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Suggestions for Counseling Undergraduate Advisees

by Staff (updated August 01, 1999)

Faculty members who serve as advisors have a major responsibility helping students plan their programs of academic study, develop career interests and address problems during their stay on campus. The task presents the advisor with a real challenge to positively affect the student's future. The advisor can be a prime motivator for stimulating achievement among university students.

Advising and counseling students may help prevent failures and dropouts. It may also enable students to reach their potential and have a more satisfactory experience from their university education.

Faculty members who have previously served as advisors are familiar with the types of problems students are likely to have and understand the possible solutions to many of these problems. However, it might be well for all who are directly concerned with counseling to briefly consider: (1) why students need assistance and (2) how advisors can help students.

Why Students Need Assistance


  • Upon entering the university from high school, where the daily routine of study and the use of student time is rather definitely prescribed by the school system, the freshman student may not have acquired the habit of self-discipline.

    In high school the daily routine of study and time use are pretty well prescribed. Coming to the university is a major change and students may lack discipline to manage time wisely. Helping students manage their time for study and play is an important role advisors can fill.

  • Students may enter college without fully understanding why they should go to college. They may go because they think “that it is the thing their families wish them to do”, or they may think they should go because others in their class are going. Under such circumstances, students may lack a strong incentive to do college level work.

    Students may not have strong incentive to do college level work if they enter college without knowing why they are here. Helping them explore and discover their interests and knowing if this is the right place to be is an important advising role.

  • Students may not have decided what they wish to do upon completing college. Without a definite objective, students often move from one area of instruction to another looking for an area of work and of study that appeal to them.

    Shopping for a major occurs frequently for students who don't know what they want to do upon completion of college. Helping them focus their interests in an area study could be useful and reminding them that an education here is different from attending a technical college. They are developing skills that can be used in many different occupations at the end of an academic career.

  • Perhaps students have chosen an area for which they are poorly prepared academically, or they may have overestimated their capacity to do college work and as a result may be carrying a load that is too heavy. This might especially be true if the students must earn part or all of their expenses. Helping students plan their academic program is therefore a very important service that can be rendered by advisors.

    Sometimes students who have done well in high school may enter and area of study they are not prepared for or they may overestimate their ability to do academic work. Sometimes the student needs to work as a way to pay all or part of their education. Either of these situations presents a potential for academic problems. Helping students understand the need to balance their life demands is a difficult but important part of the advising process.

  • It would be impossible to predict all of the personal problems that students might face. Such problems as living conditions, finances, problems of the family at home and health problems are just some of the personal situations that might adversely affect the progress of students in college. While some problems may be quite common to all students, there are also special problems too numerous to mention here. However, a good advisor knows the key resources to call upon when these difficulties arise. Further a good advisor knows when to call on those resources since the problems is not something he or she is able to handle.

  • Frequently, students need someone to discuss problems with. The advisor should be a person in whom students have confidence and to whom they will not hesitate to ask for counsel.

    Academic achievement of students depends upon many factors: intelligence, motivation, study and work loads, self-expectation and goals, encouragement and direction from the student's advisor. The advisor frequently can detect when students are motivated, to achieve a satisfactory level of academic performance and can be instrumental in providing external motivation. Through a close relationship, the advisor can be the key person in helping students realize their maximum intellectual potential.


How Advisors Can Help Students

The basic role of an advisor broadly encompasses helping students to the point where they can make responsible decisions pertaining to their academic programs, serving as a source of up-to-date and accurate information, and making appropriate referrals for other expert advice and counsel when necessary.

While the subjects discussed with advisees are often determined by problems of the students, the advisor may help advisees avert some of them by calling their attention to relevant directives and policies of the college.

Problems that may seem insignificant to the advisor may be of real concern to freshmen or continuing students. The effectiveness of advising may depend upon how successful one has been in helping a student solve problems, in easing apprehension of students who may be entering college for the first time, and in creating a clearer understanding of life in the CALS.

Some suggestions which might be useful for you follow:


  • Advising functions are performed most effectively if the advisor establishes a record for each advisee, including transcripts, high school records, academic status reports, correspondence, etc. The key is to have as much information as possible to best know and understand each advisee.

  • An advisor can most effectively counsel students after the advisor has gained the trust of the individual. This implies becoming acquainted with students and discovering the nature of their problems. To help appraise the progress of advisees, the advisor should learn something about the home life of the students, their living conditions at college, the extent to which they must earn their way and the amount of time available for study.

  • Rapport with advisees might be developed by writing a note to or telephoning each advisee inviting the student to visit with you. If advisees appear to be having problems, it is especially important to invite them to drop in for an office visit. If you have several freshman advisees, you might find it desirable to invite the group to discuss many of the points outlined in this section which are of a general nature and which do not pertain to a particular individual's problems. Some advisors have made a regular practice of inviting advisees into their homes for dinner and informal discussions. Letting students know you are available and want to help to them is a meaningful part of developing rapport with advisees.

