So, you have a student ready to spend the next four years as a Georgia Bulldog? Well, put your seatbelt on because you are getting ready to experience all that a top 10 American university can offer.

Being the birthplace of higher education, the University of Georgia has a long history of founding accomplishments. It is the state of Georgia’s flagship institution. UGA is in the top three producers of Rhodes scholars and has produced many famous athletes as well as scientists and other leaders. HaveUHeard that UGA is number one in total products reaching the market? They have scores of patents that their students and professors have created.

UGA is located in the town of Athens, which is about an hour northeast of Atlanta. It is a college town, bearing all things UGA and known for its antebellum architecture. It’s Victorian-era downtown is filled with art galleries, shops, nightclubs, and award-winning restaurants, pleasant and perfect to spend the next four years. Athens has a thriving music scene and is the starting place of R.E.M and the B-52’s. Being so close to the bustling city of Atlanta, students attending UGA have the luxury of going to school in a quaint small town, and can also enjoy the culture, sports, and events that a major city can offer.

The University of Georgia has over 37,000 students with campuses in 5 Georgia locations, Washington DC, England, and Italy. It consists of 17 colleges with 25 Baccalaureate degrees in more than 143 fields. You probably already know Georgia’s amazing NCAA Division 1 football record, but UGA also has 21 Varsity athletic teams. The Georgia Bulldogs are a force in college athletics. The most famous bulldog around resides in Athens and is the school’s mascot. Affectionately he is known as Uga, and you will see him around all UGA events and activities in Athens. Getting your picture taken with Uga is a rite of passage when you are a part of the University of Georgia, so make sure you check that box in the next four years.

Don’t forget to grab your spot to watch the Dawg Walk before home football games. The Redcoat Marching Band leads the cheering of the fans as the team walks into Sanford Stadium. Get ready, and Go Dawgs!

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Your child has been accepted to the University of Georgia! Congrats! The first thing you need to do is to sign up for Orientation. Your student is required to attend a two-day session, and parents have the option to attend if desired. The earlier sessions, the better. These days will be filled with taking notes, filling out paperwork, and getting yourselves familiar with all things UGA.

Orientation can be an overwhelming event because lots of information is being thrown at you in a short amount of time. So, remember to breathe. Don’t panic about remembering every important phone number, code, and piece of advice that the school gives you as I did. It will all be on their website if you need them. I did make notes and highlighted things that I specifically wanted to go over with my child in detail (like healthcare, tutoring, safety…) It’s also a good idea to download the Welcome to UGA app (Apple and Google version) where you will find the slides and can download and print them once you get home. That way you won’t have to worry about missing anything and you can go back to refresh what you heard at a later date.

Important!

Prior to Orientation, there are many things that must be done, so be sure to download the checklist. Missing any of these could prevent you from registering for classes. Some of these things can take time, like gathering transcripts from your high school, taking required placement tests, completing part 1 of the AlcoholEdu and Haven, and completing all health forms. Orientation starts promptly at noon on day 1 and ends at 5:00 pm on the second day.

Both you and your student have the option of staying in on-campus housing during Orientation. You must check-in from 10 am – 11:45 am at Creswell Hall as to not miss the start promptly at 12:00 pm on the first day of the sessions. There is a slight cost for this option, but you must bring some of your own items from home. Click here to see what you will need and how much it will cost. The most convenient lodging option for parents is to stay at the UGA Hotel and Conference Center, or any of the local hotels. Check out our blog on Hotels in the area here.

Orientation starts at 12:00 pm on day one, with check-in at the Tate Student Center, but there are mini a la carte options to participate in as well. There will be a resource fair, opportunities to learn more about University Housing and Financial Aid starting at 10:00 am, so plan on getting to campus early.

The most important part of the Orientation is registering for classes. Your student will meet with an Advisor either one-on-one or in a small group. Click here for some tips from the academic advisors to help you be prepared for your session. It can be overwhelming, so remind your students not to worry if they don’t get that ideal schedule. They can utilize drop/add during the first week of classes of the semester. I think it’s also good to remember that whatever they end up with does not necessarily have to determine what they study for the next four years.

UGA asks that all parents and students participating in Orientation take part in their Dawgs or a Cause program. This program helps to bring books to children in the Athens-Clarke County community. Books to be donated can be dropped off at the ticket booth in the Tate Student Center.

