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academic advising in LS&A
ADVISING

As an LS&A student, you will most likely develop a relationship with at least two academic advisors: a "general advisor" and a "concentration advisor."

You will meet your "general advisor" during orientation and should look to her/him as a primary resource for academic information and advice while you're at the university. General advisors will help you select courses that help you meet degree requirements and that, more importantly, help you discover and pursue your academic interests. You can discuss concentration alternatives with your general advisor, and she/he can give you insights regarding career and professional goals. Your general advisor can also give you tips on how to manage the academic demands of the UM and will point you toward the resources and programs you need to thrive on campus. General advisors' offices are located in 1255 Angell Hall, but many advisors also hold walk-in advising hours in the residence halls.

"Concentration advisors" generallly are university faculty or staff members in the LS&A academic departments. As you narrow your concentration choices, you'll want to meet with concentration advisors for the departments that top your list to discuss how your interests and your academic experiences mesh with department offerings and concentration requirements. Once you decide on a concentration, the concentration advisors will help you develop your concentration program and evaluate your progress.

A general Academic Advisor will:

  • Help you create an academic plan that will allow you to discover and pursue your academic interests.
  • Inform you about degree requirements and college policies and procedures.
  • Describe course options and useful campus resources.
  • Help you learn better study and time management skills.
  • Help you decide upon a concentration best fitted to your skills, interests, and future goals.
  • Help you plan strategies to achieve your goals.
  • Help you handle any academic difficulty you may encounter.
  • Be a skilled contact in making the university work for you.
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An Academic Advisor cannot:

  • Make your decisions for you – tell you what you should concentrate in or what classes you should take. Advisors can describe logical options for your circumstances and your aspirations and give you the information you need to make logical, informed decisions.
  • Tell you what is a "good class." What makes a class "good" depends entirely upon your skills, interests, and goals. What's "good" for one student is not necessarily "good" for another.
  • Help you very much with specific problems or situations if you wait too long to discuss them. Problems don't go away when you ignore them; they only get worse. Usually there are more options available to correct or improve a situation the earlier you address it.

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