Editorial
Registration, advising essential to success
April 6, 2012
With advising week just wrapping up, registration is once again upon us. This is arguably the most important time of the semester.
With all that students have going on, staying focused can seem dismal and somewhat incomprehensible. However, planning ahead is essential to ensuring that you pave as smooth of a path as possible in order to accomplish your academic goals in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Getting to know your advisor will significantly benefit your academic experience. Students with a chosen major are assigned a faculty advisor by the department chair in that major.
The relationship between advisor and advisee is one of shared responsibility, and as students, you need to make many decisions. Your advisor is here to support you in making choices concerning your academic career. You should never be afraid to ask for help. If needed, changes of advisor assignments can be made upon the request of the student or the advisor.
However, you cannot rely entirely on your advisor to make all of the decisions for you. Time should be taken to become familiarized with your degree program in order to make certain that you are aware of all of the necessary requirements. It is also your responsibility to schedule your advising appointment, to prepare questions for your advisor, to prepare a tentative schedule for the upcoming semester, and to diligently observe deadlines.
As a student pursuing a degree, you should challenge yourself in all that you do. Be proactive in planning your future; there is no reason that you should wait until the last minute to think about the next steps. Course offerings are available online, as well as potential academic plans for all majors. Challenge yourself in the classes that you take, and be proud of how you have grown academically and as an individual.
Also remember that it is never too late to get involved outside of the classroom! Engaging in extracurricular activities is a wonderful way to make friends, learn and build that resume.
No matter how grand the dream of an individual visionary, if others can’t see the tangibility, they won’t follow. Some students take on too heavy of a course load and crack under the pressure. You need to make sure that you can handle all you can take on, considering not only courses but also extracurricular activities, any jobs that you might have, and anything else that consumes significant amounts of your time.
The future is in your hands, and the keys to success start with proactively planning ahead.