An academic advisor is a faculty member at a K-12 school, college or university who is charged with guiding students on educational matters. This could include course selections, the choosing of a major, or finding the right internship. One of the questions that students have is, what are the duties of my academic advisor? In this article, we will answer their question.

Tell Students About Available Resources

Academic advisors help students locate essential resources and other forms of support. They inform students about valuable opportunities, such as employment opportunities, internships, and externships. They can also help them find resources related to disabilities, mental health, student life, financial aid, etc. Also, since advisors have developed valuable resources throughout the campus, they can use them to help students solve problems.

Give Sound Career Guidance and Advice

Although students in college have declared a major, they are likely to change it many times before they graduate. Academic advisors can help students find out what career would be best suited for their talents and interests. Also, they can help ascertain if their chosen career will allow them to have the standard of living they wish to attain.

Inform Students of School Policies

Just like any organization, colleges and universities have lots of regulations and policies. Students can rely on academic advisors to help them interpret and understand these rules and policies. For instance, most institutions allow students to withdraw from a set amount of classes without receiving any academic penalty. However, if the student is performing poorly in class and does not understand their options, receiving advice from an academic advisor could mean the difference between academic failure and success.

Facilitate Student Orientation Sessions

At the start of each semester, institutions of higher education require new students to participate in an orientation session. These sessions are meant to acclimate students to the institution and ensure that they understand its policies and inner-workings. During these sessions, advisors inform students of the academic services that are offered, introduce department and academic advising staff members, review curriculum requirements, and explain class registration procedures. Advisors also often provide a schedule for when student academic advising for the academic year will happen as well as explain student and advisor expectations.

Monitor the Academic Performance of Students

Academic advisors, along with professors, are the first line of defense against academic failure. A good academic advisor should monitor the performance of each of their advisees at least on a weekly basis. This will allow them to refer students who are failing to academic assistance and remediation resources. They also must make referrals to other higher education professionals on campus when students have academic, attendance, or other personal problems.

What did I miss? Can you think of any more duties of an academic advisor?