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7 Ways Advisors Can More Effectively Engage Online Students Article

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7 Ways Advisors Can More Effectively Engage Online Students Article

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This article does clearly depict ways Academic Advisors can be most engaging with students.

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7 Ways Advisors Can More Effectively Engage Online Students - Academic Impressions

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by Susan Ohrablo (Valencia College) Online students are at significant risk for attrition as they experience isolation and a sense of disconnect from the institution, as well as find themselves lacking resources and information. Advisors can greatly impact students' perceptions of their online experience by providing ongoing support and information to students.

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Displaying memes in emails or even in your office communicate to others that you are a fun individual! There are plenty of memes in the world so have fun and post them around the office and when you are communicating with your students via email if it is appropriate.

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Advising Online Students: Replicating Best Practices of Face-to-Face Advising Article

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Advising Online Students: Replicating Best Practices of Face-to-Face Advising Article

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This article discusses the importance of keeping the same process and methodology from a face-to-face advising appointment and bringing those components into an online advising appointment.

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Authored by: Sue Ohrablo, Ed.D.

Students who seek to earn their degrees in an online format are at higher risk for attrition than are their campus-based counterparts (Morris & Finnegan, 2009). Because online students often experience feelings of isolation and anxiety, they can greatly benefit from a positive, supportive, ongoing relationship with an academic advisor (Ludwig-Hardman & Dunlap, 2003).

Academic advisors play a critical role in supporting and engaging students (Nutt, 2003). Students rely on advisors for academic information, assistance in navigating the university, locating and understanding policies and procedures, and problem-solving and decision-making (Smith & Allen, 2014). While a campus-based student may get lost navigating the campus the first time or two trying to find the financial aid or registrar's office, online students may have a persistent feeling of being lost, as they do not have the opportunity to develop the contextual framework associated with buildings, faces, and in-person referrals. They are limited to hyperlinks and call centers which may keep them on hold for hours. Through the use of effective written and oral communication skills that replicate the skills used in face-to-face advising sessions, advisors can help students develop a sense of connectedness to the institution, positively impacting students' experiences as online learners.
Perceptions and Expectations of Online Students
The culture and expectations of online students may differ from those of campus-based students (Gaines, 2014). While it is not uncommon for advising center reception areas to fill up with eager yet patient students during peak advising periods, online students' expectations are accelerated due to the use of electronic communication (Toister, 2014). Campus-based students can see the line out the door and, when finally meeting with an advisor, may see the harried, yet friendly look on the advisor's face and readily accept the apology for the delay. The online student who is waiting for a returned call or email does not have any visual frame of reference to understand the cause for any perceived delay, which may result in increased frustration and sense of disconnectedness. When trying to explain the source of delays to online students, advisors run the risk of sounding defensive when they add a tagline to their emails such as "due to a high volume of traffic, please expect delays from my usual response times," sending the message that the student is just a number, one of many in an overloaded caseload. By proactively anticipating students' frustrations with perceived delays, advisors can communicate their understanding of the student's experience and demonstrate empathy through simple openings such as "I'm so sorry for the delay, but I'm glad to hear from you," or "I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you back sooner. How are you?"

Institutions may turn to using a variety of electronic resources (websites, intranet, and social media) to communicate with their students in order to provide timely, asynchronous information to online students. While these resources are useful in supplementing the advising relationship, they cannot be relied upon to substitute for it (Gaines, 2014). Continually directing students to electronic resources is the equivalent of telling a student in your office to "just go look it up." Students seek advisement when they have a perceived need (Young-Jones, Burt, Dixon, & Hawthorne, 2013). It is an advisor's job to determine what the student's needs are and provide support and direction accordingly. In the student's eyes, the advisor is the resource, while the links and catalogs are the tools.

