First-year and transfer students are assigned a faculty member as their academic advisor in mid-August before orientation. Most faculty are not on contract in the summer, which is why your advisor is assigned in August.
If you have questions before your advisor is assigned or during the summer, we have experts available in the Dean's office that can help. Email us at commdeansoffice@ithaca.edu or give us a call at (607) 274-1021.
Technically, an academic advisor is similar to a guidance counselor, but there is a major difference between the two.
Guidance counselors typically work in high schools. For the majority of a student's high school life they are minors which means that the guidance counselor is responsible for setting up the meetings that occur in their office. They advise students on how to choose the right courses that will help them to get into the right colleges and universities. If a student is having difficulties with school due to personal issues, the guidance counselor is there to provide the best solution.
On the other hand, academic advisors are not responsible for the student. They may advise the student on what they should major in depending on what they want to do with their life. However, it is up to the student to set up a meeting with the academic advisor. They may also advise students on how to build a resume, what classes would benefit their goals and if there are questions they cannot answer, they would usually refer the student to another colleague that works on campus.
What you can expect from your advisor - Will be available during posted office hours and will have the opportunity for individual appointments; Assistance in helping you find academic information, including information on majors, minors, and academic policies, procedures and deadlines; Referrals to appropriate people and offices if she or he cannot provide the necessary assistance; Assistance in understanding the purpose of academic requirements and their relationship to your degree program and career plans; Assistance in helping you to learn how to make academic decisions, how to discover the range of options available to you, and how to think through the consequences.
Once your advisor is assigned, you will be able to view that on HomerConnect and DegreeWorks, two systems you will use to track your degree progress and register for classes, among other things.