Frequently Asked Questions

***Students: Please be advised that the FAQ section is constantly being updated. This tool provides you with quick answers to commonly asked questions relating to advising and language testing.***

The academic advising team in the School of International Letters & Cultures strongly believes in empowering each and every student to take the initiative for their academic success and progress. To further this aim, please review the provided list of frequently asked questions. If your questions are not answered, or if you require more in-depth explanation, please schedule an appointment with one of our academic advisors.

Advising in SILC

Language Testing

ADVISING IN SILC

Q. How do I make an advising appointment?

A. You should log-in using your username and password in the upper-right corner of silc.asu.edu. On the left side of the page you will be able to make an appintment with an advisor.

Q. Have I been assigned a specific advisor?

A. Yes and No. For most students, you may choose to see either Douglas or Emily. Students  pursuing the International Letters and Cultures BA along with those in the Chinese Flagship program must meet with Douglas.

Q. How should I prepare for my advising appointment?

A. Students should bring a current copy of their DARS report (DARS tutorial), their ASU SunCard, and any other applicable forms. If you are a prospective, new, or transfer student, it is helpful to have copies of your unofficial test scores, transcripts, etc.

Q. I notice that I have a "Junior Check-In" notification on MyASU. What does this mean?

A. Your advisors are interested in making sure that everything is going as planned and that you are on your way to being a Sun Devil graduate! In order to accomplish this, when you see this notification, please visit silc.asu.edu/appointments to schedule an appointment with an advisor. During this check-in appointment, we will verify that everything is correct in your student account and that all other indicators show that you are making progress towards graduation. This is not an urgent hold, and it will not impact your ability to register. However, please do make an appointment to see your advisor so we can remove the hold from your account.

Q. How do I add a language minor?

A. In order to ensure that both your major and minor advisors are aware of your intentions to add a language minor, you need to have the following Change to Academic Plan form filled out and signed by both advisors. If you are coming in to add a minor, please bring this form with you. You may start the process to add a minor with either your major or minor advisor.

Q. If I am on academic probation what should I do?

A. Students on academic probation must print their DARS report, complete pre-advising homework, and schedule an appointment with an academic advisor. Probationary students must bring their DARS report and a new pre-advising homework worksheet to every appointment. Students who do not bring these items must reschedule.

You must see the same advisor for the duration of the time you are on academic probation. If you do not know who your probationary advisor is, please email silcadvising@asu.edu.

Q. May I email an advisor my question(s)?

A. It depends. If you have a very simple (one sentence) question, you may email silcadvising@asu.edu and an advisor will respond to your inquiry. However, if you have multiple or complex questions, you must make an appointment to meet with a SILC advisor. ***Please note that requests to add/drop majors or minors, lift advising holds, and probationary advising require an in-person appointment.***

Q. May I meet with an advisor over the phone instead of in person?

A. No. Phone appointments are reserved for students out of the country who have urgent academic inquiries/needs. Please call +0114809656281 to schedule a phone appointment.

Q. Do you offer walk-in advising?

A. Yes. On occasion, we will have walk-in advising. However, the vast majority of advising is done my appointment. You may call the SILC main office at 480 965 6281 to inquire about walk-in availability.

Q. What is the late policy for advising appointments?

A. In order to be fair to all students, anyone arriving 10 or more minutes late to their appointment will need to reschedule. There is no exception to the late appointment policy.

Q. How do I cancel or reschedule an advising appointment?

A. Please call the SILC main office at 480 965 6281.

Q. I need a language course evaluated from an outside University. How do I do this and how long will it take?

A. SILC provides evaluations for students who have already completed language-related coursework at another University as a courtesy to students. We do not evaluate prospective courses which students are contemplating taking. Students wishing for a course to be evaluated should contact SILC Assistant Director of Academic Services, Douglas Spencer, at dougspencer@asu.edu.

In this email, please include the following items: 1) Your name, affiliate ID, and major; 2) The course description and syllabus of the course from the non-ASU institution for which you are requesting evaluation; and 3) how an email address at which you can be reached when the evaluation process is complete. 

Course equivalency determinations are only conducted during the Fall and Spring semesters and students should expect the process to take 4 weeks. Please make plans accordingly. If you have not heard back with a determination of equivalency within 4 weeks, please email Douglas Spencer at dougspencer@asu.edu to inquire. Equivalencies are evaluated in the order in which they are received and students should allow ample time for the documentation to be reviewed.

Q. If I have concerns, comments, or feedback for the advising department in SILC, who do I contact?

A. Student satisfaction with advising is a critical component of our advising mission. After each advising appointment, you will receive a link to participate in an anonymous Advising Satisfaction Survey. Please complete this survey, as your answers directly impact your advising experience.  If you didn't receive a survey link, or have additional feedback, please email silc.advising.admin@asu.edu and you will receive a response within 48 hours.

LANGUAGE TESTING

Q. What are the different types of language tests offered by SILC and what do they mean?

A. Please see the table below for the most common language testing questions. If you have questions regarding AP, IB, or CLEP tests, please contact the appropriate testing agency.

 Important Forms