Working with your Advisor

During your time as a First Year student at K, your advisor played a really crucial role. She or he helped you get oriented to life at K, to locate interesting classes to take, to find helpful resources and people on campus, etc. Maybe you even began exploring potential majors, minors and concentrations. During your Sophomore Year, your advisor continues to play a key role for you as an advocate and a mentor. Now you’re likely sharpening your focus on your major, and you’re thinking about study abroad, and experiential learning–should I find an internship? Maybe sign up for a Discovery Externship through the CCPD?

Your advisor can help with all of this decision making. So don’t be shy about seeing him or her to talk all these things through! Make an appointment to see your advisor in addition to the regularly-scheduled meetings prior to registration. Let that person know what’s up with you and your exciting, evolving plans. K advisors want to be involved, and they care about you and your growth.

Should I Change Advisors?

All students wonder about this, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The truth is, you don’t have to change advisors unless you think it will benefit you and your growth at K. Many students do change advisors once they have declared a major, mid-way through the Sophomore Year. But some find that their initial advisor at K is someone with whom they have developed a wonderful rapport, and they don’t want to switch. It’s entirely up to you.

If I do want to change advisors, how do I do it?

Once you’ve declared a major and finished registering for spring classes, you may change advisors if you wish. It’s an easy two-step process. First, find a faculty member with whom you have a good connection, either through taking her/his classes or other good conversations you may have had, and simply ask that professor if he or she would be willing to advise you. Most often it makes sense to ask a faculty member in your major department. It’s important to ask first, because some professors have already committed to advising a number of students and many not feel like they can take on more. So be sure to have that initial conversation before taking the next step.

Once you’ve asked a new faculty member to be your advisor and that person has agreed, all you need to do is fill out a Change of Advisor form in the Registrar’s Office. That’s it–you’re done!