It is important to understand that the needs of online students will vary, as online learners do not possess a homogenous set of expectations and experiences. Students may enroll in online courses for a variety of reasons. They may be adult learners who are proximal to a campus, but require a flexible learning environment due to work and family commitments. They may be students who have chosen an online program due to the lack of desired programs in their geographical area. Students enrolled in online courses may also be traditional-aged students who do not want to get up too early to go to class. Advisors will benefit from incorporating their understanding of the needs of adult students, first-generation students, distance students, and developmental advising when working with an online student population (Steele, 2005).
Communication
Online students can seek assistance from advisors in a variety of ways, with phone and email being among the top two preferred methods. Unlike face-to-face advising sessions, email and phone advising lack the visual cues that help students and advisors develop a positive advising relationship. The advisor cannot see the anxiety on the student's face, so must infer it from the tone of voice or use of the written word. Students cannot see the advisor's face to determine if he is genuine, caring, or competent. The advisor is limited to the strategic use of words and voice inflection to establish a trusting, productive advising relationship.
Email Advising
Advisors who work with a predominantly campus-based population run the risk of viewing emails as an administrative task rather than an advising session. They see appointments on their calendars, walk-ins waiting in the lobby, and emails in their inbox. It is easy to think, "Let me help these students and then I'll get to my emails." A better approach is to consider all of those students as students in need of advising. Advisors should take the time to respond to emails in the same thoughtful, comprehensive manner as they would an in-person advisee.

Comprehensive advising methods such as anticipating student needs, exploring options, and moving the student forward (Ohrablo, 2010) can all be integrated into an effective email communication with a student. A student may send an email with a seemingly simple question such as "when is the registration deadline?" A simple response would be to provide the student the date, or to send a link to the online academic calendar. The advisor should consider this inquiry as though the student were present in the office (Pellegrin, 2015). Would it be appropriate to provide the date and quickly usher the student out of the office? Most likely not. There would naturally be an interpersonal exchange such as, "It is good to see you again," along with some further discussion. In person, the advisor might ask, "Do you know what you will be taking next semester?" and "Do you know where to find the schedule of classes?" This line of inquiry would generate further thought and academic planning on the part of the student.

To further replicate the natural exchange that would occur in an in-person advising session, advisors are encouraged to include a general greeting in the beginning of the response such as "It is good to hear from you," "Congratulations on nearing the completion of your program," or "That's a great question!" Similarly, the conclusion of the email should include a personalized comment such as "Please let me know if you have any further questions," or "Please touch base with me after you've contacted your professor to let me know how it went." These statements can put a student at ease, provide encouragement, and communicate a sense of caring on the part of the advisor.

In anticipating an online student's needs, the advisor can provide information that the student did not solicit. Using the registration date example, the advisor can check the student's record to see if there are any holds, check for academic success and struggles through the review of the student's transcript, registration history, and advising notes, anticipate any course sequencing issues and prerequisites for the student's schedule, and address any other pertinent issues. After providing the student the date and/or link to the academic calendar, the advisor could add a statement such as "I see that you're enrolled in MATH 234. I'd encourage you to register for MATH 235 in the spring, as it is only offered once a year and is a prerequisite to CHEM 122." Another strategy is to open up a line of inquiry with the student. "How are you doing in MATH 234?" It is a prerequisite to MATH 235, so please let me know if you're having trouble so we can discuss your options and strategies for success."
Phone Advising
Advisors who work with online students rely on phone discussions to engage students and to establish a relationship with students. Although there are no visual cues, advisors are able to discern the student's emotional state, level of motivation, and areas of concern through careful listening and questioning. For instance, when discussing a student's difficulty in a class, the advisor might ask, "Have you spoken with your professor about this?" If the student says no, then a natural line of inquiry would be regarding the student's possible hesitation about speaking with the professor or other concerns relating to the suggestion. There may then be a long silence in response to questions such as these, which could be attributed to a disconnected call, bad reception, or lack of student response. After waiting for a response, the advisor might ask, "Are you there?" The student may simply say she was cut off and missed your question entirely or it may be an opportunity to address student concerns in regard to the question.

