Counseling

Welcome to the Counseling Department

Inclusion Statement

We are here for you! To prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have moved some of our services online.

The counseling office on campus is open Monday - Thursday. On Fridays, it is open virtually via phone or email. 

All counseling drop-ins and appointments are held virtually Monday - Friday. 

For a successful appointment, please make sure to download, install, and test Zoom before your appointment.


New Student Instructions

As a new student, you will need to apply and be admitted into the college, before you can meet with an SJCC Counselor. Please follow the steps below, to apply and be admitted into the college. 

  1. Submit an Application
  2. Complete the Self-Guided Placement
    • To have waivers applied for English and Math placement using your high school cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), go to MyWeb and select "Self-Guided Placement" on the Student Menu.
  3. Complete the Online College Orientation
  4. Schedule an Appointment with a Counselor
  5. Register for Class
  6. Pay for your Class

Prerequisite clearance Form

Need a prerequisite cleared?
Click on the Prereq Check to clear them:

Click here to clear prerequisites

Use our Pre-Requisite Form to clear prerequisites you have taken elsewhere.

schedule counseling Appointments

Click Here to Schedulean Appointment

If you see a safety/secure message on our 

Online Appointment Tool and you use:

    • Chrome: click "Advanced" then click "Proceed to esars.sjcc.edu (unsafe)" 
    • If you use Firefox: click "Enable TLS 1.0 and 1.1" - it is safe. 
Counseling Faculty
NameProgram/Learning CommunityLANGUAGE:
Alex LópezGeneralEnglish/Spanish
Benjamin GraingerMilpitas, Veterans
English
Beverly StewartGeneralEnglish
Cac NguyenInternationalEnglish/Vietnamese
Carlos ChávezGeneralEnglish/Spanish
Doriann TranInternationalEnglish/Vietnamese
Elena DutraEOPSEnglish
Fabio GonzálezDirector/Counselor of EOPS
English/Spanish
Gina RonzanoGeneralEnglish
Julie NguyenCE
English/Vietnamese
Julio Flores
EOPS, Guardian 
English/Spanish
Lezra ChenportilloTransferEnglish/Spanish
Lila ChiemCEEnglish/Vietnamese
Maria PlancarteCEEnglish/Spanish
Mary DenhamSAS
English
Meiko DaireUMOJA, AASEnglish
Olga Morales-AnayaEOPS, Almass
English/Spanish
Rachel HaganNursing, Law, Transfer (Interim)
English
​Rosemarie "Rose" Espinoza
CalWORKs, CARE, EOPS​English​
Sabrina HagmannMETAS, PuenteEnglish/Spanish
Thanh Thuy CaoEOPS
English/Vietnamese
​Thao "Ivy" Tran
SAS​English/Vietnamese​
Tuan NgoGeneralEnglish/Vietnamese
Valentín GarcíaGeneralEnglish/Spanish
Veronica HarrisAthleticsEnglish/Spanish
William ReyesGeneralEnglish/Spanish
Yesenia Escobar-MendozaMETASEnglish/Spanish

About the counseling Department 

The Counseling Department is committed to providing quality, comprehensive academic, career, and personal counseling services in a supportive environment to assist students in achieving their educational and vocational goals and empowering them to make informed choices and decisions.

Not sure where to start or how to reach your academic or career goals? Need help developing your educational plan? Just need to talk to someone too? The SJCC Counseling Department is here to help!  Meeting with a counselor is one of the most important things you can do during your college career at San Jose City College.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Counseling Department's mission is to provide comprehensive counseling services in a safe, supportive environment to guide, motivate, and empower students to achieve their educational, vocational, and personal goals.

LATE POLICY

Please try and log on to the Zoom link as soon as you receive it to make sure all your questions are answered. If you request a "Phone Call" please be available at the time of your appointment. If you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, we may need to reschedule.
Please make sure you have updated your email and phone number to contact you. Sometimes the phone numbers are disconnected or no longer in service.

ACADEMIC COUNSELING

These services are critical to your academic success. We are here to assist you with academic-related matters and issues. 

It is important that you make an appointment to see a counselor during your first semester to discuss your educational and career objectives and develop a customized educational plan.  In addition, meet with a counselor at least once a semester to ensure you are on the right track in achieving your educational and career goals. 

Academic Counseling Services:

    • Assist you with academic-related matters and issues. 

    • Help you to clarify your educational objectives and develop an educational plan specific to your educational goals. 

    • Help you to understand the requirements of certificate programs, associate degrees, general education, majors, and transfer, as well as the College's policies and procedures.  

    • Provide transcript evaluation and class selection.

    • Provide academic probation/dismissal counseling for those students who are struggling academically and need to strategize ways to improve their academic performance and standing.

    • Assist with graduation and financial petitions and other academic/registration-related forms.   

    • Additional transfer information and resources can be found in theCareer/Transfer Center.

