Counseling

A Student Education Plan (SEP) is a key tool for academic success. It provides a personalized, semester-by-semester outline of the courses you need to complete to achieve your educational goals. 

Students can create an SEP on their own through Self Service, by enrolling in COUNS 014--College Success course, or with a Counselor during a 30-minute or 60-minute counseling appointment.

Please note that Counselors prefer to wait to complete comprehensive SEPs for incoming freshmen, students who have completed fewer than 12 to 15 units of college-level coursework, or those who have not yet selected a specific major or transfer university.  If students like an overview of the required courses for various majors or degrees at EVC, they can view the Program Mapper.

Placement on academic/progress probation should be taken very seriously because it can delay a students' educational journey.  Go to Academic Probation/Dismissal for further details.

Choosing a major and career can feel overwhelming, and starting college may seem intimidating — but it's okay to feel unsure. Counselors at EVC are here to guide and support you every step of the way.

Here are several ways to explore majors and careers at EVC:

1. Take a career exploration course: COUNS 013 –Career Planning (3 units)
2. Work with a Counselor to identify your values, skills, interests, and long-term career goals. From there, you can explore a wide range of options and begin charting your career path. Remember, career counseling is a collaborative effort—you’ll gain the most when you actively engage. Come to your appointment with an open mind and a readiness to reflect on your values, skills, interests, goals and strengths.
3. Students can explore their career and major options on their own by taking a variety of self-assessments.  EVC students have access to these tools through the online platform Eureka.  To access Eureka free of charge, please contact the Counseling Office or email the Counselors’ mailbox at mycounselor@evc.edu.

At EVC, students are allowed to repeat a credit course a maximum of three (3) times. This includes any combination of substandard grades (D, F, NP, NC, or FW) or course withdrawals marked as a “W.”

For a second repeat (third attempt) or third repeat (fourth and final attempt), an online Repeat Petition must be submitted. This online petition is initiated and submitted by a Counselor. To begin the process, please schedule a 30-minute appointment with a Counselor.

Students who wish to use courses completed at another college or university to earn credit toward a degree or certificate at EVC may submit a Course Substitution Petition.  Please note that this process applies only to major courses, not general education (GE) courses. For questions about receiving credit for GE courses, refer to the "Preliminary Evaluation of Transcripts" section below or schedule an appointment with a Counselor for further guidance.

Process: As of Fall 2024, students are no longer required to meet with Counselors to complete this process; however, Counselors are still available to assist and support students with the Course Substitution Petition process.  It is the student’s responsibility to complete the form and submit it to the appropriate academic Dean and their Administration Assistant for review and approval.

At EVC, we welcome middle school and high school students to take college-level courses through our Dual Enrollment program. To learn more and access the required forms, please visit the Dual Enrollment webpage.

Please note that Counselors do not process Dual Enrollment forms. If a student wishes to enroll in a course that has a prerequisite, the Dual Enrollment staff will forward the application and supporting documents to the Counselors’ mailbox for review and prerequisite clearances.  Please do not contact Counselors regarding the status or processing time of Dual Enrollment forms.

At EVC, students are limited to a maximum of 18 units during a regular Fall or Spring semester, 10 units during the Summer session, and 7 units during the Winter or Spring Intersession.

Students who wish to exceed these unit limits must schedule a 30-minute appointment with a Counselor to complete the Excess Units Authorization Form.  Please note that Counselors base their approval on the student’s academic history, including past performance and overall GPA.

Effective Fall 2025, California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) is the new general education (GE) pattern designed to streamline the transfer process from a California Community College to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC). It has yet to be determined when the use of the CSU GE and/or IGETC pattern will be phased out. Some students may be eligible to continue following the old CSU GE and/or IGETC patterns. Learn more about which GE pattern you may be eligible for. If you have questions about which option is best for you, meet with a counselor.

Students who need to enroll in a course at EVC but have not completed the prerequisite(s) at EVC may be eligible to submit an In-Progress Verification Petition.

For example: If a student wishes to enroll in MATH 073 – Multivariable Calculus at EVC but has not completed MATH 072 – Calculus II with Analytic Geometry at EVC and is currently enrolled in an equivalent course at another college or university, they may proceed with the In-Progress Verification Petition process.

Process: The student must schedule a 30-minute counseling appointment to meet with a Counselor, present an unofficial transcript showing the in-progress course at another institution.  If the Counselor is able to verify the equivalency/articulation of the required prerequisite, they will clear the student to register for the requested course in the system, complete the In-Progress Verification Petition and submit the completed petition to the Dean of Admissions & Records for review and approval. 

If the Counselor cannot verify the equivalency/articulation of the required prerequisite course(s), then they will refer the student to go through the Prerequisite Verification Process first to get the equivalency/articulation approved by the specific department.

We strongly encourage students who are experiencing challenges with emotional regulation, self-esteem, or interpersonal relationships that may be affecting their education to meet with a Counselor.  EVC Counselors provide a safe, supportive space to help students identify stressors, understand their emotional responses, and develop effective coping strategies.  Students can also access mental health support through the Student Health & Wellness Department.

Students who have completed courses at other colleges or universities and wish to transfer those credits to EVC can meet with a Counselor for a preliminary transcript evaluation. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for this purpose and can help Counselors recommend appropriate courses for the upcoming semester.  Please note that Counselors are not official evaluators.  For an official evaluation of transcripts, students must submit a request to the Evaluators after registering for or completing at least 12 units at EVC.

Students who wish to use courses completed at another college or university to meet prerequisites for higher-level courses at EVC (also known as prerequisite clearances) may submit a Prerequisite Verification Request to the counselors’ mailbox at mycounselor@evc.edu. Please ensure all required documents are included in a single email—this may include unofficial transcripts or AP score reports.  All documents must clearly display the name of the college or university, the student’s name, and the completed course with a grade of “C” or higher.  

If a Counselor is unable to verify the equivalency or articulation of the prerequisite course(s), the student will be referred to the appropriate academic department to complete the Prerequisite Verification Request process for review and possible approval.

Any of our Counselors are available to assist with most transfer-related questions, including timelines, application deadlines and procedure, completing transfer applications, and understanding required coursework such as general education and major preparation. 

• Change of Status Form
• Class Conflict Petition