Advisement and Retention Center

In support of the College’s mission, The ARC: An Advising and Retention Center for Students is dedicated to all aspects of student and institutional success by providing quality and proactive academic advising. The ARC promotes an atmosphere of student learning and success by maintaining professional values and commitments that support the greater good of the students, our colleagues, and the college. The ARC, through collaborative partnerships with faculty and other stakeholders and continued professional growth, is committed to assisting students with achieving their academic and career goals by providing advising, academic counseling, career guidance, and serving as a resource center for current and potential students.

Academic advising provides students with the opportunity to meet with an advisor for the purpose of gaining assistance in planning their educational career, in learning needed skills for academic success, and in learning how to access the variety of resources and services available to them on the campus. Academic advising is a partnership between a student and an academic advisor to develop meaningful educational goals and plans that are consistent with the student’s personal values, interests and abilities. This is a collaborative approach in which the student and the advisor have clear responsibilities for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.

Career Assessment & Counseling

A person’s success in a given field depends on his or her interest in the field and on his or her potential to learn and excel in that area of work. Standardized career assessment is available to assist students in exploring career opportunities by discovering their interests, aptitudes, and abilities in different types of employment. Career assessment tools currently being utilized to assist the student and counselor in making an informed career path choice include Career Scope, GCIS, and gafutures.

Career counseling is available upon request to both potential and current students. Counseling sessions provide individuals with the information necessary to make more realistic and informed choices about careers. Career counselors meet with students to review all program options (including wage data), discuss the students’ interests, academic history, work history, and other areas of concern. Information available to students includes:

• Extensive information on individual programs of study
• Employment trends and salary ranges from regional and national sources including Georgia Career Information System (GCIS)
• In-depth program information provided through meetings with program coordinators or other instructors
• Career assessment (interest and/or aptitude testing)

Tutoring Center

Any student experiencing academic difficulties may receive tutoring services free of charge. For information on tutors’ schedules, students may contact the Library. No appointment is necessary for tutoring. Students also have access to free online tutoring 24/7 through tutor.com. Access to tutor.com is available through BBLearn.

Assistance to Students on Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal

Students who are experiencing difficulties resulting in Assistance to Students on Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal are referred to The ARC for assistance. ARC staff will meet with students to discuss issues that contributed to their academic problems. Meeting with ARC staff and developing a plan to address academic issues can place a student on the path towards success.

BanWeb and Student Email Training

WGTC utilizes Banner (used by staff and some faculty) and BanWeb (used by some faculty and all students) as its databases to record and manage demographic information, schedules, grades, and other academic information related to each student. Learning to use BanWeb effectively will allow students to review their transcripts, check on their financial aid status and manage other aspects of their student record. Free training on college resources and on student email, the primary form of communication between the college and its students, is available in The ARC on each campus. College resources include, but are not limited to Banner Mobile, myconnect, and mynavigate.