First Year Advising Center

Students outside of Lincoln-Washington residence halls

 

WHAT IS THE REACH PROGRAM?

The Reach Program was established in 1969. It is an alternative admission program designed for students who fall just outside the ‘regular admission’ standards. The Reach Program is committed to offering students the opportunity to participate in higher education.

Students are selected based on Academic GPA in their “core classes,” ACT/SAT scores, Letters of Recommendation and Student Goal Statements.

Experienced Advisors serve as mentors and advocates who offer students: encouragement, advice, class registration guidance, and join with them in celebrating their many successes.

Advisors partner with students to guide, support and impact their experience as they navigate their first year of college.

There is no separate application for the Reach Program. Please see details at the Office of Admission website.

 

STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN REACH MUST:

      1)  Attend a mandatory meeting the Friday before classes begin.

    • Date: Friday, August 22
    • Time: 9:00 am - 10:00 am
    • Location: University Union - Grand Ballroom

      2)  Consult with your Reach Advisor 8 times per semester (every 2 weeks).

    • It is important for Reach students to monitor their WIU email as Reach advisors will be reaching out to get meetings scheduled. Meetings with the Reach advisor should be occurring throughout the semester. The goal is to ensure Reach students are receiving timely support, get to review academic policies, and ensuring university deadlines are not missed.

      3)  Attend 4 hours of Weekly "Study Hours," which includes attending a study hall, tutoring and/or any additional academic
           support programs.

    • Click on the tabs in the table below to see the ways students can complete their 4 weekly study hours.

      4)  Consult with your Reach Advisor before dropping/adding a class or changing your major.

    • Reach advisors want to ensure that your time to graduation is not impacted by any schedule changes made. The Reach advisor is taking multiple factors into consideration such as pre-requisite requirements for future classes, how often a course is offered, etc. It is important that Reach students consult with their Reach advisor before making any schedule changes to ensure they are not jeopardizing their academic progress or falling below full-time student status.

      5)  Create a personalized involvement plan with your Reach Advisor focused around connecting to WIU co-curricular
           activities.

    • Getting involved in campus is an important part of the college experience. Yet, it is important that students are able to balance their involvement with their academic responsibilities. Reach students can explore with their Reach advisor various ways to get involved on campus while working on developing organizational skills and time management.

      6)  Register, attend, and successfully complete UNIV 100 during your first semester of attendance.

    • University 100 is a 1 credit hour course focused on assisting students in learning how to successfully transition to the university and discussing how to live well as a student (physically, intellectually, socially/civically and emotionally).

      7)  Allow your advisor to share grades and relevant academic information with parents/ guardians who may support you.

    • Working with a Reach student's parent/guardian allows us to provide academic and wellness support to a student in different forms.

      8)  Continue participation in the Reach Program until significant academic progress has been demonstrated.

    1. Completion of a minimum of 27 credit hours from WIU.
    2. Earned a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (or minimum GPA required by major).
    3. Have a declared major.

Click on the tabs below to learn more about the ways students can complete their 4 weekly study hours:

Memorial Hall Study check in desk
Memorial Hall
First Year Advising Center
Lowest Level
(Front Desk)
  • Monday: 8am - 4pm
  • Tuesday: 8am - 4pm
  • Wednesday: 8am - 4pm
  • Thursday: 8am - 4pm
  • Friday: 8am - 4pm
Malpass Library Study check in desk
Malpass Library
2nd Floor
(Information Desk)
  • Monday: 8am - 11pm
  • Tuesday: 8am - 11pm
  • Wednesday: 8am - 11pm
  • Thursday: 8am - 11pm
  • Friday: 8am - 5:30pm
Multicultural Center Study check in desk
Multicultural Center
1st Floor
(Front Desk)
  • Monday: 9am - 8:30pm
  • Tuesday: 9am - 8:30pm
  • Wednesday: 9am - 8:30pm
  • Thursday: 9am - 8:30pm
  • Friday: 9am - 7pm

Reach students may work with an SLC tutor to get academic support for their classes and receive study hours at the same time. It is highly encouraged that students sign up for an appointment to guarantee themselves some time but walk-ins are welcomed. View the SLC Tutoring page for more information.

Students who complete a Writing Center session will receive a summary report in their WIU email. Students can forward this report to wiu-firstyearadvising@wiu.edu .

Reach students who visit office hours may receive "Study Hours" credit by having their class instructor complete the "Instructor Office Hours" Form .

Hours:

Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Contact Us:

(309) 298-1871
wiu-firstyearadvising@wiu.edu

Location:

Memorial Hall, Lower Level 024

FYAC Logo