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A
recent article in the New York Times by Glenn C. Altschuler (November 11,
2001, section 4A, p. 17) offered the following advice for students on how
to obtain the best academic advising.
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Students
can increase their chances of finding good advisers and get more out of
the relationship if they take some initiative and adjust their expectations:
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·When
possible, institutions match the academic interests of students with those
of their advisers, but mismatches are frequent, especially in the most
popular departments. Starting with an adviser on neutral ground, however,
may actually be helpful since as many as 70 percent of undergraduates abandon
the major they identified when they applied to college.
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·Expect
to meet with an adviser during orientation week and before enrolling each
term. Consult with your adviser whenever you add or drop a course, even
if his [or her] signature is not required. In addition to these visits,
make an appointment within two weeks of the beginning of the semester,
whether or not there is a problem, and at least two more times each semester
to talk about ideas or assignments that excite or puzzle you. Orientation
[and registration are] the worst time[s] for advisers and advisees to get
to know each other; students are focused exclusively on choosing courses,
and professors are overbooked.
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·The
very first appointment with an adviser sets the tone for all that will
follow. When a student stands at the door, glancing nervously at other
freshmen in the hall waiting for their appointment, with an arm stretched
out clutching a form, the adviser is almost certain to say, "Where do I
sign?" and end the session. Come prepared with a succinct introduction,
describing intellectual passions, academic aptitudes, extracurricular interests,
career aspirations and issues of special concern before turning to course
selection.
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·If
a faculty member is unavailable, uninterested or demonstrably uninformed,
ask for another adviser…. If impressed with a professor in a course, consider
asking him [or her] to take you on as an advisee. In academia, as elsewhere,
flattery works, but even if it doesn't, undergraduates who consider every
professor an adviser and make extensive use of office hours invariably
have a more rewarding academic experience.
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·Students
often "enable" bad advising by engaging in … "a conspiracy of silence."
When an adviser asks, "How's it going?" and the student responds, "Fine,"
after he [or she] has just gotten a C when he [or she] expected an A, the
adviser will happily move on to the next appointment. An adviser can help
when alerted to bad grades or difficulty keeping up with assignments.
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·Whether
it comes from peers, parents or professors, advice about individual courses
or instructors is subjective....
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·Take
a course from your adviser. There is a risk that if you do not like the
course or perform poorly the relationship may be strained. But potential
benefits are substantial -- a knowledge of strengths and weaknesses as
well as a relationship, based on shared ideas, that is not bureaucratic
but rich and substantive.
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