Other Suggestions

If you have already found your roommate, try to plan on attending the same orientation session. This way you can also stay in the dorm together and get to know each other better. My niece did this, and it worked out great, knowing who you were going to live with before move-in day.

Meal Plan – I suggest you read our blog on meal plans to get some ideas of choices. You can also register for the plan of your choice at orientation.

Banking – UGA’s banking provider is the Georgia United Credit Union. A checking account is free for students and offers many ways to show off your Bulldog pride. We personally chose to keep our daughter’s account at our home bank. It was simply easier since our accounts are linked. For out of state students, it is smart to check out opening a Georgia account.

Make your hotel reservations early. Rooms will fill fast. Head over to our hotels and restaurants blog for suggestions.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. You will do a lot of walking and it can be hot in Athens. But, bring a light jacket as some rooms will be cold.

And of course, head over to the campus bookstore or an area store and start stocking up on Bulldogs apparel. Go Dawgs!

Click here for all things related to UGA Orientation.

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There’s certainly no shortage of stigmas related to fraternity life at big universities. The 1978 classic “Animal House” and the newer, 2014 comedy, “Neighbors” have created reputations of fraternities having nothing but partying on their minds. And yes, while all Greek organizations make sure their experiences are “epic”, there are a lot of positives to be aware of when thinking about joining a fraternity at UGA.

HaveUHeard that UGA has 26 fraternities? That’s a lot, considering each also has its own house. So, here’s the real deal: there is a lot of partying, but there is also a lot of emphasis on sports, maintaining a GPA, philanthropic work, and keeping good relations with the sororities on campus. I’m going to try to ease your mind a bit about fraternity life.

Rush

For parents of incoming freshmen, you have probably already heard about the fraternity rush. You may also hear the term, recruitment, as that is the new word for Rush. Rush for fraternities is very different than for sororities, and a lot more casual, but I will give you the parent perspective on both (check out our blog on sororities here). There are those that do not like the process, but it really isn’t bad, and the advantages of joining a fraternity can extend far past graduation. And to ease the nerves of every parent, UGA does not allow hazing of any kind and vehemently prohibits it. Here is the university’s hazing policy. If a hazing incident is reported, the fraternity or sorority will face action from their respective Counsel’s board.

Formal Fraternity rush is a three-day event held the weekend before Fall classes start. It consists of a required orientation meeting and visits to all chapter houses. After that, potential new members can visit the houses of their choice to get to know the brothers better for the next 2 days.

The Hard Part

As those going through rush get to know the brothers and start to feel a connection, they may be asked to leave. Yes, as in “We don’t think you will fit in here. You can leave now.” It can be hard when you are putting in a lot of time into just a couple of fraternity visits and then not receive a bid. This could mean not getting into a fraternity at all, and that can be very disheartening. Try to encourage your son to have an open mind and to visit all of the fraternities, not just the ones that seem popular. Sometimes the reputations that come with specific Greek letters can overshadow the real parts of the brotherhood. I know of kids that focused on the “frats” that were the “biggest partiers” and the ones that had the best intramural sports teams, only to realize that they truly were expected to live a life that really didn’t fit them well.

Most boys do find their fraternity; others may not get accepted to the frat of their choice, but there is usually a second rush opportunity in the spring. Check the schedule of events here for more information. Your son may also find that one or more of the many clubs and activities outside of Greek life, bring them a sense of brotherhood that they were looking for.

Frat Row

So, since UGA is in the middle of Athens, fraternity and sorority houses are spread around the outskirts of campus. They are generally near or next to each other, but some properties can be a few blocks from campus. Some houses can look better than others, but most are in old homes that are being kept up to standard. This is where pictures of “Animal House” may come in, which are significantly different than the sorority houses. Again, keeping an open mind is essential because the popular Greek letters may have a housing situation that is not ideal. It’s wise to also consider the fraternity’s national standing. This can become rather handy later when looking to network and find a job in the world beyond college.

If your son receives a bid from the house he wants, then that is their formal invitation to join that fraternity. They may even receive more than one from a few fraternities, so there are a few things that they can do. They can either accept the bid, and Rush is over for them, hold the bid, in case they are waiting for other offers, or decline the bid and continue the hunt. There should be no pressure to accept a bid given, and communication with all the fraternities that your son is interested in should be ongoing.

They’re In!

