Student Advising

Use the 'Advising Information' menu item to the left for more information.

Frequently asked questions about Academic Advising

1. What does an academic advisor do?

Your Academic Advisor is a faculty person within your program of study who will guide you through your major. They 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.

2. Can I make an appointment to see my advisor?

Yes. Appointments can be made by telephone or you can visit your advisor during their designated office hours.

3. Will my advisor help me pick out my classes?

Your Advisor will offer guidance and make suggestions about course choices that will help you achieve your educational goals. 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 general Catalog. Preparing ahead of time can make your advising time more productive and rewarding.

4. How do I apply for graduation?

Visit your advisor to complete an Application for Graduation by the deadline dates published in both the MCC Catalog and Curriculum Course Schedule.

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

Registration and advising are not the same thing. Meet with your advisor to 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 their office hour!

Registration times are listed in each semester’s schedule. Check with your advisor to see if they have a sign-up sheet for registration or if they want you to drop in.

6. What is the difference between counselors and an academic advisor?

The Counselors help you initially with your testing, explanation of the academic programs and requirements, and career counseling to make sure your choice of majors is right for you.

Your academic advisor, however, is a faculty member in your program of study who knows the program intimately. As such, he or she can offer you specific information on when certain courses are typically offered, what graduates of the program are doing after graduation, and what steps you need to take for co-op placement. You will develop a relationship with your advisor while you are at Mitchell. You may even take courses with your advisor!

7. When should I see my advisor?

Registration is not when a student should seek out advising. This is when advisors are scheduled to sign students up for classes. Advising can take place anytime during the year, but it is probably best to meet with your advisor a couple of weeks prior to registration. October has been designated “Advising Month.” This is an excellent time to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss your progress toward graduation and your course options for the upcoming semester!

8. If I don't know who my advisor is, how do I find out?

Students can come to Student Services and meet with a Counselor to find out who their advisor is. You can also locate this information on Web Advisor under the "my profile" link. You can find the link to Web Advisor on the MCC website at www.mitchellcc.edu.

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

No, you can only keep the same advisor if he or she is also an advisor for the major you are changing to.

10. 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 major can be changed at any time. For a lot of students, changing majors is a normal part of the college experience.

However, to make sure you make the best decision about your major, meet with someone in the Counseling Center and 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 the counselor to come up with the best fit.

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

It is best to express your concerns directly with 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.

If you have questions about bringing up a challenging topic with your advisor, please see a Counselor in Student Services for assistance.

12. How will Web Advisor change my relationship with my advisor?

It really shouldn’t change your relationship at all. But, it can make your advising sessions more productive!

Web Advisor is a tool you can use to explore availability of courses each semester and view your grades and other academic information. Soon, you will be able to register for classes online via Web Advisor.

Web Advisor can not 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.

Also, 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.

For example, let’s say you are pursuing an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Business Administration. Also, let’s assume mathematics is not your strongest academic area. If your advisor knows math is not your best subject he or she would not recommend that you take Business Math and Principles of Financial Accounting during the same semester.

You may want to use Web Advisor 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.

13. 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 so they can suggest your course load appropriately. Also, 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 a counselor about exploring other educational areas and possibly changing your major.

14. How do I access Web Advisor?

First, go to the Mitchell Community College web site at www.mitchellcc.edu. Once there scroll to the bottom of the site and click the Web Advisor link. When you get to the Web Advisor site click the Log In link in the top right corner of the page. There are detailed instructions there that will assist you in setting up your Web Advisor account.

15. What if I have trouble logging into Web Advisor?

Call the Web Advisor support line at 704-978-5492 for assistance.