Advising
Welcome to the Advising Department webpage! We are excited that you are here and hope that we have met you already or will soon! Mitchell Community College’s Student Services Advising Department provides Academic Advising and Success Coaching to support New-First Year Students as you begin working toward your educational and career goals.
Advising helps you be on the quickest path to graduation, achieving your academic goals and pursuing career goals!
NOTE: If you have been a student for at least two semesters, are in an applied science program, or an incoming student who has previously completed 18+ college credit hours, you are assigned to a Faculty Advisor instead of a Student Services Advisor. If you don’t know who your faculty advisor is, please email us at advising@mitchellcc.edu and we can help.
Are you ready to meet with a Student Services Advisor? See below to determine if that is your next step.
Newly admitted students who have completed the Residency Determination and application to Mitchell Community College and have received their admittance notice first schedule an appointment with an Admissions’ Specialist to clarify their major and learn next steps, including if Placement Testing is needed and if you are ready to meet with a Student Services Advisor for academic success planning. Admissions’ Specialists also inform incoming students about their student accounts found on My Mitchell, including taking the New Student Mandatory Online Orientation.
New students must meet with a Student Services Advisor to be eligible to register for classes. Course registration is through Self-Service. You can access a Self-Service tutorial here.
If you are a new or reapplying student and need to know your admissions’ status, please email admissions@mitchellcc.edu or call (704) 978-5493 or (704) 978-5415.
If an Admissions Specialist has informed you that you are ready to meet with a Student Services Advisor, please email advising@mitchellcc.edu. This email is specifically for new students who do not have a faculty advisor.
Appointments are required to ensure that you receive the necessary time and attention as you embark on your academic journey.
Unsure about your career goals? Use this helpful Career Clusters Guide and discuss during your advising appointment.
To help you prepare for your first day of classes and your first semester visit “Steps to Success” and watch the “First Day Attendance” video.
As a new student at Mitchell Community College, you will have your first academic advising session in the Advising Department in Student Services on the Statesville Campus or the Student Services Advising Offices in Building A at the Mooresville Campus. An Admission’s Specialist will provide instructions for making an advising appointment once you complete the Admissions’ process and any required placement testing. You’ll also get instructions for setting up your student accounts so that you can manage your educational process online.
At Mitchell Community College, advising is considered an important part of our responsibilities to our students, and our students’ responsibility to themselves as they work toward their academic and career goals. How is it a student’s responsibility? You have to let your advisor know when you want to meet or respond to your advisor’s outreach to you. We very much want you to be successful in your goals!
With that in mind, every October and March of the academic year kicks off what we refer to as “Advising Season.” While you can schedule to meet with your advisor as needed, we begin promoting advising at the beginning of these two months and encourage students to start planning their upcoming semesters with the support of their advisors. Even if you are confident about your progress and program, it never hurts to check in with your advisor to ask questions, celebrate successes, and see how close you are to achieving your certificate, diploma, degree, or specifically selected courses based on employment needs.
During these advising seasons, advisors typically reach out to their advisees with information about scheduling an advising appointment, so be sure to check your student email account often.
If you are unsure about the name of your advisor, you can find that information in your Self Service account. Once in Self Service, select “Student Planning” then “Plan and Schedule Courses” and then find and select the “Advising” tab on that page, and you will see your advisor’s name there.
Fun fact: There’s actually such a thing called Global Advising Week which usually occurs the first week of May! One of the purposes of the week is to celebrate and promote the profession of Advising. You can read about it here on the NACADA website.
Questions? Need help figuring out who your advisor is? Contact our Advising staff at advising@mitchellcc.edu. We are here to help!
Students are assigned a faculty advisor in their chosen area of study as they transition from their Student Services Advisor. Students meet with their faculty advisor every semester during Spring and Fall Advising Seasons to discuss and review educational goals, update career plans, make course selections, complete change of major forms, and submit graduation applications. Faculty advisors are also available to provide academic support and guidance to advisees during non-advising periods. Students need to be familiar with the Mitchell Community College Catalog and are responsible for making final decisions on academic matters. To locate your faculty advisor’s contact information, log into your Self Service account and view your student profile.
- Attend the first day of class. Study the course syllabus to understand the course requirements and the instructor’s policies.
- Attend all classes. If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to make up the work missed.