  • The advisor should understand the capabilities of each advisee. Considerable advance information concerning each student can be obtained from the New Student Profile. Other information is on file in the Undergraduate Programs and Services Office for each student. In case you need supplementary information, please call 262-3003 and inquire about its availability.

  • The advisor should be familiar with the latest college curriculum, its degree programs and major fields to effectively counsel students. Copies of curricular sheets for your department should be available in your department. Sheets for all departments are available in the Undergraduate Programs and Services Office, 116 Agriculture Hall.

  • Advisors need to know about scholarships and loans are available to students of the CALS, since some students may need financial assistance. Some advisees qualify for this assistance and need guidance in the procedure for making application.

  • It is suggested that the advisor assist students with their academic problems by discussing with them techniques for budgeting their time, giving them hints on good study habits, or perhaps by referring them to guidebooks on “how to study.” Students might be encouraged to make use of the Alpha Zeta tutoring program or any of the other student tutorial programs across campus.

  • The advisees may be referred to other available sources of information and help on the campus. For example, students might be told of the services available at the University Student Counseling Center, Student Health Services, Chemistry Learning Center, Math Tutoring services, the Writing Laboratory and other available programs that are found in this handbook.

Those who have previously served as an advisor will quickly recognize that these are just some of the major responsibilities of an advisor to his/her advisees, and too, will understand that only by analyzing each situation can one help find satisfactory solutions to the problems of each individual.

A Schedule for Advising

Each advisor is encouraged to have advisees meet with him/her as follows:

1. During the advising period for registration:

With the touchtone registration system, continuing students will generally need assistance in selecting courses for the following semester. Advisors should review the student's past record, current study load, and plan for the next semester. Most new freshman register by touchtone at SOAR, a few when classes begin in September. Information pertaining to each student's high school background, test score data, etc. should be helpful in advising students about the courses and load to be taken. Points to keep in mind are:


  • Discuss part-time work planned to see if the study load and/or work schedule needs adjusting.

  • Review Pass-Fail criteria and procedures, if the student is eligible to apply.

  • Discuss adding or dropping of courses by touchtone in case courses are cancelled or sections become closed.

  • Alert students to secure scholarship checks from either Office of Academic Student Affairs, Rm 116 Agriculture Hall or Office of Financial Aids, and advise them about the availability of various financial aids.

  • Review DARS audit sheet to determine that students are progressing satisfactorily in meeting degree requirements under the student's choice of major and degree program.

  • Familiarize qualified students with the Honors Degree Program.

2. During the first nine weeks of classes:

  • Encourage students during the first two weeks to discuss with you the adding and dropping of classes before they do so by touchtone. Remind them of the deadlines, and the periods for notations of drops (and withdrawals) on the transcript.
  • Determine the academic achievement in each course and help students analyze ways and means of improving their academic performance. Review major assignments and, if necessary, offer suggestions for successful completion.
  • Review tests and examinations completed by the students to help the students in deciding upon course load for the balance of the semester, so any course to be dropped is acted upon within the prescribed first nine weeks of the semester.
  • Determine if any major obstacles have become apparent and help the students, through suggestions and encouragement, solve problems which might detract from academic achievement.

3. During the last six weeks of each semester:

  • Review work of the current semester.
  • Schedule an advising session for planning the next semester's program and complete the College's Registration Advising Form with each student. Keep one copy for your records, give one to the student, and send one to your department's “Touchtone operator.”
  • Assist students in completing application forms for any available scholarships for a subsequent semester. The application deadline for College scholarships is early January.
  • Review with students their plans to satisfactorily complete all course assignments and to plan effectively for preparation of final examinations.

4. At any time during a semester, in addition to the above-mentioned items:

  • Discuss graduate school opportunities
  • Discuss job opportunities
  • Assist students in completing placement forms and preparation of applications for placement possibilities.
  • Refer students to other experts whenever desirable and appropriate.

5. During the first six weeks for new freshmen and transfer students, meet with advisees individually – or in small group sessions weekly to:

  • Acquaint advisees with the organization, functions, and history of land-grant institutions, particularly as these pertain to the CALS.
  • Acquaint advisees about each instructional department of the college, including your own, so they will fully understand the majors available.
  • Review in detail the curricular organization and requirements of the college of each degree program, and of majors of interest to the advisees.
  • Explain the scholastic policies and actions of the college to which the students are subject (see college bulletin) and discuss how these actions might affect them. An understanding of these policies may prevent later embarrassment and disappointment to the student.
  • Explain the various career and study opportunities available to youth with collegiate education in the agricultural and life sciences.
  • Advise students about all available human resources and educational facilities which can contribute to the student's academic progress.
  • Collect background information from each student which will provide one with a better understanding about the student's potential, motivation, goals, or objectives.
  • Advise student about the correct procedures to follow for adding or dropping a course; the dates for academic actions; the necessity for having the advisor's approval, as well as college approval, for course actions and other special requests.