Now that your son is officially a pledge, there is no shortage of silly things that may go on until their initiation. I know this is where the rumors of hazing can make a parent’s heart skip a beat, but chances are it will never happen. More likely, there will be washing brother’s cars, wearing costumes to class, being on call as the sober driver for brothers, and writing love letters to the chapter sweetheart in alphabet soup letters. New members will be required to attend seminars and workshops relating to hazing, drugs & alcohol, sexual assault prevention, and diversity & character development. These are non-negotiable.

The real deal is that rush is based on first impressions, judgments, and appearances. Social media does play a role as well, so make sure that your son does not have anything that would flag them to the brothers. It will be checked. So, why go through all of this? Being a part of a fraternity can build life-skills in boys to help them become better men. Loyalty, brotherhood, and communication are taught and expected. Representing their letters are taken seriously. Fraternities are very active on campus and are very involved in sports and philanthropic events. Frats provide leadership roles that can then be used when job hunting.

So, what does it cost? All fraternities require dues to be paid. They help to cover the maintenance of the chapter houses, yearly insurance, national fees and services, philanthropy & community service projects, and academic scholarships. For the Fall 2019 class, the average cost for the first-semester new member was $1589. It is $1532/semester if not living in a house, $4754/semester if living in a house with a meal plan, and $3465/semester if living in a house with no meal plan. These are averages, as each fraternity will have their specific costs. Some chapters do provide a payment plan, so that is something to consider as well.

For all other things related to rushing a fraternity, click here.

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You made it! I mean, they made it, but it sure feels like we, as parents did a lot of work to get our kids to college. Becoming a Georgia Bulldog is very exciting, and now that decisions are over, and they’ve been accepted, there is still important work to be done.

First, it may sound silly, but check your admissions letter for accuracy regarding their name, entrance term, residency status, address, and major. If any changes need to be made, it needs to be done as soon as possible. Download the Welcome to UGA app and locate the MyID that was sent to your student upon acceptance. Make sure they know their password, as a UGA email was created for them too. If you need help you can click here. You will also need to complete any forms that UGA requires and pay a non-refundable $300 deposit. Deadlines for deposits are May 1 for those entering Summer and Fall semesters. Keep in mind that there are other deadlines earlier than May 1 for accepted students.

When applying for housing, I suggest putting down your deposit as soon as you get your acceptance if you want a particular dorm. Your deposit does not guarantee a particular place but secures a spot “in-line” for selecting the space of your choice. Check out the Meal Plan options and sign up for that as well. And you thought getting accepted was hard.

Register for Orientation as soon as possible. It is advised that you don’t make plans for the summer until you have your orientation dates secured. There are different dates for different groups, but all Freshmen are required to attend one of the sessions. The earlier the Orientation, the better chance you have that you will get the classes and times that you want.

Also, be sure to confirm the following:

• Your residency status for tuition purposes
• Arrange for any final transcripts and scores (AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, and transfer credits) to be sent to the Admissions Office
• Required Health screenings and immunizations
• Required Placement testing
• Your FAFSA form should have been filled out when applications opened on November 1st. If you have not already done that, do that immediately.

Also, check for any holds on your student’s account. It can be the simplest thing, like not filling out the Emergency Contact form, so you want to make sure all is in check before your child tries to register for classes.

You may also want to register on Target’s College Registry and share it with your family who is wondering what to give your high school graduate as a graduation gift.

Check out our blogs on Housing, Meal Plans, and Orientation for many more helpful details.

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The University of Georgia offers a program known as “Double Dawgs” which is a way for students to economically maximize their ability to receive a competitive education. This is done by allowing students to earn both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree at the same time in five years or less. This is aimed at helping students save both time and money and fully use their time at UGA wisely. There are over 115 different options within the Double Dawgs Program and they are always adding new programs per student requests and interests.

There is a very specific timeline necessary for the Double Dawgs Program, so it is smart to know about it prior to your freshman year so you can go into UGA with it already planned out. It is very difficult to begin Double Dawgs after your freshman year because there is strict planning that goes into achieving those two degrees in the five-year timeline.

The first year spent at UGA is spent reviewing the Double Dawgs options and choosing the one that is the best fit for you. The second-year is spent talking to your undergraduate advisor and your program contact to help you in planning a schedule that is rigorous and helpful in achieving Double Dawgs status. The third-year is spent applying to the Double Dawgs program. Then, if admitted, the fourth year is for working with the graduate contact and applying to the specified graduate program. You graduate with your Undergraduate Degree during the fourth year. Then, the fifth and final year is geared towards admission to the graduate program and pursuing the graduate classes, and you end the year graduating with your Graduate Degree.