- Plan to study one to two hours outside of class for each hour in class.
- Communicate with your instructors and advisors proactively.
- Understand that being a student is like a job and often not an easy one. It takes work.
- Accept responsibility for your academic decisions and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.
First Day Attendance (external Youtube link)
Maximum Course Load recommendations for success if you work and/or have family responsibilities
- If you work 10 hours a week, take 16-19 credit hours per semester.
- If you work 20 hours a week, take 12-13 credit hours per semester.
- If you work 30 hours a week, take 6-10 credit hours per semester.
- If you work 40 or more hours a week, take 5-8 credit hours per semester.
Discover how to study and learn more effectively in less time at the Tutoring Center (formerly known as MIND Center).
- Take the ACA 122 required course in transfer programs in your first semester, or your second semester at the latest!
- Get started early in your Mitchell career. Meet with your advisor to learn about transfer options and begin planning early.
- Know about and understand the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the North Carolina Community College System and the UNC System and private NC universities and colleges.
- Keep a record of your progress at Mitchell. Use the guidelines outlined in the Mitchell Catalog for your particular major to make sure you are progressing properly toward graduation. Maintain a file with your grade reports, placement test scores and other important Mitchell documents. Bring the file with you each time you meet with your faculty advisor. There are planning tools in Self Service that can assist you in planning your degree. You can find Self Service on the My Mitchell page.
- Take part in career exploration opportunities, and use the Bachelor’s Degree Plans provided by most N.C. public and private colleges and universities.
- Earn the very best grades you can at Mitchell, but also focus on deep and meaningful learning. Doing well at Mitchell can help you get into the college of your choice and will enable you to succeed at the four-year institution.
- Learn your options for transfer. Talk with your advisor about ways to select a four-year institution that is right for you.
- Be prepared for better advising. Bring college catalogs and transfer information from prospective four-year colleges with you to advising sessions. Your advisor can provide you with a better consultation if he, she or they have access to this information.
- Discover opportunities to visit four-year colleges and universities. Check out visitation or open house events at the senior institutions you are considering. You should also visit the web sites of each college you are exploring to determine their transfer admission criteria. Watch for Mitchell visits from area college and university representatives, too.
- Complete your degree at Mitchell. Research from NC universities shows that students who complete their community college degree perform much better at the senior institution. Plus, with an associate degree, you are more likely to transfer all of your credits without having to take additional core courses required at the senior institution.
- Finally, celebrate your successful graduation from Mitchell. We will celebrate your success with you, so keep in touch with your advisor and the college. We want to hear from you. When you graduate from Mitchell, be sure to join the Mitchell Alumni Association.
Advising FAQs
As a new curriculum student, you will visit the Advising Department in Eason Student Services on the Statesville Campus or the Advising Offices in the Student Services Center, Building A at the Mooresville Campus, for your first advising session. During your advising session, you will discuss academic, career, and/or transfer goals. You will also begin to learn student success strategies. Later, you will be assigned a faculty advisor in your academic program area who will be your advisor until you graduate or change your major. Below are some frequently asked questions about faculty advisors.
Your faculty advisor is a faculty member within your program of study who will guide you through your major. Your advisor will assist you with course planning and can answer specific questions about how to put your degree to work for you after graduation. If you are planning to transfer to a four-year college or university, your advisor can answer your questions about transfer issues.
Yes. Appointments may be made by telephone, virtually, or you may schedule an in-person office visit with your advisor.
Your faculty advisor will offer guidance and make suggestions about course choices that will help you achieve your educational goals and follow your program of study and course sequencing. It is suggested that you plan ahead and review course offerings for each semester and compare those to the classes listed with your major in the Mitchell Catalog. Preparing ahead of time can make your advising time more productive and rewarding.
The Registrar’s Office usually identifies potential graduates in their final semester, but it’s a good idea to review your progress toward degree completion with your faculty advisor. Your faculty advisor can consult with the Registrar’s Office on your behalf for confirmation of upcoming degree completion.
Registration and advising are not the same thing. Meet with your advisor to discuss and plan your upcoming semester before registration.
It’s always a good idea to contact your advisor to make an appointment for advising. However, each faculty advisor maintains a posted office hour each day to assist students. Feel free to visit your advisor during this office hour.
