Why Is Crystal Described As An Academic Advisor

Academic advising is an important and effective tool used by 2 year and 4 year institutions. With academic advising comes a huge responsibility to lead students in the path for success. “To advise effectively, advisors must have institutional knowledge (rules and regulations, academic policies, majors, minors, certificate programs) and an understanding of the students they will advise including knowledge of any special population groups.” (Folsom, Joslin, & Yoder, 2005) To gain better knowledge of academic advising I interviewed Crystal, an academic advisor from the Archer College of Health and Human Services on the Angelo State University campus. She has her M. Ed. in Student Development and Leadership and has been an academic advisor for
When I asked Crystal about the qualifications required to become an advisor, her response was a two part answer of education and skill. Educationally, “At Angelo State University, you must hold a bachelor’s degree” (Crystal, personal communication, October 28,2015), she also mentioned that a master’s degree is desirable along with a certification in academic advising. The second part to her answer was skill qualification; an academic advisor must know computers and be able to communicate effectively with students as well as co-workers in and out of the office. In response to training for the academic advisor position, Crystal stated that she had very little formal training because her actual position was Office Coordinator. The Office Coordinator position allowed her to become familiar with the advisor position by processing the admission applications and studying the nursing web
The question was posed; discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly about being an advisor? Crystal replied by stating she “enjoys helping students reach their potential” but it can be difficult explaining to a student about realistic expectations when it comes to getting into the nursing program. The hardest part though for her is “helping students cope with and find resources to overcome dangerous and scary situations.” She sometimes has students come to her office and make statements of suicidal thoughts or have personal situations that are putting them at risk. When this happens she has to refer them to the appropriate office/resource but students aren’t always receptive to her advice. When I asked her what the most difficult part of being an advisor was, Crystal stated that getting the at-risk students back on track to complete their degree was the most difficult part of being an Academic Advisor. “Academic Advisors are under a lot of pressure to ensure students are meeting their degree requirements in a timely manner.” (Crystal, personal communication, October 28, 2015) Retention and graduation rates are associated with successful advising practices. I then asked Crystal if the students she advises are always receptive to the advice she offers. She stated that “most students are receptive to my advice, but there are situation when students are considered to be “foreclosed”, meaning the