The UGA Law School is a part of the Double Dawgs Program but is different from the typical timeline because it is a six-year timeline. This program allows students to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in the first three years and a Juris Doctor Degree in the last three years; it is known as the 3 + 3 Program. The application for this 3 + 3 Program is the exact same as the typical UGA Law School Application, it is just completed during your third year at UGA, rather than your fourth year.

The other different aspect to this program is the ability to create your own Double Dawgs Pathway strictly by contacting the undergraduate and graduate coordinators to the respective programs in which you are trying to achieve degrees in. This can typically be easily achieved and if not, there are people in the Double Dawgs program you can email for assistance.

The Program has its own Financial Aid system and can receive both undergraduate and graduate assistance. While in their undergraduate program, students pay undergrad tuition fees, and while they are in their graduate program, they pay graduate tuition. HOPE and Zell Miller are applicable to in-state student’s undergraduate tuition if they are eligible. This program is a great way to save money while also maximizing your educational possibilities as a student at the University of Georgia. It is a very reputable program and students who graduate from it are very successful in the workforce after completing the program.

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The Classic City is the home of the University of Georgia and is, therefore, home to the #16 Public University in the United States of America. The beauty and culture surrounding UGA is not the only thing that draws students to wear red and black; it is also an extremely prestigious and impressive education received while attending. UGA offers 132 distinct undergraduate degrees as well as many different graduate tracks to pursue.

The most popular majors at University of Georgia include:

• Psychology
• Finance
• Biology
• Business Administration and Management
• Accounting
• Marketing/Marketing Management
• International Relations and Affairs
• Political Science and Government
• Social Work
• Kinesiology and Exercise Science
• Communication
• Journalism
• Education

These, however, are just the most popular, but there is so much more to choose from; 100+ degrees to be more exact. Read more about all the choices. And if there isn’t something there that works for you, it is possible to create one’s own path by combining majors, minors, and certificates. Truly. Sit down with an advisor and create a combination that 100% suits your interests. With all this help and personalization available, it is no surprise that UGA’s freshman retention rate is over 95%.

The top 6 schools at the University of Georgia are:

• School of Public and International Affairs 
• Terry College of Business
• School of Social Work
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• Veterinary Medicine

Majors within these schools are extremely prestigious, difficult to get into, and students that graduate from these programs typically experience great success in the workforce. This is generally the case with all UGA majors, not just the ones listed since UGA has a 95% career outcome rate, which is significantly higher than the national average.

All students are required to meet with their academic advisors to plan out their schedules so that they can achieve the major they desire. Advisors can tell you more about available options and requirements, or programs that are unique to UGA. Regardless of your major, earning a degree from the University of Georgia is impressive enough and you will for sure have success post-graduation, whether it be in the workforce or in grad school.

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Did you plan for some electives? Sometimes students’ schedules are just so jam-packed that an easy and fun elective is the perfect way to round out a schedule. Electives can serve many purposes: fulfill an individual’s major requirement, supplement more rigorous courses to complete a minor, fill a schedule, or simply to have fun.

All of these electives have been recommended directly from current UGA students based on either their light workload, their ease, or their fascinating information. Whether you take these classes or completely avoid them, it is always greatly recommended for you to use RateMyProfessor or Koofers when making your schedule. Both of these websites have reviews for professors and classes from actual students in regards to the overall rating of the professor, course load, difficulty, class description, etc. So, I would recommend using those websites at all times to ensure having the professors that best suit you and your preferences as a student.

