Advising

Academic Advising

Academic advising at Saint Michael’s College is integral to the work of a learning community. Over the four years of an academic career, students assume increased responsibility for shaping their learning and coursework. The relationship of advisor to advisee in this process is not divorced from the teaching context; rather, it is an extension of the focus upon students and the development of autonomous learning. Throughout, students remain responsible for their own course selections in planning successfully to meet all graduation requirements. In support of this work, academic advising has four principles: it is learning centered, student focused, information rich, and multi-layered.

During summer orientation students are assigned a temporary academic advisor, and they receive a permanent advisor at the beginning of their first semester. Students are encouraged to reflect on their choice of a major and overall course selection; a formal declaration of a major must be made by the end of the fourth semester. Students who change their major will be assigned a new advisor in that chosen major. Academic advisors formally meet with students prior to registration each semester as well as informally throughout the year to develop their plan, review progress toward requirements, and select courses which best meet the students’ educational goals.

Pre-Law Advising

Many Saint Michael’s students are interested in pursuing a law career. While some enroll directly in law school after graduation, the majority wait for a few years. There is no specific pre-law major at Saint Michael’s, nor do law schools recommend any one major as a prerequisite for the study of law. To develop the background and skills necessary for success as a lawyer, students are encouraged to choose a major that will be intellectually challenging for them. Pre-law students are urged to choose their major according to interest and ability and thereby develop critical thinking and writing skills. Pre-law advising is offered through Professor Traci Griffith, a 1999 graduate of Notre Dame Law School (Media Studies, Journalism & Digital Arts) and Laura Neville (Career Education Center). The Pre-Law handbook on the Career Education website provides information on the law school application process and links to law schools and professional organizations.

Pre-Health Advising

Students interested in pursuing careers in health care are advised by the Pre-Health Advisory Committee, whose co-chairs are Professor Paul Constantino and Professor Dagan Loisel (Biology).

A student may follow a program which provides the courses necessary to gain admission to medical, dental or other allied health programs including optometry, physical therapy, nursing, physician assistant, podiatry, public health, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. While many students choose to major in one of the sciences, students in other majors may elect the courses required in preparation for the various allied health graduate programs.

Each professional school has specific requirements. Our biology major satisfies most of these requirements. A student may, however, elect to major in any subject and complete the pre-professional courses as electives. Any student doing this should meet with the chairperson of the committee, Biology Professor Adam Weaver, during the early part of the first year.

Members of the Pre-Allied Health Advisory Committee work closely with students who plan to seek admission to medical, dental, and other graduate programs. They seek to assist students in their course selection, preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Dental Admission Test (DAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and the application process itself.

Graduate School Advising

While at Saint Michael’s and after graduation, students will find guidance concerning graduate study from their academic advisors and Career Coaches in the Career Education Center.