Awesome Advising

Posted April 5, 2013 by Emily Boyd

I have reached the inevitable point in every semester where all I can think about is how excited I am for next semester. In addition to being very excited about my upcoming trip to Rome (less than seven weeks to go!), I am looking ahead to courses for the fall. With class selection right around the corner I turned to my advisor for some advice (go figure) about the best classes to take in the fall. The GSLIS program only consists of twelve classes and with five core courses already spoken for we only get seven electives. This may seem like a large number but considering the fact that those seven courses represent your focus and areas of expertise it is important to choose them carefully. For a student such as myself who is very undecided about my future career path choosing classes becomes an even more delicate task. It is for this reason that I am so thankful to have my fabulous advisor.

My experience with advisors during my undergrad was less than satisfactory as I was often shifted from one advisor to another and rarely given any time or assistance. I am so happy to report that the opposite is true with my experience at GSLIS. Starting with advising day, when each student gets a full 30 minutes to sit down and (very loosely) plan their intended courses, I have been impressed with my advisor.

As course selection draws nearer I sent my advisor a lengthy email detailing the two courses I am certain about taking for the fall and asking for assistance in choosing a third. I really love having an advisor whom I can speak openly with about my desire to move through the program as efficiently as possible as well as concerns about choosing the right electives. I have not even been at GSLIS for a full semester yet and I can say without hesitation that I have had more assistance from the advising department than my full five years of undergrad. Building relationships with professors and faculty is so important and I am happy to report that the faculty seem just as eager to work with students as we are to work with them.