The advising program in the College of Ag here at K-State has been a major help to me. They use faculty advisors, meaning that the professors who are teaching classes and doing research are the ones advising students on their academics. The fact that they are teaching and researching at the same time gives them connections within the industry. This could be a great asset when it comes time to graduate and find a job. The advisors in the
College of Ag are not full-time advisors who have 200 students to advise, the average advisee load is less than 20 advisees per advisor. This allows them to have a more personal relationship with you and really understand what is going on in your life.
Personally, my advisor has been a great asset to me. He helps me to decide which classes I need to take and when would be best to take them. He is aware of the difficulty level of those classes and gives his recommendations as to which to take at the same time and which ones to take in different semesters.
College of Agriculture advisors not only give helpful suggestions, but they make you a priority. I have very few breaks in the day between school, work, and other responsibilities. My advisor also has a busy schedule teaching courses, research, etc. Nonetheless, he has always worked around my schedule to find a time to meet with me when I have questions or concerns. Also, whenever I meet him walking down the hall, he always recognizes me and makes a point to ask me how classes, life, and everything are going.
Advisors do more than just advise students on the academics at K-State. For example, I have been looking to study abroad this coming summer. My advisor asked where I wanted to go and I rattled off a list of places that I thought would interest me. He then proceeded to tell me all about the great times and issues that his son had when he went on a study abroad trip to one of the locations I was considering. This really gave me an idea of what to expect and reassured me that he would be able to help me in the planning of my trip. Many of the trips are even led by the same professors that advise some of the students in the College of Ag!
I hope you will come join us in the College of Agriculture and get to see first-hand how great our faculty are (and students, of course!)
-Morgan
