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Academic Advising

Friend, confidant, sage. An academic advisor is a key resource for students first through senior year.

An academic advisor is a faculty member who assists students in:

  • Understanding the opportunities and challenges of college
  • Gaining accurate information regarding policies, procedures, requirements, curriculum, registration, graduation and deadlines
  • Selecting courses and opportunities that fulfill program requirements and their educational, personal and career goals
  • Obtaining internships, admission to graduate school and employment
  • Learning about and utilizing campus resources

How Does a Student Get a Faculty Advisor?

A student is assigned a faculty member to serve as an academic advisor before classes begin. This person is a faculty member within the student's major. If the student is undecided, the advisor is selected based on the student's interest in a particular major or is a faculty member who specializes in advising undecided students.

Will an Advisor Help a Student Choose a Major?

During the first two years at BW, a student will explore a multitude of academic areas through core classes. Gaining this breadth of knowledge can help students in finding the right major. An academic advisor encourages a student to explore academic areas of interest while still making sure the student is fulfilling core requirements.

How Do Advisors Communicate With Their Advisees?

In addition to meeting with their students, advisors can communicate through email and BW's internal portal.

Will an Advisor Know if a Student Is Not Doing Well in a Class?

If there is concern about a student's attendance or any significant changes in the student's course engagement and/or behavior, the student's professor may raise an alert through the University Retention Alert Portal. A BW staff member will work with the student to help resolve the issue. The student's advisor is notified of any such alerts.