What Your Advisor Will Do
What You Should Do
- Know your responsibilities as a student
- Be aware of academic deadlines and follow them
- Check Buckeyemail and read emails from your advisor
- Prepare a list of questions before your advising appointment
- Review your advising notes and other information your advisor has given you
- Know how to use the online class scheduling system
What Your Advisor Will Do
What You Should Do
- Know your responsibilities as a student
- Be aware of academic deadlines and follow them
- Check Buckeyemail and read emails from your advisor
- Prepare a list of questions before your advising appointment
- Review your advising notes and other information your advisor has given you
- Know how to use the online class scheduling system
Have a great relationship with your advisor
Like most other relationships in your life, you will get the most benefit from putting effort in to your relationship with your advisor. Additional ways you and your advisor can maximize the positive impact advising can have for you are listed below.
- Your advisor may
- Send you updates on events and opportunities happening in your college or department
- Tell you about interships, scholarship. or other programs you may be eligible for (in person or via email)
- Teach your University Survey course, introducing you to life at Ohio State
- Respond to your emails quickly (usually, 1-2 business days, M-F, 8am-5pm EST)
- You can also
- Inform your advisor as soon as possible if you have a serious problem (medical, personal, financial) that affects your ability to attend classes and/or do well in them
- Ask to be added to any newsletters or listserv the advising office has
- Schedule regular advising appointments to monitor your progress toward graduation
- Be prepared to make hard decisions; an advisor will explain your options, along with their pros and cons, but the decision and its outcome are your responsibilities
- Talk with your advisor about your concerns if you disagree with them - remember that having respectful conversations about difficult topics such as disagreements is part of maintaining a healthy relationship
Prepare for your appointment to make the most of your time with an advisor
You have a right to privacy of your educational records. If you plan to bring a guest to your appointment (in person, on the phone, or via Zoom), you'll need to give your advisor permission to share your information by filling out a Student Information Release in Buckeye Link.
During busy times of the semester, some offices have filled every available appointment for the next two or three weeks. Please check your major scheduling dates and deadlines and plan ahead.
If you can't attend your appointment, please call or email cancel as soon as possible so another student to take your spot. This is especially important during times when appointments are filled.
Please note, if you are late to your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule.
Preparing for specific types of appointments
The first time you meet with an advisor, be prepared to discuss your academic goals, your career goals, and what subjects you enjoy and perform well in. If you need help thinking about what to talk to your advisor about, consider these:
- Is there a limit to the number of times I can schedule an advising appointment each term?
- Does your office have express, same-day, or other drop-in advising times?
- How many advisors do you have on staff? Can I meet with any of them?
- Will I have an assigned advisor, or may I see any advisor in the office?
- Can you tell me about research opportunities in your college?
- What academic success resources are available on-campus?
- Does your college host special events for their students?
- Does this college have its own career services office?
- Does this college have a student organization?
- How often should I come see an advisor?
- How often will I expect to hear from you?
Your advisor will also remind you to check OnCourse to refer back to the summary of your appointment. If you are not sure what questions to ask here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Based on my GPA, how many courses would you recommend I take each term?
- Where can I find sample syllabi for the courses I am interested in taking?
- What types of courses should I schedule in the same day?
- What courses are NOT OK to take in the same term?
- Who can I talk to about General Education courses?
- Are there courses you recommend I take early?
- What courses are OK to take in the same term?
- Whom do I talk to about major/minor courses?
To make the best use of your time, try to have an idea of what requirements you want to fulfill. Also think about your interests ahead of time. You may also be asked to decide if you plan on taking summer courses.
Before this appointment, do some thinking ahead of time. Know why you are interested in research or other forms of creative inquiry; think about your interests. Have an idea of how many hours you are able to commit to these activities each week.
- What types of research activities are there? For example, will I work in a lab? Will I do data entry?
- Generally, how many hours a week are students expected to dedicate to these types of activities?
- Will research or creative inquiry experience help my chances of getting into graduate school?
- Does my research or creative inqiry have to be on a topic related to my major?
- How can the Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry help me?
- Will I graduate with a research distinction if I participate in creative inqiuiry?
- What type of opportunities does my college or department offer?
- Are there typically opportunities available in the summer?
- What research opportunities exist abroad?
- Can I participate as a first-year student?
- Will this experience help me get a job?
- Do I need credit for this experience?
- Is a thesis required to participate?
All petition requests are decided on a case-by-case basis, with careful consideration of the circumstances for the request. Colleges take petitions very seriously and will review each case carefully, giving each student a fair review. Petitions are the exception, not the norm.
Each college has a formal process for submitting a petition, reaching a decision, and notifying the student. Talk with your advisor so you understand the process, as well as what is involved in preparing an effective petition. There are appropriate and inappropriate reasons to pursue a petition; email your advisor to ask about your reason. Most importantly, contact your advisor early when you start to experience difficulty so that you can understand your options and (hopefully) avoid a petition when possible.
Good questions for email
Email can be a quick and easy way to get your questions answered without the need for an appointment. The following are good questions for email, but some questions are easier to address in an appointment.
- Questions with one clear answer are appropriate for email
- How do I apply to graduate?
- Can you refer me to _____ office?
- How do I remove the hold on my schedule?
- Can you send me the link to the major elective course list?
- Specific follow-up questions about appointments and/or petitions
Some questions you may be able to answer yourself by searching the Registrar's website or reading your advising notes in OnCourse.
- Questions with complex answers, or that may lead to follow-up questions, are usually inappropriate for email
- What courses do I still need to take?
- What should I schedule for next semester?
- Does my schedule for next semester look good?
- How many courses/semesters do I have left before I can graduate?
If you are wondering whether your question needs an appointment, reach out to your advisor. A simple Do you prefer to talk about planning GE courses in person or over email? will show that you are trying to make good decisions.