Before signing up for any of these electives, I would recommend checking on your Degreeworks page or emailing your advisor to make sure that taking one or multiple of these classes will either satisfy a necessary requirement or count for a needed elective credit. For those who have the time and space in their schedule for fun and easy electives, check these out:

• ADSC 2300 – Companion Animal Care (3 credit hours) This class is centered around what it takes to be a pet owner and how to best do so. It talks about feeding, caring for, and keeping your animal as healthy as possible.
• ALDR 3820 – Reflections on Fighting Hunger (3 credit hours) This class dives deeper into the political, regional, and economical reasoning behind hunger and how it affects the populations in any given country. It also emphasizes educating people on how to prevent hunger and how to fight it.
• ARST 1050 – Drawing I (3 credit hours) This is a very creative based class where you learn the basic fundamentals and techniques of drawing.
• COMM 2520 – Intro to Interviewing (3 credit hours) Taking this class will help you grow your knowledge of being interviewed and give you experience through a mock-interview process. This class is experiential-based and is very hands-on.
• DANC 1607/1608 – Ballroom Dancing (1 credit hour) These classes are broken up by males and females. 1607 is taught for males, who take the “lead” role in the ballroom, while 1608 is taught for females who take the “follow” role. Either way, you will learn the fundamentals of ballroom dancing and be an expert by the time you leave the class.
• DANC 2010 – Dance Appreciation (3 credit hours) This class teaches students the principles of dance from 3 different aspects: dancer, choreographer, and spectator. It also goes through the historical and cultural aspects of dance.
• ECHD 1537 – Campus Leadership (1 credit hour) Focused on developing leadership skills in students, this class pushes students to develop their own personal philosophy of leadership and helps with the application process required for leadership positions around campus.
• EDIT 2000 – Introduction to Computers for Teachers (3 credit hours) Are you planning on getting your degree in Education? Then this class is perfect for you. They focus on the best way to integrate computers into classrooms and how to do so.
• ENTO 1000 – Life on Six Legs (3 credit hours) This class is focused on insects and their growth, reproduction, migration, and DNA makeup. While also explaining and interpreting ideas of resistance, diversity, and other topics.
• ENTO 2010 – Insects and the Environment (3 credit hours) This class is solely built upon interactions between insects, the environment, and humans.
• FDNS 2050 – Intro to Sports Nutrition and Wellness (3 credit hours) This class sheds light on how to live a healthy lifestyle and provides emphasis on how to do so as an athlete. It is perfect for students who are considering degrees in health-related fields.
• FDST 4120 – Food Fermentations (3 credit hours) Exploring the microbial and technical aspects of food and the fermenting process, taking this class will open your eyes to what’s in your food and how it gets there.
• GEOG 1101 – Human Geography (3 credit hours) This class focuses on resources, population, culture, and economy and how they affect different populations of wealth, stature, and education across the world.
• GEOG 1111 – Physical Geography (3 credit hours) This class is centered around the physical environment and what it does and does not affect the world.
• GEOL 3350 – Dinosaurs (3 credit hours) Have you ever wondered what life would’ve been like if we had to share the world with dinosaurs? Well, this class will give you insight into that and so much more. It dives deep into the lives of dinosaurs, how they lived, and how they died.
• MARS 4740L – Scientific Diving I (2 credit hours) This class teaches students the fundamentals of scuba diving and underwater research techniques. At the end of the semester, students get to participate in a dive. *This class does cost extra money outside of regular tuition fees.
• PBHL 3100 – Intro to Public Health (3 credit hours) This class overviews the United States public health system and emphasizes health promotion and disease prevention.
• PEDB 1070 – Challenge Course (1 credit hour) UGA has both an indoor and an outdoor ropes course, and this class is centered around group work techniques to help tackle all 3 courses.
• PEDB 1950 – Fitness for Life Walking (1 credit hour) This class focuses on the benefits of walking and strategies on how to get yourself more active.
• PHIL 3230 – The Ethics of Food (3 credit hours) This class harps on ethical issues with food production, marketing, distribution, access, regulation, and consumption. It also looks at food policy decisions and how they affect people.
• POUL 1010 – Birds in our Lives (3 credit hours) The topic of this class is exotic birds and how to best care for them and their environment.
• PRTM 1100E – Intro to Travel and Tourism (3 credit hours) This class exposes students to tourism and traveling and the effect of those on the government, demographics, businesses, economics, and more.
• PSYC 3260 – Human Sexuality (3 credit hours) Sexual behavior, deviance, social patterns, assessment, and treatment are topics discussed in this class focused on sexuality and behavior.
• SWAH 1010 – Elem Swahili I (4 credit hours) This class focuses on the language and culture of the Swahilis.
• TXMI 4210 – Trend Analysis and Forecasting (3 credit hours) This class will give an overview of apparel, textiles, and home interior industries at the design and merchandising level while having students analyze elements of fashion, clothing, and design concepts.
• UNIV 1205 – Learning Online: Strategies, Skills, and Success (1-3 credit hours) This class gives students the tools needed to be successful in online learning and online classes.
• UNIV 2111 – Developing Literacies in Humanities (1-3 credit hours) This class is focused on helping students become successful in the humanities areas. It is a small class size with one on one help available to students with essay questions and helps for outside classes.

