A survey of 103 undergraduate and graduate students found both traditional and nontraditional students rated prescriptive advising as more important and more satisfactory than developmental advising, but both groups also found the advising they received (of either kind) less satisfactory than desired. The questionnaire used is appended. (MSE)

A Rutgers University (New Jersey) survey of 1,670 students and 54 departments identified differences between faculty and student perceptions of "good" advising. Students relied more on printed information and friends than on academic advisors. Advising sessions usually involved discussions about registration and drop/add problems.…

This article describes the evolution and design of a model for college academic advising program development in response to changing student needs and institutional pressures. The model demonstrates that the phases of development are interrelated, that direction and degree of change vary by program, and that every program has multifaceted…

Describes the use of the Electronic ClassRoom, a teleconferencing tool, for the academic advisement of graduate distance education students at Nova University (Florida). Topics addressed include distance learning students' problems and the need for advisement; scheduling; the use of Tymnet; academic advisement delivery models; and future research…

Asserts that counseling at-risk students is vital to student retention and fosters personal, supportive relationships that help students identify forces contributing to their academic difficulties. Outlines position and program descriptions, including advisor training; developmental-studies student orientation; workshops; resources available in…

Examined changes in amounts of time faculty spent in teaching, advising, and research activities over the past 20 years. Found institutions are becoming more similar in their patterns of faculty time allocation, particularly regarding time spend on research. However, time spent advising and interacting informally with students appears to be…

Academic advisors can use materials produced by the American College Testing Program to help undecided advisees explore career options. Materials include the College Report, World-of-Work Map, lists of career families, posters, and other resources, and they can be used in conjunction with sources like the Occupational Outlook Handbook to assist in…

Presents guidelines for the evaluation of academic advising that can be used in a variety of settings. Illustrates the process by examining advising in an academic support program at a small New England college. Discusses the roles of formative and summative evaluation. (SLD)

Survey responses of a group of college seniors to questions about university academic and student services were compiled. More than half of the responses had to do with student interaction with faculty; the importance of positive interaction with faculty was particularly evident for women. (Author)

College counselors regard themselves as teachers and educators, but they are something else as well. They are links between the location of childhood and the larger, more risky terrain of first adulthood. College counselors prepare students for an actual, not merely figurative, journey, the prospect of which fill students and their parents with…

In this article, the authors describe an undergraduate psychology course that covers academic advising and career planning. Lectures included choosing a major, job opportunities with a bachelor's degree, applying to graduate school, and guest lectures from professionals in psychology-related careers. Students completed a plan of study, a resume,…

Tertiary institutions increasingly offer language advisory sessions for second language students and staff. Advisers help students to identify language and learning needs, they recommend resources and strategies and they provide feedback and encouragement. Especially in the first few sessions, identifying and prioritising needs are arguably among…

Academic advising, well developed and appropriately accessed, is perhaps the only structured campus endeavor that can guarantee students sustained interaction with a caring and concerned adult who can help them shape such an experience. Under the guidance of an academic adviser, students can clarify the purposes of their college attendance,…

As the numbers of students who earn the general educational development (GED) high school equivalency diploma increase, so too does the presence of GED credential holders on college campuses. Yet in large universities, they make up a relatively small demographic group whose advising needs may go unnoticed. In this article, we describe a series of…

Quality academic advising in higher education is the product of a multitude of elements not the least of which is institutional vision. By recognizing and embracing an institution's concept of its capabilities and the kinds of educated human beings it is attempting to cultivate, advisors gain an invaluable apparatus to guide the provision of…