Of all of the relationships that students create and cultivate during college, which is the most important? Is it with one’s roommate, a significant other or a friend group? I’d argue that it was none of these, but rather the relationship developed with an academic advisor. Why, you ask?
The simplest reason: you must rely on this person to help you maneuver through college courses, grades and toward future plans and career goals. With more practice and knowledge in this area, an advisor is a valuable tool given to each student. Their jobs range from advising their students on what classes to take to ensure students graduate on time to being someone to talk to on a bad day. Few of the advisors on campus make it their sole objective to get his or her students through their classes with no other interaction. For example, my advisor knows my goals after graduation and my little brother’s name. She, like most of the advisors on campus, cares to hear about what is going on in my life, as much as my grades.
Aside from that, everyone needs someone to trust and lean on while going through a period of transition like college. It always helps if that person has been in your shoes, like college professors who once sat where you do now, struggling with the same decisions and problems that you are facing. Advisors are another resource on campus for talking about problems. They can provide real advice for roommate stress, how to spend your JayBucks or on the problems plaguing college students. Remember, they have been there. They understand and they can offer real solutions when you need them.
Yet, it seems like students are either weary of leaning on their advisors or possibly, unaware of how useful they can be. Students are required to meet with their advisors once every semester before choosing the coming semester’s classes, to ensure they are en route to graduation and on track with their majors. The number of students who only visit their advisors once a semester is striking. Once the 10 to 20 minute conversation about what classes you need to take is over, many students wave goodbye to their advisors for the semester. “I’ll see you next advising session,” they seem to say. Test my assertion: ask 10 students the name of their advisor. At least one won’t know or will take more time than he or she should to recall their advisor’s name.
Making sure students graduate on time is a prominent goal of both the student and advisor’s behalf. However, the number of super seniors (excluding fifth-year OT students) seems to increase as more students fill schedules with classes of interest, only to realize that their major or CORE requirements haven’t been met. If one meets with his or her advisor more than twice a year, advisors have more of an opportunity to catch problems like this and point them out to students. During advising, every advisor is saddled with advising at least 20 students, on average. It must be easier to make a mistake or miss a class that a student overlooked when there are 20 or 30 students seeking the advice of an advisor.
That said, advisors should never be a student’s excuse for ignoring his or her self-responsibility or monitoring his or her progress. Remember that an advisor is a resource, not a crutch; students should still take an active role in arranging their schedules to reflect their interests and their goals. Advisors are assigned to students to make one of the most important college decisions less stressful. Especially as a first-year, having another person to discuss one’s choices makes the transition from childhood to adulthood much easier for students.
Advisors are provided by the College in the best interests of the students. The hope is that students can create a lasting relationship with their advisors that goes beyond choosing courses and writing recommendation letters. Your advisor wants to reach out and make your college career as successful and stress-free as possible. So, let them. Schedule lunch to catch up. Stop by their office during their hours to chat. Remember their name. Learn from the advice and experience they can offer you.