Just as with email, when replicating a face-to-face advising session, it is important to start the session with a positive greeting so that the student feels welcomed. When returning a student's call, it is a good idea to start by asking, "Is this a good time for you to talk?" There is no face-to-face equivalent, as in-person advising sessions are initiated by the student; advisors are not expected to knock on a student's dorm room door to initiate an advising session.

A simple strategy to let students know they are cared for is to use their names. When a student calls and says, "Hi, this is Mary Smith, I am one of your students," a response such as "Oh, hi, Mary. It is good to hear from you," or "Of course I know who you are, Mary. How have you been?" can reinforce the advising relationship. Online students who are feeling detached from the institution are often surprised to know that they are remembered. Further, they may actually perceive that they are an imposition on an advisor. Unlike in a scheduled face-to-face or walk-in appointment, students communicating via email or phone are more likely to exclaim, "I'm sorry to bother you, "or "I'm sorry to be such a pest." Addressing those comments with a reassuring statement such as "You are never a bother, I love hearing from you!" or "You are not a pest. That's what I'm here for," can help let students know that you value them.

The use of humor can also positively impact the advising relationship and facilitate a connection between student and advisor (Wrench & Punyanunt-Carter, 2008). The advisor should be careful in the use of humor, since the lack of verbal cues could lead to ambiguity regarding intent and meaning. However, used carefully, humor can help students put things into perspective and help to assuage their fears.
Videoconferencing Advising
Use of videoconferencing software, such as Zoom, Skype, or Go-to-Meeting, allows for meeting distance students in a face-to-face environment, and most effectively replicates an in-person advising session. Both advisors and students have the opportunity to become familiar with each other and can benefit from visual cues such as a welcoming office or family photos in the background. The use of videoconferencing can also facilitate the perception of the advising session as a thoughtful process in which students should invest their time and attention. By encouraging students to set up a video advising session, advisors can help students to avoid the distractions that come with phone calls made as they are dropping the kids off at school or driving on the way home from work.

As advisors explore the use of such platforms, it is important to consider accessibility and ease of use for students. Programs that do not require software downloads or specific browsers may be more appealing and readily used by students. Through the use of videoconferencing, advisors and students can collaboratively review documents such as degree audits, navigate resources, and troubleshoot problems such as registration error messages. Advisors should anticipate technical and user problems when arranging videoconferences, however, as students who have difficulty with audio or a frozen screen may perceive a barrier and experience increased frustration. By having a back-up plan, such as having the student's phone number close by and knowing how to use the chat feature, advisors can readily adjust to any technical problems by quickly calling the student or typing in "click on the microphone icon to speak."
Summary
It is important for advisors to approach advising online students with the same process and methodology that they would in a face-to-face setting, while keeping in mind the unique needs and limitations that online students have. Advisors are encouraged to offer students a variety of options regarding how students can receive advising, making sure to understand the needs and preferences of each individual student. Regardless of the method of delivery, each advising session should make the student feel cared for, understood, and valued, and convey the message that the advisor is competent and knowledgeable about policies, procedures, and student issues. Advisors should continually monitor the quality of their communications through mentally reviewing a checklist.

Did I include a greeting or warm statement?

Did I provide the information that the student requested and anticipate the student's needs by providing additional information?

Did I reinforce student successes and establish a sense of shared responsibility?

Did I establish a clear outline of next steps and invite follow-up communication?

Students will appreciate and value your efforts to connect with them. Look for their feedback in their email responses, lift in their voices, or smiles on their faces. This feedback will help you to know the positive impact you are making in the lives of your online students.

Sue Ohrablo, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Nova Southeastern University
ohrablo@nova.edu
References
Gaines, T. (2014). Technology and academic advising: Student usage and preferences. NACADA Journal, 34(1), 43-49.

