How can a student reach this point in the program without meeting the basic admission requirements? If we permit students to begin taking education classes, where is the line drawn beyond which the student cannot enroll in additional courses without meeting admission requirements? Do we, as advisors and educators, have a responsibility to help students meet the admission requirements? What approaches have been utilized and how effective are these strategies?

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major choice, stress, teacher education, advising approaches, Lee Kem, advising strategy, career counseling

Even in this day of expanding job duties, an academic advisor’s primary function remains to assist students in reaching both their academic and career goals. However, completing the primary function of the job has become more challenging because of unrealistic career expectations developed through media influence.

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communication, career advising, major choice, academic support, student motivation, technology, Darren Francis, advising skills

Preparing students for a career is not higher education’s primary focus. However, the question is understandable. We expect an action to produce an outcome, a direction. “Undecided” insinuates unknowing, and unknowing suggests lack of direction. We stress the need for critical thinking, developing transferable skills, immersion in learning situations, and studying a topic in-depth, i.e., the importance of college for the intellectual experience itself. Nonetheless, the anxiety over what happens the Monday after graduation weighs heavily from day one for students (and their parents); thus it demands our attention.

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career advising, major choice, stress, advising strategy, encouraging students, Liberal Arts, advising skills, Andrew Colby, undeclared students

The effect of institutional policies and campus environments on advising undecided students is discussed within the Commission on Undecided/Exploratory Students membership through listservs, conference presentations, and informal conversations. Often the focus of the discussion is how students are served and how advisors deal with institutional policies and practices. The impact that institutional policies and environments can have upon our undecided students is considerable. As Lewallen (1995) explains, “some institutions are extremely supportive; others are indifferent or even nonsupportive. These approaches appear to have the potential to profoundly influence a student’s willingness to declare being undecided” (p.28-29). This article briefly examines some of the literature related to these topics.

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decision-making, major choice, undecided, role of advisor, academic support, David Spight

Over the past year, full time and faculty advisors have had an opportunity to meet in informal settings at the state, regional and national conferences to discuss areas of concern in advising Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students. During these discussions, advisors have identified many challenges that confront them when advising this designated population. Some of these challenges will be addressed in the following discussion.

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career advising, major choice, STEM, Margaret Steele, Peg Steele

There are four key areas where academic advisors need to be bold.  Hang tight on these, and you will fulfill the NACADA values.  More importantly, you will serve your advisees well.

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career advising, major choice, personal philosophy, student motivation, advising strategy, advising approaches, encouraging students, advising director, David Throgmorton

When we encourage students to understand how they uniquely represent aspects of the Holland Codes in their reasonable sensibilities, we empower them to not only make thoughtful decisions about their major, but to become self-authored and more thorough decision makers in every aspect of their education.

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decision-making, career advising, major choice, undecided, self-authorship, Art Esposito

Perhaps one of the biggest student misconceptions is that choosing a major locks students into one career for the rest of their lives...Rather than picturing the selection of a major as locking them into one career, students should be encouraged to see it as unlocking a number of career opportunities.

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career advising, major choice, undeclared, Kyle Bures

At Georgia Southern University, Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs) help make the major exploration process more enjoyable and less stressful for students.

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decision-making, intrusive advising, proactive advising, major choice, undeclared, undecided, first year students, peer advising, Ellen Murkinson

In STEM disciplines, advisors often see students who have “always wanted to be” a physicist, mathematician, engineer, or another STEM major, who simply can’t do the work... With most students, the key to helping them make the transition lies in the root of their major selection.

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major choice, dismissal, probation, STEM, Rachael Switalski