Guides for Newly Admitted Students

Meeting with Your Academic Advisor

What is an Academic Advisor?

Academic advisors assist students in setting academic, personal, and career goals. As a student you are responsible for planning your curriculum and career path, but advisors can offer input throughout your college career. Here are some of the questions academic advisors can help you answer.

What are my strengths and interests?

An academic advisor will help you match your strengths and interests to specific academic degree programs, classes, activities and career goals. These are choices that are ultimately up to you, but your advisor can give you the information you need to make the right decisions.

What classes should I take?

Creating a class schedule can seem complicated at first, but your academic advisor can help make sense of your options and guide you through the process.

For instance, some courses may be offered every other semester or even every other year. Other courses can only be taken in certain sequences and many degree programs require that you take certain classes before you can be admitted. Your advisor is the key to matching your class schedule with these requirements, helping you make informed decisions and finding the classes you need.

What is a major?

A major is the focus of your learning at the University. Your major will prepare you to either get a job in a specific field or continue your education in a graduate program. For example, as a Chemistry major you may be prepared to enter a graduate program in Chemistry or get a job related to chemistry in a pharmaceutical company.

Is my major right for me?

Many college students are unsure of their choice of major. In fact, only about 20% of college students end up graduating with a degree in their first chosen major. Being undecided about your major is not unusual and an academic advisor will help you begin the process of discovering the major that is right for you.