Advising can be a critical component of your college experience; at COCC and nationally, students have indicated that they want, need, and expect quality academic advising support. COCC advisors value our role in assisting students towards completion of your educational goals.
To better understand how you can make the most of the advising resources, read on.
What is the advising requirement, and how do I get cleared?
Every student who is seeking a degree (whether that be a COCC degree or another institution's degree) has an advising requirement. You are assigned an advisor during your first term at COCC, and you have an advising requirement prior to enrolling for your second term. After that, your advisor can clear your requirement for one term or for up to a year.
To get cleared, at the very least you must demonstrate to your advisor that you have a goal (or have a strategy to develop one), you are selecting courses towards that goal, and that you are making progress in your current and previous terms. This means you need to provide your advisor with your plan for the upcoming term (or terms, if you are ready to do that). Your advisor will check your plan to make sure that your selections are courses that will move you towards your goal.
A little background on COCC's philosophy of academic advising...
Advising is a shared responsibility. Your advisor is available to you as a source of information, recommendations, and encouragement. Your advisor can help bridge your college experience to your next step whether you are headed to another college for more education or you are headed for a job and career. The ultimate responsibility for connecting with your advisor, designing and registering for a schedule of courses, and planning a program is yours.
The role of COCC faculty advisor is to help you help yourself within your individual boundaries and constraints. (September, 2002)
Your advisor can:
- Help you understand COCC's academic programs and the administrative processes surrounding your enrollment.
- Help you plan for success. Together you can evaluate your skills, interests, and goals and build a program and a program and schedules with these factors in mind. Your advisor can refer you to College resources to help you be successful.
- Guide you in connecting your interests and skills towards career objectives with your educational program.
Your role as a COCC student and advisee...
As a student, you can:
- Commit yourself to becoming proficient at understanding COCC's programs and administrative processes. It is ultimately your responsibility to select a program and understand the completion requirements, select courses to meet the requirements, register each term for appropriate courses, and act in accordance with the registration policies that affect your progress.
- Actively pursue the information you need to identify your skills and interests, determine a career goal, select an academic program, and complete it.
- Maintain good records about your status, your progress, and information COCC has provided for you.
- Contact your advisor regularly (at least once a year is required) with enough advance notice to set up an appointment. Come prepared to meet with your advisor, spending time before the meeting to prepare a proposed schedule and write down questions, and bringing the materials you will need to your visit.
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