Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started at North?
Welcome to North! Once you have applied to the college, be sure to complete the remaining Steps to Admissions & Enrollment. Please have your English and math placement test complete before meeting with an advisor. If you have completed a prior college English and/or math class, bring a copy of your transcript for your advisor to determine placement.
There are multiple placement options that can be used to determine placement into English and math classes, or classes that have English or math pre-requisites.
You can see all the ways to place into English on the English Eligibility Form.
You can see all the ways to place into math on the Math Eligibility Form. For more information on using a Seattle Public School transcript for math placement please see the Seattle Public Schools Alternative Math Placement chart.
If you are not able to place into English and/or math classes using one of these placement options, you will need to complete placement through the Testing Center. https://northseattle.edu/placement-classes
START New Student Orientation is required for students who have no prior college experience. You can sign up for on-campus orientation or online orientation. If there are questions, you can contact Jillian Fisher at Jillian.Fisher@seattlecolleges.edu.
Beginning March 1 you can visit the ctcLink Resources for Students web page to start learning about how you will use ctcLink.
Advising Appointments
We are available to meet with any students anytime! You will need to meet with your pathway advisor to make an education plan once you have completed around 30 units (credits), otherwise a block will be placed on your account preventing you from registering for classes. Students will be notified via email and phone to schedule an appointment to meet with their pathway advisor to create this plan.
Students can schedule an appointment online, by calling 206-934-3658, or in-person at Student Success Services on the 2nd floor of the College Center.
Be sure to bring your placement option documents to your first meeting (the list of acceptable placement options can be found in Step 3 in the Steps to Admissions & Enrollment). Don’t forget to bring any questions you might have about programs and/or schools that interest you. If you know what classes you would like to take, tell your advisor, and they can help you understand how it fits into your educational plan.
Registration
Students are assigned a date and time when registration opens. View when you can start registering for classes by logging into ctcLink.
Students will need to request their official transcripts be sent to North to get evaluated. You can apply for credit evaluation through the Credentials Office. Be sure to submit both Application for Evaluation of Incoming Credits form, and official transcripts to ARRC.
The number of units you take determines whether you are attending full-time or part-time. Deciding how many units to take depends on a combination of factors. We recommend weighing full-time and part-time options to help you make the right choice based on your academic goals.
A maximum load of 20 units for college transfer, 25 units for career training and 30 units for basic & transitional studies each quarter has been established for students at North. Students must meet with their assigned area of study advisor to review their educational plan before a unit (credit) overload can be approved.
Educational Planning
An educational plan is an outline of the coursework required to complete your educational goal or program of study. It is your roadmap toward a college certificate or degree that can save you time and money. You can join our Educational Planning Canvas course and virtual workshop to learn more.
You can visit our web pages to learn more about College Transfer and Career Training. An advisor can help you navigate prerequisite requirements and course sequencing.
Our Math Sequence Guide and Science Sequence Guide are good resources that students can refer to. It is recommended that students meet with their assigned area of study advisor to choose the right classes.
Are you struggling in classes?
The best thing that you can do is to first speak with your instructor. There may be a way for you to stay in the class and/or do your work in an alternate fashion. You may also want to consider tutoring through the Student Learning Center. They offer extensive tutoring services in many subject areas including writing, math, chemistry, accounting etc., and have online as well as in person services. If you need help with study skills, time management, etc. you can talk with one of our Counselors.
An advisor can help you understand the impact of withdrawing from a class – which can include university transfer and educational planning. Students receiving financial aid, please check with the Financial Aid office to find out how this might impact your aid. International students please check with the International Programs office as dropping a class could negatively impact your visa status.
If you are withdrawing “W” before the last day to withdraw, you can do so by logging into MyNorth and dropping the class. If you are attempting to withdraw from a class after the last day to withdraw, you should contact your instructor to ask about other grading options, including NC or ‘no credit.’ The Academic Calendar will contain all of the important dates, including last day to withdraw.
With instructor approval you may be able to take an incomplete “I” and be given extra time after the quarter ends to complete coursework. Talk with your instructor to see if this is an option.
Transferring to a Four-Year University
You can view what next steps to take if you are planning to transfer to a four-year university through College Transfer. We recommend participating in our quarterly transfer activities – college fairs, transfer workshops, and information sessions. Look at our Advising & Transfer Events calendar to stay up to date.
Students can order official transcripts online, fax/mail, or in person. It is required that you send official transcripts from all colleges you have attended regardless of if you like the grades or if you think your coursework will count.
Take a look at our University World Language Requirements guide to learn more. We recommend meeting with an advisor if there are questions on how to meet these world language requirements.
There are six transfer degree options that you can choose from. If you have a specific major in mind, you can refer to our Program Pathway Maps to view recommended courses to take each quarter and important information.
Other FAQs
There can be several different reasons why you have a hold on your account – unpaid tuition, academic probation, orientation, etc. However, only holds placed by the Advising office can be removed by an advisor. All other holds will need to be removed by the office that placed it. You may login to ctcLink to view what hold you might have, and which office placed them.
If you are trying to contact faculty, you can find their contact information by searching the faculty/staff directory People Pages.
You can apply for graduation online through ctcLink by following these step-by-step instructions.