Meeting with your academic advisor is a great way to learn more about your degree, explore other fields of study, get connected to other campus resources and discover co-curricular and extracurricular involvement opportunities. Here are some things to consider as you access academic advising services in the College of Arts and Sciences.

     

What type of appointment do I need?

I have a quick question about one or two topics.

Come to your advisor’s drop-in hours or email your advisor!

I have many things I need to discuss. Long-term planning, maybe exploring other fields of study, doing an internship…

Schedule a 30-45 minute individual advising appointment.

I don’t know where to begin! Can my advisor still help me?

Schedule a 30-45 minute appointment so your advisor can get to know you.

Once you have a sense of what type of appointment would best suit your needs, you can reserve an individual appointment in Buff Portal Advising or view your advisor’s drop-in hours and plan to attend drop-ins.

Don't know how to make an appointment? Read OIT's Buff Portal Advising Student User Guide. You can also find your advisor’s email address in Buff Portal Advising if you plan to reach out via email.

Looking for an individual appointment but don’t see any open?

Try looking a week or two ahead in your advisor’s calendar. You can also email them with questions.

Do you have an urgent question?

Email is a great way to connect with your advisor quickly. Most advisors reply to emails within 24 hours during the workweek. Drop-ins are also good for connecting quickly, though most advisors do not offer them daily. Check academic advising's open hours.

I’ve made an advising appointment! What’s next?

Here are some things you might want to do to prepare for your advising meeting:

1. Have a list of questions for your advisor that you want to focus on, and prioritize the questions if possible.

2. Run a new degree audit before your advising meeting to get a sense of your remaining degree requirements. Learn more about running degree audits. 

3. Share your goals with your advisor! Academic advisors can help with so much more than course selection. Learn more from one of our advisors and see how advising can support you.

How does advising look in A&S Academic Advising and Coaching?

Transition to CU Boulder:
Meet with your Summer Advisor

In the College of Arts and Sciences, we prioritize offering each incoming first-year student the opportunity to have an individual advising appointment during the summer with a highly knowledgeable academic advisor. In order to meet individually with each incoming student, some students will meet with their first-year advisor and others will meet with a departmental advisor who has been specifically trained to work with incoming first-year students.

The First Year:
Meet with your First-Year Advisor

The first year of college is a transitional time, as students learn more about themselves and their academic interests. While the first year is filled with exciting new experiences, students may face challenges as well. Our first-year academic advisors are attuned to support students as they navigate these opportunities and challenges. Our first-year advisors are knowledgeable in all of the majors and minors on campus and can help students explore the many opportunities CU Boulder offers as they chart their academic path.

Sophomore Year Through Graduation:
Meet with your Departmental Advisor(s)

At the end of the first year, students with a declared major are transitioned to one or more departmental advisors. For example, a student who is majoring in psychology and minoring in French would have a psychology advisor and a French advisor. Departmental advisors work with students through to graduation and help them explore opportunities to enhance their academic and career paths while completing their degrees.

What students say about advising.

 

"He helped me feel like I had a clear idea of what I should be doing and what classes I needed in order to accomplish my goals."

 

"Super helpful, I had a few questions, got everything cleared up in a short meeting and walked out feeling confident."

 

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Academic Advising's Mission 

We create space for students to develop meaningful educational goals and a strong sense of belonging. We are uniquely positioned to:

Advise students in maximizing their degree plan through curricular and co-curricular exploration.
Engage students in their journey of self-discovery and growth, balancing challenge and support.
Serve as a catalyst for academic success and enhance student wellbeing by innovating our professional practice.

Learn More