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Academic Guidance

Academic Advising

Area of Study advisors are available in every region to support students through their academic experience. Any time a student wants to review and discuss their class schedule, major, career plans, transfer options, or any concerns they have about making progress on completing their award plan, they should make an appointment to meet with their Area of Study advisor.

Area of Study advisors can help with the following:

    • Educational issues such as course and program selection, class scheduling, TSI compliance, Academic Standard Progress, adjustment to college life, study habits, career planning, and financial wellness.
    • Support during advising sessions with the application, award, and administration of financial aid to ensure eligible students have access to and leverage federal and state aid for the completion of academic awards.
    • Comprehensive case management.
    • Timely and accurate academic guidance related to their Area of Study, including course selection, degree planning, transfer, and career services.
    • Referrals to available College and community services as needed to ensure academic success.
    • Stabilization and referral in distress or crisis situations.

Success Coaching

Success coaches provide advising and coaching to students by connecting them to academic planning, career development, academic support, and financial resources.

Success Coaches can help with the following:

    • Provides comprehensive case management.
    • Initiate proactive interventions/strategies to address academic concerns and life challenges.
    • Provide students with timely and accurate academic guidance related to their Area of Study, including course selection, degree planning, transfer, and career services.
    • Coordinate referrals to available college and community services as needed to ensure academic success.
    • Guide students through academic, financial, and personal situations affecting their ability to reach their educational goals, including Academic Standards of Progress.
    • Stabilize students in distress or crisis situations and referrals.

Completion Counseling

Completion counselors are academic counselors who specialize in comprehensive academic services and referral strategies to enhance the retention and completion of students who are close to finishing a degree or certificate.  They employ proactive interventions to address barriers that may impede students’ abilities to complete their certificate or degree. Completion counselors assist students by monitoring academic progress, educational planning, and providing academic advising to support retention, persistence, and completion.

Completion counselors can help with the following:

    • Provide educational planning, career planning, and transfer preparation.
    • Ensure students are on the right pathway to complete their degree/certificate.
    • Guide students through academic, financial, and personal situations affecting their ability to reach their educational goals, including Academic Standards of Progress.
    • Coordinate referrals to available college and community services to address academic and non-academic barriers to successful graduation.
    • Serve as an advocate for students.

 

Faculty Mentors (Instructional Associates)

In addition to Area of Study Advisors and Success Coaches, ACC students are also supported by Faculty Mentors within an Area of Study.

Scope of Service

    • Assist assigned students to navigate degree programs and engage with students in regular review of degree plan progress.
    • Assist assigned students to learn more about programs, career options, transfer institutions, and professional pathways and help students make decisions about those options.
    • Assist assigned students to make connections, ensuring that work on internships or other experiential learning opportunities is a collaboration with other ACC resources, including Career Services.
    • Assist assigned students to network, make connections with business and industry, connect with faculty at colleges and universities, and connect to other learning and career opportunities at ACC and in the broader community.
    • Assist assigned students to manage being a student, both directly and by facilitating connections to student support services (academic advising, academic coaches, learning labs, career services and transfer services, counselors for social & mental health needs).
    • Work with assigned students to initiate reasonable and appropriate course substitutions and be the point of contact between the student and the Department Chair.
    • Provide mentorship that encourages, supports, and guides assigned students in their academic and professional development and contributes to student persistence, retention, and completion.
    • Work with assigned students towards completion of degree and/or transfer.