Last month Rio Salado College’s Community Engagement Council teamed up with the college’s Academic Advising team to present a virtual event that talked through what advisors can do for Rio students. A group of advisors were on-hand to speak about the programs they advise students about, as well as to offer their top success tips for students who are looking to thrive at Rio Salado. Here are their top tips for student success:
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Know Your Goals
David Hall, director of Academic Advisement at Rio, strongly recommends that students “really look at career goals and research them, look at websites, and prepare for whatever’s coming.” Hall suggests making this an ongoing process: industries and fields are always changing, so it’s best to keep up as they evolve. Ask questions of people who are working in jobs similar to what you want. You can also ask your advisor and instructors, many of whom may have similar direct experience in professional worlds. Look at job postings and see how you can best prepare for interviews after you graduate.
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Make a Plan
For Shana Johnson, Rio’s advisor for students studying human services and behavioral science, one of the keys to success is making an academic plan and sticking to it. Johnson likens an academic plan to a shopping list. “You’re gonna wanna go into the store with a game plan, otherwise you’re gonna walk down every aisle putting things in your cart that you don’t necessarily need,” Johnson said. The same holds true for your education: you want to take classes you need on a schedule that makes sense for you and your program’s progression. Your earlier classes are setting up a foundation for you to be successful in the classes to come, so it’s critical to pick the right classes early on so you have the right foundation holding you up as you advance.
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Establish a Relationship with Your Advisor
Rio’s business field of interest advisor Karen Mauvais emphasizes the importance of establishing a relationship with one’s advisor early on in your academic career. “Everybody here at Rio Salado College- not just your instructors, not just your advisor, but all of us- want you to succeed,” Mauvais said. “The best way to make that happen is to communicate with us.” For students who are feeling overwhelmed and/or are falling behind, Mauvais recommends reaching out to instructors as soon as possible. “It’ll help clarify things that might be causing you to fall behind, and they can also grant you an extension if it looks like you’re going to miss a deadline.”
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Check in Each Semester
Sherri Moore Williams, who is part of Rio’s team of advisors dedicated to computer and information technology, highlighted the importance of regular check-ins with your advisor. “Schedule an appointment with your advisor each semester before you enroll in your next set of classes,” Moore Williams said. “This way we’re making sure that you’re on target.” Things can change between semesters so it’s crucial that you check-in before each enrollment to see what may be different.
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Maintain a Balance of Easy to Hard Classes
Culture and society field of interest advisor Mai Martinson talked about keeping a mixed level of difficulty with your classes. “You don’t want to take two sciences or do a math and science class in the same semester if you can help it,” Martinson said. She also advises avoiding enrolling in too many classes if you’re already working full-time or have familial obligations. “If you’re working full time, just do two to three classes. You can always add on more classes as you go but it’s much harder to withdraw or drop your classes as you go throughout the semester.”
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Keep in Touch
Roxie Holmes, Rio advisor for education, dental hygiene, and family life education, talked about the importance of staying in touch throughout the semester— not just at the beginning. “A lot of times we don’t know what’s going on if we haven’t heard from you,” Holmes said. If you’re feeling frustrated that you’re not making a lot of progress, Holmes recommends emailing your advisor. Your advisor can generate a semester-by-semester report showing what you’ve done and what you have left to do before graduating. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and needing to drop a class, your advisor can help you resolve that. As soon as an issue or concern comes up, reach out to them. Oftentimes what could balloon into a serious problem can get handled quickly and relatively painlessly if you ask your advisor for help early on.
Article by Austin Brietta