Advising FAQ’s
Use these helpful Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) to help you navigate as you prepare to become a new student at SMCC.
Q: Why should I meet with an advisor before registering?
A: Meeting with an advisor before registering helps students stay on task and graduate on time. An advisor can work with you to ensure you’re taking the right courses, and help you plan ahead.
Q: Who is my advisor?
A: Your faculty advisor is a faculty member within your major assigned to you. You can find your faculty advisor by looking at your Academic Information.
Log on to the student portal and click My Maine Guide, click on My Degree, and when you scroll, you should see Academic Information, on the right side of the screen.
Q: Where can I find my advisor's contact information?
A: Go to smccme.edu, hover over “About SMCC” and click on Directory. Click “Search our Online Directory” and type in your faculty advisor’s name; you should see their email and office phone number listed. If you click the green + button you will see their office location.
Contact the advisor directly for meeting availability.
Q: When does registration begin?
A: Registration begins in November (Fall Semester) and March (Spring Semester) for current degree-seeking students. Check the Academic Calendar for specific dates.
Q: How do I register for classes?
Q: Why should I register early?
A: When you register for your classes early, you have the opportunity to select the courses that meet your program requirements and your interest. You also have a better chance to create a schedule that fits your responsibilities apart from SMCC.
Q: How do I find out which credits have transferred in?
A: You can see transferred credits on your degree audit.
Log in to the student portal and navigate to My Maine Guide > My Degree > Run My Degree Audit (under Quicklinks).
Next, click View All Details, then Recalculate Student Progress.
After recalculating student progress, click Graduation Worksheet to view your Degree Audit.
Q: What is the portal?
A: When signed into my.smccme.edu with your username and password you are in the portal. New students receive a username and temporary password via their acceptance email.
Passwords can be reset by the IT HelpDesk or the Advising Office.
Q: Where do I find a degree worksheet? Do I have to follow it?
A: You can find worksheets for each degree by selecting My Maine Guide in the student portal and then, clicking on “New Student Advising” from the menu on the left-hand side of the page. You do not have to be logged in.
Though the degree worksheets were created by the Department Chair and related faculty, you may skip ahead and select courses listed under future semesters as long as you have met the prerequisites for the course you’d like to take.
Q: What is a degree audit?
A: A degree audit is a personalized program worksheet that keeps track of courses you’ve taken or courses you need to complete to earn your degree.
Q: Where can I find my degree audit?
A: Log on to the student portal and click My Maine Guide, click My Degree, and the under the heading Quick Links, click Run My Degree Audit.
Next, click View All Details, then Recalculate Student Progress.
After recalculating student progress, click Graduation Worksheet to view your Degree Audit.
Q: What classes do I need to graduate?
A: Let’s look at your Degree Audit. Do you know how to find it?
Log on to the student portal and click My Maine Guide, click on My Degree, and under Quick Links, and click Run My Degree Audit. Click View All Details.
Be sure to click Recalculate Student Progress, for up-to-date information. After recalculating student progress, click Graduation Worksheet to view your Degree Audit.
Q: What are Fine Arts/Humanities and Social Science Electives?
A: Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Science electives are courses offered from select departments. Click here for a handout.
As new classes are developed, this list may change. For the most up-to-date list, students should use the “Live Degree Audit”.
Q: How can I find my course schedule?
A: You can find it through My Maine Guide on the student portal. Click on My Courses. The last link under Quick links is “View your Schedule.”
Q: How can I drop a course?
A: 1. Log on to the student portal and click My Maine Guide > My Courses.
2. Scroll down slightly until you see three columns.
3. The first column is titled “What to Do”.
4. Click on the second link in that column, “Add or drop a course”.
5. You will see a list of courses you are enrolled in.
6. Click on the empty box next to the course you would like to drop. (If there is not an empty check-box it means it is too late to drop a course.)
7. Click on “Drop Courses” at the bottom of the screen.
Q: What is the format for my Online, Brightspace course?
A: Courses listed on the Course Schedule as “Online, Brightspace” are asynchronous, meaning there are no scheduled meeting times for you, your classmates, and the instructor.
The materials for your course will be posted on a regular basis throughout the semester and you will be responsible for regularly checking your email and the Brightspace page for assignments and updates.
To access Brightspace, log on to the student portal and select Brightspace from the menu at the top of home page.
Q: How do I withdraw from a class?
A: Students must go to the Advising Office, and complete a “Course Withdrawal Form” so that the college has their signature and backup documentation regarding the withdrawal request (and students will receive a copy for their records and will be advised to keep it).
Financial Aid can be affected by withdrawing from a course, so before a student withdraws, speak to the Financial Aid Office.
Students may also email the Registration Office at registration@smccME.edu using your smccME.edu email. Include: name, ID #, and course from which they want to be withdrawn.
Q: When is the deadline to withdraw from a class?
A: The deadline to withdraw from a class is late November (Fall Semester) and late April (Spring Semester).
Check the Academic Calendar or reach out to registration@smccME.edu for specific dates.
Q: How do I change my major?
A: Log on to the student portal, click MySMCC and click My Maine Guide.
Next, click on My Degree, under the What to Do column, under Registration, click “Change your major.”
Complete the form online, print the form, and sign it, and hand it into the Advising Office or email it to registration@smccME.edu.
Q: What immunizations am I missing?
A: Log in to your MySMCC account and go to the Home page > Immunization Status. Here you will see what is “not met” and what is “complete”.
Q: How do I pay my bill?
A: Log in to your MySMCC account and go to My Maine Guide > My Money > Under Quick Links, Pay Bill Online/Check Account Balance.
For additional questions, contact Student Accounts at 207-741-5530 or studentaccounts@smccME.edu.
Q: How does my financial aid book voucher get applied to my online bookstore purchases?
A: The link to the FAFSA is available through My Maine Guide. Log in to your MySMCC account and go to My Maine Guide > My Money and scroll down until you see three columns.
Under the first column, “What To Do,” click on the second link, “File Your FAFSA.”
Q: Who should I speak with if I feel I have disability related needs that affect my ability to keep up in class?
A: Contact the Disability Services Office at disabilityservices@smccME.edu or 207-741-5923.
Q: Where do I go for tutoring?
A: The Learning Commons has tutors for many courses at SMCC—especially math, English, and lab sciences.
You can find more information when you log on to your MySMCC account and click My Maine Guide under My Learning.
Q: How do I clear the holds on my account?
A: If you have an Immunization (IM) hold, you may have to submit or update your immunization records; contact the Advising Office at (207) 741-5835.
If you have a Financial (FO, F1) hold, contact the Student Accounts Office at (207) 741-5530 for more information.
If you have a Free College hold, contact the Financial Aid Office at (207) 741-5518.
Q: Where am I on a health science waiting list?
A: Connect with our Admissions Office directly: admissions@smccME.edu.