<p>This student probably needs to learn what resources are available at all colleges and how they differ among colleges. Perhaps looking for “advisors” is not the way to find what s/he really wants. For example, living in the college dorms with good support may be what is wanted. Or a good freshman counseling center. The “academic advisor” is the one that signs off on the course selection. Other personnel do other things- even at the large U’s. Therefore s/he needs to consider a lot more first, come up with a list and then figure out which may be the best fit. Many more important factors to consider first when choosing a college.</p>
<p>Wis75, I never said or implied that academic advising was the first consideration, simply a consideration. Also, it seems from this thread that some schools do offer academic advising that’s more involved than course selection/registration. Perhaps at the majority of schools, that’s all that advisors do. I’m looking for schools where they do more. These schools will go on the list along with all the others, each for their own reasons, for further research.</p>
<p>Oh, and thanks for the school suggestions silversas, qialah, and stevensmama.</p>
<p>California Lutheran University gives every student three advisors: an academic advisor, an administrative advisor, and a peer advisor.</p>
<p>I think advising is very important to help a student get on the right track. After pouring over websites trying to get a sense of curriculums, and how certain majors and minors might fit, I think it is challenging to figure out especially since some classes are not offered each semester. A good advisor can present the options for a student to then further research an figure out.</p>
<p>Some of the schools we visited during my daughter’s college search had what they called “professional advising staff.” This meant there were people whose only job was to serve as academic advisors to the students. The advisors are not faculty members. </p>
<p>At other schools, the advisors are faculty members, but they may be paid little or nothing for the time they spend on advising.</p>
<p>My husband and I have a good friend from college who is a faculty member at a fine, well-known university. He always took great pride in the wonderful undergraduate advising provided by his school, and contrasted it to the “sign your study card without a comment” approach to “advising” we were provided at the college we attended. He was very invoved with his advising group, and I’m sure he was a fantastic advisor. We encouraged our daughter to apply to the school where he teaches and discouraged her from applying to our own alma mater because of our sense that she could benefit from more involved advising.</p>
<p>Then…this year my friend quit advising. He wasn’t compensated for the time it took, and it just took too much time. You have to figure that there are a number of faculty members who are still on the “advisor” rosters but just don’t put any time or effort into it.</p>
<p>(My daughter ended up choosing a college with “professional advisors.”)</p>
<p>The college of engineering in the university where I teach had some departments with professional advisors and some where faculty members served as advisors. A survey showed that students were much happier with the professional advisors, and all departments have them now. </p>
<p>I think the reason is that the professional advisors can maintain a much better handle on arcane rules than faculty members do, so they are much better at helping students with issues. Also, they interact with a much larger sample of students, specifically dealing with course choice and scheduling, and so just have a larger experience base to draw from. And then of course advising is what they are paid for rather than something that competes with other things.</p>
<p>wis75 writes:</p>
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<p>Time for my semi-annual rant. How are we to interpret should in the above quote? College students “shouldn’t” need hand-holding-- but what if they do? College students who need hand-holding don’t belong in college? College students who need hand-holding do belong in college, but without hand-holding, so they’ll fail? College students who need hand-holding deserve to fail? College students who need hand-holding should go to college, and without hand-holding, they’ll magically develop the ability to have the organization skills and initiative that their parents wish they had? College-aged people who need hand-holding now will always need hand-holding? College-aged people who need hand-holding now don’t belong in college? Where do they belong, then?</p>
<p>I’m tired of hearing that a poster’s child “shouldn’t” need support, when the student manifestly does need support. If I drill down, I see an undercurrent of parent-blaming: my child has independence and self-reliance and yours doesn’t, because I am a superior parent and you are a deficient parent. Even ignoring that, the comment is non-responsive.</p>
<p>My son is upset because his girlfriend broke up with him. Now what?
– College students shouldn’t overreact to romantic disappointments.</p>
<p>My daughter gained 20 pounds her freshman year. Now what?
– College students shouldn’t overeat.</p>
<p>My child drove too fast and crashed her car. Now what?
– College students shouldn’t drive recklessly.</p>
<p>My child is having trouble in her math class. Now what?
– College students should have had excellent math preparation in high school.</p>
<p>Cardinal Fang. If this was facebook, I could click that I “like” your comment. :)</p>