Getting to Know Your Academic Advisor
Believe it or not, next month it will be time to register for the spring semester! Academic Advisors are ready and eager to chat with you about your academic progress and answer your questions about spring classes.
The Spring 2025 schedule of classes will be available on Monday, October 21st and you should plan to meet with your Academic Advisor before your registration appointment date. At UMBC, students must meet with their advisor before registering for the next semester.
Your academic advisor is a vital member of your academic support team and someone we recommend you connect with regularly to take full advantage of their support when it comes to:
- Your adjustment to college
- Major and career choices
- Course selection
- Long-term academic planning
- Academic difficulty
- Academic “extras” such as minors, internships, education abroad, etc.
Before your advising appointment, you can review your degree card on your myUMBC Profile. This allows you to:
- Access your Academic Advisor’s contact information
- Develop and update your degree plan
- Check your degree progress
- See how coursework transferred over from your previous institution
- Access suggested four-year pathways for completing your degree program
Additionally, you can develop a list of questions/topics to discuss with your Academic Advisor in order to structure your meeting. To help with that conversation, ask yourself:
- How am I doing in my major?
- Do I need to make any changes or seek academic support next semester?
- How long will it take me to complete all my coursework?
- Does my academic plan contain all my GEPs, upper-level credits, and writing intensive?
- Should I plan to take a winter class?
- Are there other topics I’m interested in exploring by adding a minor or certificate program?
- What’s the best way to get in touch with you if I have further questions?
Supplemental Advising
If you are pursuing a pre-professional pathway or have questions about these pathways, you can seek non-mandatory advising through the following places:
Have any questions?
Contact the Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising at oapa@umbc.edu or visit our office in Sherman Hall, B-Wing, Room 224. Happy Advising!
Want to connect with us? Check out Advising Quick Links below!