FAQS for Parents and Supporting Family Members 

You can find the start and end dates, along with holidays and finals schedules, by checking the Academic Calendar. 

Through their myLCCC account, students can see the required books from their “Printable Class Schedule.” They can also look up the books they need on the bookstore website if they have the course number and section number. 

Academic advising is a process by which an advisor meets with the student to discuss the student’s short- and long-term educational and career goals. The advisor will assist in determining the sequencing of required courses in the student’s major and help select the appropriate courses for each semester. Advisors provide encouragement and refer students to support services within the college, if needed. When your student is not sure where to go with a question or problem, their advisor can help. 

One of the most important responsibilities is keeping scheduled appointments. If your student is not able to keep an appointment, they should contact the advisor as soon as possible. Your student should be prepared with any relevant information (unofficial transcript, etc.) to ensure the appointment will be productive, as well as any questions that will help them make informed decisions. Students should aim to meet with an advisor once per semester. If the student plans to transfer to a four-year institution, they are highly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor early and continue to do so throughout their time at LCCC. 

Many students are unsure of a major or career pathway when they start college. Your student’s advisor can help them explore their strengths and their options at LCCC. Encourage your student to complete the FOCUS II assessment to help them start thinking about this important decision, and to schedule an appointment with their advisor at the beginning of the semester. 

You can find transfer information, including course equivalencies and articulation agreements, as well as transfer planning tips and visit information, on the Transfer Services web page. If your student plans to transfer to a state school, you can find program-to-program transfer information and additional course equivalency information on the PA Trac website. 

A syllabus is the agreement between the professor and the class about what material will be learned, classroom policies and procedures, and the grading system. Each professor develops their own way of teaching the class in line with the course objectives. Students must pay close attention to the syllabus because it will differ in each class, and it will explain how students earn their grades in that specific class. 

Homework in college is very different than homework in high school. Students must complete a good deal of work at home to be successful in a class. Students are expected to do two to three hours of work outside of class for each hour spent in class. Being a full-time student is the same as having a full-time job. Make-up work in college is not usually allowed. 

Every semester, there is a deadline to withdraw from a class without academic penalty. If a student withdraws, they will generally lose their time spent and their tuition dollars. This is generally not a good thing to do, but sometimes it is the best decision. Your student should always talk to the professor or their advisor before dropping a class. Sometimes, there are also financial aid implications to be considered before withdrawing from a class. If a student fails to withdraw by the deadline, the student’s grade will reflect what the student has earned in the class. 

By federal law and college policy, professors cannot share information about a student’s progress or situation in the class. So, no, it will not be helpful for you to contact professors. That does not mean you cannot help your student. Remember, this is a great opportunity for your student to be independent and learn to advocate for themselves! Encourage them to do so.  

Students who are struggling in a course are strongly encouraged to speak to their instructors about the options available for getting help with their coursework. They can also take advantage of academic tutoring, both on campus and online. Educational Support Services offers help with writing, math, science, and other coursework. Online tutoring is available for many classes 24/7. Learning specialists are also available to assist with study skills, note-taking, and testing strategies. If your student has a physical, learning, or psychological disability or received academic accommodations in high school, then we encourage them to visit our Disability Support Services office. A specialist will review supporting documentation of a disability and work with the student to determine the most appropriate accommodations. 

Tuition and fees are posted on the LCCC website. You can also call the Business Office at 610-799-1157 and we’d be glad to explain specific tuition costs for your student. 

Tuition due dates are posted on the Business Office web page. You can find this on the LCCC website under Pay Your Bill. Also, the student will receive regular notices from the Business Office about when payment is due. 

We accept cash, checks, and credit cards at our main campus, and checks and credit card payments at our Schnecksville, Tamaqua, and Donley sites. ACH and credit card payments can also be made online through the student portal. See the Pay Your Bill web page for more specific instructions for online payments. 

Yes, we have an online payment plan that drafts the installment payments automatically on specified dates, and we also have an in-house payment plan to meet more specific needs. Visit the Pay Your Bill web page for more information. 

Yes, we do. We just ask that you come in and sign a Promissory Note if you will be using PA TAP monies to pay your student’s balance. 

Yes, they still owe the charges. Charges are based on the number of credits you register for, not the number of credits you complete. Failure to attend is not considered an official drop or withdrawal. Once a student registers, they are obliged to pay for all charges whether they attend the class or not.  

For the 2023-24 academic year, it is a tax transcript from 2021. You can find more information about FAFSA on our Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA) page. 

Your information must be included on the FAFSA until the student is 24 years old regardless of whether the student is claimed on the parent’s tax return or not. You can find more information about FAFSA on our Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA) page. 

The Data Retrieval Tool is a fast and easy way to transfer income tax information from the IRS to the student’s FAFSA form. It can be done as the FAFSA is being completed. You can find more information about FAFSA on our Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA) page. 

Student loans are in the student’s name and must be paid back by the student. Grants do not have to be paid back and are automatically paid to the student’s account. 

The student must visit the Federal Student Aid website and complete an electronic loan agreement and electronic entrance counseling in order to borrow a student loan. You can find more information on student loans on our Student Loans page.  

We encourage parents and supporting family members to take on the role of supporter, mentor, and coach. Help your student understand that they need to advocate for themselves. Encourage your student to meet with their assigned advisor every semester, to be aware of college deadlines, and to seek help when needed. Also, students who get involved on campus report a more positive college experience and are more successful. Encourage your student to get involved in clubs.

Yes, your student should get a parking sticker for main campus. All students are encouraged to have a registration sticker displayed on the rear window of their car (students may register more than one car). The sticker number enables public safety officers to identify and notify the vehicle’s owner in case of any problem with the vehicle. Parking stickers are available from the Public Safety Office in the Student Services Center. 

On-campus jobs are posted on the LCCC Cougar CLAW as well as on the bulletin board located outside of the Career Development Center in SSC 4. Students can create a Cougar CLAW account by clicking on the “Jobs” tab in their myLCCC account. 
  
Applications are available in the Career Development Center. The minimum qualifications for on-campus employment are a 2.0 GPA, taking at least six credits during the semester for which the student is hired, and must have completed a FAFSA for the current academic year.

Students seeking internship opportunities or part-time, full-time, or seasonal jobs can receive assistance from the Career Development Center. Multiple resources are available depending on the individual’s needs. Appointments are recommended and can be scheduled by calling 610-799-1090. 

We offer a variety of clubs to help your student find something that sparks their interest. The Office of Student Life provides a variety of programming throughout the year and welcomes suggestions from students. 

There is a Wellness Center at the main campus that is free for students to use with a valid LCCC ID. The Wellness Center is equipped with state-of-the-art fitness equipment. The CougarCade has three pool tables, table tennis, board games, and Xbox 360. Intramural sports include: Volleyball, Basketball, Flag Football, Table Tennis, Dodgeball, Pickleball, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Wiffleball, Softball, Walking Club, Running Club, Fitness Challenge, Billiards Tournaments, Mini Golf Tournaments, 3v3 Basketball Tournaments, Table Tennis Tournaments, and much more.