PERSONAL COUNSELING

Sometimes personal issues or concerns can affect your academic performance or success. If you are experiencing this, we can listen and direct you to the appropriate resources.  Personal matters discussed with a counselor are held in strict confidence. Talking to a counselor may be the best way to get you back on track to academic success.
It is not uncommon for students to encounter personal issues while in college. Stress, depression, loss and grief, substance abuse, anger, eating disorders, anxiety, and relationship problems can interfere with your ability to do your best academically.

We are experienced to help you to mitigate and deal effectively with personal issues and concerns that are affecting your academic success and performance. When appropriate, you may be referred to other professional services on campus such as the Student Health Services or in the community.

Having good mental health increases the likelihood of doing well academically — just like good physical health is essential for peak athletic performance. When you encounter these personal issues, it is important to seek healthy solutions.

The links below are a place to start:

Student Health ServicesCampus BluesAmerican Psychological AssociationList of Local Crisis and Community Resources

Additional Campus, District, and Local Resources

Talking with a counselor or one of the highly trained professionals in the Health Services may be the thing to get you back on track to academic success, as well as a more fulfilling life. Be assured that regardless of whether you meet with a counselor or someone in the Health Services, your issues will be held in complete confidence.

COLLEGE ORIENTATION

The Orientation is designed to help you become more familiar with San Jose City College. Participating in orientation is critical to your success.

Orientation provides students with information about San Jose City College's educational programs, support services, registration process, college facilities, student life, academic expectations and procedures, and students' rights and responsibilities. At the moment, we are only offering online orientations.

Click here for instructions on how to complete the orientation


COUNSELING SERVICES

CAREER COUNSELING

Some students enter college knowing exactly what major and career they want to pursue. Others are facing challenges such as changing occupations or jobs. But most students come to college not knowing what they want to pursue in life, let alone what major to enter or how to pick a major. It's okay. We're here to help.

We are here to assist with career exploration and development and to help you clarify your major and career goals. Choosing a major and career is a very important decision that affects your educational planning and determines the classes you take.  You must get started with your major and career exploration early. Below are some resources to help you get started with your career exploration:

COUNSELING GUIDE CLASSES

The Counseling Department offers many classes to help you succeed. 
GUIDE-010 Transfer Success (1.0 unit) Students study the requirements and processes for transferring to 4-year colleges or universities including college selection, transfer requirements, major and general education preparation, and admission procedures and deadlines. GUIDE-085 Blueprint for Success (1.0 unit) Students will study how to develop self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-confidence, and increase personal effectiveness in school, and life. GUIDE-087 College Study Techniques (3.0 units)Students learn study skill techniques and strategies to build confidence as a college student including identifying individual learning styles, effective study habits, and reducing test anxiety. Students identify personal and educational values and create a plan for college success. GUIDE-096 Career/Life Planning (3.0 units) This class aids students with their career and major selection by identifying personal characteristics, interests, abilities, goals, values, and lifestyle preferences, and relating these personal characteristics to the world of work. GUIDE-097  Orientation to College (1.0 unit) Students develop the skills necessary to access information for college success, including goal setting, the identification of college facilities and resources, the understanding of policies, programs, course offerings, and services. Students will also learn about certificate programs, general education requirements for transfer and graduation, as well as the registration process, and basic educational planning). This course will introduce students to the academic skills necessary for becoming a successful college student.**Please refer to the College Catalog or Counseling Department for more information on these courses.

COUNSELING RESOURCES

Additional career/financial resources are available for you to research independently.  Counselors would say students using these sites are being proactive or taking responsibility for their own future!

Need Financial Assistance to pay for college? FAFSA - Financial Aid


Do you have transcripts from another country that needs to be evaluated?International Transcript Evaluation

Need to find a college that offers a specific course online?California Virtual Campus


Thinking about going into Dentistry?

American Dental Education Association


Considering Medical School and its costs?

Association of American Medical Schools


Questions about the Pharmacy program? 

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

Do you have questions about the California Teaching Credentials Program?

California Teaching/Credentials


Are you looking for Veterinary Medical Colleges? 

Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges


Questions about going into Health Science Majors?

Health Sciences Majors


Uncertain what college offers the major that you want in California? 

California Colleges


Willing to go farther to pursue your career?

U.S. Colleges & Universities

DROP-IN  Vs. APPOINTMENT

Drop-Ins are 10 - 15 minutes sessions for the following:

Assessment Results/Review - To understand your assessment results and to get help with English/ESL and Math class selection.

Brief Questions

Course Repeat - To repeat a class you have received a W, D, F, or NP, you must get a Course Repeat Form from a counselor and register for the class with Admissions & Records. You will only need to obtain a course repeat form if you are repeating the course for the second time. Note: Due to new policies, students may only repeat a course two times (3rd attempt).

Excess Unit Form - To register for more than 18 units during the Fall or Spring semester, or more than 7 units during the summer session, you must meet with a counselor to obtain approval for an Excess Unit Form and register for the class with Admissions & Records.

Prerequisites and/or Co-requisite Overrides* If you would like to sign up for a class that has the prerequisite(s) that you have already met at another college or in other ways, you must provide documentation (i.e. transcript) to the counselor showing that you met the prerequisite(s). You can drop-in to see a counselor or you can submit a Prerequisite Form toclear you to register for that desired class. 

