Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will prepare for advising appointments.
- Students can interpret academic planning support materials, including degree audits, recommended academic plans, the Penn State Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin, departmental check-sheets, and websites.
- Students understand the distinction between the elements of the degree.
- Students understand policies and procedures.
- Students will appropriately self-advocate.
- Students understand the relationship between their classroom experiences and academic, career, and personal goals.
- Students will make intentional decisions about completion of the general education curriculum that are tailored to their individual academic, career, and personal goals.
Advising Goals
- Advisers approach their work with students holistically by acknowledging the diverse backgrounds from which students come.
- Advisers disseminate relevant information.
- Advisers consider students’ co-curricular interests.
- Advisers advocate for students when appropriate but empower them to be self-directed learners, including understanding their responsibilities in the advising process.
- Advisers foster creativity and citizenship in addition to critical thinking.
- Advisers support students in defining success for themselves and making meaning of their experiences.
How to Prepare for Appointments
- Review your academic requirements or “what-if” report.
- Draft a schedule.
- Prepare a list of questions.
- Arrive on time.
Expectations
To make the most of your advising interactions, we expect you to do the following:
- Meet with your adviser at least once a semester.
- Read email correspondence from your adviser thoroughly and respond quickly if necessary.
- Create and regularly update “My Planner” in LionPATH.
- Learn, understand, and follow policies, procedures, and rules of the University, college, and academic program.
- Take primary and increasing responsibility for knowing and completing your academic requirements and for your overall educational experience.
- Be open and willing to consider different suggestions and perspectives.
- Share your goals for the advising relationship.
- Life happens—communicate with your adviser when challenges arise that may be affecting your academic performance.
When you connect with your adviser, you can expect them to do the following:
- Assist you with identifying courses that will allow you to make appropriate academic progress.
- Explain and communicate degree requirements and academic policies and procedures.
- Support you in defining your academic, professional, and personal goals and creating an educational plan to help you meet those goals.
- Discuss appropriate internship, research, education abroad, and co-curricular opportunities.
- Respect your individual choices and life circumstances and provide relevant information for you to make the best decisions for yourself.
- Refer you to appropriate campus resources (i.e. Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network, Office of Student Aid, etc.).
- Support and encourage you throughout your educational journey.