Advising & Registration

New Student Advising Program

Welcome to NIC!

NIC Advising Services is here to help students find their path through higher education with efficiency, affordability and effectiveness in mind. Our advisors work hard to customize and enhance the student experience and to enable students to get the most of their education at NIC.

Advising is required for new and returning NIC students.

For students in career and technology programs (excluding pre-nursing students), NIC’s Career and Technical Education Center has advising specifically for CTE students. Contact Annette Griffard at (208) 769-3448 or annette.griffard@nic.edu for CTE advising appointments.

For Bonner and Boundary County students, NIC’s Sandpoint Outreach Center also has specialized advising. Contact NIC at Sandpoint at (208) 665-5074 for advising appointments.

• What to expect in your first advising session

  • Guidance clarifying your educational and career interests
  • Assistance with course selection and registration
  • A review of your math and English assessments to inform course selection
  • A review of credits transferred from other institutions
  • Referrals to on-campus and off-campus resources
  • Introductions to advising tools and resources 
  • Information about how to prepare for and maximize future meetings with advisors

• How to prepare for advising and registration

  • Complete the Advising Profile Form which gives advisors more information about students' backgrounds and goals
  • Complete the online New Student Orientation
  • Explore NIC's academic programs
  • Explore Career Services information and resources for new and first-year students
  • Complete math and English placement assessments, which determine the starting point for math and English courses that are required in most NIC programs
  • Submit official college transcripts for college credits earned at other institutions. Most colleges use the National Student Clearinghouse to request transcripts
  • Submit official Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores.

• Individual Advising vs. Group Advising

  • NIC Advising Services offers two types of appointments to serve students.
  • Individual advising appointments are best for:
    • New students seeking personalized attention
    • Students who are transferring college credits from other institutions
    • Students who have a clear idea of their desired program or interest area
    Individual advising appointments typically last approximately an hour and can be held in person, via Zoom or by phone depending on the advisor and the student's needs.
  • Group advising sessions are best for:
    • New students who are exploring potential programs
    • Students who have no or few college credits to transfer to NIC
    Group advising sessions are scheduled in 90-minute blocks, though the session depends on the students' needs. Once a student is registered, their advising appointment is finished.

Book your Advising Session