Pre-Semester Checklist
Now that you've been accepted, you can also use our pre-semester checklist to prepare for the upcoming term to ensure a smooth start to your classes! We're looking forward to having you join our NCC community and are here to help if you need any assistance.
New and returning students will be assigned an Academic Advisor and must connect with them prior to registering for classes. Your Advisor will assist you with registering for courses, connecting with college resources and ensuring a successful start at NCC!
Guest and visiting students are not assigned Advisors and should utilize drop-in advising for assistance.
All students must connect with an Academic Advisor prior to registering for classes. Your Advisor will assist you with understanding program requirements, academic planning, and transfer exploration. They'll also connect you with resources and student organizations to provide a more all-inclusive, rewarding experience while you’re here. For a demonstration of how to find your assigned Advisor in Workday, click here. You can also take advantage of drop-in advising hours if needed.
- Apply for financial aid annually. To check your aid status and accept aid, log in to Workday and review notices in your inbox.
- Review scholarships and apply for them.
- Pay tuition via Workday. Log in to Workday and click into the Finances area to find your bill.
Questions about your bill? Contact the Bursar's Office - Bethlehem 610.861.5407 or Pocono 570.369.1800.
Questions about your financial aid? Contact the Financial Aid Office - Bethlehem 610.861.5510 or Pocono 570.369.1801 or meet with them virtually here.
- Review the Academic Calendar for important semester dates including semester start dates, end dates, final exam timing, and college closures. Note that multiple calendars are listed for spring, summer, and fall so be sure to look at the calendar(s) that correspond to the courses you registered for (i.e. 14 week, Accelerated 1, Accelerated 2, Mid-Semester).
- Make sure to specifically review your course schedule, checking when/where any course meetings occur, as well as the course format you selected. If you're not sure when your classes begin or end, follow these steps:
- Login to Workday.
- Under "Your Top Apps", click "Academics".
- Under "Planning & Registration", click "View My Courses".
- The next page will list your course schedule and information about your course meeting times, locations, format, and more.
- Click here to review the differences between the different types of course formats.
- Click here to access the NCC Bookstore website. To shop, click on "Textbooks - Shop by Course" and search for your courses.
- Pocono campus courses will be listed with the Pocono Campus but all other courses are listed as Northampton Community College.
- Some courses include an electronic textbook as part of your tuition bill. If you look up these courses on the bookstore website, a section note will be provided that will explain this so you know not to purchase it.
- To identify the required books/materials, you'll need your course section number. Follow these steps to access your course schedule and section numbers:
- Login to Workday.
- Under "Your Top Apps", click "Academics".
- Under "Planning & Registration", click "View My Courses".
- The next page will list your course schedule. The "Section" column will list your courses and section numbers. Example: "ENGL 101-02" means that the course is "ENGL101" and the section number is "02".
- General Rule: Do not open your textbooks until your professors confirm you will need them. If you do not need your textbook, you can return it. Some professors put copies of textbooks in the library for your use. Financial aid can be used for course materials purchased/rented through the Bookstore.
- Students are encouraged to sign up to receive NCC Text Alerts. Alerts will notify students of school closings, delays, and emergency notifications.
- Students can access their course pages on Blackboard about 3 days prior to to each course's start date. Open Blackboard and login using your NCC credentials (the same username/password you use for Workday).
- Contact our Information Technology Services Help Desk for support.
- Review the Preparing for Classes module. It’s a quick and helpful resource for you!
- Students with disabilities can contact our Accessibility Resource Center to inquire about receiving accommodations.
- Review your course syllabi. Syllabi for most online course sections will be listed here shortly before the semester begins. Use the advanced search options to find your specific courses and review your syllabi. Instructors may also email you your syllabus near the start of the semester and/or post their syllabus in their Blackboard course page.
- Start exploring your course Blackboard pages. Most online courses and many on-campus courses use Blackboard. Blackboard is a website that can be accessed by any computer, tablet, or smartphone. It is strongly recommended that you use the Google Chrome Browser to access it. Although there is a mobile app, it does not provide the same content as the website provides. The website should be the primary way that students access course content.
- About 3 days prior to your course start date, you'll be able to log in to your Blackboard course page. To access these pages, log in to Blackboard, and select your course from the course page. Some instructors may not give course page access until closer to the start date. Email us if you still need access on the first day of the course.
- Many instructors will send out a start-of-semester message to their students near the start of the semester. They may post this on Blackboard or email it directly to their students' NCC email addresses. This message may provide details on how to get started with their specific course.
- Are you graduating this semester? Be sure to apply for graduation in Workday, if you haven't already done so. Click here for more information.
- Click here to review the process to request a name change in the NCC system.
- Do you need childcare? Childcare centers are available at our Bethlehem and Pocono Campuses. Click here for more information.
- NCC ID's are required for students who visit our campuses. Click here for more information or if you would like to request an NCC student ID.
- Are you looking into public transportation options? LANTA offers transportation to our Bethlehem campuses. Pocono Pony offers transportation to our Pocono campus.
- Review the student resource guide for additional help.
- If you have not completed the Starfish Intake, please do (quick how to video). It just takes a few minutes and provides the College with info to better support you. Click here to open the Starfish website.
