Fresno City College students wait to meet with counselors for a variety of services. This is a sight that has become a major part of the first week of school.  These services include: help with registration, financial aid, transferring, and placement in special programs.  Students line up before the counseling center opens to ensure a meeting with a counselor. “It’s important for students to remember that many programs are understaffed,” says Araceli Gallardo, counselor of the Cal Works program at FCC. Fellow counselor Kami Theppavong adds, “This department only has two part-time counselors available to help students.”

Lee Farley, director of the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services says, “The EOP&S program has four counselors to help the current 13,000 students using the program.” He adds that budget issues have affected most departments on campus.  Several departments on campus work together and connect on various issues. Farley says “apart from working with our own department, we also work with other departments to help students.”  Theppavong and Gallardo work year round in the Cal Works program. “It’s very important for students to make appointments with counselors,” says Gallardo. “Sometimes it can be frustrating for students if they can’t meet with a counselor.”

Many different departments at FCC have their own counselors that work with other departments to help as many students as possible. “Our counselors like to stay on top of new developments,” Farley says. “And be ready for any changes.”

Keep the following tips in mind when going to see a counselor:

1.      The departments may be understaffed so there may only be a few counselors to accommodate the students with questions.

2.      Make appointments. Make sure to find which offices allow students to make appointments with counselors beforehand to avoid any long waiting periods.

3.      Be prepared. To avoid wasting any time during a meeting, bring all information that will be relevant to your case.

4.      Be patient. In some cases you may just have to wait for a variety of reasons.

5.      Ask about other departments that may also be useful for you and your needs. Most departments are connected to others that may have information for you.

6.      Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Counselors are there to help students with as much as they can. New students especially may need extra information that incoming students may be unfamiliar with.