Academic advisors help students achieve their goals and earn degrees, but few studies explore advisors’ own educational backgrounds.  This paper reports findings from a survey—distributed through the NACADA listserv—on the experiences of 430 advisors with advanced degrees. The survey asked questions about advisors’ educational backgrounds, including types of degrees and majors, the academic activities they participate in (teaching and research), the advantages and drawbacks to having an advanced degree, and how their degrees impact their advising.   After a summary of these findings, there are recommendations for how institutions of higher learning could improve advisor satisfaction and strengthen universities.

[Read the rest of this article...]