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WORKING WITH AN ACADEMIC ADVISER

Academic planning is a vital step in your college career, and it should be an ongoing process that starts on your first day of school. Students who engage in academic planning are more likely to stay in college. Before you register for classes next term, sit down for a strategy session with your academic adviser. On most campuses, you are assigned an adviser who is usually either an instructor or staff person in your field or a professional adviser. A good adviser can help you choose courses, decide on a major, weigh career possibilities, and map out your degree and certificate requirements. He or she can also recommend instructors and help you simplify the different aspects of your academic life. Here are a few ways to make sure that your first meeting with your adviser is a valuable experience:

Prepare by looking at the course catalog, thinking about the available majors, and familiarizing yourself with campus resources. If you haven’t already decided on a major, ask your adviser about opportunities for taking an aptitude test or a self-assessment to help you narrow down your options. (Read more about self-assessments and self-exploration later in this chapter.)
Prepare materials to bring to the meeting. Even if you submitted your academic transcript with your application, bring a copy of the transcript to the meeting. The transcript—your complete high school record—is an important tool; it shows your academic adviser where you’ve been, what your academic strengths are, and where your interests lie.
Make a list of majors that appeal to you. Academic advisers love it when students come prepared—it shows that they’re passionate and are taking their futures seriously.
Map out your time frame and goals. Do you plan to enroll full-time or part-time? If you’re at a four-year college or university, when do you plan to graduate, and with what degree? Are you planning to go on to graduate school to finish your studies? If you are at a two-year college, do you want an associate’s degree? A certificate? Do you plan to transfer to a four-year institution?
Know the right questions to ask. Once you’ve chosen a major, you’ll need to understand how to move forward in your academic program to meet the necessary requirements. You will have prerequisites—the basic core courses you need to take before you can enroll in upper-level classes in your major. Your major may also have corequisites: courses you have to take in conjunction with other courses during the same term, such as a chemistry lab alongside your chemistry class. With this knowledge under your belt, here is what you need to find out:
- – How many credits must I take each term to graduate on time? Note that if you are on financial aid, are doing work-study, or are a college athlete, you may have to take a minimum number of credits per term.
- – What are the prerequisites for my major? What are the corequisites?
- – If I have any AP credits or have taken any placement exams, can I use them to fulfill some of my major’s requirements?
- – What career opportunities will I have once I graduate? What will the salary potential look like?
Know what to take away from your meeting. When you leave the meeting, have in hand a printout of your current course schedule and plans for classes you might take in the next term and beyond. At many institutions, you and your adviser will set up a five- to seven-term plan online.
Know these rules of thumb about selecting your classes:
- –Most full-time students take four to six courses a term. Decide which classes you want to take, find out which days and times they meet, and make sure they don’t overlap.
- –To get the classes you want, make sure to register as early as possible—in person or online.
- –Resist the temptation to cram all of your classes into one or two days. It’s better to aim for a manageable workload by spreading your classes throughout the week.
- –Go for a mix of hard and easy classes. Especially at the beginning, you might not realize how challenging college classes can be or how much outside work they entail. If you load up on organic chemistry, Russian 101, and advanced thermodynamics, your grades and general well-being could suffer.
Know what to do if your academic adviser isn’t very helpful. If you think you and your adviser are not a good match, go to the admissions office and ask to be assigned to a different adviser. Whatever you do, don’t throw in the towel. Academic planning is so critical to your success in college that it’s worth persevering until you find an adviser with whom you feel comfortable.
Set up subsequent meetings with your academic adviser. Check in with your adviser at least once a term, if not more often. It’s important to stay connected and make sure you’re on a positive track, especially if you plan to transfer or apply to graduate school. Programs change requirements occasionally, so it’s smart to touch base with your adviser periodically in case you need to make any necessary adjustments.