit hours to support the full-time or part-time enrollment status for which Title IV federal funds are awarded and disbursed. Students who have not begun attendance, or who have not participated in an academically-related activity, in a registered course by the 5th day of classes will receive notification from the registrar’s office to either attend class or drop it. Students who have not established attendance in a registered course by the 7th day of classes will be administratively dropped from the course by the registrar’s office. The registrar’s office will notify the financial aid office if the schedule change affects a student’s enrollment status.

As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, an “academically-related activity” includes, but is not limited to:

  • Physically attending the class
  • Submitting an academic assignment
  • Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction
  • Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution
  • Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
  • Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course

Withdrawal procedure

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Students who wish to withdraw from college during a term must obtain a withdrawal form from the student development office and complete the withdrawal process by obtaining the necessary signatures. Students will be granted honorable dismissal and receive W’s in their registered courses provided the withdrawal process is completed within the time limit for dropping courses (the 25th class day of the term for half semester courses or the 50th class day for full semester courses). Determination of tuition, room and board refunds is based upon the date the student initiates the withdrawal process.

A student who is unable to complete a term’s course work due to serious physical, emotional or psychological distress may qualify for special consideration. Such students must be recommended by the director of counseling services to the dean of student life or the provost, who have the authority to make voluntary or involuntary medical leave decisions and to authorize other college officials (i.e., financial aid, comptroller) to make decisions based on contextual or individual circumstances. Such students leaving prior to the deadline for dropping classes with a “W” will withdraw from the college with W’s for all courses, as would any other student.

A student who is withdrawing under the special withdrawal policy after the official drop deadline may be granted W’s for all courses or (with the professor’s approval) incompletes for all courses. Students taking an “I” will have until four weeks following the end of that term to complete the course work. If the course is not completed, the grade for that course will revert to a “W.”

Students who leave college without completing the official withdrawal process (or after the deadline for dropping courses) may not be granted honorable dismissal. A grade of “F” is given in each course in which they were registered.

Note: All completed withdrawal forms must be returned to the Student Development Office within two weeks of notifying either the Registrar’s Office or the Student Development Office of the student’s intent to withdraw from college. If this two-week period falls within the last two weeks of the term, the completed withdrawal form must be returned by the last day of classes.

Transcripts

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The registrar’s office at Northwestern College is using Transcripts on Demand (TOD) by eSCRIP-SAFE, which enables delivery of your official transcript electronically as well as through regular or overnight mail. The electronic option is recommended because it is quick, easy and environmentally friendly. Processing of transcript requests takes place during normal business hours. In accordance with federal law, your transcript cannot be released without your signature. 

  • If you have access to MyNWC, login and click on the Academics tab, Transcripts link, and go to the Official Transcript portlet.
  • If you do not have access to MyNWC, you will first need to set up your account with TOD.

Transcript of credits earned in high school or other colleges are not available for distribution by Northwestern College. These transcripts must be requested from the school awarding the credit. For information on ACT or SAT scores, students should inquire at their high school. Transcripts may be held if there are unmet outstanding financial obligations to Northwestern College.
Academic transcripts are not available for Continuing Education Units (CEUs), such as the non-credit coaching authorization.

 

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