Advising Meeting Resources
Gathered here are a group of resources that University of Idaho advisors can use to answer student questions, provide structure to the advising session, and ask questions that will enrich the experience for both people. Resources have been divided into categories below, and downloadable forms are available on the right for easy access.
Advisors can use the Student Profile Sheet and Student Self Evaluation to gather information on the student’s background and interests. These forms help advisors and students find common ground for discussion, and are a great jumping off point for a discussion of a student’s chosen major. Advisors are encouraged to email one (or both) of these sheets to advisees before the first advising meeting, then use it as a way to break the ice.
Visit Sample Advising Meetings to review general meeting types, objectives and pertinent questions.
Please visit Contacting Your Advisees.
Students are often intimidated by their academic advisor, which makes them less likely to ask questions or start conversations. To counteract this, advisors are encouraged to use the Ask Me About Sheet. This resource is designed to give students cues about possible questions to ask. On the back, are answers and referrals for advisors. Advisors can simply prop this sheet on their desk and encourage students to read it while the advisor looks at the student’s proposed class schedule.
The Advisor Checklist was created to help advisors cover all the pertinent topics during an advising session. This reference has questions to ask, referrals to consider, and many other helpful tips.
Like all universities, U of I has a host of forms that must be completed by academic advisors. Please visit the Registrar form page.
Advisors are encouraged to use the Four Year Planner and Schedule Planner to help students craft their semester schedules and lay out a comprehensive plan for graduation. Also, advisors should become familiar with the Planner function of Degree Audit, which allows students (in cooperation with their advisor) to create and save individual degree plans by semester. Just click on the Planner tab of a student’s degree audit to get started.
The best way to keep a record of an advising meeting is by entering a note on the student’s degree audit. Please be aware that notes are viewable to all individuals who access the student’s degree audit. To enter a note, simply click the Notes tab on a student’s degree audit and input an overview of your advising meeting.
Please visit Calculating a GPA for a guide to figuring out a student’s grade point average.
Please use the Top 10 Things Advisors Should Know about Financial Aid as your starting point. If this resource fails to answer the student’s question, refer them to the Financial Aid office.
Sometimes a simple phone call can save a great deal of time and effort. Use the Who To Call Sheet when you need a quick issue resolved.
How to Make a Referral
- Preface the referral with a phone call or email to the person or office where you referred the student.
- Be sure the student has contact information - phone number, email, location - for the referral.
- Set a date for the student to let you know the results of the referral ("Email me by next Friday and let me know what you find out"; "Give me a call on Tuesday and let me know what you find out")
- Make a note to call or email the student in a week to ask about the referral. Aside from being a bit of an accountability factor, this may open the door if the student still has questions and is at all hesitant about taking up your time.
- Sample Referral Sheet