Ludwig-Hardman, S., & Dunlap, J. C. (2003). Learner support services for online students: Scaffolding for success. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 4(1).

Morris, L. V., & Finnegan, C. L. (2009). Best practices in predicting and encouraging student persistence and achievement online. Journal of College Student Retention, 10(1), 55-64.

Nutt, Charlie L. (2003). Academic advising and student retention and persistence. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources website: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/tabid/3318/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/636/article.aspx

Ohrablo, S. (2010). Developmental advising in an on-demand world. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources website: https://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Developmental-advising-today.aspx

Pellegrin, J. (2015). Advising online. In P. Folsom, F. Yoder, & J. Joslin (Eds.), The new advisor guidebook: Mastering the art of academic advising (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Smith, C. L., & Allen, J. M. (2014). Does contact with advisors predict judgments and attitudes consistent with student success? A multi-institutional study. NACADA Journal, 34(1), 50-63.

Steele, G. (2005). Distance advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources website: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advising-Distance-Learners.aspx

Toister, J. (2014, April 14). Get ready to respond to customer email within one hour. Toister Performance Solutions, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.toistersolutions.com/blog/2015/4/13/get-ready-to-respond-to-customer-email-within-one-hour

Wrench, J. S., & Punyanunt-Carter, N. M. (2008). The influence of graduate advisor use of interpersonal humor on graduate students. NACADA Journal, 28(1), 54-72.

Young-Jones, A., Burt, T. D., Dixon, S., & Hawthorne, M. J. (2013). Academic advising: Does it really impact student success? Quality Assurance in Education, 21(1), 7-19.

Cite the above resource using APA style as:

Ohrablo, S. (2016). Advising online students: Replicating best practices of face-to-face advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advising-Online-Students-Replicating-Best-Practices-of-Face-to-Face-Advising.aspx

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Advising Online Students: Replicating Best Practices of Face-to-Face Advising

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Authored by: Sue Ohrablo, Ed.D. Students who seek to earn their degrees in an online format are at higher risk for attrition than are their campus-based counterparts (Morris & Finnegan, 2009). Because online students often experience feelings of isolation and anxiety, they can greatly benefit from a positive, supportive, ongoing relationship with an academic advisor (Ludwig-Hardman & Dunlap, 2003).

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Create an environment where students can encourage other students. This simple wall of words to live by gives the opportunity for students to leave inspirational words and then take inspirational words. This simple exercise is something that can continuously happen throughout the school year.

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Do you have a student that needs extra help? An Academic Adviser can always direct them to a step-by-step PowerPoint explaining to them how to register. This will help encourage them to become independent and learn this helpful skill.

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If you have an involved student who regularly interacts with you go the extra mile and celebrate them on their birthday. You can put a smile on their face by writing a sweet message on their birthday card and giving them their favorite candy. They will feel loved and appreciated by you!

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A welcoming advisor invites students to visit them in their office. Having an hour a couple of times during the week communicate to students that you care for them and you want to have intentional interactions.

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You want your student to know who you are! Don't just be "A" Academic Adviser, but be "THE" Academic Adviser. Let the student get to know you by having a visual board of who you are. This will spark conversation with the student and allows them to know you even more.

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Technology and Academic Advising: A Case for Embracing Change in Academic Advising Article

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Technology and Academic Advising: A Case for Embracing Change in Academic Advising Article

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Technology has embraced the needs of Academic Advising and this articles explains this and how Academic Advisors are "agents of change."

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Zackary W. Underwood and Melinda Anderson, University of North Carolina Wilmington Adapting to Technology
Change is an inevitable part of higher education today, but as our students' needs change, advisors will have to adapt to new technology platforms to provide better support. "If utilized effectively, technology in advising contributes positively to the student experience, supporting goals toward increased retention and improving learners' academic success" (Pasquini, 2011, para. 19). Academic advisors are not absolved from changes in their routines and advising practices to accommodate for technology.

