By Damita Goods, Vice Provost, Academic Services
As a college student, you likely have several goals: develop new skills, earn your degree, and progress in your career. Meeting those goals requires persistence and hard work, but also a strong support system.
Academic advising can help you identify which courses to take, locate support and tools that are available, and maximize financial aid and scholarships dollars. Regular meetings with your campus dean and thoughtful planning can help you achieve those long-term goals.
University of Texas at Austin has recently shown how advising plays a key role in getting students to graduation. UT Austin administrators implemented a more robust advising processes, and four years later, the school’s graduation rates improved by 10%.
At Strayer, we have also enhanced the advising process to make sure that students have guidance and support throughout their journey. Every new campus-based student has a first-quarter consultation with their campus dean. Together, the student and dean develop a comprehensive understanding of what to expect, what resources are available, and how education can aid in career progression.
Then as the student-advisor relationship develops beyond the first quarter, the advisor is able to provide personal attention and advice, for example:
- recommending a course of study that suits the student’s pace
- guiding and supporting the student through challenging courses or obstacles in their personal life
- identifying paths to graduation and reviewing the student’s progress toward that ultimate goal
Ultimately, the relationship between student and advisor will benefit you throughout your academic journey, and we hope that it demonstrates how invested we are in your education and your success.