While this is only scraping the surface of awesome electives plus easy classes offered at UGA, you can find the PDF version of the entire bulletin for any given semester. This will list every class that is being taught that semester and is broken into three different PDFs for online, honors, and regular classes. Another great tool is the actual online bulletin which is broken up by subject and tells you all classes taught at UGA and what semesters they are available.

Madeleine Morris, UGA Intern

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Registration in college is so different from anything that you have ever experienced and can be somewhat of an interesting process. To even begin to register, you must see your advisor to clear the registration hold, that you will have each semester prior to registration. This meeting is where your advisor will guide you through the classes you need to take for your major, minor, or certificate for that given semester. Typically, most students choose to take between 12 and 15 hours per semester, which means they will usually be in 3-5 classes. It is important to remember that not every class is 3 hours, and therefore your total hours might be configured differently than you expect.

Once you are given this list of classes your advisor wants you to sign up for, most students choose to log into Courseoff and play around with the class times, days, and professors available for the courses you need to take. Courseoff is a free website that allows you to see all of the class times available for any given class and allows you to play around with all of the different class options to make your ideal schedule. While using this website does not register you for the classes, it gives you a quick and easy tool to aid you in your registration process on Athena.

Courseoff also gives you access to each class’ CRN number, which is a number that you can type into Athena to get the class to quickly pull up and therefore allows you to register quickly. While doing Courseoff, we recommend looking up the professors on Rate My Professor to read current student’s reviews of professors where they talk about the classes, the workload, the homework, etc. Courseoff also tells you the location of the classes, so if you are stacking classes one right after the other, we recommend mapping them to see if there is a bus going from one class to the other or if it is possible to walk.

The process to register in Athena:

• Go to the Athens homepage:
• Click log in to Athena
• Type in your username and password
• Click Login
• Click Student
• Click Registration
• Click Add or Drop Classes
• Select the given semester, ie. : Fall 2020
• Click Submit
• Scroll down and click Class Search
• Select the subject you are looking for
• Click Course Seach
• Select the section of the class you need to take
• Check the box next to the time, days, and professor you want to take
• Click Register

Different students register at different times based on hours achieved, major, honors, or graduate status

• Registration for Spring and Summer of 2021 will occur in November of 2020.
• Honors, PHARMD, Confirmed Service Members students will register on November 3, 2020.
• Graduate students will register on November 6, 2020.
• Seniors with 105+ credit hours will register on November 9, 2020.
• Seniors with 90-105 credit hours will register on November 10, 2020.
• Juniors with 75-89 credit hours will register on November 12, 2020.
• Juniors with 60-74 credit hours will register on November 13, 2020.
• Sophomores with 45-59 credit hours will register on November 17, 2020.
• Sophomores with 30-44 credit hours will register on November 18, 2020.
• Freshmen with 0-29 credit hours will register on November 20, 2020.

While it is important to remember that if you are a Sophomore but have 62 credit hours, you will register by your credit hours and not by your year at UGA. This is done to give first-class preference to students with the most hours. After you have scheduled your classes, we recommend going to campus and walking them to make sure you know where the buildings are and how long it will take to get from one place to another.

Madeleine Morris, Intern

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Students at many colleges today must have a health insurance plan that meets their university’s minimum requirement. UGA offers both a Voluntary and Mandatory plan for students to choose from if they do not have health insurance before coming to college.

The Mandatory Plan is administered through United Healthcare and is required for all undergrad and grad international students, Doctor of Pharmacy students, Grad students receiving qualified graduate assistantship or fellowships, and those receiving qualified training grants. If they have other acceptable health insurance coverage, they have to request a waiver.

Per the UGA Health Codes, undergraduate students are recommended to have health insurance while it is required for all international and some graduate students. This would fall under the Voluntary Plan. The plan is underwritten by United Healthcare. If a student were to purchase annual coverage, the monthly amount is approximately $223. To participate, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours per term in a degree-seeking program. It is the job of students and their parents or guardians to see how their insurance plans will work with the University of Georgia Health Center and what will be covered. If you are an insured student, but your plan does not cover all services of the Health Center, it becomes your responsibility to cover the balance left by your insurance company.

