Course Alert is a campus-wide initiative that notifies students of academic performance and/or attendance concerns for various courses. A Course Alert notification is just that—a notification that indicates you might benefit from checking in with individuals on campus who want to see you succeed and who can help you connect to additional resources. Student support professionals and your Course Instructors are here to help!

Connecting with your Resources Makes a Difference!

  • Students who received Course Alerts and met with their Academic Advisor continue with their studies at 10% higher rates than students who did not meet with their Academic Advisor.
  • Students who complete 4 sessions of the A&S Academic Coaching Program see their cumulative GPAs increase on average by 0.50 points.

If you received a Course Alert for one or more of your courses this semester, you may have questions about next steps. Your Course Instructors, Academic Advisor(s) and Academic Coach are invested in your success—now is a great time to explore resources and connect with individuals on campus who can offer support!

How do you know if you have Course Alert(s)?  

When a faculty member submits a Course Alert, you are notified within 24 hours of the alert via a corresponding Course Alert notification email.

What to do if you receive a Course Alert

1. Start with Office Hours

Visit your Course Instructor’s office hours to:

  • Go over recent assignments, quizzes and/or exams and identify where you may need to review course material in detail, seek additional support for understanding specific concepts, gain clarity regarding course learning objectives, etc.
  • Build a relationship with your course instructor! Professors, TAs and other course instructors want you to actively seek support if you’re struggling. They are happy to offer help.
  • Do a gut check: is there a chance you won’t pass this course or that you will not earn the grade you hope to get? You can have a frank and confidential discussion with your course instructor about what your grade is right now and how well you’d need to do on your remaining assignments, quizzes and tests to improve and/or pass the course.
  • The time and location of office hours should be listed in Canvas for each of your classes and in your course syllabi.

2. Schedule an Academic Advising Appointment

Your Academic Advisor is here to help as well! Data shows that students who meet with their Academic Advisor after receiving a Course Alert continue with their studies at higher rates than students who did not meet with their Academic Advisor. Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor(s) to:

  • Have a supportive and non-judgemental discussion regarding courses in which you’ve received an alert and any potential impacts on your academic progress.
  • ​Explore options for courses in which you’ve received an alert. ​Your Academic Advisor can help you investigate options, discuss pros and cons, connect with resources for academic support and inform you of semester deadlines, including drop deadlines.
    • What tutoring resources are available?
    • Could Academic Coaching be a meaningful support?
    • Does it make sense to drop a course vs. sticking it out and possibly earn a lower grade than you’d want?
  • Touch base about the big picture.
    • Is your current major a fit for your interests, goals, and skills?
    • Are there other academic disciplines you wish to explore?
    • Could your academic standing be impacted if your grades are low in one or more classes this semester?
  • An Academic Advisor will encourage you to connect with on and off-campus professionals for additional support, such as Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and Disability Services, if you are experiencing challenges outside of advising’s purview.
  • Make an individual appointment with your Academic Advisor or explore advising open hours (Mondays 1-3 pm) in Buff Portal Advising.

3. Consider A&S Academic Coaching

All A&S students are eligible to sign up for the A&S Academic Coaching Program. Students who complete 4 or more Academic Coaching sessions see their cumulative GPAs increase by 0.50 points. Here are some other reasons to explore coaching:

  • Academic Coaching can help you develop skills and healthy academic habits in areas where you want to grow. Do you ever struggle with time management, motivation, goal-setting, etc.? Academic Coaching can help you tap into your strengths and use proven, well-researched techniques to improve academic skills and critical thinking.
  • Academic Coaches also work with students on developing confidence and self-awareness. An Academic Coach will actively listen to your concerns and work with you to co-create options to explore, celebrate your victories and supportively challenge you to consider and define what you want to gain from your time at CU Boulder.
  • An Academic Coach will encourage you to connect with on and off-campus professionals for additional support, such as CAPS and Disability Services, if you are experiencing challenges outside of coaching’s purview.
  • Make an individual appointment with an Academic Coach or explore coaching drop-in hours (Mondays 1-3 pm) in Buff Portal Advising.

4. Check out our Academic Resource Library

The library includes information on:

  • Tutoring
  • Strategies for improving specific academic skills
  • Information on maximizing your success in a remote/online learning environment

Are you considering dropping your class?

Knowing who to talk to about dropping your class is tricky. We recommend you start by scheduling an academic advising appointment in Buff Portal Advising. Your Academic Advisor will help you reflect on your specific circumstances and connect you to Academic Coaching, CAPS, tutoring or other campus staff and resources to help you understand the impact dropping classes has on your academic experience.