We found it was awkward, at best, to ask for a new advisor (since Kiddo1’s advisor was living in the dorm), and while Kiddo1 (and I) ended up connecting better with a different faculty/dorm member, it was clear that said faculty member was cautious not to step on the advisors toes, and she was busy keeping an eye on her own advisees. It was not an ideal situation, in an already overly stressful year (again, covid). Fortunately, Kiddo1’s advisor this year is absolutely incredible.
How the advisor system works is something to look at closely. At Kiddo1’s school, for the most part, the advisor changes based on the dorm. Having gone through this now, we would have preferred an advisory program where the student keeps the same advisor for 4 years. Taft for example, gives students a temporary advisor, and then a few weeks into school, students are able to choose their advisor, who then typically stays with them throughout their time.