Navigating the Academic Calendar at Aims Community College

Aims Community College offers a variety of programs and resources designed to support student success. Understanding the academic calendar, including important dates, program structures, and available support services, is crucial for students to effectively plan their academic journey.

Pre-College Programs: Building a Strong Foundation

For students who need to enhance their skills before starting credit classes, Aims provides pre-college programs like MATH Start. These programs focus on developing essential math and reading/writing skills.

MATH Start

This program helps students increase their math proficiency, covering topics like functions and the manipulation of expressions. It is designed to build on high school and high school equivalency-level math skills, preparing students for more complex algebra concepts.

CUNY Start: An Example of Success

Justine Figueroa, a CUNY Start graduate, highlights the program's impact. CUNY Start, similar to Aims' pre-college programs, focuses on reading, writing, math, and success strategies. Justine credits the program with giving her the confidence she needed to succeed in her degree studies. The support from teachers and staff was instrumental in her success, inspiring her to implement similar support systems in her Human Services major. She actively sought guidance from advisors and created a plan to achieve her goals.

Justine's success continued at LaGuardia, where she consistently made the Dean's List and received a Guttman Scholarship. She also became a Peer Advisor, helping other students understand program curricula and navigate college resources. Her experiences extended to internships with organizations like Meals on Wheels and Visiting Nurse Service of New York, where she worked with individuals facing substance abuse issues. She further contributed to the community by conducting empowerment and mentoring workshops for incarcerated youth at Rikers Island. Justine's journey exemplifies how pre-college programs can lay a strong foundation for academic and professional success.

Read also: Tuition at Aims

Benefits of Pre-College Programs

Participating in these programs offers several advantages:

Improvement of writing and math skills.
Better preparation for college-level work.
Opportunities to fulfill developmental needs.
Reduced need for additional developmental courses, allowing students to begin taking credit courses sooner.
Alleviation of the financial burden associated with developmental courses.

These programs are designed to provide a stronger academic foundation, allowing students to focus exclusively on developmental courses for a semester.

Semester-Based and Non-Term Programs

Aims Education provides both semester-based and non-term programs.

Semester-Based Programs

These programs are delivered using a hybrid learning environment with synchronous online classes. Each semester is 15 weeks long, with schedules varying based on lecture, lab, and clinical hour requirements. Standard courses typically run Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., although clinical internships may occur outside these hours. The Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist program, for instance, typically has an evening schedule during the first semester, from Monday to Thursday, 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., followed by a clinical internship during normal business hours. Evening and weekend schedules are generally not available.

Non-Term Programs

Non-term programs observe the same holidays as semester-based programs, but their start and end dates, as well as scheduled breaks, may differ. The withdrawal date for these programs is typically the 80% mark of the course. Many non-term programs utilize synchronous online classes. For example, Pharmacy Technician students are required to attend online classes for 15 hours per week and complete an additional 14 hours per week of on-site clinical hours, typically Monday to Friday during business hours.

Read also: Your Success Starts at Aims

Important Dates and Holidays

Staying informed about important dates and holidays is essential for academic planning. Here are some key dates to note:

December 25: Christmas Day
January 1: New Year's Day
January 19: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

These dates are observed by both semester-based and non-term programs, although program-specific schedules may vary.

Student Involvement and Resources

Aims Community College encourages students to get involved in campus life through various activities and organizations:

Student clubs and organizations
Student Government Association (SGA)
Campus Activities Programming (CAP) Board
Arty's Recovery Connection (ARC)
Volunteering for student activities

The Campus Activities Programming (CAP) Board plans activities to raise awareness and provide information on topics related to student success and community building.

Essential Resources

Student ID: Obtain a free Aims student ID at the Info Desk in the Student Commons on the Greeley Campus or at the front desk on satellite campuses.
Parking Permits: Free parking permits are required for all vehicles parked on campus and can be picked up at the same locations as student IDs.
Fliers: All fliers must be approved by the Student Life Office in room 120 of the Student Commons on the Greeley Campus.

Addressing Concerns and Resolving Issues

Aims Community College provides a process for students to address concerns and resolve issues:

Attempt to resolve the situation by visiting with the individual or office involved.
If further support is needed, fill out the online MAAP (Making Aims A Priority) report.
Once submitted, a MAAP officer will contact you to set up a meeting.

Potential Disruptions and Emergency Procedures

AIMS Education reserves the right to close during weather emergencies or natural disasters. National, state, or public health emergencies may also impact the continuity of education, potentially altering class schedules, changing the method of instruction, canceling classes, or delaying internships. While AIMS Education strives to maintain the continuity of education, it must adhere to guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, as well as accrediting agencies. The institution will explore all options to ensure students complete their valuable clinical experience.

tags: #aims #community #college #academic #calendar