Welcome back, Missouri State Bears! We are officially halfway through the fall academic semester and it’s already time to start thinking about the spring. It is also common that your instructors will be publishing mid-term grades and new opportunities will be coming up. Every student at Missouri State is paired with an academic advisor who meets with them to discuss changes in degree paths or other challenges/questions that may arise. When planning an advisor meeting for the next semester there is no need to stress – this blog is for you!

Create a Talking Points List

Every student at Missouri State is assigned an academic advisor, which means the advisors have a lot of students to meet with. Once you have a date on the calendar for the meeting go through and identify any questions you may have or advice you are seeking. Creating the list will keep you on track and lead to full productivity in the meeting so that you leave feeling confident. Examples of questions that you may ask an advisor:

• What plan should I follow to graduate by my desired date?
• What academic resources are available to support me in my courses?
• What are the requirements of my major? Are there any GPA expectations?
• What courses could benefit me in my major and my minor? 
• What courses would you recommend to enhance my resume?
• What is the drop/add date for courses this semester?

These are just a few questions that could be good to ask an advisor but you should feel comfortable asking your advisor anything related to campus academics. 

Review All of Your Documents Beforehand 

Oftentimes many of the questions students have can be answered by reviewing course descriptions, degree audits, or past advising notes. You can access these through your “My Missouri State” page and find the “Degree Audit” card or the “My Student Records” card. When you locate these documents you can do a deep dive to explore what possible options you have or eliminate some questions prior to your meeting to maximize your time together. 

If you want further guidance on accessing these documents or preparing questions for your advisor, visit the Center for Academic Success and Transition office to meet with a Peer Mentor or a Success Coach. You can request to meet or stop by during drop-in hours. (Drop-in hours change every semester; see the Student Academic Assistance page for this semester’s hours.)

Bring Supplies to Take Notes

When you meet with your advisor they will share with you new information, and updates to your program, and answer the questions you came in with. Your advisor can track the discussion in shared advisor notes on your student portal but it’s never a bad idea to bring your own form of note-taking. This will help with your engagement in the meeting and show that you’re ready to take action. If you need a refresher on the meeting or need access to links and contact information referring to the advisor note page is helpful.

Takeaways

Academic advisors are provided at Missouri State and they are ready to meet with students to encourage success in the classroom. To make the most of your time make a list of everything you need to discuss, review your personalized documents beforehand, and come to the meeting ready to listen. If you find that you need further guidance or support the Success Coaches or Peer Mentors of the Center for Academic Success and Transition office would be happy to meet. 

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, and I am a senior studying special needs education. Fun fact: I’ve read over 15 books this year!)