With the fall semester past the halfway point and spring class registration underway, now is a great time to check in with your academic advisor. Your advisor can help you find courses, internships and research opportunities, while also referring you to the myriad of services, support systems and informational resources on campus.
Q&A
How do I find out who my advisor is?
When you go to your MyCUinfo account, your advisor(s) is listed on the student center page in a blue box on the right.
What is in it for me?
Scheduling issues are the first things that come to mind, but we can help you enhance your academic experience in a number of other ways. 听There are numerous resources available to students on the CU-Boulder campus and finding the right one for your particular circumstances or needs can often be a challenge. 听Academic advisors are your map to navigating the many support offices, and they know the best way to take advantage of the available resources. 听Some examples include:
- How to get academic credit for volunteering
- How to get paid for doing research
- How to maximize your course selection to obtain a certificate, minor or additional major
- Where to look for internships or research experience.
How will I fit in everything want to do in 4 years? 听
So, you are interested in completing two majors, a minor, a certificate and doing study abroad. . . Oh, and you want to graduate in four years. 听Careful planning is important to ensure timely graduation with one major and absolutely necessary if you are interested in pursuing other academic areas or opportunities within a set period of time. 听Academic advisors help you with your planning by identifying courses that can apply to multiple requirements or aren鈥檛 offered every term.听
But I don't know what I want to do. . . .听
The sheer number of academic options at CU-Boulder can certainly seem overwhelming.听 It can feel like a huge menu and everything looks good!听 Advisors can help you narrow down the choices and provide some meaningful guidance based on your interests, goals and strengths.听 Especially in the first year, advisors are focused on helping you to explore and confirm you options.
I need help!听 Where do I go? 听
Are you struggling in a class?听 Do you want to get more hands-on experience in your field of interest but don鈥檛 know where to start?听 Do you find yourself uninspired and wondering what the heck you鈥檙e doing here?听 Your advisor is there to help you, no matter what the issue is.听 They may not have all the answers, but when they don鈥檛, they will direct you to the appropriate resource on campus that can help.听
I feel like a small fish in a big pond. 听
Students are often struck by the sheer size of CU-Boulder-with its own power plant, police station, and zip code- and it is easy to get lost, or feel a bit like a fish out of water.听 Please remember that your advisor is 鈥測our person鈥� on campus.听 They are there to advocate, assist, guide and support you during your time at CU.听 If you haven鈥檛 made a connection with your advisor yet, then make it a priority in the near future.听 Let them know how things are going.听 If you haven鈥檛 found that peer-connection that you are looking for, and that would help make CU feel more like a home-away-from-home, then talk to your advisor.听 They can help connect you with student groups or peer organizations that match your interests and values.
New campus-wide drop-in advising hours every Monday.
Be sure to take advantage of new campus-wide听, available every听Monday from 1 - 3 p.m.听to access advising resources for any major or minor across campus. Drop-in advising is also available in the Norlin Library every Monday through Thursday from 5 鈥� 8 p.m.