Academic advising typically consists of one-on-one relationships between students and faculty or staff members. However, in response to changing student populations and institutional needs, colleges and universities are reexamining their academic advising delivery systems (Self, 2008). One way of doing so is by using peer advisers and, in fact, the use of peer advising has grown in recent years. According to a February 2004 National Academic Advising Association survey, “over 65% of institutions surveyed have …
Graduate Corner
The Graduate Corner showcases the research, analysis, and writings of developing authors enrolled in graduate programs. Their topics focus on academic advising in higher education and seek to introduce new advising ideas as well as contribute to the discussion within the academic advising profession.
The Unreachable Student: Techniques and Strategies to Increase the Influence of Academic Advising
As an undergraduate student, I rarely sought out my academic adviser. For a number of reasons, I really only interacted with an academic adviser when I was required or needed his or her signature. While enrolled in a recent seminar on academic advising, I began to reflect on these experiences. It is my belief that there is a particular group of unreachable students—those who do not seek out their advisers, rarely make appointments, and seldom …
Moving into Student Spaces: Utilizing Conversations Outside the Office to Enhance Advising Sessions
As advisers, we strive to help our students excel in their studies, develop as the individuals they are, and move toward graduation to pursue their ventures. Our goal is to foster and facilitate student development. In order to be effective, we need to establish trust with our students so we can provide them with the appropriate guidance along the way. But what if advising in the office is putting a barrier between the adviser and …
Advising Students in the Sciences
Introduction
Advising students interested in science-related fields of study can present challenges for the academic adviser. These challenges lie in the diverse characteristics, preparation, and personal goals of science students as well as the development of a positive and lasting student-adviser relationship. Establishing a positive adviser-student relationship should be a priority to any academic adviser or faculty member who advises, because student retention is positively correlated to this relationship (Levin & Hussey, 2007). Approximately 69 …
Encouraging Student Success: Four-Year Plan Initiatives
Once admitted to college, students and their parents have to make a lot of choices and plans. These include what major to choose, what items to purchase for dorm living, and how to pay for the next four years of college. Considering the economy, earning a degree in four years is more important than ever. However, the reality at four-year institutions is that 38 percent of undergraduates will graduate in four years and only 61 …
Making the Connection: How Advisers Can Help Students Reflect on the Internship Experience
For many students, internships are an important part of the college experience. The internship has virtually become a rite of passage for students nearing the end of their undergraduate careers, as evidenced by required internship programs at numerous universities. Academic advisers often have the opportunity to work with students before, during, and after their internship experiences. It is common practice for advisers to help students plan coursework so that students can participate in internships as …
A Director of Direction: How Academic Advisers Can Effectively Propose Student Participation in the National Student Exchange Program
Gina is beginning her second year of college at a state university just twenty minutes down the road from her small hometown in Vermont. She chose the nearby school because of the in-state tuition and the fact that she received an impressive academic scholarship. However, Gina has always wanted to pursue her interest in travel and though she dreamed of spending a semester in Rome, Italy, she knows that foreign travel is an expensive endeavor, …
Customer Service in Higher Education: Finding a Middle Ground
In the business world, customer service is a prized commodity as it directly impacts the bottom line. Given the struggling economy, traditional higher education institutions are dealing with decreased revenues and searching for ways to do more with less. One way for colleges and universities to accomplish this objective is to place a renewed focus on meeting or exceeding the expectations and needs of their customers, namely their students. One could argue that the meteoric …
Timely Advising: Incorporating Counseling Skills into the Advising Appointment
After calling from work to confirm the office will be open, a graduate student goes to the financial aid office at 4:55 pm on a Thursday afternoon to turn in student loan paperwork. Unfamiliar with the process, she is ushered impatiently from the front desk to a teller who purses his lips and sends her down another hallway for a signature from the director who is on his cell phone and getting ready to lock …
Supporting Parents in Supporting Their Students: Why Including First-Generation Families in the Process Is Important
Ever since colleges and universities have existed there have been first-generation college students. Often these students need different types of support and guidance when starting college than do their counterparts with at least one parent who attended college. Students whose family members did not attend an institution of higher education can have a difficult time navigating the process of completing applications, adjusting to the rigors of college-level courses, and helping their families understand what they …
