Making the most of advising

Advisors+chose+a+Harry+Potter+theme+to+draw+students+into+their+offices.

Kaitlin Porter

Advisors chose a Harry Potter theme to draw students into their offices.

Kaitlin Porter, Staff Reporter

Advising week was scheduled from Sept. 19 through Sept. 23. However, it is not too late to sign up for classes.

Julia Fleischer, adviser for the School of Social Sciences, said it is important for new students and lowerclassmen to meet with their advisers to ensure they are choosing the correct classes for their degree.

Also, Fleischer said for those students unsure about their career paths, advisers can help pinpoint their interest and choose classes that fit their interest.

Fleischer said upperclassmen can also benefit from advising appointments because conversations can begin about future career plans and graduation. She said advisers are there to make sure that students are completing the necessary courses prior to graduation.

Fleischer said by getting in early with an adviser, students can avoid missing crucial classes needed for graduation. Often times, she said juniors and seniors schedule classes by themselves and look over needed courses. However, she said this can be avoided if students meet with their advisers so graduation dates are kept and maintained.

Fleischer said she encourages all students to schedule an advising appointment to ensure they are ready for the upcoming semesters.

“This is beneficial for students,” Fleischer said. “Because we can make sure students are meeting their requirements, getting into classes that will engage their interests, and discussing things like internships early so there isn’t a big scramble to figure things out right before the next semester beings.”

Kris Bloos, adviser for the School of Business, said this year, for the first time, IUS is offering students the ability to sign up for spring, summer and brand new winter session classes at the same time.

Dana Gohmann, adviser for the School of Social Sciences, said the earlier you schedule an appointment the better. She said by making appointments early it can benefit students by being able to enroll in the necessary classes.

Gohmann said students are encouraged by advising staff to think about questions they may have or what they would like to discuss prior to the appointment time. By doing so, she said it will benefit the student by making sure all important topics are covered.

Academic Advising Reports are mapped out plans following each individual degree path. These can help students visually see what classes are necessary for the completion of their degree.

These reports can be found through One.IU via the Student Center. Many degree maps offer choices for class requirements so students are able to pick courses based on their own interest while still sticking to their degree maps.

Degree maps can help students see how many credits are left until graduation. All undergraduate degrees offered on campus are 120 credit hours each. In order to accomplish this in a four year time period, students must take 15 credit hours per semester to ensure that they graduate on time.
Fleischer said, it is important to plan which classes will be taken during what semester due to some courses only being offered in the fall or spring. By taking these precautions, students will likely not face any problems with scheduling.

Students may contact their school’s advising offices and set up their appointments. Registration for students will begin in October. Students can find their specific registration date by emailing their adviser or calling their school’s office. Contact information may be found on ius.edu.