What to Expect from Advising

A successful advising relationship is a collaborative effort between both you and your advisor.

Forms of Advising

Academic Advising is a great place to start if you have questions related to your degree progress or academic path at Fisher. Your advising team will evolve as you advance academically, and may contain several advising professionals, including both program faculty advisors and academic counselors.

Faculty advisors can provide assistance with:

  • Focus with majors
  • Course selection
  • Professional development opportunities within your major
  • Field of study expertise
  • Research opportunities

Academic counselors can provide assistance with:

  • Changing or declaring majors
  • Registration issues
  • Overcoming academic hurdles
  • Connecting with career resources

Advising Throughout Your Academic Career

All students are welcome (and encouraged) to access advising services throughout their time at Fisher. Advising services may take many forms at Fisher, depending on your degree progress and academic path.

  • First-year students are assigned a first-year student advisor to assist with course selection, identifying academic resources, and declaring a major. 
  • Sophomore, junior, and senior students who have selected a major are assigned a faculty advisor from their program’s department.
  • Transfer students are assigned a faculty advisor.
  • Students who have not chosen a major are assigned to an academic counselor in Academic Advising.

What You Can Do

The guidelines below list some of the ways you can develop and maintain an effective relationship with your advisor.

  • Meet with your advisor at least once a semester (well in advance of course registration) to plan your classes for next semester.
  • If you experience difficulty achieving your academic goals, schedule a meeting with your advisor as soon as possible.
  • Inform your advisor of any life changes or academic plans which may affect academic performance and educational goals.
  • Consult regularly with your advisor to monitor your progress toward graduation or discuss general issues.