One of your most valuable and probably most under-utilized resources is your academic advisor. They do more than sign your advisement form. Your adviser actually has the best view of your academic future  – no crystal ball needed. With access to your academic past (what courses you’ve already taken), present (what courses you’re taking now) and future (what you’ll need to graduate) and the experience they’ve gained from successfully shepherding other students through the college experience – they have some valuable skills.

Meet with your advisor as early in the semester as possible – before the drop/add date in case you need to make changes to your schedule. When you see your advisor do the following:

• Talk to them about your performance last semester. Discuss why you got the grades you did and how to keep doing what you did right or how to fix what didn’t work. They actually have the answers to these questions.
• Ask them to review with you what your curriculum is going forward and what if any changes you need to make or accommodate.
• Look at your present course load – are they aware of any particular challenges? Should you arrange or rearrange what you’re taking this semester?
• Talk to your advisor about scheduling classes so you’re not trying to take a spring course in the fall or a fall course in the spring.
• Talk to you advisor about when you should take your courses to ensure you meet all the prerequisites when you want to take a course that requires them.

Get more information and advice on working with your advisor in Chapter 9 of College In Four Years.

Let me know what you think about this post and the Challenge.  Please leave a comment below.

The next Challenge posts on Thursday, 2/5/15. Learn more about the GradeUP! Challenge here.