June 12, 2012

How would you define your students “relationship status” with your advisor?

Jun. 12, 2012 at 10:29 AM | By Tyler Wolfe | Comment Count

While this is a simple question, I think the answers are far from simple. When I think of student success I think of more than just graduation and retention rates. Sure, graduation and retention rates are byproducts of having a solid student success plan in action, but it also includes the relationships that are built along the way. Relationships are key in building a successful plan for students.

A pervasive trend occurring on college campuses today is students are looking for advice beyond the classroom. They ask their friends, parents, roommates, and complete strangers online before they ask their advisor. WHY?

The need for instant feedback drives students. Students want answers on their own time, not the time of your advisors. Their boundaries are not defined by your advisor’s office hours.

We live in a ‘Facebook’ generation that demands information instantaneously with the click of a button. Hand a student a paper course catalog and tell them to plan for graduation…good luck. Offer them an opportunity to tell you what they want to study and automatically build a graduation plan based on their course history and current class offerings…mission accomplished.

For instance, when students are utilizing online advising programs to plan out their graduation, they immediately know the impact (good or bad) of every scheduling decision that they make. Furthermore, advisors have access to this information and can proactively suggest changes to a student’s schedule that is in their best interest. Huzzah!

Offering students the ability to interact with their graduation plans and degree audit it a key ingredient in meeting the needs of the ‘Facebook’ generation. Students can now begin their relationship with their advisor informed about how & when they plan to graduate; and advisors can begin the relationship understanding the student’s goals.