Academic Advising
for College Students

An IvyWise academic advisor will help you understand what classes you should take, how much work you need to do for each class, and which courses you should drop. Advisors can also help students find relevant on-campus resources, discuss career opportunities and plans, suggest summer experiences and internships, and much, much more.

You’re in college — now what? This period of self-exploration and learning is exciting, but students still need expert guidance when deciding on their major, career, and future as they grapple with who they are or who they want to become.

Strong guidance during this critical time keeps students on track to graduate on time and can also help students outside of the classroom. Your academic advisor is with you from day one, providing guidance for first-year students adjusting to college life all the way to seniors to prepare for what’s next.

Our expert academic counselors have worked with students in every aspect of college advising and know how to help students make the most of their experience and tap into the various resources available to them directly on their campus.

“Studies have shown that a lack of clarity around one’s academic interests and career goals can delay graduation, leading to increased college costs, and decreasing a student’s motivation to stay in college. Just one extra year of college can cost around $68,000.”

Academic advising can help open you up to new curricular and social opportunities, such as different majors or minors, clubs, and affinity groups. These types of advising discussions are beneficial because they can broaden your view of yourself and the opportunities you can pursue. Additionally, an academic advisor can keep you on track and be there to catch and support you should you face challenges.

Academic advising also plays an important role in determining whether undergraduate students will be satisfied with their institution and overall college experience. Researchers have found that students rated academic advising as the second most important thing to them in their college experience, just behind the quality of the courses. Another group of researchers found that trust in one’s academic advisor can increase a student’s commitment to a given institution. Advisors play an important role in student satisfaction.

• Is my academic plan realistic for my desired date of graduation?
• Based on my interests and strengths, what type of major should I explore?
• What type of resources are available to help me succeed in school?
• How can I learn more about study abroad opportunities for my major?
• What can I do to feel more connected to my school?
• What processes do I need to complete to graduate?
• What is your advice on how to get into graduate school?
• What should I study if I want to be an engineer?
• Where can I learn more about different careers and internships for my major?

Your academic advisor is a wealth of knowledge about the various support systems available to you on your college campus. An advisor can make referrals to the tutoring center, writing center, faculty office hours, and more. Additionally, your academic advisor can help you adjust your course schedule and select courses that will set you up for academic success. Finally, your IvyWise academic advisor can serve as a coach to keep you on track and motivated.

An academic advisor will evaluate your interests, strengths, and weaknesses to help pinpoint different subjects or disciplines that might be a good fit for you. From there, your advisor will build into your academic plan some opportunities to explore those disciplines. Oftentimes, your advisor will be able to find fun and interesting exploration courses that also fulfill general education graduation requirements so that you remain on track to graduate. Throughout those exploration courses, your advisor will serve as a sounding board to help you reflect on your experiences and narrow down options for your major. Your advisor may also suggest that you meet with other important advisors, like a career advisor, who can administer career-related tests to learn what might be the best course of study and career for you.

Academic support and tutoring are helpful for a lot of college students. Achieving your academic and professional goals isn’t just about choosing the right major or courses — you also need to be performing well academically. At IvyWise we have a team of tutoring experts and skills coaches to help you not only excel academically in college but also develop the executive functioning and study skills necessary to succeed in graduate school and the workforce. IvyWise counselors and tutors work together to maximize student outcomes and ensure that you are reaching your personal and academic goals with customized academic support and executive functioning coaching.

An IvyWise academic advisor differs from a college-based academic advisor in many ways. One of the significant differences between an IvyWise academic advisor and your college-based academic advisor is time and attention. IvyWise advisors can spend a lot of one-on-one time with you and can ensure that your academic plan is tailored to your strengths, weaknesses, and passions. Unlike your college-based academic advisor who may be juggling high caseloads, nothing with IvyWise advisors will be one-size-fits-all, and everything will be holistic: addressing all of your needs as a student.

Additionally, a college-based academic advisor is usually assigned to you based on your major. So, if you change your major, your college-based advisor will probably change too. Given the majority of students will change their major at least once, an advantage of an IvyWise advisor is that you can choose who you want to work with and they will continue to support you through all of the ups, downs, and major changes you face throughout all four years of college.

Should your future involve graduate school, IvyWise academic advisors can help you build your graduate school applicant profile as early as freshman year. Unlike your college-based academic advisor, your IvyWise academic advisor has experience working in graduate admissions offices and is well positioned to support you on your journey to graduate school.

Remember, an IvyWise academic advisor will not replace your college-based advisor. You should think of the IvyWise academic advisor as an additional member of your team that knows you best and can serve as a support system and advocate.