As a student at Pikes Peak State, you may quickly realize that there are terms that are used within the college setting that are new or unclear to you. Don't worry - you are not expected to know it all on your own! We created a Glossary of Common Terms to help you familiarize yourself with important words and phrases to know throughout your college experience.

You will have a student email account as soon as you register for classes. It is important to check your college email account regularly because you will receive time-sensitive messages from the college, including information related to financial aid, your classes, payments, and more.

How to Access Your Student Email: 

1. Log into myPikesPeak Portal and locate the email card on the home page.
2. Log in to your student email account using your full student email address and current myPikesPeak Portal password. You can find your student email address on the myPikesPeak Portal email card.

Some students prefer to access their student email through their personal email account. Learn how to forward your student email account to your personal email.

Visit the Pikes Peak State College Bookstore Webpage to order your textbooks.

Beginning two weeks before the start of the semester, students who are receiving a financial aid refund (i.e., getting more in financial aid money than they owe to PPSC for tuition and fees) are eligible to purchase required textbooks and supplies at the PPSC Bookstore. Be sure to indicate you are a financial aid student at the time of purchase and the bookstore staff will charge your books and supplies to your financial aid refund.

Textbooks can be expensive, but did you know many courses at Pikes Peak State College offer more affordable (or even free!) options?  Check out our quick guide to the three main types of Affordable Course Materials and how you can find Zero Textbook Cost classes when registering.

Stop by the Student Engagement & Leadership (SEL) office for your Student ID card. Your Student ID card also serves as your Mountain Metro Transit Bus Pass if you plan to use public transportation to campus and around town. You can visit the SEL in person to receive your Student ID card/bus pass. Downtown students MUST receive their student ID only from the Downtown Campus. 

Parking on all PPSC campuses is FREE! There are a couple important things to keep in mind, depending on where you take your classes.

If you are taking classes at the Downtown Campus, you can park in the Antlers Hilton Parking garage, conveniently located right next to the Downtown Campus. You will need to display a parking pass/hangtag in your vehicle. Stop by the Student Engagement & Leadership at the Downtown Campus for a hangtag.

If you are taking classes at Center for Healthcare Education and Simulation (CHES), be advised the parking is limited at CHES. You may opt to park at the Rampart Range Campus the Mountain Metropolitan Transit bus to the CHES campus, Route 40. There is a bus stop at the Rampart Range Campus and on the street corner nearest the CHES building. 

There are a number of student employment jobs at PPSC! Student jobs are a flexible and convenient way to learn new skills while helping you pay for school. Use Handshake to view and apply for positions on campus.

Questions? Contact Career Services at 719-502-2360, career@pikespeak.edu, or online.

Feeling connected and like you belong on campus is important and helps you experience all that the college experience has to offer! Pikes Peak State's Student Engagement & Leadership team offers student clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. Visit the Student Clubs and Organizations page to see what might be a good fit for you.

We also have different types of weekly events sponsored by Pikes Peak State. Like our Facebook page to stay up to date on upcoming events.

Before adding or dropping any classes, we always recommend meeting with an Academic Advisor to ensure you are on track to reach your education and career goals. For students receiving financial aid and/or military benefits, it is especially important to check with an advisor before adding or dropping a class to understand how the class impacts your academic plan and aid. 

Once you know what classes to take, follow the instructions below to add or drop from a class:

1. Log in to myPikesPeak Portal
2. Locate the Registration Tools card and select "Add/Drop Class"
3. Select the term and complete the form
4. Next to "action," select what you would like to do. Click "Submit Changes" when finished

Before adding or dropping any classes, we always recommend meeting with an Academic Advisor to ensure you are on track to reach your education and career goals. For students receiving financial aid and/or military benefits, it is especially important to check with an advisor before adding or dropping a class to understand how the class impacts your academic plan and aid. 

Once you know what classes to take, follow the instructions below to add or drop from a class:

1. Log in to myPikesPeak Portal
2. Locate the Registration Tools card and select "Add/Drop Class"
3. Select the term and complete the form
4. Next to "action," select what you would like to do. Click "Submit Changes" when finished

It is important to know how to find - and read - your class schedule. We recommend that you review your schedule after you register, and then again a few days before classes begin, in case there are changes to things like class locations. You can find your class schedule in myPikesPeak Portal. 

Each of our campuses and buildings have an assigned location code – i.e. Rampart Range Campus is RRC.

• The location code can be found in your class details. View the list of campus codes to help you interpret your class location.
• Visit our locations and maps page to download a map of our campuses to get a closer look at where your classroom is located.
• For more support, view the list of class registration codes to help you determine the part of term and type of course you are enrolled in.

We recommend checking your class details a day or two before your class begins in case there is a classroom change.

Day of the week code:
Monday - M
Tuesday - T
Wednesday - W
Thursday - R
Friday - F
Saturday - S
Sunday - U

You will use D2L to access your classes throughout the semester. To access D2L, go to myPikesPeak Portal and locate the myCourses (D2L) card on the home page. Check D2L on your first day of class well before your class begins.

Click the link for each class you are taking to view:

• Class syllabus
• Instructor contact information
• Required course materials
• Announcements

You are encouraged to refer to your class syllabus for each course to determine your instructor's grading time frame and policies. Final grades will be available within 7 days after the semester ends.

There are two ways to view grades online as a Pikes Peak student: 

• In progress grades for classes that you are still currently taking can be found within D2L.
• Final grades for classes that you have completed can be found through your myPikesPeak portal by selecting the Student Grades & Records card.

Questions regarding grades? Contact records@pikespeak.edu or 719-502-2000.