A&S Academic Advising: Make the most of your advising appointment!
Meeting with your academic advisor is a great way to learn more about your degree, explore other fields of study, get connected to other campus resourcesÌýand discover co-curricular and extracurricular involvement opportunities. Here are some things to consider as you access academic advising services in the College of Arts andÌýSciences.
What type of appointment do I need?
Check out this Quick Links page, and when possible, come to your academic advisor’s drop-in advising or same-day 15-minute appointments! In many cases, drop-in advising and same-day 15-minute appointments may be faster than emailing your academic advisor. Email advising may take up to 3 business days for a response, particularly during registration periods. For long-term planning and complex questions, drop-in advising, same-day 15-minute appointments and email advising may require a follow-up individual appointment to get the full support for your personal academic advising needs.
Schedule a 30-45 minute individual advising appointment. Your academic advisor will help you explore and create a comprehensive personalized academic plan during your individual appointment(s).
Once you have a sense of what type of appointment would best suit your needs, you can reserve an individual appointment in Buff Portal AdvisingÌýor view your advisor’s drop-in hours and plan to attend drop-ins.
Don't know how to make an appointment?Ìý¸é±ð²¹»åÌý.ÌýYou can also find your advisor’s email address in Buff Portal Advising if you plan to reach out via email.
Try looking a week or two ahead in your academic advisor’s calendar. You can also email your academic advisor with non-urgent questions.
Drop-in advising and individual appointments are likely the quickest ways to find answers to an urgent question. Check drop-in advising and/or academic advising appointment availability via .
First and foremost, check your academic advisor’s appointment availability in . Meeting in-person, over Zoom, or by phone is ideal! If there is no appointment or drop-in advising availability that works with your schedule, emailing your advisor can be a good option. Keep in mind during registration periods, when expanded availability is provided for individual appointments, drop-in advising and same-day 15-minute appointments, it can take up to 3 business days for a response.Ìý
If you are not able to connect with your academic advisor before your enrollment date, be sure to register as soon as you can – don’t wait! Register for the classes you think you need, and then meet with your academic advisor at a later time to review that schedule.
I’ve made an advising appointment! What’s next?
Here are some things you might want to do to prepare for your advising meeting:
1.ÌýHave a list of questions for your advisor that you want to focus on, and prioritize the questions if possible.
2.ÌýRun a new degree audit before your advising meeting to get a sense of your remaining degree requirements. Learn more about running degree audits.Ìý
3.ÌýShare your goals with your advisor! Academic advisors can help with so much more than course selection. Learn more from one of our advisors and see how advising can support you.
How does advising look in A&S Academic Advising and Coaching?
Transition to ²ÊÃñ±¦µä:
Meet with your Summer Advisor
In the College of Arts andÌýSciences, we prioritize offering each incoming first-year student the opportunity to have an individual advising appointment during the summer with a highly knowledgeable academic advisor. In order to meet individually with each incoming student, some students will meet with their first-year advisor and others will meet with a departmental advisor who has been specifically trained to work with incoming first-year students.
The FirstÌýYear:
Meet with your First-Year Advisor
The first year of college is a transitional time, as students learn more about themselves and their academic interests. While the first year is filled with exciting new experiences, students may face challengesÌýas well. Our first-year academic advisors are attuned to support students as they navigate these opportunities and challenges. Our first-year advisors are knowledgeable in all of the majors and minors on campus and can help students explore the many opportunities ²ÊÃñ±¦µäÌýoffers as they chart their academic path.
Sophomore Year Through Graduation:
Meet with your Departmental Advisor(s)
At the end of the first year, students with a declared major are transitioned to oneÌýor more departmental advisors. For example, a student who is majoring in psychology and minoring in French would have a psychology advisor and a French advisor. Departmental advisors work with students through to graduation and help them explore opportunities to enhance their academic and career paths while completing their degrees.
What students sayÌýabout advising.
“[My advisor]Ìýwas very friendly and supportive! Knew lots of great resources and made sure I understood all of the options I have!â€
- Reagan M., Art Practices Major
“It was great! [My advisor]Ìýis super understanding and helpful! I was worried about messing up my timeline and being behind but she was able to calm me down and make me feel like I wasn’t ruining things. I’m glad I talked to her because I feel much better now and I have an understanding of what my options are.â€
- Anjali M., Neuroscience Major
Have general questions? Check out our Quick Links page!
Academic Advising's MissionÌý
We create space for students to develop meaningful educational goals and a strong sense of belonging. We are uniquely positioned to:
Advise students in maximizing their degree plan through curricular and co-curricular exploration.
Engage students in their journey of self-discovery and growth, balancing challenge and support.
Serve as a catalyst for academic success and enhance student wellbeing by innovating our professional practice.