Increasing the use of technology in advising practices can be seen as intrusive, unnecessary, or part of a bigger number-crunching agenda set forth by an advisor's institution. However, technological change is key to adapting modern advising practices that lead to a series of positive changes: personal and professional growth for advisors, enhanced student success practices and policies to serve the mission of the college or university, and ultimately better support for students.

Adapting could be seen as negative and difficult due to change. As advisors, we are always preparing our students for change and transition. We want our students to think critically and thoughtfully about how they are growing and developing as scholars. As advisors, we should stop and take that same advice for ourselves. Our universities and colleges are constantly changing. Changes in leadership, goals, demands, expectations, and regulations are driving the transformations we are currently experiencing in our advising practices. Clapp's (2007) study of implementing academic advising policy advocates for the need to adapt. By changing the way advisors process and systematize information, advisors may be better equipped to question the processes never changed in the past. With advising comes routines and traditions, but sometimes those traditions just existed because that was the way it currently operated. Familiar statements such as "this is the way we always have always done it" may arise, but this can become an opportunity to investigate how we can adapt to improve academic advising practices.

Changes in technology to support advising practices may feel cumbersome or trivial, but they are often in place to increase efficiency or productivity. Some advisors may feel as if changes are happening for change's sake. Change is introduced not to alienate us in our work, but to produce better results for our practice and to support students. Of course, with any amount of change there can be hiccups along the way, but the changes are designed to improve academic advising processes and procedures to further a university or college's mission or goals.
Advisors are Agents of Change
Introducing new technology into old advising practices disrupts the flow of the norm. "The use of technology has, in many ways raised the level of advising discourse" (Lipschultz & Leonard, 2007, p. 72). Adopting new ways of operating is necessary to improve the entire advising process. As campus change agents, academic advisors will be able to make a difference on their campus by leading conversations that rethink how technology can improve academic advising practices to better support and enable student success. Advisors can serve as early adopters and demonstrate how "advising is informed by cutting-edge thinking" (Lowenstein, 2013, p. 254). Thinking ahead to incorporate newer technologies keeps advisors in sync with their students as they embrace new ways of incorporating technology into their lives. Lipschultz and Leonard (2007) echo this point by stating "advisors then, would be well-advised to anticipate, plan for, understand, adapt to, and appropriately adopt those technologies that will [be] used by their first-year students in the coming years" (p. 83).

Academic advisors can be dynamic agents of change. Senior-level administration create new policies or procedures; academic advisors are on the front lines and can become intimately aware of the changes that need to take place to quickly adopt, incorporate, and sustain the new practice or policy. Academic advisors are also well positioned to determine how new practices and policies will influence their work with other offices as they frequently collaborate with other units in support of their students. Each advisor brings their own unique and individual style to the role because of the various professional backgrounds, educational experiences, and a variety of knowledge. These elements when brought together can create a powerful platform making advisors the best agents for change in higher education.

Advisors or administrators who support advising centers will look for new ways to help others embrace the changes that are transforming their practices. Ways in which each individual advisor accepts this change will vary by person (Bowen, 2012, p. 241). One way to embrace this inevitable change is to focus on how advising technologies can make work more efficient. For example, technology can support a developmental approach with students as opposed to solely focusing on registration (White, McCalla-Wriggins, & Hunter, 2007). Research finds that "academic advising quickly grasped the power of technology to free advisors from the more tedious aspects of their work" (White, McCalla-Wriggins, & Hunter, 2007, p. 226). Though not the norm everywhere, this is one way of assisting weary or hesitant administrators or advisors regarding advising technology improvements.
Practical Tips for Implementing Change
Regardless of advisor attitudes, "the future of higher education is deeply intertwined with new technologies" (Bowen, 2012, p. 1). To meet new expectations, assessments, or policies, technology can help, but there is a risk. College and universities gather together under the umbrella of a mission/vision and goals. "Having a shared mission, a social conscience, and an ability to make a difference can create a great working environment and can foster risk and change" (Bowen, 2012, p. 284). In this light, new assessments, ways of measuring success, or assessing each individual visit with academic advisors could be tedious. New advising technology can help institutions accomplish their missions by shifting their advising cultures to embrace terms such as student success from student retention percentages of a particular demographic of student. "Many of these additional measures are likely to require new data-gathering efforts. . . . The right success measures provoke the right kinds of conversations" (Christensen & Eyring, 2011, p. 395). This means new advising technologies may never serve as a quick fix to address all student needs, but instead still require strong relationships between advisor and advisee.

