DeKALB | Students now have access to a new tool for interpreting their DARS report.

The “What if” tool allows students to view their academic progress on their DARS report if, hypothetically, they were to declare, change or add majors and/or minors.

“What if” was previously only available to counselors for academic advising, but as of this semester students can use the feature whenever they access their DARS report on WebConnect, said Sheri Kallembach, acting director of registration and records.

“If you were to sit down and figure out [the information provided by “What if”] using our current catalogue it would take you a lot longer,” she said.

Kallembach places emphasis on using this new feature as an academic “road map” for students. When a student uses the feature, a disclaimer stating, “This audit is for exploration of majors and should not be used for self advising,” appears on the screen. The feature should be used in conjunction with your advisor, Kallembach said.

The interface of “What if” is straightforward. The option to run the feature appears on the DARS report screen as “Run/create a DARS report with what-if majors.” After selecting the option, the user is presented with a screen that allows selection of catalogue year and slots to enter four possible major/minor groups to run under the simulated report.

There is potential for a lot of students to take advantage of this new feature, with over 9,000 students changing their majors each year at NIU.

“I think it may very well help those students that are struggling in their current major get a real sense of what the requirements are in another major, and how does that impact current academic progress,” Kallembach said.

Dan Stone is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.