Registration times are listed in each semester’s schedule. Students self-register for classes using Self-Service.
A Student Services Advisor is not typically an instructor or part of faculty, although some are adjunct faculty. Depending upon your program of study, your Student Services Advisor may only meet with you to get you started in your first semester or may be assigned to you for your first year of college. Student Services Advisors help you initially with determing if you need placement testing, explanation of the academic programs and requirements, career discussions to make sure your choice of major is right for you, and to introduce success skills and coaching.
Your Faculty Advisor is a faculty member in your program of study who knows the program intimately. He, she, or they can offer you specific information about when certain courses are typically offered, what graduates of the program are doing after graduation, and what steps you need to take for internship or work-based learning placement. You will develop a relationship with your faculty advisor while you are at Mitchell. You may even take courses with your advisor.
Registration is not when you should seek out advising. It is probably best to meet with your advisor a couple of weeks prior to registration. There are periods of time designated as “Advising Season” during which you will see Advising promotions on campus, social media, and in your student emails. This is a prime time to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss your progress toward graduation and your course options for the upcoming semester.
To locate this information, login to your Self-Service and view under “Academics > Student Planning > Advising,” or you may contact Student Services at 704-878-3200 and request the information.
You can only keep the same advisor if he, she or they are also an advisor for your new program of study.
You are never stuck in a program of study. Your program of study can be changed at any time. For a lot of students, changing majors is a normal part of the college experience.
To make sure you make the best decision about your major, meet with someone in the program of study for which you have interest and also do some career exploration. This is an excellent way to identify a wide variety of occupations that may be suited for you, and then you can discuss these possibilities further with your advisor to come up with the best fit.
It is best to express your concerns directly to your advisor. Even though this may feel intimidating at first, it will not be as difficult as you fear. Your concern may have arisen from a lack of good communication, misunderstandings about course sequencing or poor preparation for the advising session on either of your parts. Opening up a dialog with your advisor about your concern may facilitate a better understanding of your advisor’s point of view and your advisor will learn more about your educational goals. If you and your advisor got off on the wrong foot, this discussion can help get both of you back on a productive track.
It really shouldn’t change your relationship at all. But, it can make your advising sessions more productive.
Self-Service is a tool you can use to explore availability of courses each semester and view your grades and other academic information. You will be able to register for classes online via Self Service.
Self Service cannot replace your faculty advisor. Your faculty advisor is there to guide you so you complete your degree. Your advisor is a valuable source of information about your major and how your major will help you in the workforce once you’ve graduated.
After you have told your advisor about your academic strengths and weaknesses, work and family responsibilities and your timeframe for completing your degree, your advisor can assist you in making wise course choices each semester.
You may want to use Self Service to check which classes in your program of study you have completed and which ones are still in progress. This way you can work with your advisor to complete your remaining courses.
Advising is a dynamic process where give and take on both sides is encouraged and expected. Your advisor makes suggestions based on his or her best information about you and your educational goals. For instance, if you can only attend school on a part-time basis, make sure your advisor is aware of this.
Remember that your advisor is there to help you complete your degree and if you are asking to take classes outside of your major he or she may try to guide you back to your program of study. If you are finding courses in other programs more interesting, you may want to talk to your advisor about exploring other educational areas and possibly changing your major or adding another major.
If you are receiving financial aid, note that financial aid may only be used to take courses within your selected major.
Click on the link to Self Service on the My Mitchell page. You can watch a Self-Service course registration tutorial here.
Locations
Statesville Campus
Eason Student Services Center
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Full-time Statesville Advisors are:
Myra Lewis mlewis@mitchellcc.edu
Bernadine Stickle bstickle@mitchellcc.edu
Iris Rodriguez irodriguez@mitchellcc.edu
Part-time Statesville Advisors are:
Gregory Vohs gvohs@mitchellcc.edu
Mooresville Campus
Student Services Department, Building A
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Full-time Mooresville Advisors are:
Samantha Willis––swillis@mitchellcc.edu
Michelle Myers––mmyers@mitchellcc.edu
Part-time Statesville Advisors are:
Elizabeth Maino emaino@mitchellcc.edu
Part-time Advising Specialist is:
Kearstin Boles kboles@mitchellcc.edu
Advisors offer telephone, email, and virtual meeting options in addition to traditional in-person advising sessions.