At our institution, University of North Carolina Wilmington, change is inevitable and is a tradition. This may be thought of as strange as we think of traditions as being long-standing, common practices. However, the tradition at our institution is an openness to considering new and different approaches to support our students. As a younger institution, founded in 1947, one advantage we have is our ability to adapt to new advising initiatives without being mired down by historical practices influenced by a rigid university culture. This does not mean we ignore the past, but instead stay open to changing the way academic advising practice happens in order to support our current students' success. This does not mean that our institution changes constantly, but remains open to trying new things to continue to improve student success.

When thinking through current practices, please keep the following in mind:

Change is inevitable. Be a part of the process when creating new solutions, because our primary goal as academic advisors is to support student success. New changes are being designed to support their success and not necessarily for advisors' comfort.

Be the change you want to see in the world. This old adage rings true as we think through how we can be change agents at our institutions. Volunteer to be on the committee or task force.

Use your voice. Becoming solution orientated will help advisors become less frustrated if they find themselves having to incorporate new technologies into their old practices.

Finally, new technologies will never replace the need to have strong relationships with our students. Advising technologies are intended to support our strategy to increase the level of student engagement, not to complicate it. The heart of an advisor cannot be replaced by software, predictive or student success analytics. Our passion and commitment to our students will serve as a powerful guide as we continue to move through the seas of change in our institutions.

Zackary W. Underwood
Lead Advisor
Advising Technology and Support
University College
University of North Carolina Wilmington
underwoodz@uncw.edu
References
Melinda Anderson
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of University College
University College
University of North Carolina Wilmington
andersonmr@uncw.edu

Bowen, J. (2012). Teaching naked: How moving technology out of your college classroom will improve student learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint.

Christensen, C. & Eyring, H. (2011). The innovative university: Changing the DNA of higher education from the inside out. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Clapp, M. (2007). Adaptation in the ivory tower: Deciphering the implementation of institutional academic advising policy. C ollege and University, 83(1), 12-21, 23-25.

Lipschultz, W. & Leonard, M. (2007). Using technology to enhance the advising experience. In M. Hunter, B. McCalla-Wiggins, & E. White (Eds.), Academic advising: New insights for teaching and learning in the first year (Monograph No. 46 [National Resource Center], Monograph 14 [National Academic Advising Association]: pp. 71-86). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Lowenstein, M. (2013). Envisioning the future. In J. Drake, P. Jordan, & M. Miller (Eds.), Academic advising approaches: Strategies that teach students to make the most of college (pp. 243-258). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Pasquini, L. (2011). Implications for use of technology in academic advising. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Implications-for-use-of-technology-in-advising-2011-National-Survey.aspx

White, E., McCalla-Wriggins, B., & Hunter, M (2007). Challenges and recommendations for today's advisors. In M. Hunter, B. McCalla-Wiggins, & E. White (Eds.), Academic advising: New insights for teaching and learning in the first year (Monograph No. 46 [National Resource Center], Monograph 14 [National Academic Advising Association]: pp. 225-230). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Cite this article using APA style as: Underwood, Z.W., & Anderson, M. (2018, March). Technology and academic advising: A case for embracing change in academic advising. Academic Advising Today, 41(1). Retrieved from [insert url here]

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Technology and Academic Advising: A Case for Embracing Change in Academic Advising

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Zackary W. Underwood and Melinda Anderson, University of North Carolina Wilmington Adapting to Technology Change is an inevitable part of higher education today, but as our students' needs change, advisors will have to adapt to new technology platforms to provide better support.

