Timeline

This page is designed to help you anticipate the various advising moments that arise through the academic year. We’ve included suggestions for how to stay on top of your advising responsibilities, with links to important resources and other areas of this site.

Important Dates

• Academic Calendar (Catalog)

August Welcome Week

• Review your new students’ schedules for the upcoming term and help them take care of any last issues. Refer to the list emailed to you with a subject similar to: “Your New Fall 2021 Advisees!”
• Attend your department's Academic Connection Session
• Plan to meet and greet advisees during Welcome Week advising hours
  • If students have questions about their transcript or academic plan at this time, remember: you don’t have to build a whole academic plan right away. Feel free to refer students to meet with you in the first few weeks of the semester.

Fall Advising Season

• Mid-October: Look for an email from the Advising Center to mark the beginning of the Advising and Registration season. Around the same time, students will receive an email letting them know advising and registration information for the upcoming terms is available online. Students will be encouraged to use the Advising and Registration Quickstart to prepare for their advising appointment.
• Contact your advisees
  • View your advisee list to see how many appointments you should plan for
• Prepare for appointments
  • Brush up on Gen Ed or program curriculum if needed
  • Review a student’s profile, previous advising notes or plans, and any course progress reports a student has received this term
• During appointments
  • Pull up advisee list
  • Conversation starters
  • Review Transcript and Degree Evaluation
  • Academic Planning tools
  • Add Advising Notes
  • Make sure you Remove Holds!
• Follow up with advisees who have not yet had appointments
  • Sort your Advisee List based on which students still have a hold
• Registration usually takes place in early or mid-November

Winter Welcome Week

• Winter Welcome Week (late January/early February) is much smaller than August Welcome Week. While there is no formal time for department connections or advisor office hours, students may stop by your office to introduce themselves.
• Sort your Advisee List by entry term to see if you have any new advisees.
• Check your class lists at the beginning of the semester to see if you have any students in your classes who are new to Bethel. 

Graduation Applications

• March and April: Graduation application appointments may take longer than usual advising appointments. You might encourage students who need to work on the grad app to sign up for two back-to-back appointment slots.
• Review instructions and resources

Spring Advising Season

• Late March: Look for an email from the Advising Center to mark the beginning of the Advising and Registration season. Refer to the resources under “Fall Advising Season” to prepare for and meet with your advisees. 
• Registration usually takes place in mid-April.