The Advising Appointment

Though the variety of topics covered in an advising appointment depends upon the purpose of the appointment, a certain structure or process is common to all. Following is an overview of some techniques that can be used in an advising session.

1. Opening--­ Greet the student by name and in a relaxed manner. The student may be nervous so a warm welcome and a low-key question such as 'What can I help you with today?' can be reassuring at the same time that it gets the session started.

2. Talking with the Student--­ The student may find it difficult to express himself. Resist the temptation to 'help' by putting words in the student's mouth, finishing the sentence yourself or otherwise taking over the conversation. Careful phrasing of your questions and indicating that you are receptive to the responses should facilitate good communication.

3. Silences in the Conversation--­ Silences do not necessarily mean a breakdown in communication or a lack of activity. The student (or the advisor) may be searching for words or reflecting upon something that has already been said.

4. Admitting your Ignorance­ -- If the student asks a question regarding factual information to which you do not know the answer, admit it. Get the information immediately, if possible, or call the student back. While one person cannot be expected to know everything, it is reasonable to expect the advisor to get the information in question. Students have greater respect for the advisor who does not hesitate to admit his ignorance.

5.Avoiding the Personal Pronoun­ -- Using the word 'I' turns the focus of the advising session away from the advisee, toward the advisor. Expressions like 'if I were you, I would' and 'I think' express the advisor's opinion or experiences and are inappropriate unless they are explicitly requested. Most of the time, the advisor's role is not to express his point of view, but rather, to help the student to formulate his own opinion.

6.Bad News­ When the advisor must give the student bad news, it is not helpful to minimize the gravity of the situation or to be unrealistically optimistic about what the student can do to handle it. However, it is very important that the advisor continue to express an attitude that is receptive and non-judgmental. She can demonstrate her support of the student by helping to put the issue into proper perspective and focusing attention on the positive actions that can be taken to resolve the problem. This may require additional appointments.

7.Additional Problems --­ Sometimes the student will have unexpressed questions or problems beyond the one, which appears to be the reason for the appointment. The advisor can give the student an opening by asking, 'Is there something else you would like to ask about?' or 'Do you have something else on your mind?'

8. The Frequent Visitor­ -- One of the most difficult advisees to work with will meet frequently with his advisor. This student appears to be receptive to the advisor's suggestions and will often say 'I feel so much better after talking to you, ' but, in fact, never follows up on the information and strategies discussed during the appointment. This student seems to continue to hope that talking about something will make it happen. Other frequent visitors are sympathy seekers, complainers and the overly dependent. While it is true that their willingness to keep appointments indicates some success on the part of the advisor, they take up time that could be available to other students.

9.Setting Limits on the Appointment­ -- The appointment is normally a fixed length of time. It is better if the advisor and advisee realize this from the beginning. Follow-up appointments can be made, if necessary. However, there are times when an advisor sees a student in crisis and time constraints need to be set aside.

10.Ending the Appointment­ -- When the advising session is finished, it is easy to get overly involved in casual conversation. This can extend the appointment far beyond the allotted time. A phrase such as, 'Do you think we have one all we can for today?' or 'Let's make another appointment to get into this further, 'effectively maintains a friendly yet professional tone.

Adapted from Darley's Interview Techniques. Prepared by the University of Delaware College of Arts and Science Advising Center.