How an academic advisor can be your students’ best friend

Supplied by MacEwan University

Finding the right post-secondary fit is a process – one that MacEwan University’s new Academic Advising Centre is making easier with its one-stop-shop advising model for future students.

“We’re here to support and coach future students as they begin their academic journey,” says Karen Ravagnolo, the centre’s manager. “As advisors, we are connected to all of the university’s service areas, faculties and schools, so we’ve got the lay of the land when it comes to the huge number of programs, services and supports that are available at MacEwan.”

If your high school students are thinking of attending Edmonton’s downtown university, they should check in with the Academic Advising Centre first, says Ravagnolo. Here are four reasons why.

1. Advisors can help your students find their way in a whole new world

MacEwan’s vibrant downtown campus is like a tiny city. It takes time to figure out how to make your way around, how things work, where to get help or even where to eat lunch. “We can definitely answer specific, concrete questions, but our job is also to teach students and to give them the skills to make navigating their university experience easier,” says Ravagnolo. That can include everything from showing future students how to work through processes, interpreting university lingo, walking students through the academic calendar or explaining the requirements of their programs of choice.

2. Advisors can help your students save time and frustration

Academic advisors are generalists who know just enough to answer a whole lot of questions – everything from figuring out how to choose the right program to exactly what future students need to include in their applications and whether it’s realistic to take five courses a semester and work a part-time job.

Ravagnolo says that one question that many high school students are asking this year involves optional diploma exams. “MacEwan will continue to accept the final marks as reported by Alberta Education on the high school transcript to calculate an applicant’s admission average, whether they chose to write the final exam or not,” she explains. “Students and future students are responsible for making their own choices, of course, but advisors know how to get the most up-to-date information to help students make those choices.”

3. They are future students’ biggest cheerleaders

“We’re rooting for every student we talk to. We want to provide a positive experience and for every person who we interact with to choose to come to MacEwan,” says Karen Ravagnolo, manager of MacEwan University’s Academic Advising Centre.

talk to,” says Ravagnolo. “We want to provide a positive experience and for every person who we interact with to choose to come to MacEwan.”

That sentiment doesn’t change if things don’t go as planned. If someone isn’t admissible, Ravagnolo says that advisors can help figure out what they can do to be successful during the next admission window. And advisors are also available to guide current students through changing programs or to help them access a wide range of support services, including writing tutors, financial aid advisors and mental health counsellors.

4. Advisors are in it for the long haul

Ultimately, says Ravagnolo, the Academic Advising Centre’s main goal is to make sure students have the knowledge and skills they need to reach their goals.

“We focus on providing information for prospective students and on helping brand new students get oriented to the university, but we can also answer questions and help connect students with faculty advisors and other university services from pre-admission through to graduation.”

Advisors in MacEwan University’s Academic Advising Centre are standing by to answer questions by email, online chat, phone or video call. Visit MacEwan.ca/Advising for more information. n