<p>Daughter just completed orientation. She's Undecided so obviously advising is very important. In fact they make it mandatory and can't register until it's done. Unfortunately its a farce. No real advising. They put the kids as a group in a room, have a few people floating around and simply say, ask if you have any questions. I understand that they're young adults and have to handle things on their own. But when such a big deal is made about an advising requirement and then to offer no real advising, its disappointing.</p>
<p>There are mandatory one on one appointments. What you’re describing is what happens while people wait for an advisor to be free.</p>
<p>I had the same experience, sorry Gina, but JSimon is right. I had a non-advisor who failed to tell me that I could place myself on a waitlist in a course I wanted, and nor the waitlist is closed. I learned how to do it on my own. I hope UMD makes some changes for the following sessions.</p>
<p>I never got to meet one-on-one when I went for my Orientation last week, either. I at least wanted to be able to get the contact info for my departmental advisor so I could contact him or her over the summer.</p>
<p>I just received letter from Honors College and it says you “you will meet with an academic advisor” at orientation. I really hope that happens when I come to orientation.</p>
<p>I hope Honors gets a little more attention. I am not honors, so I don’t know… Good luck I do wish for you to have a better experience</p>
<p>I know I met with an academic advisor. Maybe it’s more of a college thing. Advising is fairly useless anyway. You’re better off asking your orientation advisors what they recommend. The advising on orientation is about getting you to accept what is easiest for them. Whether or not it’s best for you depends on the person.</p>
<p>My Daughter is in Scholars. While not honors, I’d be surprised if it works much differently. I understand that one to one is difficult. But particularly where you have someone who is “undecided”, the selection of classes is important. There are so many issues that a new student is simply not going to think to ask, i.e. While this course is entry level its a specific course not the broad 100 level course. should I take the 100 level course. or am I better off waiting to take my math requirement as it may adversely effect GPA. Stupid things that should be discussed on a one to one basis.</p>
<p>with all due respect to all on this thread, please do not take this the wrong way…</p>
<p>In a school the size of UMD, one-on-one advising for thousands of incoming freshman is very rare…not sure what you were all made to expect…and Scholars kids are very large in number so I’m not sure that makes a difference…</p>
<p>If one needs advising help, I’m sure that someone could be found to speak with…for example, in math, I’m sure if your daughter would try to call the department and tell them the question she has, they would probably be able to help her…</p>
<p>maybe this can help; I found it through Google:
<a href=“http://www.ltsc.umd.edu/parentsfaqs.php[/url]”>http://www.ltsc.umd.edu/parentsfaqs.php</a></p>
<p>This is a large, public university…this is only the beginning of having to figure out where to get the help and information you all need…it won’t be dropped into your lap…</p>
<p>Thank you Rodney, I kind of had a brush with reality as I attended orientation, but I still loved the school.</p>
<p>Rodney</p>
<p>The problem lies in the fact that as a freshman you are required to attend orientation in order to register for classes. I dont mind spending the money to fly across the country and miss work if the orientation is well organized and worth it. In numerous letters and emails incoming freshman are told there will be advisors at orientation to help them register for classes. I think the problem is that students are showing up at orientation expecting something that is apparently not happening. Honestly I would prefer just to register for my classes online and save my money so I can come home over Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>^^excellent point and one I will definitely remember if I have students attending UMD next year…</p>
<p>rodney: You make a valid point, but this is the introduction to a student’s first year into college. It’s a change in their lifestyle on so many levels; they shouldn’t be expected to learn/know how to deal with such a large public university right away…</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the advising at orientation is pretty generic for each college, and the “group” registration covers more the mechanics of navigating through the process online, moreso than individual suggestions/advising. Even if the student is undecided on major, they still have a very open slate to schedule courses that meet general requirements, and take courses they are interested in possibly pursuing. Students can help themselves a lot by researching online via umd.edu (and Testudo) the online catalog, schedule of classes, CORE requirements, and requirements for their major–all BEFORE they go to orientation. Then they can form specific questions they want/need to have addressed when they register. </p>
<p>Hopefully students will find the orientation within their major department(s) much more helpful for subsequent registrations, but honestly…it varies significantly by department. One of D1’s advisors (2 majors) was AWESOME–contacted her in the summer with a research/internship opportunity, and wrote letters of recommendation through her 4 years (including grad school apps). D2 also has multiple advisors because of her majors and areas of concentration–and has had several very underwhelming advising experiences (One of her advisors does not make appointments, and frequently isn’t there during her posted office hours…).</p>
<p>It seems like there were advisors there, you just didn’t meet with one alone. I don’t really see what the problem is. If you have a question, you ask them. No one should have to hold your hand through each choice you make. I would have preferred it this way when I was a freshman. They forced me into four classes I had to take and let me choose one, after a twenty minute argument over whether or not I could choose the last one instead of take what they wanted me to. This gave me the worst GPA I’ve ever had for any school semester, let alone in college.</p>
<p>Gina is correct. I am going to take matters into my hands and spend the next week figuring out what I need to take and what I want to take.</p>
<p>I do have one question that I cant find the answer to…what is the difference between chem135 and chem135U? I dont know what the U at the end of the course stands for.</p>
<p>But that’s the whole problem -.- </p>
<p>Ambiguity is going to slay a lot of students. “Should I listen to my adviser(s)? They’re pretty insistent and they probably know more about the whole process then I do. Or should I pick out my own path and hopefully they won’t kill me?”</p>
<p>“hopefully they won’t kill me…”</p>
<p>Are you talking about the classes you choose (or the advisors)? In the end, it is your own choice. If you start out in a class and feel after seeing the course syllabus that you are in over your head or you really can’t see yourself making it through the semester with the particular professor you get, you can join all the other hundreds (thousands?) of students who make changes to their schedules in the first couple weeks of classes.</p>
<p>I was referring to the advisers. I didn’t exactly have a pleasant guidance counselor relationship in high school and I hear college advisers are even more important to keep a good connection with. </p>
<p>I think I’ll stop worrying haha and just wait until my Orientation next month. Thanks!</p>
<p>I had the same experience last year when I attended. ginab- I felt like the advisors were incompetent and I had my entire semester planned out coming in to orientation. I had a question regarding what I should register for in math since my AP scores hadnt come in yet. They had no idea and suggested I sign up for Math140 and “just retake it” even though I ended up with a 5 in Calc BC. To everyone who is just starting at UMD-the advising for me has gotten MUCH better and has been extremely helpful. It was just the initial advising that was bad</p>