The start of a new year brings new classes, new students and a sense of excitement for all. Many new students start off their year meeting with an adviser to plan out their class schedule and their eventual transition into a full university. Each student is assigned an adviser based on his or her last name. The school has many resources and the advisers are there to help utilize them to their full extent.

However, many students never visit their adviser past their first required appointment while some students never visit for the first time. One of the ways students are notified about visits is through emails, however many students do not actively check their student email accounts.

“I never went to the first visit, I don’t ever check my email,” said first year student Collin Naughton.

This is not to say the advisers’ office is dead throughout the year. When asked about availability, Academic Advisor Tracy Vittone said he sees more people in the beginning of the semester, when students are polishing their class lists and towards the end when picking for next semester. The advisers offer appointments usually through scheduling; all a student has to do is go into the office and speak to the desk attendant to set up an appointment at a time that works best for them and their adviser. The other option is just to do a ‘drop-in’ meaning that the advisers have some free time and can do short meetings to just answer a few questions if a student does not need a full appointment. These meetings can really be about anything, from finding more information about your major to resources around the school like the Career Center.

There is really no need to be visiting your adviser weekly or monthly. Some students feel that the first visit is more than sufficient to carry them through their ECC journey.

“I thought I had enough information to plan out [my] classes and transfer to a full university,” said second year student Ryan Boone.

Some people do benefit from that constant check-in as a way to hold themselves accountable and the advisers are there to help student’s succeed, it’s part of their jobs. Students can also make appointments with advisers other than their assigned adviser but it is generally easier to be consistent.

Advisers are here to help students succeed. It is recommended to visit them at least once a semester but mileage always varies between students.