what's an adviser for? -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: What do I use my adviser for? Is he or she the same kind of person my high-school guidance counselor was? What do I do if he or she is totally useless?

The A: Advising systems vary vastly from school to school, and advisers' ideas of their roles vary widely even within a single system. At some universities, advisers are staff members, not faculty. At the other extreme are schools like mine, Fordham University. Incoming freshmen are assigned advisers based on the major they expressed interest in (if any). But after that it's totally up to the student to choose, and they can choose any adviser within their major department.

This means that advisers have noticeably different roles in each of these different systems. Some will talk to you about your concerns and get to know you as an individual. Some will give you career-oriented advice. Others will be more strictly focussed on how you fulfill the various requirements for graduation. So be direct; ask your adviser what she or he thinks the role of an adviser is.

What advisers all share is the experience and information to help you choose your classes according to department and school requirements, and the willingness to help you resolve any problems that arise, whether personal, family, financial or otherwise. They won't serve as counselors themselves, but they will make you aware of the resources available to you; an adviser should be able to tell you who to talk to about any of the problems you encounter.

If you don't like your adviser, think carefully about why. Is it because you don't like what they're telling you? Sometimes my advisees get annoyed with me because I tell them they aren't working hard enough, or taking enough courses, or choosing their classes thoughtfully. If that's the problem, consider your opinions and ideas very carefully, and remember, we've seen dozens of students facing the problems you think are unique to you - that experience often gives us pretty good insight into how to make your life better.

If, after honest self-examination, you still think your adviser is the wrong match for you, then pursue it. Find out how to switch advisers - and then do so. If you're unhappy the second time, consider the possibility that your adviser might not be the problem; take some time to figure out why you're in school and what you want out of your education.

—Anahid Kassabian, Chief Advisor