Midterms are looming, Spring Break is right around the corner, and priority registration is approaching in April. Students are comfortably settled into the semester routine, and now is the time to start planning for next semester. Thinking about next semester can be overwhelming for some students, but with help from an academic advisor, this can be an exciting time to plan courses, think about ways to get involved on campus, and check in on graduation progress. Advisors help your student explore, discover, and plan what works best for them in their major and in their graduation goals.
How is an academic advisor different than a faculty mentor?
Academic advisors support students from orientation to graduation. We help your student explore different majors, assist your student in understanding their degree requirements, and support them in creating schedules that work best with their individual needs and goals. We also work to connect your student with beneficial resources on campus to support their needs. This may be connecting them with a faculty mentor, a career counselor, or with a financial aid counselor. Often this means helping them understand an e-mail they received from another office on campus or helping them calculate their GPA to meet scholarship requirements. We also encourage students to reach out to faculty mentors; experts in their chosen field that will help enrich their study and develop your student to be a successful citizen in that academic community.
How does my student find their advisor?
Advising can vary depending on your student’s college within the University of Arkansas. The quickest place for your student to find their advisor is in their success network in UASuccess. UASuccess is a tool that helps connect students to their support network on campus. Your student can access their UASuccess account through a tab on Blackboard (learn.uark.edu). In UASuccess your student can view their advisor’s schedule, make an appointment, and find their contact information. If your student is still unsure of his or her advisor, encourage your student to contact their college advising center to schedule an appointment or get their advisor’s information. Your student can find their advising office by visiting advising.uark.edu.
What can I do when my student talks to me about advising?
Remind your student that their academic advisor is available year round. Many students may think to come talk with us when it is time to register for classes, but we may not come to mind when they feel overwhelmed in their classes or are confused about what they need in order to graduate. We are here to meet with students all year and look forward to meeting with your student. There are a few specific steps you can remind your student to do as they prepare to sign up for classes:
1) Check enrollment date in UAConnect. If your student does not have an enrollment date already showing in UAConnect, encourage them to contact their advisor for assistance.
2) Check for any type of account hold in UAConnect that may delay registration. Examples are past due student accounts, unpaid parking tickets, or an academic advising hold. This will be in the “holds” box to the right of your student’s schedule in their UAConnect student center.
3) Connect with advisor before your enrollment date. It is always better for your student to understand what courses they need or want before sitting down to enroll in classes. We are already meeting with students to plan summer and fall courses and look forward to meeting with your student in the near future!