Volume 3: Academic Advising at Purdue University

It takes a village. Many people will play a role in your student’s success during their college career, especially their academic advisors.

This issue of OnBoard provides an overview of the advisor's role and expectations for advisors and students. As a reminder, your student will need to complete Purdue 101 first. Once that's completed, they'll then be connected with their academic advisor.

Role of Academic Advisors

Student's interests grow and change and it's important that academic advisors know how a student's goals have changed to be better assist them in their individual progress. This is why all students have an Academic Advisor. Student's meet with their advisor at least twice a year for academic planning.

The student-advisor relationship is a critical component of the academic experience. An advisor will:

Guide students to make well-informed decisions that lead to their educational, career, and life goals.
Help students navigate their degree requirements.
Direct students to relevant and appropriate campus resources and opportunities.
- Such as major-related student organizations, tutoring, scholarship information, peer success coaching, and networking opportunities.
Assist students in understanding university and academic policies.
Empower students to be active, responsible learners.

What an Academic Advisor expects of each student

Students have a responsibility to:

Come prepared to discuss or discover goals.
Ask questions.
Take ownership of their college journey.
Discuss courses, academic progress, challenges, and career exploration.

Use the following tips to help your student make the most of their Academic Advisor:

Encourage them to share their academic, life, and career aspirations with their advisor. This will help the advisor personalize their recommendations.
Suggest your student make an appointment with their advisors if they are concerned about their major and if it's the right fit for them.
Encourage your student to talk to their advisor about careers related to their major and about opportunities for experiential learning through coursework, employment, volunteer activities or internships.
Any time your student needs guidance but isn't sure where to find it, remind them that their advisor is a great place to start.

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