Updated: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
By Mike, IvyWise Academic Advisor
“What do you want to do with your life?”
As a former academic advisor and faculty member at a public college, I often found that this question struck fear in the hearts of first-year college students, turning a conversation about potential majors into an existential identity crisis.
In high school, the conversation around college majors and career paths is typically held within the lens of graduation or college admission requirements and fails to give the requisite time to answer such a big question in a thoughtful and informed manner. If students are lucky, their high school might have one or two courses related to career exploration. However, these courses tend to be electives that not all students take. Aside from this, students typically are not provided with any dedicated support from high school staff whose main responsibilities lie in the career development of students.
Unsurprisingly, when students arrive at college — a period marked by self-exploration — they might feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of deciding on their major, career, and future without a strong grasp of who they are or who they will become. Students must also contend with the sheer breadth of majors offered. For example, Boston University, the University of Washington, and The Ohio State University offer 100+, 180+, and 200+ majors, respectively.
This brings about what “Paradox of Choice” author Barry Schwartz refers to as choice overload: the tendency for people to get overwhelmed when presented with many options. In what seems like a wave of infinite possibilities in college, how can students make informed decisions about their next four years of study, let alone their future after college?
[Academic advising enters the chat.]
Academic advising is a service offered at colleges and universities where students meet regularly with academic advisors to discuss course selection, major choices, career planning, professional goals, and other issues related to college life. The advisor helps the student select courses that will lead to successful graduation from college and provides guidance regarding financial aid options. Students receive the support and guidance to make informed decisions about their academic journey and career path, which has a long-term impact even after they graduate with their bachelor’s degrees.
College can be a stressful and overwhelming time. With an academic advisor, you have a mentor and advocate in your corner to help you make decisions about your educational and career path, assist you with problem-solving, and provide you with the tools and resources to help you succeed. Academic advisors can also help you understand your school’s policies and procedures and keep you on track to achieve your goals.
Working with an academic advisor provides multiple benefits academically, professionally, and financially.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 30% of college undergraduates in associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs changed their major at least once within three years of initial enrollment. Studies have shown that a lack of clarity around one’s academic interests and career goals can delay graduation, increase college costs, and weaken a student’s motivation to stay in college. An academic advisor can help students gain clarity on their path in college and beyond. In turn, this clarity allows students to make informed decisions on their intended major, begin to take courses within the major, and craft a college experience that aligns with their personal, intellectual, and career goals in college.
However, on-campus academic advising can be limited and impersonal, or, in some cases, non-existent. A recent survey showed that only 55% of participating students reported receiving advising on graduation requirements. Policies vary widely by institution, with some schools requiring that students meet with their advisor regularly and others forcing students to find and reach out to an academic advisor themselves. This type of support is extremely important to providing clarity on students’ goals and helping them plan their program of study, but it is not always consistent across schools.
With the support of an academic advisor, students are provided with guidance and resources aimed at helping them wade through hundreds of majors and career paths to find the one that best suits their personality, interests, personal values, and talents. This can include tapping into campus resources that students often overlook, like career counseling, academic support offices, and more. There are numerous on-campus resources to help students have an intentional and fulfilling experience — they often just need help finding them.
Academic advising and career advising go hand in hand, as students often decide which major to pursue based on their career goals. Thus, academic advisors are tasked with understanding major requirements and curriculum offerings, along with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field.
Moreover, academic advisors may have connections to the industry that align with an intended major, which brings about informational interviews with professionals in the field, job shadowing, internships, and networking opportunities. In other words, academic advisors support students’ academic and professional growth in college.
A bachelor’s degree theoretically should take four years to complete. However, fewer than half of undergraduate students complete their studies in four years — a successful timeframe for completing a bachelor’s degree is now set at six years.
The support a student receives from an academic advisor to complete within four years could save the student tens of thousands of dollars in college tuition costs. The financial savings compound if a student pays for college through a loan. According to Investopedia, it takes the average borrower just over 21 years to pay off a student loan.
For many reasons, academic advising should be an integral part of any student’s college experience. At IvyWise, we recognize the need for personal and consistent guidance throughout all four years of college, so we offer academic advising services to help students develop the skills and habits needed to thrive during their college experience and plan for graduate school or the workforce.
Our academic advisors have small caseloads, allowing for the type of one-on-one guidance that college students need for help identifying their goals and implementing a plan of action from day one on campus. Schedule an Initial Consultation today to learn how IvyWise can help you have a successful and vibrant college experience.
Most people understand what teachers, guidance counselors, and professors do. Yet, there is a lot of uncertainty about an adjacent educational career that is just as important: academic advisor. You can find academic advisors at colleges and universities or work with one outside of campus.
Many students understand that working with an academic advisor is one of the most impactful ways to make strides toward achieving their academic and professional goals. Academic advisors are a fantastic resource because they can work with students on a one-on-one basis to help them identify strategies that will set them up for success.
IvyWise counselors Rachel and Zach share their top tips on how to brainstorm and write college application essays, and what admissions officers are looking for when they read them on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers.
