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.

What does a faculty advisor do?

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. 

Can I make an appointment to see my faculty advisor?

Yes. Appointments may be made by telephone, virtually, or you may schedule an in-person office visit with your advisor.

Will my faculty advisor help me pick out my classes?

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.

How do I apply for graduation?

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. 

Do I need to make an appointment with my faculty advisor to register for classes?

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. 

What is the difference between a Student Services Advisor and a Faculty Advisor?

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.

When should I see my faculty 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.

If I don’t know who my faculty advisor is, how do I find out?

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.

If I change my major, can I keep the same advisor?

You can only keep the same advisor if he, she or they are also an advisor for your new program of study.

After meeting with my advisor, I’m not sure if the program I picked is really what I want. What do I do?

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.

Who should I contact if I have a concern about my faculty advisor?

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. 

How will Self-Service fit into my relationship with my faculty advisor?

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.

What if I disagree with the courses recommended by my advisor? Do I have to take them?

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.  

How do I access Self Service?

Click on the link to Self Service on the My Mitchell page. You can watch a Self-Service course registration tutorial here.