2013 Reports

Designing a System for Strategic Advising

Karp, Melinda Jane Mechur; Stacey, Georgia West

Students attending community colleges are faced with a variety of complex procedures and decisions. They must not only navigate financial aid applications and registration but also choose the type of credential they will pursue, their major (often from among hundreds) and the courses they will enroll in (often from among thousands). At the same time, they must take into account how course choices serve their long-term goals as well as their immediate logistical needs; for instance, some courses may count for financial aid purposes but not for graduation, or for graduation but not transfer. For many community college students—a significant portion of whom are the first in their family to attend college—these tasks appear to be insurmountable hurdles. The sheer number of choices students face can lead them to stumble. Students may waste time and money on unnecessary courses; they may miss a financial aid deadline. These stumbles can contribute to a sense that they do not “belong” in college. Advisors help students make choices in a complex environment, often by explaining the costs and benefits of each available option, and they guide students to additional resources that will help them make good decisions.