University of Minnesota
Department of English
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Department of English

Home > Undergraduate Studies > Advising : Making Use of Advising Services

Making Use of Advising Services

The goal of academic advising is for an adviser (a faculty member, professional staff member, or student peer) to help you select, plan, and complete your academic, professional, and personal goals without unnecessary delays and expense. This means you and an adviser will discuss your educational goals, course selection, extra-curricular activities, and post-graduation planning. Let your advisers know your specific needs; we will work to accommodate them.

As a student, you bear primary responsibility for your education. To make your college years run as smoothly as possible you should:

  • Develop social, academic, and career goals in order to seek out opportunities to further them;
  • Become familiar with CLA Career Services and discuss your long-range goals, career opportunities, and degree selection with career counselors, faculty, and academic advisers;
  • Know basic university, college, and departmental major or minor graduation requirements well enough to plan your own completion of these requirements, and accept responsibility for your decisions. Familiarize yourself with English Degree Requirements, the UMTC Undergraduate Catalog and the CLA Student Handbook (PDF);
  • Maintain personal copies of degree plans, progress reports, general educational evaluations, and transfer credit evaluations until an official graduation application is processed; also maintain personal copies of all course papers, especially those written to meet requirements for English courses;
  • Transfer any academic records from other universities to the Admissions office for evaluation;
  • Know the academic calendar. Study the Class Schedule and Course Guide prior to registration. Don't miss registration or drop/add deadlines. Set up appointments with your adviser well in advance of these deadlines;
  • Make an appointment with your adviser if you have questions or just need to work through ideas about planning your schedule, your major, or life after college. Prepare questions, concerns, and a tentative written course schedule before each meeting;
  • Become familiar with student organizations and student service offices on campus. Student Academic Success Services, part of University Counseling and Consulting Services offers classes, workshops, counseling and study skills resources;
  • Collaborate with your adviser regarding changes in class scheduling and degree plan;
  • Read your unofficial transcript and your degree audit and keep track of your degree progress so that different advisers will understand what advice will be helpful to you;
  • Get to know your adviser and let your adviser get to know you! And ask questions! If you don't understand a policy or procedure, ask until you do.