<p>My daughter is a freshman psych major and needs some help with course selection. Whenever she goes to the department advisers, she invariably sees someone who has no idea how to help her and she leaves feeling like she made a horrible mistake coming to such a big school where she is basically nameless. She is allowed to see a college adviser for BSOS (her school) or a psychology adviser. She has seen both and neither have helped her whatsoever. She’s trying to decide whether she should pursue her BA or BS degree, both of which are options, and no one seems to be able to supply her with helpful information. She needs to decide by her registration day of December 9th.
What is she doing wrong? Is it possible to see one person as her adviser for 4 years at Maryland or is it make an appointment with whoever is available?
Does anyone with current students have any advice how she should proceed?
Thanks for any advice you can give!</p>
<p>Both of my D’s graduated from UMD, both got double degrees. One had an outstanding department-level advisor (in Astronomy dept) and she avoided the physics dept advisor. The other D started in AGNR (Environmental studies) where she had an outstanding advisor, who helped her out even when she was no longer in AGNR. Her BSOS experience was not good for her environmental policy major (Sociology) …causing her to go back to her original AGNR advisor on more than one occasion and her Spanish literature major advisor was even worse. </p>
<p>Your D should try again with the department advisors, but also consider asking professors or grad students for their thoughts. TA’s in Psych would also be a good resource for advice. FWIW, I don’t think a BA vs. BS is that big of a deal. For whatever she goes on to after college, her grades and accomplishments during college will be much more important than the designation of the degree.</p>
<p>As far as feeling nameless (or just a number), your daughter should make a point to introduce herself and visit professors in her major during their office hours at UMD…she should go with specific questions and ask for help or clarification on something, and make a connection with the professor. Those are the students who stand out to professors. For both of my D’s for all the professors for which they cared about, this proved to be an exceptionally good move, for references, etc… D1 was a TA, and for the larger classes, if someone was on the bubble between 2 grades, the professors were much more willing to give the higher grade to those students who had the initiative to introduce themselves and show that they really cared about the class.</p>
<p>I second what apmom said, and I add that my son has found UMD’s administrators very helpful when he was trying to transfer from one college to another. I’m speaking here of directors of undergraduate studies (not really an admin), the dept chair, and the associate dean. Colleges sometimes do a lousy job instructing profs on how to advise students and then rewarding them for this service. I’m not saying that’s what happens at UMD, but I’ve heard of it happening elsewhere.</p>
<p>Let me also say that there are rewards to encouraging your child to find by herself someone who will help her, although given your timeline you might want to save that lesson for next semester :+)</p>
<p>thank you for all the good advice. My daughter will be home tomorrow and I’ll review your suggestions with her!</p>