In high school, there was a guidance counselor. At a predetermined time, you were likely excused from class (yay!), and you met with the counselor to talk classes, grades and colleges. If you had a good relationship with your adviser, it could be the highlight of your week. A bad one, and it could be almost painful to sit through the meetings. At the University, you will be assigned an academic adviser. Although similar to a high school guidance counselor, an academic adviser carries a much bigger role in helping to shape your career and possibly your future life. Academic advisers can be an extremely useful tool not only for freshmen, but for transfer students as well. To ensure that you form a positive relationship with your adviser, remember to ask the most important questions:

What classes should I take?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people try to map out their schedules themselves, only to be short on mandatory credits come graduation day. It is the academic adviser’s job to help answer any questions about the registration process, to help you understand  “gen-ed” (or general education) requirements and to answer any questions about required classes in your major. Your adviser may also be able to suggest specific classes based on previous knowledge of the professor or based on your interests and needs (do you work well in larger classes or smaller, more intimate ones?)

How can I switch my major?

If and when you decide you’re not cut out for the career you originally thought, your academic adviser becomes your primary resource. It can be a stressful process to change your major, but many students decide to switch sometime during their college career. The adviser in your old major will coach you through the transfer process, and your new adviser will help you get settled into the new curriculum.

What scholarships am I eligible for?

In addition to need-based financial aid, many colleges within the University offer merit- or major-based scholarships. If you are interested in applying for any of these scholarships, your academic adviser should be the first person you ask. He or she will be able to explain the criteria for each award, help with an application or provide a letter of recommendation, if necessary.

How should I become involved outside of my classes?

Year after year, academic advisers work with students who are pursuing countless paths. Some of these are likely similar to your very own. They are familiar with the University’s extracurricular activities and will be able to suggest different clubs and organizations that will fit your interests (both recreational and academic). And your adviser will most likely know other students in these clubs and organizations and help you connect with them. Because part of your adviser’s job is to help you graduate and find a career in your chosen field, he or she can also tell you how to put these extracurricular activities on your resume to present yourself in the best way possible.

How do I ensure that I graduate on time? 

Making a three-, four- or five-year plan when you first meet your academic adviser helps you to graduate on time. On the other hand, if you only meet with your adviser during mandatory advising periods and do not communicate with him or her throughout the rest of the semester, you may make mistakes with your schedule and may need to fulfill extra credits that you didn’t realize you needed. This may result in an extra summer, semester or even year spent at school catching up (and, as fun as it may seem to stay in Chambana for an extra year, it can be expensive!)

Tell me about yourself.

Advisers are people, too, with personal lives of their own. The best way to connect with an adviser and form a positive relationship with him or her is to ask questions outside the realm of academia. In other words, get to know them! The better you know your academic adviser, the more approachable, the more friendly, and the more human. But don’t stop there: Tell them about yourself as well. For an adviser to get a good sense on how to lead you toward the future you want, he or she will need a good sense of who you are as a person.

Emma is a junior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].