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: