Academic advising is a crucial part of the higher education experience, but it’s often overlooked by students who may not fully understand its importance. However, academic advising can be the key to your success in college and beyond. So let’s explore what academic advising is, why it’s important, and how it can help you achieve your academic and career goals. Whether you’re a new student just starting your college journey or a seasoned upperclassman, understanding academic advising can make a big difference in your academic success and overall college experience.
What is Academic Advising?
Academic advising is an important form of support from experienced professionals who understand how the university system works and can help you navigate it. Advisors can provide advice on course selection, degree requirements, career guidance, and more. They also serve as advocates to help you develop strong relationships with professors and other resources on campus, which makes understanding what academic advisors are and the role they play in helping you reach your goals essential.
Why Is Academic Advising Important?
The assistance that you receive from your academic advisor is important for a multitude of reasons. Here are some of the biggest ways that academic advising helps students:
Helps students formulate clear college plans: Advisors guide students in determining their educational goals and finding a suitable major that fits with their interests and career goals.
Helps students navigate the complex academic landscape: Academic advisors can help students understand the requirements for their degree, choose courses, and plan their academic trajectory, which are things that can often feel overwhelming for many students, especially for those who are new to the system.
Provides personalized guidance and support: Academic advisors can provide personalized guidance and support to students based on their individual needs and goals. In addition to helping students develop their educational plans, and providing advice on academic issues, advisors can connect students to campus resources and support services.
Helps students stay on track and avoid delays: Academic advisors can help students stay on track with their degree requirements, and avoid delays or setbacks that could impact their academic progress and ability to graduate in a timely fashion.
Helps students save money: With the guidance of an advisor, students can make informed decisions about their major and career path, reducing the likelihood of changing majors multiple times and incurring additional costs.
Prepares students for post-graduation success: Academic advisors can help students plan for their post-graduation careers by providing advice on graduate school applications, internships, and other career-related opportunities. They can also connect students with alumni networks and other professional resources.
Does Academic Advising Improve Student Success?
You might be thinking that all of these things sound great, but does academic advising help students reach their goals?
Well, student affairs professionals from throughout the world point to research that shows that academic advising plays an important role in improving student engagement and success on both residential and commuter campuses.
Meanwhile, you will come across stories from reputable sources like the Hechinger Report that report because of an underinvestment in academic advising, “community college students in California who transfer to four-year universities end up taking an average of 26 more credits than they need” and many students don’t end up earning their two-year degree or transfer at all.
In other words, when students lack quality academic advising, the likelihood that they will achieve their academic and career goals is diminished.
Common Challenges in Academic Advising
Even though academic advising plays a crucial role in supporting students throughout their higher education journey, advisors often face several common challenges that can limit their impact on students’ success. These challenges include:
Heavy caseloads: Academic advisors may be responsible for advising a large number of students, which can make it difficult to provide personalized attention and support to each student, especially during the busy times of the year when everyone wants to see you.
Balancing multiple roles: Part of the reason it is difficult to spend as much time as they would like with the students is that many advisors have additional duties that they need to attend to. In addition to providing academic guidance, advisors often are asked to take on additional responsibilities such as career counseling, personal development coaching, crisis management, and administrative duties. Juggling these various roles can be demanding and contribute to advisor burnout. When the advisor is a faculty member, they may encounter difficulties in balancing their advising responsibilities with other obligations such as teaching, research, or administrative tasks.
Limited resources and support: Advisors may not always have access to their institutions’ necessary resources or support to effectively assist students. This can include inadequate training, outdated technology, or insufficient funding for advising programs.
Student resistance: Some students may resist or ignore advice from their academic advisors, which can make it challenging for advisors to help those students achieve their goals. Other students may not see the value in meeting with an academic advisor and opt not to meet with their advisor at all unless the school mandates them to do so before they can register.
Final Thoughts
When I worked as an academic advisor I knew the impact the work I did had on students’ lives. I was able to help them navigate the complex world of higher education, and provide guidance when they faced difficult decisions. It was a rewarding experience to see them grow and develop over time, and to know that I played a role in their success. Even now, as I have moved on to other career opportunities, I still carry those memories with me.
What I can tell you is that academic advising exists at every college and while the format and delivery of this service can vary from campus to campus it is always there. My advice is to be an advocate for yourself and seek out academic advising even if you don’t think you need the assistance. I would also suggest that you plan ahead and not wait until it is time to register. when everyone is beating down their door, before visiting with your advisor as it will be hard to get the comprehensive assistance you are looking for when 10 other people are waiting to see the advisor after you.
