Cal Poly OCOB Transfer Advising – Fall 2024 Kick-Off

Intro & Presenter Line-Up

  • Opening logistics: screen share confirmed, ready to begin
  • Presenters
    • Alicia Cruz — Retention Office (pronouns she/her); MC for session
    • Drex — Professional Academic Adviser; coordinates peer mentoring
    • Ysenia Marquez Diaz — Professional Academic Adviser; Coordinator, Multicultural Business Program (pronouns she/her)
    • Peer advisers (all Business majors unless noted)
    • Tara — Information Systems concentration
    • Cassidy — Finance concentration
    • Kate — Accounting concentration (Spring graduate)
    • Derek — Undeclared concentration
  • Audience: incoming Business Administration transfer students
  • Purpose of meeting: course planning for Fall 2024, understanding reserved seats, key policies, and success tips

Session Road-Map

  • Recommended classes for the first Cal Poly quarter
  • How reserved seats & wait-lists work
  • Tips, deadlines, advising structure, and Q&A

Recommended Major Courses (Try to Fit These Into First Quarter)

  • BUS 206 (Career Readiness & Professionalism)
    • Not technically required but strongly encouraged
    • Offered Summer & Fall; summer section via Extended Ed (Open University)
    • Focus: résumé, LinkedIn, networking, career-fair prep
    • Tailored transfer sections provide concentration exploration
  • 300-level core business courses – ONLY offered at Cal Poly
    • BUS 346 Principles of Marketing
    • BUS 387 Organizational Behavior
    • BIS 391 Information Systems
    • BIS 404
    • ITP requirement course (see double-count section)
    • International Business requirement
  • Caveat: All 300/400-level courses must be completed in residence; no community-college substitution

Statistics Path & Finance Gatekeeper

  • ext{STAT 251} (taken at CC) ⇒ prerequisite for ext{STAT 252}
  • ext{STAT 252} = prerequisite for ext{BUS 342} Fundamentals of Corporate Finance
  • Strongly urged to enroll in ext{STAT 252} this Fall because seats are plentiful and it keeps finance & many concentrations on schedule
  • If rusty/long gap since statistics, consider:
    • Supplemental workshops
    • Campus tutoring (Statistics & Math Learning Center)

General Education & Upper-Division Rules

  • All upper-division GE (numbered 300 or 400) must be taken at Cal Poly
  • Areas still outstanding for most transfers
    • Area B: Scientific Inquiry & Quantitative Reasoning (need one upper-division ‘B5’)
    • Area C: Arts & Humanities (upper-division ‘C4’ can double-count with GWR—see below)
    • Area D: Social Sciences (upper-division ‘D5’)
  • American Institutions (Area D1) triple requirement
    • U.S. History, U.S. Govt, CA State & Local Govt
    • If only part 3 missing, take ext{POLS 111} (1 unit, meets first & last week)
  • How to shop for GE courses
    • Use GE course list site (linked on Canvas & shown live): click Area → see all options → verify prerequisites (e.g.
      “junior standing + Area A complete with C^- or better”)

Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR) & Overlaps

  • Must fulfill to graduate
    1. Complete an approved Upper-Division C course labeled “GWR” or
    2. Enroll in ext{UNIV 401} – the portfolio option (\$30 fee via Extended Ed); submit three 300/400-level essays graded C or better
  • Course shopping trick: In GE list, look for “GWR” tag to double-count C4 + GWR (e.g.
    ENG 302, ENG 310, JOUR 312)

ITP Requirement & Double-Counting with Area B

  • Two upper-division B options also satisfy the mandatory ITP tech requirement
    • ITP 330 Sustainable Materials
    • Prereqs: junior standing + Area A & full B series
    • ITP 341 Robotics & Automation (also needs a chemistry physical-science prereq)
  • Taking one of these kills two birds: Area B5 + ITP

Declaring a Concentration

  • All students enter undeclared for concentration
  • Deadline: Winter Quarter 2026 (hard stop)
  • Resources to help decide
    • BUS 206 transfer sections include a concentration exploration module
    • Career Readiness Center concentration panels (Fall & Winter)
      • Announced via Weekly Newsletter, flyers, Instagram @OCABCareers
  • Declaration mechanics
    1. Visit “Cal Poly OCOB Concentration Declaration” site
    2. Fill DocuSign/PowerForm; auto-routes to Registrar
    3. Accounting ONLY – meet with Area Chair (Prof. Heeney) before submitting