Appointments are scheduled appointments for 30 - 60 minutes with a counselor for the following:

  • Career Counseling
  • Educational Planning
  • Graduation Petition (degree and/or certificate)
  • General Ed & Transfer Requirements
  • Transcript Evaluation
  • Academic Counseling for Probation/Dismissal
  • Financial Aid Petition
  • Personal Counseling

DUAL-ENROLLMENT & ORIENTATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Please complete the Dual-Enrollment Online Orientation if you are a high school student enrolling in a college-level course through Dual-Enrollment.

How Do I Meet With A Counselor?
There are two ways to see a General Counselor: By Drop-In Advisement or By Appointment.
How do you know if your question/concern can be addressed during drop-in? The information below should help you identify if you should visit a counselor during drop-in or schedule an appointment. 
Drop-In Counseling is on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on the number of students waiting to see a counselor, the hours may be cut off before the posted closing hours. To ensure being seen by a counselor, you should arrive at least one hour before the posted end time.
(Due to COVID-19, we will be going virtually until further notice. See drop Drop-In times on the upper right-hand corner above. Drop-in is intended for a 5-10 minute brief question. 
Counseling Appointments are the best way to see a counselor:

  • 30-minutes counseling session. 
  • Intended for more involved issues and questions.
  • Must be scheduled in advance. (Best to see a counselor during non-peak registration time.)  
  • Scheduled by calling the Counseling Department at 
  • (408) 288-3750 or scheduling a Counseling Appointment Online.
  • *Note: If you have transcripts (unofficial transcripts are fine for advisory purposes) from other colleges, please have them ready for the counseling appointment. 
  • *Important: If you have transcripts from other colleges on file with our Admissions & Records, please let the Counseling Department Front Desk Personnel know when you make the appointment.

IMPORTANT LINKS

PRIORITY REGISTRATION

Want Priority Registration? Got A Student Education Plan? Due to the Student Success statewide Initiative, all students must have a current Student Education Plan (SEP). 
New or continuing students who have never developed a Student Education Plan (SEP) and/or attended an orientation session must attend a workshop before creating a SEP. 
If you are a continuing student, or have completed an AA/AS degree or higher, and have developed an Education Plan, but it is out of date or needs revising, please schedule an appointment with a counselor. 
New and continuing students who completed less than 100-degree applicable units, are in good standing and have completed the assessment, orientation and educational plan will receive a registration appointment during the first week of registration. 
Please contact us at 408-288-3750 or email us at SJCC.Counselingappts@sjcc.edu

PROBATION & DISMISSAL

At San Jose City College, student success is our priority. We know that circumstances can interfere with your college success. Let counseling services help you focus on your educational plans and goals. Find for our Campus Policy  (Probation) workshops and/or our Student Success (Dismissal) workshops dates. RSVP to the workshops with which date you will attend by emailing: Sabrina.Hagmann@sjcc.edu Probation CA Promise Grant Procedures for loss of California Promise Grant Fee Waiver for Probation 2 AND Dismissal students. 
If you receive an email stating you are on Probation or Dismissal, please read the following: 

We are committed to helping you succeed in college and achieve your educational goals; therefore, you are required to take the following actions before our next registration period. Find out dates for our Campus Policy (Probation) workshops and/or our Student Success (Dismissal) workshops.

Probation 1

  1. Complete the CANVAS online probation workshop on Policies and Procedures. Please open the CANVAS workshop link that is sent to you via email.

  1. It is very important to complete all the courses you attempt in the Spring 2021 semester.

  1. Meet with a counselor to go over your academic history, your current academic standing, and to develop a Student Educational Plan (SEP). Bring this letter with you to your scheduled counseling appointment.

Probation 2

  1. Complete the STUDY SKILLS workshop. Please see the workshop schedule calendar for dates and times (see attachment to your email).

  1. It is very important to complete all the courses you attempt in the Spring 2021 semester.

  2. Meet with a counselor to go over your academic history, your current academic standing, and to develop a Student Educational Plan (SEP). Bring this letter with you to your scheduled counseling appointment.

STUDENTLINGO Workshops

On-Demand, StudentLingo Workshops & Training For Students!On Demand Tutoring with Tutor Lingo dot org forward slash s j c c

Student Lingo

CON​​TACT US

Counseling Department

Phone:

(408) 288-3750

Email:

sjcc.CounselingAppts@sjcc.edu

Location:

Student Center

SC-201 (2nd floor)

Office Hours

Drop-In

Monday - Thursday

8am to 5:30pm 

Friday

8am to 12pm 

Zoom or Phone only!

Meet the team

Dr. Elizaer Ayala-Austin, Dean of Counseling

Dr. Eliazer Ayala-Austin 

Dean of Counseling & Matriculation

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Lisa Brillon

Senior Division Administrative Assistant

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Carla Esquivel Magana

Program Specialist 

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Alline Ruiz

Staff Assistant II

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[Vacant]

Staff Assistant II


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