Navigating High Point University: A Guide to Student Planning Resources

High Point University (HPU) provides a wealth of resources to support its students throughout their academic journey. From academic advising and career services to financial aid and student support, HPU is committed to helping students succeed. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to the various student planning resources available at High Point University, ensuring students are well-equipped to navigate their college experience.

Academic Resources and Support

Academic Advising and Course Selection

Selecting courses that meet general education requirements as well as courses to fulfill the requirements of the major is a cooperative task between advisee and their advisor. The General Education Requirements listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin is your starting point. ALL courses are one semester in length. Courses are by credit hour - most courses are four credit hours. Try to avoid taking 3 back-to-back courses. It is generally a good idea, anyway, not to have three courses back-to-back anytime. Try to avoid scheduling all of your courses on M-W-F or TUES-THURS. It may sound good, but doesn’t work well for most students. Spread them out. You may DROP/ADD and change courses through the first week of classes. The last day to DROP a course with a “W” is the Friday after Fall or Spring break, as appropriate. Students are assigned a Freshman Success Coach who serves as their academic advisor during their first year.

Graduate Student Registration

Registration for graduate classes will be available several weeks prior to the start of the term (see each program’s Graduate Calendar for specific registration dates). During this time students must login to their Student Planning account and register for classes. The only exception to this process is for students who are registering for practicum, thesis, capstone, or dissertation courses. For these courses, students must complete the approval form (with the appropriate signatures) and turn it into the Office of Graduate Operations. Once the stated registration period is over, the student will not be able to make any changes or drop any classes online.

Appealing Academic Decisions

Situations may arise in which a student believes that he or she has not received fair treatment from a faculty member in an academic matter. When students wish to appeal a grade decision or academic decision, they must first contact the faculty member teaching the course or department in which the academic decision was made; should this in the opinion of the student not be an amicable discussion and/or rationale for the grade or academic decision, the student must then appeal to the Dean of the College for the applicable course. All other academic decision appeals may first be directed to the Director of the Graduate Program; if the decision and/or discussion are not amicable for the student’s needs, they must then appeal to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. If a student does agree with the Provost’s decision, they do have the right to appeal to the President’s office who will then assign the case to the Executive committee and those members will host a hearing for the student’s case to be heard. All non-academic issues and questions and/or concerns may be appealed to the Director of Graduate Programs. If the decision of the Director is not agreed upon by the student, the student may appeal to the Provost of the University. If the Provost decision is not one that the student agrees with, the student may appeal to the Office of the President.

Academic Good Standing and Dismissal Policies

A student is in academic good standing with acceptable grades. All grades earned in Master’s graduate courses are considered in the determination of academic dismissal. All grades earned in the Doctoral graduate courses are considered in the determination of academic dismissal. A student will be dismissed from graduate study when: a grade of C is received in two graduate courses; a grade of F is received in one graduate course; comprehensive examinations are failed on the second attempt; oral thesis defense is failed on the second attempt; or the minimal cumulative GPA of 3.0 is not achieved for the number of credit hours required for the degree. All grades earned in graduate courses are considered in the determination of academic dismissal.

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Career and Internship Services

High Point University’s Career & Internship Services Office offers assistance in all aspects of the career planning, internship and employment process. The office helps you explore your interests, identify your strengths and develop an action plan that will prepare you for life after graduation. Located on the first floor of Cottrell Hall, this professional staff will assist students with a comprehensive range of services designed to help students explore, prepare for and implement their career goals. Services include career counseling, interest inventory administration, guided career research and career decision-making. Students also benefit from educational presentations on such topics as networking, resume writing, and interviewing skills.

The two-story, 40,000-square-foot building will house the Office of Career and Internship Services, the Office of Study Abroad, the Center for Entrepreneurship, Service Learning, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works and more. This vibrant center will provide valuable resources and expert guidance for students preparing for job interviews, seeking job opportunities and looking for ways to diversify their career skills.

Financial Resources

Student Financial Planning

The Office of Student Financial Planning works diligently to assist students in their pursuit of post-secondary education at High Point University. We work not only to assist students, but also their parents and members of the University community. We are anxious to get to know each student well and to understand their unique needs and challenges in funding their college education. We will work with students each step of the way to maximize their resources, and help determine if other resources exist from which they might benefit.

Federal Aid and Loans

Graduate Program students are eligible for loan funds through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. Graduate students should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for financial assistance. High Point University’s Title IV School Code is 002933. The maximum annual limit for the Federal Stafford Loan is $8,500, and the maximum annual limit for the Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is $12,000. The FAFSA worksheet may be picked up at the Office of Student Financial Planning or accessed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Student Account Center

The High Point University Student Account Center (SAC) is an online portal that provides access to current account activity, account statements, monthly payment plans and one time electronic payments towards your balance. Access for students and authorized users to the Student Account Center is provided in the links below. Due to student privacy regulations (FERPA), access to the Student Account Center is initially granted to students. Students may grant access to other individuals who will be helping manage their financial account. Students are encouraged to provide access to all individuals who help manage their financial account or make payments. This can be done through the Authorized User Access section in the Student Account Center portal.

Billing and Payment Options

The traditional method for billing tuition and fees is done on a semester basis. Invoice statements for the fall semester will be available in the Student Account Center early June and payment is due June 30. The Student Account Center provides a number of online payment options including ACH bank transfer, as well as debit or credit card payments.

Monthly Payment Plan

To help you afford your education expenses, High Point University is pleased to offer you and your family a monthly payment plan option. The interest-free monthly payment option allows you to spread each semester’s expenses over five monthly installments for only a small enrollment fee. The undergraduate payment plan option is available on a semester basis and you must re-enroll each semester. The enrollment fee for each semester is $55.

Student Support Services

Counseling Services

The Counseling Center is in Slane, 3rd Floor. There are six counselors that can help you with transition issues, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sexuality issues, trauma, substance abuse, grief, stress and time management issues.

Disability Support

High Point University will not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, educational process or treatment of students with disabilities. At the beginning of each term, a student must request their accommodation letters for faculty, staff and campus officials. The student will deliver the accommodation letters in a timely manner prior to the need for the accommodation. Accommodations are not retroactive, so students are asked to request accommodation letters the first week of classes. Accommodations are in place only after the student presents the accommodation memos to the instructor and discusses arrangements to be made.

Information Technology (IT) Services

The Office of Information Technology (IT) covers all electronic systems and services including data and voice networks, the campus telephone system, internet access, my.highpoint.edu, the campus-wide wireless network and Blackboard.

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Other Important Resources

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

FERPA is a Federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records. It also provides guidelines for appropriately using and releasing student education records. It is intended that students’ rights be broadly defined and applied. Therefore, the student is considered to be the “owner” of his or her education record, and the institution as the “custodian” of that record.

Campus Bookstore

The campus bookstore is located on the second floor of the Slane Student Center.

New Academic Year Student Accounts Checklist

The Office of Student Accounts wants to help make sure that each incoming and returning student has completed all necessary paperwork required by High Point University in order to begin your Freshman year. Be sure to read over our New Academic Year Student Accounts Checklist of all necessary items required to begin the new academic year at High Point University. Please note, if you are a returning student, you may have already completed some of these items in previous years. Billing statements will be available to view online beginning mid-April. Billing statements will be available to view online beginning June 6, 2025. Billing statements will be available to view online beginning in mid-November.

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