Sample Advising Meetings

1. Meeting Objectives

• Get to know the student and understand his/her unique needs
• Explore the goals and motivations of the advisee
• Discuss the major — is this where the student's interests lie?
• Encourage involvement in student activities
• Begin short- and long-term academic planning
• Share your office hours with the student

2. Questions You Might Ask Student

• How are you getting along so far?
• Do you get along with your roommate?
• Are you working? If yes, how many hours?
• What's the best/worst thing about being in college?
• How do you feel about being away from home?
• Which of your courses do you like best? Least?
• Do you have any specific career goals?

3. Goal Setting

• Discuss timeline for next advising appointment
  • Suggest they stop by in a few weeks to check in, or
  • If you made a referral, ask them to stop by during your office hours to report back

4. Resources

• Two places advisors may find themselves referring students to during this meeting include campus clubs & organizations that the student might get involved with and the Counseling & Testing Center.

Note: This is the one time you are guaranteed to meet with your advisees because they have to get their advisor hold removed. Take advantage, break the ice, help them get comfortable with seeing you more than one time a semester.

1. Meeting Objectives

• Review previous semester's grades; discuss courses with low grades and plan for improvement; explain policy regarding repeating courses
• Check placement scores
• Explain how to use Degree Works
• Discuss Core requirements and check Degree Works
• Discuss major requirements and check Degree Works
• Complete Degree Works Substitution/Waiver form, if needed
• Determine courses for next semester

2. Questions to Ask Student

• Did you take any AP courses or foreign language in high school?
• How was your credit load last semester? Too much? Too little?
• Are you working? If yes, how many hours?
• Which courses did you enjoy?
• Is college what you expected it to be?

3. Goal Setting

• Complete any substitution & waiver requests needed - most commonly for transfer students

4. Resources

• Some of the offices advisors may find themselves referring student to during this meeting include:
  • Counseling & Testing Center for COMPASS testing
  • Registrar's Office for questions about transfer credit, AP scores, or core requirements
  • Academic Support and Access Programs for tutoring assistance

Note: This meeting is for students who are not yet on probation but who you think might be at risk. You may have identified them during registration advising or at their initial meeting with you.

1. Purpose of Meeting

• Discuss academic habits, abilities, and expectations
• Discuss personal issues affecting academic performance — refer to campus resources as appropriate
• Help them develop academic goals
• Discuss a change of major if appropriate

2. Questions to Ask Students

• On average, how often do you study? (Note: typically students who are doing well in school say that they study 2-3 hours per week per credit hour they are registered for. E.g. 12 credits = 24-36 hours of study. For help with how/what to study, students should attend a College Success Series Workshop, offered by Tutoring and College Success)
• What do you feel is contributing most to your academic performance?
• Do you still like _______ (classes related to major)? (Sometimes academic difficulty is a sign that the major is not the right match; if so, start a conversation with them about changing their major.)
• What goals do you have for the rest of the semester? (Note: help the student break these down into manageable "chunks". For example, what do they need to DO to "earn a 3.0 for the semester"? Help them set study goals for the next week or two and then they can revise or set new goals.)
• Where would you like to see yourself in five years?

3. Goal Setting

• Reflect on strategies for identifying and addressing academic struggles
• Reevaluate priorities, expectations, and capabilities
• Develop a plan of action for improving performance a week or two at a time. (Students can get overwhelmed or not know where to start if the goals are too big when they leave your office)

4. Resources

• Some of the offices advisors may find themselves referring students to during this meeting include:
  • Academic Support Programs for tutoring assistance and online studying and testing informational handouts
  • The college associate dean for academic petitions
  • Financial Aid for questions about how GPA and withdrawals will effect financial aid awards
  • Registrar's Office to withdraw from a class

1. Purpose of Meeting

• At times students drop by with quick questions or forms that need to be signed. This walk in service provides help with academic policies and procedural questions, registration, major/minor changes, dropping/adding courses, repeating or auditing a course, petitions, graduation papers, etc. These visits are not a substitute for, but a compliment to regular advising.

2. Questions Students Might Ask

• May I retake a class to replace my grade?
• Can I drop a class?
• What do I need to do to change my major?

3. Goal Setting

• This goal is for the advisor: advisors should email their advisees and let them know when their office hours are at the beginning of each semester.

4. Resources

• These referrals will vary depending on the student's reason for stopping by.

1. Purpose of Meeting

• Help student organize their search for summer employment by using department, college, and campus resources
• Discuss differences between summer employment and internships

2. Questions to Ask Student

• What resources have you used so far in looking for summer work?
• Have you used the college or department employment services?
• Is your resume up-to-date?

3. Goal Setting

• Update resume
• Encourage student to attend campus career fairs
  • Fall Career Expo of the Palouse — Kibbie Dome
  • College of Natural Resource & Agricultural and Life Sciences Fair
  • Spring Career Expo of the Palouse — Beasley Coliseum (WSU)
• Encourage students to meet with college/department employment officer
• Encourage student to register with the Internship & Cooperative Education Office for help finding an internship

4. Resources

• The Career Center is the main contact for students needing help with internships, resume building, and interview preparation.

1. Purpose of Meeting

• Review student's application for graduation

2. Questions to Ask Student

• Does the degree audit show core satisfied?
• What requirements are remaining on the degree audit; have you registered for these courses?
• How many credits have you completed?

3. Goal Setting

• Complete your application for graduation online and have signed

4. Resources

• One place advisors may find themselves referring students to during this meeting is to the graduation services staff in the Registrar's Office

1. Purpose of Meeting

• Discuss types of employment opportunities available
• Discuss student's strengths
• Discuss when a student might do undergraduate research and/or an internship
• Discuss career goals with the major
• Develop a four-year plan

2. Questions to Ask Students

• What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses?
• What types of summer field work have you experienced?
• Do you have letters of recommendation?
• Are you considering graduate school at some time in the future?

3. Goal Setting

• Update resume
• Obtain letters of recommendation
• Develop good cover letter

4. Resources

• Some of the offices advisors may find themselves referring students to during this meeting include:
  • Counseling & Testing Center for a DISCOVER program login
  • Career Center