Quality of new freshman or transfer academic advising in hindsight

Colleges & Universities University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>Now that everyone has been in school for a while, what are your thoughts on the quality of new freshman or transfer academic advising regarding course selection?</p>

<p>For example, do you think that the advice you got from Berkeley sources (CalSO, college and departmental web sites and documents, etc.) helped you choose appropriate courses for your first semester, according to your major, other academic goals, and prior high school or college preparation?</p>

<p>If not, how would you have chosen your courses differently?</p>

<p>From what I remember years ago, the new student advising was not very helpful. I just signed up for some courses based on the listed course plan for my major (though accounting for advanced credit). The only thing I remember from the advising was that the student advisers at CalSO seemed to encourage freshmen to repeat their AP credit (which I did not do). If I had a better idea of how to navigate the course registration system then in use, I may have been able to find an additional breadth course.</p>

2

<p>Unlike most other people, I found the advisors to be somewhat helpful, if not entirely forthcoming in giving useful guidance. However, it is vital to be proactive. Know exactly what you want to ask, bring a notebook to copy down pertinent information, and cross-reference everything the advisor says. </p>

<p>Nothing is ever spoon-fed to the students at Cal, so the only way is to go and ask. It is very time-consuming but necessary.</p>

3

<p>Of course, now with the web, college and departmental advising documents are more readily available than before – but new students still need to go find them on the web.</p>