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Presenting a contract in the first meeting with a student helps determine the purpose of advising for the student. An academic advisor can even add short-term and long-term goals and deadlines for any required paperwork needed from the student. Then the advisor can explain their role to the student and the resources that they can provide.

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Video Conference with your Amazing Students! 

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Video Conference with your Amazing Students! 

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Take advantage of the technology that is out there! Video conferencing allows any academic advisor to be intentional with students face-to-face. They can even add a PowerPoint Presentation if an advisor needs to present something to the student.

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Modernize workflows with Zoom's trusted collaboration tools: including video meetings, team chat, VoIP phone, webinars, whiteboard, contact center, and events.

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This worksheet will be emailed to all students before their academic advising appointment. Students have the ability to receive a worksheet with a to-do list of items needed to be done before the meeting. Such as self-reflection question to determine if they need to re-enroll in a course, career-related questions that sparks students interest if they want to add a minor or modify their degree plan and even brainstorming potential courses for their major. This helps the student cultivate questions that can be asked in a appointment and addressed immediately.

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Choose to respond to an e-mail with a friendly greeting and a inviting tone. Greet the student with "Welcome, Jocelyn! I'm looking forward with working with you." Instead "Dear, Jocelyn, We have received your appointment request."

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Advisors can make students feel welcome by displaying a bulletin board in the hallway. Bulletin boards can be changed month to month and teach students different academic advising topics.

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A user-friendly article that explains to first-year students the process of an Advising Appointment.

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An advising appointment is second only to a job interview in terms of stressful college meetings. Especially when you're just starting out, you don't know your advisor that well, and you're torn between wanting to convince your advisor that you're smart, competent, and capable, and freaking the heck out. (Or maybe that was just me?) Either way, the eternal question "What do I say at advising appointments?" remains. Luckily, I've spent the last four years sorting it out.
This post is the eighth in a series I'm calling "Freshman Fifteen" - a set of fifteen posts that will walk you up to and into your freshman year of college. Read up on the first post here, or just dive in:
I have some very specific, actionable tips for you, but at the end of the day, the best thing to do is go with a plan. If you walk into your advisor's office with even a little bit of a plan, you'll be ahead of most students. And even if you discuss something unexpected, you'll be more calm, cool, and collected. So naturally, you'll roll with the punches.

To help you prepare, I've pulled together this Appointment Planning Worksheet, which you can take to your advising appointment to keep track of your ideas. If you're already a subscriber, head over to the Resource Library and download your copy now - a password reminder is in the footer of every email I send! If you're not a subscriber, you can sign up now and I'll email you the password right away.

Let's Get Down To Business

Although hopefully your advising appointment will be a lot easier than defeating the Huns/saving all of China. Even so, a little bit of strategy before, during, and after your appointment will be crucial. If you're using the Worksheet, you'll notice it's split into three sections, and that's how I'll structure this post, too.

Before Your Appointment

Your pre-appointment planning will consist of a little research, finding questions, and anticipating concerns.

Do a little research. I'm not saying to break out your student database subscription, but take a look at your major/minor requirements, get an idea for what next year's class planning might look like, and find a few ideas for your future. You don't have to be making career decisions yet, but what are you doing this summer? Your advisor will probably ask. If there are any summer jobs or internships in your field that you're interested in, now's the time to get a little more info on them. (Although, reminder, a job or internship is not your only summer option!)

Plan a few questions. Your research might have brought up a few questions, which is understandable. If not, come prepared with questions, anyway. Showing your advisor that you're taking an active role in your education is always a good strategy. Consider questions about your current classes, future schedules, career plans - even short term ones! - and even extracurriculars and volunteer opportunities on campus. Your advisor knows so much about what's happening on campus, so take advantage!

