Starfish for Students

Starfish is an online tool that helps you connect with the people and resources at Montgomery College that support your success. Starfish makes it easier to find support, stay on track, and reach your academic goals at Montgomery College.

Log in to Starfish new window using your MyMC credentials.

You might not be able to log in if:

• You haven’t applied to take credit courses.
• You’re an employee without a student role.
• You had an extended break (7+ years) and need to be added as a prospective student until you re-register (access returns ~24 hours after).

To meet with someone in Counseling & Advising, fill out the request form new window. If you need to schedule with another service or person in Starfish but can’t log in, contact the IT Service Desk.

Once you've logged in to Starfish using your MyMC credentials, select the navigation menu (☰) in the upper left corner to set up your profile and notification preferences.

From there, you can:

• Explore your Success Network to find contact information and schedule appointments with members of your support team.
• Complete assigned surveys and questionnaires.
• Use the Upcoming tab to view, manage, or cancel appointments.
• Check your Dashboard for messages, referrals, flags, kudos, and to-dos.
• Use Degree Planner to create and update your academic plan.

For more information, review the Getting Started Guide (PDF, ) .

You can update some of your personal and notification settings directly in Starfish.

1. Log in to Starfish.
2. Select your name or profile icon.
3. Open Profile.
4. Review and update available settings, including:
• Pronouns
• Phone number and cell phone number
• Text message preferences and appointment reminders
• Alternate email address
• Email notification preferences
• Time zone

Some information, such as your official student record, cannot be updated in Starfish and must be changed through the Office of Records and Registration.

How do I Enable/Disable Text Notifications from Starfish?

Once you’ve logged into Starfish, go to the navigation menu, , to access your profile and click on Edit Profile. Enter a valid US phone number and select or unselect the "Send Messages to my cell phone" checkbox. Save Changes.

You can schedule an appointment in a few ways:

• Once logged into Starfish, and go to your Success Network to see advisors, instructors, or support staff. Check the Courses or Service Areas tabs for specific departments or resources.
• Some faculty and staff may provide a direct link to schedule in Starfish. Clicking the link will take you straight to their scheduling page without navigating Starfish.
• Some services have a direct "Schedule” link right on their service page. For example, if you want to meet with Student Employment Services, you could either find them under your Success Network, or click the direct scheduling link on the Student Employment Services web page to book an appointment quickly.

Look for the blue button - Schedule Appointment   . 

1. Follow the prompts to select the reason for your visit, preferred day/time and location.
2. Click Continue.
3. Provide a few additional details in the box above the Confirm button. Click on Confirm to schedule the appointment. 

Once confirmed, be sure to monitor your MC e-mail for an confirmation message and any additional notifications regarding the meeting.

• From the Upcoming tab, you can view scheduled appointments and make changes.
• Click on an appointment to make changes to it, such as changing the location or duration, when available.
• You can cancel the appointment by clicking the three blue dots and selecting Cancel appointment.

Not everyone uses Starfish for scheduling yet, but many faculty and staff do use it to support students. As more services join, you’ll see even more scheduling options. In the meantime, if you don’t see someone in Starfish, you can always reach out to them by email or phone.

Starfish uses role-based access, which means faculty and staff only see the information they need to support students in their roles.

Depending on their responsibilities, instructors, counselors, program advisors, success coaches, coordinators, and other authorized college staff may have access to information in Starfish.

All student information is protected under FERPA new window, and only employees with a legitimate educational interest may access student records.

Messages in Starfish aren’t sent by Starfish itself - they’re sent by your instructors, MC CARES network, or other faculty and staff using Starfish.

You can receive these messages:

• Email: Sent to your MC email if notifications are on
• Text: Sent to your phone if you opted in
• Starfish Dashboard: Check your Home or To-Do sections to see messages, flags, kudos, or referrals

Each type of Starfish notification is designed to help you stay informed, connected, and on track.

• Flag – A faculty or staff member has identified a concern or wants to check in about something related to your success. Review the details and reach out if you have questions or need support.
• Referral – Someone has connected you with a service or resource that may help you, such as tutoring, advising, counseling, or financial assistance resources. Follow up with the recommended office or service.
• Kudo – Congratulations! A faculty or staff member is recognizing your hard work, progress, or achievement. Keep up the good work!
• To-Do – A task or action item has been assigned to help you stay on track. Complete it as soon as possible.

If you're unsure why you received a notification, contact the person who sent it for more information or email advising@montgomerycollege.edu.

The Degree Planner helps you map out the courses you plan to take each semester and create an academic plan toward graduation or transfer. You can update your plan on your own or work with a Counselor or Program Advisor.

The Degree Planner is a planning tool and does not replace Degree Works, which tracks your progress toward degree requirements. Be sure to review your plan regularly and meet with a Counselor or Program Advisor to stay on track.

To learn more, visit:

• Academic Advising and Planning
• How to Create Your Academic Plan in Degree Planner