Your Academic Advisor

• Who is my advisor?
• Can I change my advisor?
• What should I expect when I meet with my advisor?
• Reminder about your advisor
• Peer and Group Advising

Who is my Advisor?

When you become a Bethel student, you’ll be paired with an academic advisor who is an expert in your area of study. If you’ve already selected a major, you will have an advisor in your major’s academic department. If you are exploring majors, your advisor will be someone who can help you think about different options.

No matter how sure you are about your major, your advisor will help you reflect on your interests, develop your academic and career goals, and choose good classes and activities as you pursue those goals.

To find your advisor and their contact info, go to the My Advisor channel in MyBethel.

Can I Change My Advisor?

To change your major or request a new advisor, fill out the Declaration of Major, Minor, or Advisor form from the Registrar’s Office. If you change your major, you’ll be assigned to a new advisor within the department of your new major. If you have two majors, you can use this form to request advisors in both your first and second major.

It's important to keep your official records up to date with your planned major. This will keep you connected to your department’s advising and other resources.

When Should I Meet with my Advisor?

You will be required to meet with your advisor at least once every semester before registering for the upcoming term, but you can talk to your advisor at other times as well. During Welcome Week, you can meet your advisor at an Academic Connections session or during advisor office hours.

Building a strong relationship with your advisor will help you with more than just choosing classes. Your advisor is an experienced, thoughtful person who can help you make the most out of college and learn about God’s calling on your life at every step along your path. If you have a question about your academic plan, your interests, your major, or any other academic concern, feel free to reach out to your advisor and request a meeting.

What Should I Expect When I Meet With My Advisor?

Every advising session looks slightly different. Your major, your personality, your advisor’s personality, your preferences for how to organize information...all these factors affect what happens before, in, and after an advising session. But the fundamental purpose of all advising sessions is to have a conversation about your interests, your plan for what courses to take next semester, and your long-term academic and career goals. Together, you and your advisor create (or review) a plan for how you will accomplish your goals and complete all your academic requirements by your goal graduation date. Then, before the end of the session, your advisor needs to remove the advising hold from your student record so that you can register yourself for your next semester of classes.

You should receive an email from your advisor sometime before registration begins each semester with instructions for how to set up an appointment. Some advisors use Google calendar sign-ups, some use paper sign-ups on their office door, and others may ask you to meet with a peer advisor or attend a group advising session before your individual appointment. Read your advisor’s email carefully to understand what you need to do to set up a meeting and what tasks you may need to complete before the meeting in order to be prepared.

Even if your advisor doesn’t tell you to prepare anything specific, it’s always a good idea to review the Registration Information on the Registrar’s Office website. This will be updated with information about the upcoming terms in mid-late October (for Interim and Spring registration) or late March (for Summer and Fall registration). You should also check your degree evaluation to see what courses you need to complete before you can graduate and review your major requirements in the Academic Catalog for the year you entered Bethel.

Remember...

Meeting with your advisor can seem a little intimidating sometimes, but the first thing to remember about advising at Bethel is this: Don’t be afraid! Your advisor cares about you and knows a lot about a subject you’re interested in. Talking to your advisor is a great way to find inspiration, define your goals, and get to know one of Bethel’s amazing staff or faculty on a personal level. Even if you want to talk to your advisor about changing your major, your advisor cares about your success, wants to help you, and will not be upset or hurt that you are thinking about choosing a major in a different department.

Peer and Group Advising

Some departments at Bethel lead group advising sessions or pair freshman and sophomore students with juniors and seniors in a peer advising model. If your department has a group or peer advising program, they will let you know about it. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with other students in your major—and you may eventually become a peer advisor yourself!