Regardless, as part of your student’s tuition fees, there is a mandatory health fee that you will pay and probably not even know it. The health fee, medical compliance fee, health promotion fee, counseling fee, are health-related fees that support student activities and support services associated with the University Health Center (UHC). It covers a broad range of health and wellness services.

That being said, it is wise that your student is covered. Deciding on which health insurance plan your student should be on may require a degree in economics.  There are many variables to consider when choosing:

• Does your current health insurance cover your student? If so, consider what your cost is to keep them on your plan. Check the list of medical insurers that participate with UGA.
• Is the monthly premium you pay for your child pre-tax or after-tax?
• Will you save money by purchasing a separate plan or perhaps the UGA health fee is as much coverage as you feel your student will need?
• Are the offerings marketplace insurance or subsidized?

Does your current insurance cover your student at an out of state college? Or if studying abroad? Many student health plans include a national network of health care providers and pharmacies, providing coverage regardless of the distance from campus or home. Plans are aligned with the benefits of their college’s Student Health Services for accessible on-campus care. If needed, a Student Health Service can refer students to the appropriate off-campus in-network provider for more extensive or ongoing care.

Your student will 100% need some sort of health care while at college, whether it be pink eye, the flu, or some minor injury, things happen, so it is wise to be prepared. Before choosing the route to go, it would be smart to speak with a financial planner, a certified public accountant, or a UGA HR Employee who can answer any and all questions about the best plan for your student. Pass on these great tips, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Find out more about how to use HaveUHeard as a great resource. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com.

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You have gotten into the University of Georgia because of how impressive your high school years were, how hard you worked, and how good your grades were. Believe me when I tell you that the high expectations from UGA do not stop the moment you see acceptance fireworks. They continue until graduation fireworks and beyond. With that said, I regret to inform you that a grade A sometimes does not mean grade A… chances are, you are coming from a high school where an 89.5 and up could even mean an A on your transcript; but I am here to tell you unfortunately, that will not cut it for an A in Athens.

UGA is on the plus-minus grading scale and the system goes as follows:

• A (4.0)
• A- (3.7)
• B+ (3.3)
• B (3.0)
• B- (2.7)
• C+ (2.3)
• C (2.0)
• C- (1.7)
• D (1.0)
• F (0.0)

Each class also has its own numbers that fit that scale based on departmental, professor, and college requirements, so, therefore, an A in one class might be an A- in another and so on and so forth. Upon getting the syllabus, it is usually easy to calculate what grades are needed on assignments throughout the semester to end the class with the grade you desire, and I encourage all students to set goals for their end of semester GPA before the semester even begins.

While it can be discouraging to end a class with a lower grade than expected, it is very important to point out that some professors will round up as long as you have proven yourself worthy of the grade during the semester. If you haven’t been to class all semester, skipped assignments, and blown everything off, I would caution you from emailing and asking for grace. But if you have worked hard all semester, been to class, and turned in all assignments, go ahead, email them… you just might get lucky.

Additionally, most professors at UGA set their own grade expectations and therefore sometimes curve at the end, so keep an eye out for that as well. UGA also offers tons of tutoring options throughout the semester if you do need help in a specific subject, do not be afraid to go get it – your grades matter. For in-state students with the Zell Miller or HOPE Scholarships, do not fret! Both HOPE and Zell calculate GPA differently than UGA and use the scale below:

• A = 4.0 (90-100)
• B = 3.0 (80-89)
• C = 2.0 (70-79)
• D = 1.0 (60-69)
• F = 0 (59 or below)

This means that an A is an A for GPA calculation and keeping of both HOPE and Zell scholarships. Another tidbit of good news is that HOPE and Zell instituted a new rule to promote the taking of college STEM classes where they add back .5 to your GPA calculation for every STEM class that has a grade of a B, C, or D. This “STEM weight” encourages kids to take STEM classes in college and promotes STEM fields while also giving GPA grace to students who are taking these usually difficult classes.

Madeleine Morris, UGA Intern

Pass on these great tips, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Find out more about how to use HaveUHeard as a great resource. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com.

The post Is a Grade A Really An A – Pluses and Minuses Count! appeared first on HaveUHeard.com.