Be proactive about problems. This is probably the most intimidating part of an advising appointment. If you're worried about something, mention it! If you're doing poorly in a necessary class, struggling with financial aid, or just having problems finding your place on campus, admitting it can be hard. But, your advisor is also the best person to help you. Besides, I can almost guarantee your advisor has heard something worse than what you're going to tell them.

In Summary

Add reminders of anything you want to mention to your notes

Write down your questions so you don't forget to ask

Be honest about any issues now - it's literally your advisor's job to help

During Your Appointment

This is the nerve-wracking part, especially if you don't know your advisor well, so taking your planning worksheet along is a great way to soothe your anxiety. You can feel more in control by front-loading your information, taking notes, and doing that dreaded "active listening."

Speak up soon. You've got notes with important ideas to discuss, pressing questions, and concerns you have, so be upfront with your advisor about why you're visiting, and give them the information they need to help you early. Don't rattle off every bullet point from your planning worksheet in the first thirty seconds, but saying "I'm here today because I wanted to talk about..." is a great way to start a helpful conversation.

Take notes. You're probably tired of this from class, but information overload during advising appointments is real. Writing down important points will help you remember them later. You don't have to jot down everything your advisor says, but if they mention a task to complete, a professor to talk to, or a resource to look up, make note of this as an "action item" to follow up on after the appointment.

Listen with purpose. This might just be me, but I had a tendency to agree with everything my advisor said, since I felt like she knew more than me. I also had a nasty habit of not asking questions for fear of looking dumb. Neither of those helped me in college. If you think you've been misunderstood, clarify! And if your advisor mentions something you've never heard of before, go ahead and ask for details.

In Summary

Be upfront about why you're visiting and what you hope to get out of the appointment

You should always take notes and add a few "action items" to complete afterwards

Don't be afraid to speak up and correct misunderstandings or ask for clarification

After Your Appointment

You may not spare a lot of thought for following up on advising appointments, but it's critical. You'll want to review your plan of action, schedule your next appointment, and send a thank-you email.

Action is essential. If you wrote down an action item in your meeting, do it as soon as possible afterwards. It's easy to procrastinate on these action items, especially since things like cold-emailing professors are intimidating. But don't cave to temptation! If you put off completing these action items, they're easy to forget... And then where's the value in visiting your advisor in the first place?

Schedule your next appointment. This isn't like your regular every-six-weeks haircut, so you don't need to have an exact day in mind. But will you need to meet with your advisor again around midterms? Before finals? If you're the type to write things down, jot your plans for your next appointment in your planner or bullet journal. Oh, and add a "schedule advising appointment" reminder in your phone. Future-you will appreciate the nudge!

Mind your manners. I'm not your mom, so I won't demand you write a full-page thank you letter on nice cardstock. But sending a quick "Thanks for meeting with me today, it really helped! I'll see you again around [date]." email goes a long way. This helps you stand out from other students. Your advisor may spend most of their time helping undergrads, but they'll also know a lot of professors, and even people active in your future career. Aside from being polite, a thank-you email is a great way to network with a really, really important connection.

In Summary

Make sure you follow up on your action items in a timely manner

Now is the time to plan a timeline for your next appointment, even if it's vague

Thank-you emails are polite, and an easy way to ~network~

Feeling More Prepared?

I certainly hope so! Advising appointments aren't meant to be stressful, but they so often feel like an evaluation. Going in with a plan, knowing what to say, and following up strong will help make your advising appointment that much less painless. And don't worry too much - the more you go, the less stressful it is.
What are your biggest worries when it comes to advising? How do you deal with them?

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F15 - Acing Your Advising Appointment - Living Between the Lines

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An advising appointment is second only to a job interview in terms of stressful college meetings. Especially when you're just starting out, you don't know your advisor that well, and you're torn between wanting to convince your advisor that you're smart, competent, and capable, and freaking the heck out.