No advisor, no matter how well trained or
experienced, can be expected to know all the academic
regulations, all the departments and programs, and all the
faculty and course offerings at SIUC. However, your advisor can
answer most of your questions and will be able to refer you to
others when she or he can't help you directly.
Tell you what to do.
You should assume primary responsibility for your
decisions and for your academic progress. You misconceive your
advisor's role and shortchange yourself if you expect your
advisor to tell you what to do. Don't let others decide your
future! Set your own goals and devise your own strategies for
attaining them. Your advisor can help you meet your goals by
serving as a "reality check" and by helping you to avoid obvious
pitfalls along the way.
Tell you what courses to take.
Advisors do not see it as their job to tell you
what courses to take, who's a "good" professor, or what courses
are easy or hard, and you shouldn't expect them to.
Be the only source of advice as you choose
a major.
No matter how well informed your advisor is, she
or he is only one of many resources available to you as you
prepare to select a major. Other resources can come to your
assistance in important ways:
1) Arrange to participate in Pre-Major's Career
Exploration to identify important aspects about yourself and
the majors and careers you are considering in order to make a
well-informed major and career choice.
2) Make appointments with any advisors or professors in the
fields you are considering. With them, you can talk about what
attracts you to the field, what your particular area of
concentration might be, who on the faculty shares your interests,
what internship or other opportunities are available to you
through the department, and what career paths majors in that
field have gone on to after they graduated.
3) Participate in Pre-Major's Volunteer
Career Advisor program, which allows Pre-Major students to
interview area professionals about their careers and even shadow
them for part of their day. Instructors you have had, juniors and
seniors who are majoring in the same field, and major and
professional organizations can be additional resources for
you.
What your Advisor can do for you:
Give you sound academic advice.
As someone who is familiar with SIUC, your
advisor can be a valuable resource who is willing and able to
assist you with your academic planning and decision-making.
Serve as a sounding board.
Consult with your advisor as you ponder your next
academic move, as you consider your options, or if you are
worried about the implications of your academic and career
decisions. Your advisor has guided others through the maze of the
first two years at SIUC and can help you make informed choices
and keep on track.
Help you choose suitable courses.
Your advisor can assist you with course selection
by asking you your rationale for choosing courses,
by sometimes challenging your assumptions, by making sure that
your course load is reasonable, and by making various suggestions
or recommendations for you to consider. As a method of career
exploration, advisors can also sign you up for introductory
courses in majors that interest you.
Help you establish a long-range plan and
select a major.
Most students who enter college are not sure of
what they want to major in. While this is natural enough, the
uncertainty of it can be troubling for many students. However,
with the proper guidance choosing a major can be an exciting
adventure. As a Pre-Major student, you have two years in which to
familiarize yourself with departments and programs of interest to
you by taking course work in those areas and by consulting with
faculty about the major. Your advisor can assist you with this
exploration while also helping you to keep an eye on your
progress towards completion of the University Core
Curriculum requirements.