Building Your Schedule & Reserved Seats Logic

  • Use Schedule Builder (in my.calpoly.edu → Enrollment tab)
    • Toggle term = Fall 2024
    • Add courses; generate multiple saved schedules (favorite #1, favorite #2 …)
  • Reserved seat grid (example reviewed):
    • Columns: Unreserved Open Seats | Reserved Open Seats | Wait-List | Notes
    • Click arrow to expand “Class Notes” → breakdown by population (e.g.
      “15 seats for new transfers, 12 for Econ majors”)
    • If you don’t meet criteria, system places you on wait-list
  • Wait-list specifics
    • Must check “Add to wait-list if class is full” box when enrolling
    • Max of 16 units on wait-lists at any time

Registration & Advising Support Timeline

  • Registration window: Monday (see portal for exact time-ticket)
  • Drop-in virtual advising (Zoom)
    • Thu, Fri, Mon before/after registration; 09{:}00–16{:}00
    • Access: OCOB Advising webpage → “Join Virtual Office Hours”
    • Peer adviser or professional adviser takes you into 1-on-1 breakout room
  • Formal appointments
    • Calendly links for each professional staff member on advising site

Course-Load Strategy for 1st Quarter

  • Recommended academic load: 12–17 units (≈3–5 courses)
    • Quarter system is faster than typical semester; aim for acclimation & balance
  • Mix suggestions
    • 1–2 Business core courses (e.g.
      BUS 346 + BUS 206)
    • 1 quantitative course (STAT 252)
    • 1 GE upper-division or Area D1/POLS 111

Career Preparation Highlights

  • BUS 206 builds résumé & LinkedIn before Fall recruiting season
  • Career Fairs (see Career Services “Fairs & Events” page)
    • Major fairs cluster in September & October
    • Key ones for business students: “Fall Career Fair Day 1 & 2” (general); specialized expos (Sales, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, etc.)
    • Attend early even if just exploratory; networking counts
  • Internship timeline
    • Many companies recruit Fall for Summer 2025 internships
    • Use Career Peers for résumé critiques; reserve counselor if deeper planning

Senior Project Primer

  • University requirement for all majors
  • Format varies by concentration & faculty sponsor
    • Research-based, client-based, or internship-based (BUS/BIS 430 route)
  • Register once senior standing reached; begin thinking about topic junior year

Study-Abroad Reality for Transfers

  • Possible but uncommon; often delays graduation 1–3 quarters
  • Must map remaining degree audit against overseas offerings; consult adviser early

Financial Items

  • BUS 206 summer section (\approx\$360) via Extended Ed → billed separately, typically not covered by standard financial aid package
  • Need‐based scholarship pool available (email instructors Mallory & Chris)
  • General scholarships: Cal Poly Scholarship App in student portal (various deadlines)
  • For aid questions email Financial Aid (financialaid@calpoly.edu); each student has assigned counselor by last name

Essential Online Tools & Navigation

  • OCOB Transfers webpage → “Fall Schedule Recommended Courses” PDF
  • Canvas “Advising for Transfer Students” site (invitation sent)
  • Degree Progress Report (DPR): authoritative record of completed/needed requirements (reds = not met)
  • Degree Planner: drag-and-drop multi-quarter road-map (less favored but helpful)
  • Schedule Builder: enrollment interface; can export to calendar

Peer vs Career Counselor vs Academic Adviser

  • Peer Advisers
    • Trained upper-division students; hands-on with classes & internships; quicker appointments
  • Career Counselors (Mallory, Chris)
    • Broad career strategy, job search coaching, mock interviews; haven’t necessarily done every specific concentration path
  • Academic/Professional Advisers (Ysenia, Alicia, Drex)
    • Degree requirements, policies, petitions, concentration declaration, study-abroad feasibility

Additional Q&A Nuggets

  • You may front-load business courses & finish GE later; just track prereqs & double-counts
  • BUS 206 later-quarter sections mix all class years and lose transfer tailoring
  • Concentration choice entered on Cal State Apply was non-binding
  • Create multiple back-up schedules because half your first plan may fill before enrollment processes
  • BIS 430 = internship-for-credit option; must pre-arrange with area chair to count toward electives or senior project
  • U-Limitations: Cannot simultaneously be on >16 wait-list units; quarter-add deadlines apply (consult academic calendar)
  • Access to Canvas/portal for summer BUS 206 appears ~13 Aug after Extended Ed bulk-enrolls students
  • Reserved seat categories include Business, Econ, ITP, etc.; always open class notes arrow

Closing Reminders

  • Advisers are available in breakout rooms & drop-ins for general questions; individualized scheduling help reserved for drop-in hours
  • Follow @OCABCareers on Instagram; watch newsletter for panels & fairs
  • Keep PDF/links handy (GE list, GWR options, concentration forms)
  • Welcome to Cal Poly — “We’re here as a resource; don’t hesitate to reach out!”