Advising is crucial for many students. As stated by other’s, picking classes is the least of it. My son had his major, a minor and a certificate minor. 3 different advisors. They helped with study abroad, getting internships and jobs.
3 Likes
One of my kid’s advisor’s knew about a fellowship that kid qualified for. Wasn’t a university sponsored program, didn’t get a lot of PR, wasn’t one of the Fulbright/Marshall famous ones. But a fantastic opportunity. Advisor picked up the phone to ask a colleague at another institution “the deadline has passed but I have a talented student who qualifies” and the answer was “send in the application today”.
Agree with you. Advising is not about following the flow chart. Advising is about the stuff that ISN’T readily available. And my kid would have been fine without the fellowship (although loved every minute of it) but it would be life-altering for someone else.
It’s so easy to decide that another person’s department is overstaffed.
6 Likes
Yes but this is the engineering school. It doesn’t talk about other schools or departments - where there are also advisors.
The good news is there are still advisors - will be 44 -we are forgetting that. My nephew is one at Arizona - the amount of people and layers they have is dizzying - who covers what. It’s not just by name.
Maybe this is just dumbing down the process.
Obviously it’s an expense thing. Money doesn’t grow on trees. Maybe they can offer kids concierge advising, like concierge doctors, for a fee.
In the end, the consumers will decide (ie students). I think my son’s major had two and it was large and he hit his semester appointment no issue ad they were always having open hrs (he never went) - so 44 may be plenty.
@blossom im not saying they are overstaffed. I’M saying we don’t know. We hear cuts and we jump to conclusions. For all we know there are underutilized. Everyone is making assumptions but no one knows the true status of- is the point.
Given the websites focus more on masters and PhD advising vs undergrad, I think this might be all and not simply undergrad.
1 Like
The COA at USC is $99K/year!
2 Likes
You might be missing the point. At some schools their advisory is integrated and an important part of the students life. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s engineering or not. But at the schools mention and the one my tag line is for it’s more then just sitting down with an advisor. Other schools not so much.
2 Likes
And multi millionaires by medical concierge 
that was my point.
I’m just saying all are assuming advising will be less or worse.
We have zero idea. It very well may be or it may be underutilized. At my son’s school it was required. USC seems opaque with the info but on one site, it said b4 first semester and then optional. I’m guessing if not required most kids wouldn’t use. I think like many things on the cc, the examples from engaged parents like post here aren’t the norm.
None of us are there. Maybe you all are right. I don’t know nor do you. But this might be an easy operational efficiency that causes no degradation. No idea. But all are assuming it is.
I hope, those employees worth a crap that don’t keep the job, and not all are worth a crap, I hope they find a way to continue at USC if they so choose. Others may go on to bigger and better things.
My job was eliminated years ago. I could have stayed but had to move and demote. I’ve now in a much better situation, geographically (didn’t have to move kids multiple times) and monetarily. For most, they will still be at USC in advising the same students as b4. For others, they may find better and thus might be the push they needed.
There is the added issue that when good quality people are forced to reapply/compete for their same job, for LESS pay, many choose to go elsewhere or if they are older, retire. This is not a scenario where the best advisors are necessarily going to stay.
4 Likes